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Complete Admissions Guide

Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge, Admissions Guide 2027

Our students' Cambridge acceptance rate

65%

Overall Cambridge offer rate (latest published cycle)

21%

Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge is among the most selective courses in the UK. Get 1-to-1 admissions coaching from Cambridge graduates who have been through the process themselves.

Last updated: June 2026

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Key Facts

  • A*AATypical Offer
  • 5:1Applicants / Place
  • #1UK Ranking
  • ESATAdmissions Test
  • 67Places / Year
  • D100UCAS Code

Overview

Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge

Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge is a six-year VetMB course using UCAS code D100. For 2027 entry, applicants typically need A*AA with Chemistry plus Biology, Mathematics or Physics, must take the ESAT in October 2026, and normally prepare for subject-specific interviews in December 2026.

Why study Veterinary Medicine at Cambridge?

Cambridge is ranked #1 for Veterinary Science or Veterinary Medicine in the Guardian 2026 and Complete University Guide 2026 tables. Times/Sunday Times subject-ranking data is not used for the headline ranking claim here because it is only partially verified for this page.

A university lecture hall from the back, students taking notes

Section 01

International Applicants

Click your country on the map below for country-specific entry guidance — accepted qualifications, expected scores, English-language requirements, and any local context worth knowing before you apply.

International Applicants

Country-specific admissions requirements

CanadaUnited States of AmericaSouth KoreaIndiaChinaUnited KingdomMalaysiaJapan

Pick a highlighted country to see the admissions-test, score, and English-language requirements that apply for applicants from that country.

Section 02

Entry Requirements

  • A-LevelA*AA
    Chemistry, One of Biology / Physics / Mathematics required. Biology recommended.Applicants need Chemistry and at least one of Biology, Mathematics or Physics; most applicants have at least three science/mathematics A levels. Psychology is not counted by the Department as an enabling science subject; Further Maths may support an application and applicants should ask Colleges how it may be treated.
  • IB Diploma40–42 with 776 at HL incl. Chemistry + one of Biology/Physics/Maths
    HL: Chemistry required. Biology, If studying Higher Level Mathematics, Analysis and Approaches is recommended for the most competitive application recommended at HL.IB Higher Level subjects are used to meet A-level-style subject requirements. Cambridge recommends Analysis and Approaches if taking IB Higher Level Mathematics, while Applications and Interpretations will also be considered. Some Colleges may set higher or more specific conditions.
  • Advanced Placement (AP)Minimum five AP Test scores at 5, plus high school qualification and SAT/ACT evidence where applicable; no Veterinary-specific AP offer tile is published on the course page.
    AP Tests in subjects particularly relevant to Veterinary Medicine; no course-specific AP subject list is published on the Veterinary Medicine page required. Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics and/or Physics where aligned with course-page requirements recommended. SAT/ACT: SAT 1500+ with Mathematics 750+ for most Science courses including Veterinary Medicine, or ACT composite 33+ with ACT Science 33+ for Science courses, when SAT/ACT is used alongside AP/equivalent qualifications..Cambridge requires at least five AP Test scores at 5, usually within a two-year period, plus high passing marks in the school qualification and high SAT/ACT evidence where relevant.
Admissions test
Pre-registered ESAT (Mathematics 1 + Biology). Registration closes 28 September 2026; the test sits 12–16 October 2026.
Interview
Two college interviews. Most colleges run one science-led (anatomy, physiology, biochemistry) and one focused on motivation, work-experience reflection and ethical scenarios. Format and length vary by college.
Required Tests:ESAT

Section 03

Application Process & Key Deadlines

  1. Jun–Jul 2026

    Open days & shortlist colleges

    Visit Cambridge in person if you can. Open days run in late June and early July. Begin narrowing your college list and reading first-year reading lists.

  2. Sep 2026

    Draft your personal statement

    Write for the subject, not the institution. Cambridge admissions tutors look for ~80% academic content and genuine super-curricular engagement.

  3. 28 Sep 2026

    ESAT registration deadline

    Pre-registration via the Pearson VUE admissions testing portal closes at 18:00 UK time. Late entry is not normally possible.

  4. 15 Oct 2026

    UCAS deadline

    Submit your UCAS application by 18:00 UK time on 15 October 2026.

  5. 12–16 Oct 2026

    Sit ESAT

    ESAT and TMUA are sat in this window at Pearson VUE centres. LNAT and UCAT use their own test windows, check each test's site for booking dates.

  6. 22 Oct 2026

    My Cambridge Application deadline

    Complete the My Cambridge Application supplementary questionnaire by 18:00 UK time on 22 October 2026. This replaced the old SAQ.

  7. 10 Nov 2026

    Submitted written work deadline

    Most arts and humanities courses ask for one or two pieces of marked school work. Each college confirms its exact deadline; 10 November is the standard date.

