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Europe

How to apply to join the RCVS Register if you qualified in Europe.

How to apply

Recognised qualifications

Your qualification is recognised if you went to a university that was EAEVE-approved or accredited at the time you graduated.

If your university is not on our list, or you achieved your qualification outside of the dates listed, you’ll need to sit the RCVS statutory exam. This is a different process to the steps listed on this page.

If you’ve previously failed all or part of the statutory exam, you’ll need to sit the full examination again. See our dedicated page for more info.

Austria

Diplom-Tierarzt or Magister medicinae veterinariae from:

Vienna

  • October 2000 to November 2026

Belgium

Diploma van dierenarts from:

Ghent

  • November 2004 to March 2030

Diplôme de docteur en médecine vétérinaire from:

Liege

  • February 2010 to December 2019
  • June 2022 to May 2026

Bulgaria

Diploma of Higher Education for Educational Qualification level of Masters, specialising in Veterinary Medicine with Professional Qualification in Veterinary Surgery from:

Stara Zagora

  • November 2015 to December 2019
  • June 2022 to May 2026

Croatia

Diplomirani veterinary/Diplomirana veterinarka or Doktor veterinarske medicine/Doktorica veterinarske from:

Zagreb

  • November 2003 to October 2013
  • May 2015 to April 2030

Czech Republic

Diplom o ukonèení studia ve studijním programu veterinární lékaøství (doktor veterinární medicíny, MVDr) from:

Brno Veterinary

  • October 2000 to October 2030

Diplom o ukonèení studia ve studijním programu veterinární hygiena a ekologie (doktor veterinární medicíny, MVDr) from:

Brno Hygiene

  • March 2002 to October 2030

Denmark

Bevis for bestaet kandidatsamen i veterinaervidenskab from Kongelige Veterinaer- og Landbohojskole from:

Copenhagen

  • November 2010 to September 2028

Estonia

Diplom: täitnud veterinaarmeditsiini õppekava from:

Tartu

  • February 2010 to November 2025

Finland

Eläinlääketieteen lisensiaatin tutkinto/veterinarmedicine licentiatexamen from Helsingin yliopisto from:

Helsinki

  • November 2009 to September 2026

France

Diplôme d’Etat de docteur vétérinaire from:

Alfort

  • April 2008 to November 2015
  • November 2017 to April 2025

Lyon

  • November 2002 to June 2028

Nantes

  • August 1999 to July 2004
  • April 2007 to December 2014
  • May 2017 to October 2024

Toulouse

  • December 2014 to June 2020
  • June 2022 to March 2027

Germany

Zeugnis über das Ergebnis des Dritten Abschnitts der Tierärzlitchen Prüfung und das Gesamtergebnis der Tierärztlichen Prüfung from:

Berlin

  • April 2008 to May 2018
  • November 2018 to November 2024

Giessen

  • March 2004 to January 2029

Hannover

  • July 2008 to January 2025

Leipzig

  • November 2008 to October 2025

Munich

  • March 2003 to June 2029

Greece

Πτυχιο Κτηνιατρικης (Ptikio Ktiniatrikis) from:

Thessaloniki

  • July 2002 to November 2011
  • May 2014 to December 2021
  • June 2022 to October 2028

Hungary

Állatorvos doktor diploma (DrMedVet) (Diploma of Veterinary Surgery) from:

Budapest

  • November 1996 to November 2004
  • April 2007 to September 2030

Ireland

Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (MVB) from Dublin (any date)

Italy

Diploma di laurea in medicina veterinaria from:

Bari

  • March 2004 to May 2014
  • May 2016 to October 2030

Bologna

  • August 1999 to March 2026

Camerino

  • November 2011 to May 2028

Messina

  • May 2015 to March 2030

Milan

  • January 2013 to March 2026

Naples

  • October 2013 to April 2030

Padua

  • June 2010 to December 2020
  • December 2020 to October 2027

Parma

  • May 2012 to May 2022
  • May 2024 to September 2030

Perugia

  • July 2008 to July 2018
  • May 2019 to March 2026

Pisa

  • May 2012 to April 2029

Sassari

  • October 2013 to May 2023

Teramo

  • December 2010 to November 2028

Turin

  • April 2011 to October 2028

Latvia

Veterinârârsta diploms from:

Jelgava

  • December 2019 to November 2026

Lithuania

Vitnemal for fullfort grad Candidata/candidatus medicinae veterinariae from:

