What are the options for French students wishing to study veterinary medicine?

Entry to the national veterinary school (ENV) is done through different competitive exams. All competitive exams are based on the Agro-Veto test bank.

After obtaining the French baccalaureate, several options are available to you to study veterinary medicine in France:

• The "classe prépa" (classic way of accessing veterinary studies): it is a question of accessing one of the 320 places offered in one of the 4 veterinary schools "after having passed a B.C.P.S.T. (biology, chemistry, physics, earth sciences) or T.B. (Technology-Biology) pre-preparation exam: A competition Access to the BCPST pre-preparation exam is itself very selective.
• Following a scientific degree in the field of life sciences: competition B
• In parallel admissions after a DUT specializing in Biological Engineering or Applied Biology for example or some BTS / BTSA: competition C
• After a Master 1 or a DE in medicine, pharmacy, odontology: competitive examination D
• Or after a 1st year of ENS : concours E

It is written in the general regulation of the access ways to the public veterinary schools, in the Code rural et de la Pêche Maritime, that a candidate cannot present himself more than twice to the entrance exam to the ENV whatever the chosen way. Whether it is competition A, competition B, competition C, competition D or competition E.

This limits the chances of success in the competition.

NEW: as of the beginning of the 2022 school year, it will be possible to access the 4 ENVs via a new access route: "the post-bac examination".

This is a common competition for the 4 ENVs and will offer 160 places in 2022.

To apply and register for the post-baccalaureate competition, students must go through Parcoursup and formulate their wishes for the National Veterinary School.

Please note that on PARCOURSUP "National Veterinary Schools" is already a wish and each of the 4 schools will be a sub-wish.

Specialty courses and expectations are of course required for selection.

Find via the following link the Parcoursup calendar and how to make your wishes.

https://www.education.gouv.fr/calendrier-de-l-annee-de-terminale-2021-2022-et-procedure-parcoursup-baccalaureat-general-et-325550

The private school UniLaSalle, will also offer this option of post-bac access by offering 96 places to baccalaureate graduates in 2022. As for the 4 National Veterinary Schools, the application is managed via Parcoursup.

To study veterinary medicine in France, it is necessary to plan between 6 and 8 years.

In order to be able to practice the profession of veterinarian in France, you must meet 3 conditions, because in France, the profession of veterinarian is a regulated profession*.

1- A nationality requirement:

In accordance with article L. 241-1 of the rural and maritime fishing code, only persons who are nationals of a European Union member state, of a state party to the agreement on the European Economic Area or of Switzerland may practice animal medicine and surgery in France

2- A diploma requirement:

Case a)

Or be the holder of a diploma, certificate or title of veterinarian obtained in one of the States of the European Union or Switzerland and mentioned in the list appearing in the modified decree of May 21, 2004 (decree fixing the list of the diplomas, certificates or titles of veterinarian mentioned in the article L. 241-2 of the rural code and maritime fishing,) ;

Case b)

Or meet one of the other conditions mentioned in article L.241-2 of the rural and maritime fishing code. This includes, in particular, the case where the diploma of the person concerned is not mentioned in the list of the aforementioned decree but that this diploma has been recognized by a Member State of the European Union or a State party to the agreement on the European Economic Area and that the person concerned has practiced for three years in this State.

Case c)

Or be the holder of a veterinary diploma not mentioned in article L 241-2 of the rural and maritime fishing code and have passed the knowledge test mentioned in article L. 241-1 of this same code.

• A condition of mastery of the French language:

According to article L. 241-1 of the rural and maritime fishing code, the knowledge and mastery of the French language is necessary to practice the profession of veterinarian.

After obtaining the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, it is possible to consider the following specialization courses: Internship, residency, CEAV and DESV allowing to acquire a specialization in a particular field.

1. The boarding school

The internship offered by the 4 National Veterinary Schools of France (ENV) is an annual multidisciplinary university training of high level, based on a clinical practice within the University Veterinary Hospitals (CHUV). The ENV internship is validated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and recognized by international accreditation systems.

Recruitment for the internship is common to all four ENVs and is carried out through a national competition. Candidates must hold a French veterinary doctor's diploma, be a student of a French national veterinary school, or hold a foreign veterinary diploma deemed equivalent by the jury of the entrance examination.

They can eventually be followed by a two-year residency.

2. The residency

It is an alternative to the internship and therefore provides training in a specific clinical discipline. It prepares for a specialist diploma after passing a competition organized at the European level by the European colleges of specialists. The residency is reserved for holders of a Diploma in Veterinary Medicine (DVM) who meet the requirements of the corresponding college

3. CEAV/DESV:

The last option is one of the specialization paths which involves the preparation of a Certificate of Advanced Veterinary Studies (CEAV), followed or not by a Diploma of Specialized Veterinary Studies (DESV) which is obtained in 2 or 3 years.

