Join the Register Veterinary Surgeons - UK graduates

Graduates of UK veterinary schools must join the Register of Veterinary Surgeons to practise in the UK.

This page has information for final year veterinary students looking to join the Register in the current academic year.

Join the Register

On this page:

• How to join the Register
• Registration fees
• Contact our team

How to join the Register

There are a few options for registering once your degree has been awarded:

• Register as a UK-practising member with effect from the day your degree is awarded
• Delay your registration
• Register as a 'Practising outside of the UK' member

Register as a UK-practising member effective from the day your degree is awarded 

If you wish to be admitted to the Register from the day your degree is awarded, you need to:

• complete the online application form, and
• pay the registration fee.

You can do this on the RCVS portal My Account. 

Identification

When you apply, you'll need to upload a copy of the identifying pages of your passport or EU ID card. If you don't have these documents to hand, please continue with your application. We'll contact you and ask you to provide alternative ID.

Timelines

Your university will give you a deadline to apply for registration and further details as the deadline approaches.

Once the deadline has passed, the online application form will remain open until 30 September.  After this date you will need to apply via the normal route for all UK qualified veterinary surgeons. Please see the United Kingdom page for further information.

What happens next

Once you've joined the Register, you'll receive a welcome email within 72 hours. If you don't receive this, please check your spam folder, and contact us if you can't find it there.

Your email will contain important information including:

• Your username
• A link to your RCVS My Account, where you can pay your fees and update your contact details
• A link to the Code of Professional Conduct
• Information about the Veterinary Graduate Development Programme (VetGDP)

Receiving your certificate of registration

You will be presented with your certificate at your graduation ceremony if you're a student at:

• Bristol
• Cambridge
• Glasgow
• Liverpool
• Nottingham

Your certificate will be sent to your correspondence address in mid-August if you are a student at:

• Edinburgh
• Surrey
• the RVC

Using the title "Dr"

Once you're an RCVS-registered veterinary surgeon, you can use the courtesy title "Dr" in conjunction with the descriptor "veterinary surgeon" or "MRCVS".

If you wish to use the title "Dr" please select this title when you apply to register online.

If you don’t pass your exams

If you have applied to register with the RCVS and paid your fee, but don't pass your exams first time, we'll hold your application open (and your fee) until you have taken your re-sits.

If you need to start working as a veterinary surgeon before your degree is awarded

If you want to start practising before the awarding of your degree (and full registration with the RCVS), you can apply for temporary registration.

To meet the criteria you must:

• be a graduand from Cambridge or Glasgow,
• have passed your final exams, and
• have completed all the requirements for a recognised UK veterinary degree. 

See our temporary registration page for more information.

Delay your registration with the RCVS

If you do not intend to practise as a veterinary surgeon in the UK you can delay your registration with the RCVS for as long as you need to.

Should you need to register in the future you will need to apply via the normal route for all UK qualified veterinary surgeons. Please see the United Kingdom page for more information.

Register as a 'Practising outside of the UK' member

If you intend to practise as a veterinary surgeon overseas, you're welcome to join the Register as a 'Practising outside the UK' member.

The 'Practising outside the UK' membership is for vets who are undertaking veterinary surgery or associated veterinary activities outside the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man. This type of registration is optional.

Overseas practising members are not permitted to practise in the UK. Their indemnity insurance may be invalid in the UK unless they change their membership category to UK Practising.

You can apply for this category of registration on the RCVS portal My Account. 

Registration fees

Please see our fees page for further information on how much you'll have to pay.

Contact our team

If you have any questions or need any assistance, please contact the Registration Department on [email protected] or 0207 202 0707.

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