Admissions Requirements

Explore DVM program admission requirements, including prerequisite courses and personal abilities.

Do you dream of becoming a practicing veterinarian? Are you willing to work hard to pursue your dream? If so, we welcome your application to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program!

At St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine (SMUSVM), we believe that any student who has a compelling interest in veterinary medicine, a commitment to service and a strong work ethic deserves an opportunity to study veterinary medicine. We consider applications holistically, and want to know as much about your personal goals and passions as we do about your academic outcomes.

The content below outlines the veterinary school requirements for aspiring DVM students. If you have any questions, please contact the SMUSVM admissions team or visit our events page to find helpful webinars and in-person connection opportunities.

DVM Program Prerequisite Courses

Recommended Courses (Not Required)

Graduates of accredited Veterinary Technology programs may be admitted to the St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine’s (SMUSVM) DVM program without additional coursework. Eligible students must achieve a minimum 2.7 GPA (no ‘D’ or lower grades) in any Veterinary Technology program.

Are you missing most or all of our vet school prerequisites but have a Bachelor’s degree? Then please consider our 8-month online Pre-Veterinary Master’s Program, which awards a Master of Science (MSc) in Biomedical Science degree. Students who successfully complete the program earn automatic admission into SMUSVM’s DVM program.

SMUSVM Application Requirements

Support Documents

Aspiring DVM program participants must submit an application and upload the following documents as they become available. Unofficial documents (e.g., transcripts) can be uploaded with the initial application and replaced with official documents when available. This helps get you a decision more quickly by accelerating the review process. 

• Official transcript(s) from each college, university and/or professional school attended
• Two letters of recommendation*
• Personal statement (500 words or less) 
• GRE is recommended, but not required

Please note that eligible applicants are required to complete a video interview with a member of our admissions team.

*For recent graduates, it is recommended that one letter come from a professional acquaintance and the other be academic related.

Graduate Record Examination

No standardized examination is required for admission. However, completing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and submitting your results is recommended.

English Proficiency

Since English is the language of instruction at SMUSVM, it is important that applicants be prepared to understand the curriculum and be able to communicate effectively.  Applicants whose principal language is not English may be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or other comparable examination.

Letters of Recommendation

All applications must include two letters of recommendation. For recent graduates, one letter should come from a professor or academic advisor, and the other should be from a work or volunteer supervisor/coworker (ideally in a veterinary role). Established professionals without current academic references may submit letters from two employment contacts. 

When selecting your contacts to provide a recommendation, please choose people who know you well and can provide personal insights about your knowledge and skills.

Transfer Applicants

SMUSVM welcomes applications from qualified DVM program transfer students. Acceptance of transfer credits is at the sole discretion of SMUSVM.

When applying, transfer students must follow the same application process as new students, meaning they must submit a complete application via our web portal or a verified copy of their VMCAS application via our online form. As part of a complete application, they must also submit all GPA results from their current DVM program.

Technical Standards for Veterinary Students

A candidate for the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine must have abilities and skills in the five broad areas of observation, communication, motor function, intellectual-conceptual, and behavioral and social. Learn more here.

As part of professional vet requirements, future DVM program participants must also have the personal ability to function in an effective and safe manner, in diverse and sometimes stressful settings that may involve heavy workloads and long hours. All aspiring students should be aware that the responsibilities of veterinary studies may also require their presence during early/late hours and for unpredictable durations.

Next Steps After Your Application

After you’ve submitted your application and support documents, the St. Matthew’s University admissions department will contact you if the application review committee has any questions or if any documentation is required before the process can continue.

Eligible applicants will be invited to participate in an in-person or video interview. The interview will last for approximately one hour and will cover a variety of topics related to the applicant’s candidacy.

If at any point a student is not selected to continue through the application process, they will be notified as soon as possible. Our admissions team will then remain available to provide support as they consider pre-vet program options or application enhancement efforts.

Start Dates for Veterinary School Applicants

St. Matthew’s University School of Veterinary Medicine offers start dates in January, May and September every year, which provides valuable flexibility as future students plan for veterinary school.

Due to our rolling admissions cycle, students can also apply at any time throughout the year and begin with the next available class, once they are accepted.

FAQs About Vet School Admissions

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