French students holding a diploma, certificate or title of veterinarian obtained in one of these States and mentioned in the list in the decree of May 21, 2004 (modified by the decree of June 18, 2013) must apply to the regional council of the veterinary order of the place of practice in order to validate their diploma and to be able to start practicing in France.

Registration with the Order of Veterinarians is a prerequisite for any professional practice for qualified veterinarians. It is a legal obligation. This prerequisite to any installation is therefore done with the Regional Council of the Order, in whose jurisdiction the place of practice will be located. The registration on the roll of the Order of Veterinarians and the corresponding certificate of registration are obtained within approximately two months. The application must be made by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt, to the President of the Regional Council. Veterinarians who are nationals of one of the member states of the European Union, and who hold a diploma, certificate or other title of veterinarian in conformity with the above, and who wish to establish themselves in France in order to practice animal medicine and surgery, are subject to the same obligations.

All documents submitted in support of the application must be accompanied by a certified translation by a sworn translator if they are not in French.

What is the budget for veterinary studies in France?

In the audience:

The 4 ENV depend on the Ministry of Agriculture. They are therefore considered as public schools/universities. The tuition fees are about 2 500 € per year of training.

In the private sector:

Only one private school offers the possibility of studying veterinary medicine in France. If access is difficult, its price is not accessible to all budgets either. The tuition fees will be between 13 500 € and 19 500 € depending on the year of the course. Therefore, the "six-year" training will cost an average of 93,000 euros in tuition fees to students of this school.

As you can see, becoming a veterinarian by studying in France is very complicated and that is why some students choose to study abroad.

Belgium is a country that attracts a lot of French people, not only because of its proximity to France, but also because veterinary studies can be done in French for 6 years, in one of the following 4 universities:

• The University of Liege
• The Free University of Brussels
• The Catholic University of Leuven
• The University of Namur

Access to veterinary studies in Belgium is very selective because the access of non-Belgian residents is limited to a maximum of 20% and the selection is done by lottery.

For this reason, many French students^initially consider access to veterinary studies in Belgium and if they are not selected, they then turn to other countries.

Portugal is another country that offers 6-year programs, with the first year in French and the following years in Portuguese. You will find veterinary courses at theEscuela Universitaria Vasco de Gama (EUVG) and the Cooperativa de Ensino Superior Politécnico e Universitário (CESPU). Access is also selective with a ranking by average and reserved only for students with a scientific baccalaureate.

For more information and to apply for veterinary studies in Portugal you can contact GEDS: https: //www.geds.fr/formations/veterinaire

Romania also offers training to become a veterinarian, lasting 6 years, in French.

These programs are offered at :

• University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca
• University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest
• Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Timisoara.

Admissions are based on academic records and sometimes candidates have to take specific biology and chemistry exams. Some of the feedback we received emphasized the weakness of knowledge in certain areas:

Make sure you do your homework before you commit.

There are even more options for veterinary studies in English than in French, and the offers are located in several countries of the European Union.

You can study in English in countries such as Croatia, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic, ...

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb, Croatia, for example, offers a 6-year course in English. Admission is based on applications and there is a quota of 35 foreign students.

In Estonia, the Estonian University of Life Sciences also offers a 6-year program in English. Applicants must pass a BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) and must send a letter of motivation.

The University of Veterinary Medicine in Bucharest, Hungary, also offers a 5.5 year program in English. The selection is based on a dossier with a letter of motivation, a letter of recommendation and a test in English, biology and chemistry, with an oral part to evaluate the motivation.

Two universities in Poland also offer a five and a half year veterinary course in English: the University of Life Sciences in Lublin and the Warsaw University of Life Sciences. The selection is done by QCM test in chemistry and biology.

Portugal also offers the possibility of studying veterinary medicine totally in English at the EGAS MONIZ school. As for the studies with the first year in French, the access is also done with a classification by average and is reserved only for the students who made a scientific baccalaureate.

For courses in English, Lasi University of Life sciences in Romania is also an option for veterinary studies. Access is selective and limited to 50 places.

In the Czech Republic, the University of Veterinary Sciences Brno offers a 6-year veterinary program in English. Admissions are based on applications, biology and chemistry tests and there are about 80 places available.

To complete the veterinary curriculum in English, the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy - Košice in Slovakia is also an option. The course of study lasts 6 years and admission is by application and biology and chemistry exams.

1. The basic criterion and our number one piece of advice is to choose an accredited institution (called "acreditado" in Spanish). The agency that allows universities to obtain accreditation and thus be able to issue official degrees is the National Agency for Quality Assessment and Accreditation (ANECA).

ANECA ensures the quality of the higher education system in Spain by approving that all the courses offered by the universities meet all the quality requirements for awarding an official degree in Spain, such as the curriculum, teaching methodology and professors.