  8. Dec 2026

    Interviews

    Around three-quarters of applicants are interviewed. Typically 1–2 interviews of 25–45 minutes each at your chosen or allocated college.

  9. 27 Jan 2027

    Main decisions released

    Cambridge releases its main decisions on 27 January 2027. Around a quarter of offers are made through the Winter Pool, strong applicants reconsidered by colleges with remaining places.

Section 04

Admissions Test

Student working through problems at a desk with timed papers

Cambridge Veterinary Medicine applicants must take the Engineering and Science Admissions Test, known as the ESAT. The required modules are Mathematics 1 plus any two modules chosen from Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics 2.

For standard Cambridge applicants to 2027 entry, the ESAT sitting is 12-16 October 2026. UAT-UK account creation, access arrangements and bursary requests open on 1 June 2026 at 3pm BST, while October 2026 test booking opens on 20 July 2026 at 3pm BST. October test booking closes on 28 September 2026 at 6pm BST.

The ESAT is not a pass/fail hurdle, but Cambridge considers it with the rest of the application. For international applicants, this is one of the fairest cross-system comparison points, because grades, curricula and school contexts vary widely.

We recommend preparing for ESAT as a timed problem-solving test, not as a memory exercise. The strongest preparation is usually repeated practice explaining why a method works, then tightening speed and accuracy.

Full ESAT preparation guide | format, scoring, strategy, and practice resources.

ESAT Guide →

Section 05

The Interview: What to Expect

Invitation → Decision: the interview timeline

Interview Invitation

Late Nov

Arrival to Interview

Early Dec

Technical Question

Mid Dec

Decision

Early Jan

Question Types You’ll See

Anatomy or physiology questionBiochemistry mechanismAnimal-welfare ethical scenarioDiscussion of EMS work-experience reflections

The interview is an academic discussion built around scientific reasoning, problem-solving and veterinary motivation. It may include unfamiliar scientific concepts, school-level science or mathematics applied to a new biological scenario, and reflection on animal handling or veterinary-care observations.

Cambridge says interviews may be online or in person depending on the assessing College. The main 2027-entry interview period is 7-18 December 2026.

We recommend preparing by practising aloud. A good answer does not need to be instant, but it should show how you move from evidence to hypothesis, and from hypothesis to revision when new information is introduced.

Practise with realistic questions from our free mock interview question bank.

Free Mock Questions →
Two people in academic discussion across a table

Section 06

How Decisions Are Actually Made

Cambridge Colleges make decisions holistically. The decision-criteria weights in the structured panel are editorial visualisation only, not official Cambridge policy.

The academic record, ESAT and interview all matter, but Cambridge does not publish a numerical formula for Veterinary Medicine decisions. The Department also states that the personal statement is not assessed, graded, ranked or used to decide interview or offer outcomes.

Context is still part of the process. Cambridge considers contextual data and relevant circumstances holistically, including educational background and disruption where relevant.

Our recommendation · weighting of admission factors

01020304035%
ESAT score
30%
Interview
20%
Predicted grades
10%
Personal statement
5%
Contextual factors
% of decisionFactor

Oxbridge Mentors recommendation, drawn from observed offer patterns. University of Cambridge does not publish official weightings — exact balance varies by college, course and year.

Section 07

Personal Statement Tips

Handwritten notes and a laptop open to a draft document

For Cambridge Veterinary Medicine, do not write a personal statement as if enthusiasm alone proves suitability. The Department says the personal statement is not assessed, graded, ranked or used to decide interview or offer outcomes.

That does not make the statement pointless. It can still help you organise the experiences and scientific reading you may discuss later.

We recommend making every veterinary example analytical. Instead of listing animal-care experiences, explain what you noticed, what question it raised, and what it taught you about uncertainty, welfare, diagnosis, communication or evidence.

Work experience is not an absolute requirement, but the Department recommends about two weeks if possible for insight and interview discussion. If access has been limited by geography, cost, illness or school context, be direct and reflective rather than apologetic.

See a full annotated example with line-by-line expert commentary.

Veterinary Medicine PS Example →

Section 08

Projects

  1. 01Justification
  2. 02Project Brief
  3. 03Explain Exactly What You Did
  4. 04Difficulties
  5. 05Solutions
  6. 06Reflection

That distinction matters: a project is useful only if it gives you something precise to think with.

We recommend projects that connect science to veterinary reasoning. Examples include a short evidence review on antimicrobial resistance in companion animals, a reflective case log from observed veterinary work, or a comparative write-up on nutrition, welfare or disease prevention in one species.

Open books, a notebook, and a coffee on a wooden desk

Section 08

Other Supercurriculars

Use them to build scientific fluency, not to collect badges.

For Veterinary Medicine, prioritise questions where animal health, public health and welfare overlap. Antimicrobial resistance, zoonotic disease, vaccination, nutrition, welfare policy or the One Health framework all give you material that can become scientific reasoning rather than general enthusiasm.