Kaunas

  • May 2019 to March 2029

Netherlands

Het getuigschrift van met goed gevolg afgelegd diergeneeskundig/veeartsenijkundig examen from:

Utrecht

  • August 1999 to September 2024

Norway

Vitnemal for fullfort grad Candidata/candidatus medicinae veterinariae from:

Oslo

  • November 2004 to October 2030

Poland

Akademia Rolnicza from:

Lublin

  • May 2016 to June 2021
  • December 2021 to April 2028

Uniwersytet Warmiñsko-Mazurski w Olsztynie' from:

Olsztyn

  • May 2012 to May 2022
  • June 2022 to March 2029

Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego from:

Warsaw

  • June 1999 to May 2010
  • November 2014 to May 2022
  • June 2022 to May 2026

Akademia Rolnicza from:

Wroclaw

  • March 2003 to April 2009
  • May 2016 to November 2025

Portugal

Carta de curso de licenciatura em medicina veterinaria or Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinaria from:

Lisbon Tech

  • October 2000 to April 2005
  • November 2007 to October 2024

Lisbon Lusofona

  • December 2021 to February 2027

ICBAS - University of Porto

  • May 2016 to May 2026

Vila Real (UTAD - Alto Douro)

  • November 2016 - October 2029

Romania

Diploma of Doctoral Degree in Veterinary Medicine from:

Bucharest (USAMVB)

  • March 2002 to May 2012
  • November 2016 to March 2029

Cluj-Napoca

  • November 2007 to November 2024

Timisoara

  • December 2014 to June 2020
  • June 2022 to February 2027

Slovakia

Vysokoškolský diplom o udelení akademického titulu “doktor veterinárskej medicíny (MVDr.) (Diploma of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) from:

Kosice

  • March 2002 to July 2006
  • November 2016 to October 2025

Slovenia

Diploma, s katero se podeljuje strokovni naslov “doktor veterinarske medicine/doktorica veterinarske medicine” (DrVetMed) from:

Ljubljana

  • October 2000 to November 2009
  • April 2011 to June 2028

Spain

Titulo de Licenciado en Veterinaria or Graduado de Licenciado en Veterinaria from:

Barcelona

  • October 2000 to November 2005
  • November 2007 to November 2017
  • June 2020 to November 2025

Caceres (Extremadura)

  • May 2012 to April 2029

Cordoba

  • June 2010 to March 2027

Las Palmas

  • April 2009 to February 2026

Leon

  • May 2017 to March 2031

Lugo (Santiago)

  • March 2002 to September 2025

Madrid Complutense

  • March 2000 to March 2024
  • May 2024 to March 2031

Madrid UAX

  • June 2023 to March 2030

Murcia

  • November 2002 to April 2007
  • November 2007 to February 2031

Valencia (UCH CEU)

  • November 2017 to November 2026

Zaragoza

  • June 2010 to June 2020
  • December 2020 to February 2027

Sweden

Veterinarexamen from:

Uppsala

  • November 2007 to November 2017
  • November 2018 to March 2026

Switzerland

Eidgenössisch diplomierter tierarzt/titulaire du diplôme fédéral de vétérinaire/titolare di diploma federale di veterinario from:

Zurich/Bern - VetSuisse

  • October 2000 to October 2024

If you’re a Swiss National who started your qualification before the end of the Brexit transition period (before 1 January 2021), you can apply for recognition until 1 January 2024.

If you’re a Swiss temporary and occasional service provider who started a contract before the end of the transition period, you have until 1 January 2025.

Turkey

Bachelor Degree in Veterinary Medicine from:

Ankara

  • April 2007 to November 2025

Aydin

  • May 2016 to December 2021
  • December 2023 to October 2028

Burdur

  • December 2022 to October 2026

Elazig

  • September 2021 to March 2025

Erzurum

  • May 2024 to November 2028

Istanbul

  • November 2016 to October 2025

Kayseri

  • December 2021 to September 2025

Konya

  • October 2013 to December 2019
  • May 2024 to May 2031

Uludag (Bursa)

  • 23 June 2010 to June 2020
  • December 2022 to February 2027

Ukraine

Bachelor Degree in Veterinary Medicine from:

Bila Tserkva

  • December 2021 to October 2028

(Updated on 24 June 2024)

Documents

When you fill in your online application form, you’ll be asked to provide the following documents:

  • Identification
  • Proof of your qualifications
  • Proof of your English language level
  • A letter of good standing

Identification

As proof of your identity, we’ll need:

  • A certified colour photocopy of:
    • the identifying page and front cover of your passport
    • your EU ID card
  • A recent passport photo

On the reverse of the photo write:

  • Your full name
  • Your date of birth
  • Your signature

Proof of qualification

As proof of your qualifications, you’ll need to send us:

  • An A4 certified photocopy of your veterinary degree
  • A certified English translation of your veterinary degree, if needed
  • Additional relevant documents if you qualified in Belgium, Italy, Slovakia or Slovenia

A certified translation is one that has been stamped, signed or sealed by a qualified translator, or by a translation company.