We have chosen to give you this advice, which is essential, because you should know that a higher education institution that is not accredited cannot issue a Spanish state diploma, which is compulsory to practice the profession of veterinarian, which is regulated in Europe and therefore in France.

However, to our knowledge, there are currently no schools in Spain that are not accredited by the Spanish State. However, some universities have not yet had students graduate on this course, so it is not possible at this time to know the real level of future veterinarians who will graduate there.

2. Choose an academic institution that has a veterinary clinic (small and large animals): Your skills as a veterinarian will come from your theoretical knowledge but also from your experience on all categories of animals you may have to treat. This will allow you to make the right choice to become a veterinarian in an urban area or in the countryside.

Another tip is to make sure that the clinic has the necessary and recent equipment to treat the animals.

Also, make sure that the organization of this clinic can offer you enough "patients" to treat during your internship. The other thing to keep in mind is the location of the university clinic, make sure it is convenient to access.

Finally, some universities offer the possibility of doing an internship in their own university clinic during your studies, which is an undeniable plus for your training.

3. You can also compare public and private universities before going to study in Spain:

Each of the 2 systems has advantages and disadvantages.

Public system:

• The advantage of the public system is its price since the studies are largely financed by the Spanish taxpayers. Therefore, it may be a good idea to choose a public university when you do not have the budget to finance 5 years of study in a private university to study veterinary medicine in Spain.

For veterinary studies you will need to pay between 700€ and 2000€. For example, in 2021, the cost of the academic year at the public university Universidad Complutense de Madrid was 1568€.

• The main disadvantages of the public system are that you're not "always" welcome, and that the average required to gain access is very difficult to achieve for a student who didn't go to high school in Spain(find out more about public universities in Spain on FEEDUC). You'll also need to consultthe "nota de Corte " for public universities. Choosing to study at a public university when you don't have the budget to finance 5 years of study at a private university to study veterinary medicine in Spain can be a good idea if you have an excellent academic record.
• Check the "Nota de Corte" (grade out of 10 points) that allowed you to enter the previous year at the university to which you wish to apply. -> (see our article on "nota de corte", and our "public universities" page for more details).
• To get an idea of your nota de Corte, divide your overall Baccalaureate average by 2 to find your 10-point average. With the PCE system, you can increase this score by up to 4 points.
• If your grade is + or - that of the "nota de Corte" of previous years, it may be worthwhile to try for admission. However, have a plan B because you will not know until mid-July at the earliest if you are among the lucky ones to be admitted.

If the "nota de Corte" for the veterinary curriculum is high and therefore limits access to French students wishing to enter a public university, you should know that if you have a good level of Spanish, the "nota de Corte" for the agricultural or food engineer curriculum is much lower and will allow you to enter a public university in Spain to study something similar to the veterinary curriculum in Spain

Access to public universities is based on the "nota de Corte". For this reason, you should check the "nota de Corte" (score out of 14 points) that allowed you to enter the previous year in the university where you want to apply for veterinary studies.

Here is an example of the "Notas de Corte" in public universities in veterinary medicine in Spain:

• in 2019 the lowest "Nota de Corte" was 10.14/14 and the highest was 11.51/14.
• in 2020 the lowest "Nota de Corte" was 10.97/14 and the highest was 12.23/14.
• in 2021 the lowest "Nota de Corte" was 11,20/14 and the highest was 12,37/14.

As you can see, there is an upward trend in the average number of veterinary students in Spanish public universities.

Private system:

• The advantage of the private system is an accessibility that does not only take into account the marks of BAC; the access will be easier in certain private universities for those who have a very good level of Spanish or in another thanks to the possibility of passing by a year of preparation to the veterinary studies.
• The main disadvantage of private universities in Spain is the price, which can be high or very high (+ or - equivalent to that offered by the French private school of veterinary medicine UniLaSalle). Organizing a quality veterinary medicine education is expensive and, when it is not paid for by the Spanish state, at least in part, in a public university, this is reflected in the tuition fees that students must pay. However, students who choose to study at a public university also work very hard throughout their studies in order to succeed and enter the job market as soon as possible, so that they can begin to pay back the loan they took out to finance their veterinary studies on time. Choosing a private university in Spain will cost you less than choosing a private university in France because your studies will last one year less.

Veterinary studies last 5 years in Spain, either in a public or private university. The state diploma obtained at the end of the 5 years of study allows to practice in Spain and also in France.

At the end of their veterinary studies in Spain, graduates can apply for one- or two-year master's degrees in equestrian sports medicine, public health, food science, animal nutrition, young animals, etc.

Veterinarians who wish to devote themselves to teaching and research may then pursue a doctorate.

In the audience:

Between 800€ and 2500€ per year depending on the region

In the private sector:

Fees vary from university to university, but on average they vary between 16 000€ and 18 000€ per year.