University of Pretoria
Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
Faculty of Veterinary Science
University
PhD, Bachelor’s, Master’s
5 researched programs · 2 with a verified accreditation or recognition record
Africa
Veterinary Schools in South Africa
1 researched institution with a campus here, offering 5 veterinary programs. This is the research done to date, not a complete list of every program.
By province
1 school
How results are ordered: alphabetically by institution, or by most recently checked when you choose that sort. There is no price ranking, because tuition in different currencies, fee categories and bases (per year, per credit, whole program) is not comparable. Adjacent subjects such as pre-veterinary or animal science appear only when you choose a subject. A value we could not verify is shown as “not published”, never as “no”. Items marked Sponsored are paid placements; they never change accreditation information, verification or order. Online programs are not counted as physically located in a state or city, and an institution’s location does not tell you whether it enrols students from your country.
About veterinary education in South Africa
How veterinary education is organised
The University of Pretoria's Faculty of Veterinary Science at Onderstepoort describes itself as the only institution in South Africa responsible for training veterinarians and veterinary nurses. It teaches a six-year BVSc, a three-year Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing, and postgraduate programmes (MMedVet clinical specialties, MSc and PhD). The South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) lists these two Pretoria bachelor's degrees as the prescribed qualifications for veterinarians and veterinary nurses; veterinary technologist and animal health technician qualifications at other institutions are listed separately by the SAVC.
Qualification structures
Names and levels are local to South Africa. Similar names in other countries are not interchangeable.
- Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc)
- Six-year full-time degree at the University of Pretoria (Onderstepoort campus); SAVC registration is required to practise as a veterinarian and a compulsory community service year follows before working for other employers. Source
- Bachelor of Veterinary Nursing (BVetNurs)
- Three-year full-time degree at the University of Pretoria; SAVC registration is a prerequisite for practising as a veterinary nurse. Source
- Master of Veterinary Medicine (MMedVet)
- Three-year residential clinical specialty master's for registered veterinarians; may support SAVC specialist registration together with other Council requirements. Source
Bodies that matter, and what each one does
Accreditation, validation, education authority and registration are different roles. Do not read a listing by one body as evidence from another.
- South African Veterinary Council (SAVC)
- Statutory council that prescribes qualifications for veterinarians, veterinary nurses, veterinary technologists, animal health technicians and other para-veterinary professions and registers practitioners; also lists overseas qualifications accepted for automatic registration under mutual recognition agreements.
Route to registration
Current rules as described by the official source; always check the authority directly.
Per the University of Pretoria, graduates must register with the SAVC before practising as veterinarians in South Africa and then complete one year of Compulsory Community Service with the national agriculture department before practising for any other employer; student registration with the SAVC is compulsory during study. The SAVC page used here was last updated 24 January 2022. Source
No degree on this site automatically permits anyone to practise as a veterinarian, and nothing here is visa, work-permit or credit-transfer advice.
Languages and admissions
Teaching languages. The University of Pretoria states that its modules are presented only in English.
Admissions. Pretoria's BVSc and BVetNurs 2027 pages list minimum National Senior Certificate levels and an admission point score, with selection on academic merit; the closing date shown for 2027 entry was 31 May 2026. Source
Official study information
Country information last reviewed 19 October 2026. 2 sources consulted.