Applicants from the following countries will also need to supply the following documents:

Belgium (Ghent and Liège)

  • A certified photocopy of your Annexe/Supplement attached to your Diploma

Italy

  • A certified photocopy of your Diploma di abilitazione all’exercizio della medicina veterinaria (l'esame di stato) (Diploma of qualification to practice veterinary medicine (State Examination Certificate))
  • A certified English translation of your State Examination Certificate, if needed

Slovakia

  • A certified photocopy of your State Examination Certificate
  • A certified English translation of your State Examination Certificate, if needed

Slovenia

  • A certified photocopy of your Sprièevalo o opravljenem državnem izpitu s podroèja veterinarstva (Certificate of having passed the state examination in the field of veterinary medicine)
  • A certified English translation of your State Examination Certificate, if needed

Proof of English language level

To apply for full registration, you must demonstrate that you can communicate in English at an appropriate level.

This can be demonstrated by taking either:

  • the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) UKVI Academic or IELTS Academic (paper based or online test), or
  • the veterinary version of the Occupational English Test (OET) (paper based or online test).

You do not have to take an English language test if your veterinary degree was taught and assessed entirely in English. However, you'll need to provide proof.

Please see our language guidance for more information.

Letter of good standing

You will also need to send us a letter of good standing. Its content and author will vary depending on which of the following applies to you:

If you’re registering within three months of graduation

Your letter of good standing should come from the Dean, Principal or Rector of your veterinary school or college. It will only be valid for three months after your graduation date and must be valid when you have your video appointment.

Your letter should be a formal letter on university headed paper, issued after the date you graduated. It should be sent directly to the RCVS by the University.

The letter should confirm:

  • the exact date of your graduation (DD/MM/YYYY), and
  • that you were a student of good standing.

It should also include – if relevant – details of any:

  • cautions or criminal convictions,
  • absolute and conditional discharges,
  • spent convictions,
  • any adverse findings against you, including disciplinary proceedings.

If your letter is not being sent directly to the RCVS from the university, you’ll need to get it certified.

If you’re registering more than three months after graduation and are registered with a licensing authority

Your letter or certificate of good standing should come from your current registration or licensing authority. It’s only valid for three months after the date of issue and must be valid on the day of your registration appointment.

Your letter should be sent directly to the RCVS by the registration or licensing authority and state that:

  • you are registered to practise as a veterinary surgeon by that authority,
  • you are of good professional standing and good character, and
  • you hold a veterinary degree.

It should include – if relevant – details of any:

  • cautions or criminal convictions,
  • absolute and conditional discharges,
  • spent convictions, or
  • adverse findings against you, including professional disciplinary proceedings.

If the letter is not being sent directly to the RCVS from the registration authority, you’ll need to get it certified.

If you’re not registered with a registration or licensing authority

If you are not currently registered with an authority, please submit your application. We’ll contact you with further instructions once we’ve received your application.

Registration form and fee payment

Once you’ve gathered all the documents you need, you can complete the online registration form. Here you’ll be asked to:

  • Upload all relevant documents
  • Pay your registration fee

To complete the online application form, you'll need to have an account on our portal, My Account. If you go onto My Account, you'll be prompted to fill in form to create your account. 

Video appointment

Once we’ve received your application, documents and fees, we’ll contact you to arrange a video appointment to complete your registration.

The meeting will be held via Microsoft Teams and you’ll be asked to present your passport.

Application timelines

You can apply up to six months before you’d like to be registered. Please avoid sending your application any earlier than this as we won’t be able to hold it open for you.

We aim to process all applications within four calendar weeks of receiving your application, payment and all supporting documents in the correct format. During busy periods, this may increase to six calendar weeks. Our priority will always be to process your application as quickly as possible.

All applications are processed in order of the date they’re received. Unfortunately we cannot fast track an application.

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