These are support, not substitute. They cannot replace the required science, ESAT preparation or interview reasoning.

  • Read one veterinary or biological question in enough depth to discuss mechanisms.:

  • Keep a short notebook of cases, observations or animal-handling experiences.:

  • Practise explaining biological processes without notes.:

  • Compare two credible sources that disagree and identify what evidence would resolve the disagreement.:

  • Follow a veterinary public-health issue and separate evidence from opinion.:

Section 08

Competitions

This draft therefore avoids naming competitions as if they were verified Cambridge recommendations.

  1. British Biology Olympiad — national biology competition; strong preparation for the scientific reasoning expected at Cambridge Vet interview
  2. Biology Challenge — accessible RSB competition for Year 10–12 students before attempting the full Olympiad
  3. Intermediate Biology Olympiad — extended biology competition developing depth beyond A-level
  4. UK Brain Bee — neuroscience competition; useful for the physiology and neurology components of veterinary science
  5. Nuffield Research Placements — research placement that provides authentic scientific or biomedical experience
  6. RSC UK Chemistry Olympiad — chemistry competition; strengthens the pharmacology and biochemistry foundations needed in veterinary science

Competitions are not required. When used well, they stretch your reasoning under constraints, but one or two done seriously is better than five half-attempted.

Section 09

Course Structure

  1. Year

    01 / 05

    1

    Year 1

    Pre-clinical veterinary and biomedical science foundations begin within Cambridge’s six-year VetMB route.

  2. Year

    02 / 05

    2

    Year 2

    Students continue pre-clinical scientific study and practical development before the later clinical course.

  3. Year

    03 / 05

    3

    Year 3

    The first three years complete the BA (Hons) stage before progression into the clinical VetMB years.

  4. Year

    04 / 05

    4

    Year 4

    The clinical phase begins, with clinical teaching and Clinical EMS forming part of the Years 4-6 route.

  5. Year

    05 / 05

    5

    Years 5-6

    Final clinical study continues through Years 5 and 6 towards completion of the VetMB; grouped here because the CMS year-card schema supports year numbers 1-5.

Section 10

Building Veterinary Medicine Knowledge

Start with the Cambridge Veterinary Medicine official course page, because it is the primary course reference. Then use the Cambridge ESAT guidance To check the current test structure and module requirements.

For deadlines, use UAT-UK ESAT Key dates rather than older admissions-testing pages. For course-specific application expectations, use the Cambridge Department of Veterinary Medicine, How to apply page.

The broader resource list is marked partial and editorial, not an official Cambridge reading list. Treat this section as an official-source checklist rather than a complete subject reading list; subject-specific books, podcasts or videos should be added only after item-by-item verification.

A study planner, highlighters and a stack of revision cards

Section 11

College Choice & Reallocation

29 colleges offer this subject. 20-25% of places come through the pool.

Cambridge is collegiate, and 29 Colleges for this page. College choice affects initial assessment, interview logistics, accommodation and community, but the Department says it should not affect your chance of gaining a place on the Cambridge vet course.

The intercollegiate pool, also known as the Winter Pool, allows strong applicants to be considered by a different College. Applicants do not need to request pooling.

Department guidance says 20-25% of students come to a different College from the one to which they applied. Use College choice for practical fit, not as a way to change the academic standard.

Stone college quadrangle viewed through an archway

Section 12

Career Prospects

Cambridge Careers says nearly all Cambridge vet graduates go into practice, with possible routes including junior clinical training, research, government, animal charities, pharmaceutical companies and academia. The destinations visual should be read as UK-wide HESA/Prospects data, not Cambridge-specific outcomes; Cambridge-specific percentage data is not available at the required sample size.

Section 13

Contextual Circumstances

Cambridge Colleges consider contextual data and circumstances holistically, and no Veterinary Medicine weighting formula is published. This can include educational background, disruption, and whether subject availability limited your choices.

If your school could not offer the ideal combination, or if work experience was limited by access rather than effort, explain the situation plainly. We recommend using the available space to show what you did with the opportunities you had.

Applicants should check College advice where qualifications or subject combinations do not map neatly to Chemistry plus Biology, Mathematics or Physics requirements.

0

Further Reading

Recommended Resources

Super-curricular reading, websites, and tools recommended by our expert tutors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Veterinary Medicine, VetMB uses UCAS code D100.
Yes. Applicants must take ESAT. For 2027 entry, standard Cambridge applicants use the October 2026 sitting and take Mathematics 1 plus two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics 2.
No portfolio is required.; the course page says applicants are not usually asked to submit written work.
Chemistry plus at least one of Biology, Mathematics or Physics. Biology is common/recommended but not required.
No. Cambridge says work experience is not a requirement, but recommends at least two weeks if possible.
The course page lists 5 applications per place and 67 accepted applicants for the 2024 cycle.

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