Bachelor’s degree
Bachelor of Veterinary Science
Massey University · School of Veterinary Science · Palmerston North, New Zealand
- Official award
- Bachelor of Veterinary ScienceBVSc
- Pathway
- Veterinary medicineStated for New Zealand
- Format
- On campus5 years full-time (600 credits)
- Tuition
- Not published
About this program
A five-year undergraduate veterinary degree in two phases: an open pre-selection semester, then a competitive 4.5-year professional phase with farm, clinic and abattoir experience and a clinical final year.
Role the program prepares for: Veterinarian across companion animals, farm animals and wildlife.
- Subject
- Veterinary medicine
- Department
- School of Veterinary Science
- Awarding body
- Massey University
Qualification and professional pathway
Pathway is classified only from a statement on an official page. An award title such as DVM, BVSc, BSc or MSc does not decide it, and no degree, accreditation or listing by itself grants permission to practise anywhere.
- Degree level
- Bachelor’s degreeA first degree. A bachelor’s title does not by itself show whether a program leads to veterinarian, nurse or technician roles: the study pathway is shown separately.
- Official level
- NZQF 7As stated in the source. A framework level does not make different national awards equivalent.
- Pathway
- Veterinary medicinePrograms the source describes as the academic and clinical qualification toward becoming a veterinarian in the stated jurisdiction. Registration or licensing normally requires further steps, and a qualification from one country does not guarantee registration in another.
- Why we classify it this way
- The page says the qualification qualifies graduates to work as veterinarians.“you’ll obtain a world-leading veterinary qualification that will qualify you to work as a veterinarian”Source
- Prior degree required
- No
- International applicants and graduates
- International applicants from non-English-speaking countries must meet the Veterinary Council of New Zealand's English competence policy.Source
| Route | Duration | Credits | Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry from secondary school | 5 years (10 semester) qualification: a pre-selection semester then a 4.5 year professional phase | 600 | Open to anyone who meets Massey entrance requirements for the pre-selection semester; selection into the professional phase is competitiveSource |
| Depends on previous study | Professional phase: 9 semesters - 4.5 years | – | Applicants apply in 1 of 4 groups (domestic new to university, domestic prior university, international Group 1, international Group 2 with prior overseas science study)Source |
Accreditation, evaluation and recognition
Recorded for this program and campus, with the authority’s role. Program accreditation, evaluation status, professional-body recognition, eligibility toward registration, institutional recognition, directory listings and memberships are different things; none of them is automatic permission to practise, and recognition in one country does not guarantee registration in another.
Stated by the schoolAmerican Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA COE)Program accreditationUS
Scope: Stated by Massey as accredited by the Canadian and American Veterinary Medical Associations; the AVMA COE list was not checked
Verified in official recordAustralasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC)Professional-body recognitionFull statusNZ
Scope: Massey University Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc); AVBC status Accredited, last site visit 2021, next visit 2028
Study structure
- Delivery
- On campusTaught at the listed campus.
- Study mode
- Full-time
- Duration
- 5 years full-time (600 credits)
- Credits
- 600 Massey creditsCredit systems differ between countries and institutions.
- Clinical components
- The final year is spent on clinical placements, with part of the year on an area of personal interest.
- Campus attendance
- Offered solely on the Manawatu campus
- Clinical placement
- About 21 weeks of farm and veterinary practical work, usually during semester and summer breaks of Years 1-4~21 weeks of farm and veterinary practical work
- Intakes
- Semester One (pre-selection, late February), Semester Two (professional phase, mid-July)
- Campus
- Manawatu campus (Palmerston North)
Teaching language
- Taught in
- English
- English
- English teaching not verifiedAn English-language website does not mean a program is taught in English.
- Published language requirements
- Veterinary Council of New Zealand English competence policy for applicants from non-English-speaking countries
Admissions
- Animal or veterinary experience
- Animal or veterinary experience required40 hours of pre-entry veterinary practical work experience in a veterinary clinic/hospital is an eligibility criterion for professional phase selection
- Interview
- Interview required
- Previous qualification
- Massey University entry requirements; expected preparation includes NCEA Level 3 Biology and Chemistry credits
- Science prerequisites
- At least 14 credits in NCEA Level 3 Biology, 14 in Level 3 Chemistry, 14 in Level 2 Physics and 14 in Level 2 Mathematics (or equivalents) are expected preparation, not formal prerequisites
- Tests explicitly required
- Casper and STAT assessments (domestic and international Group 1), plus a multiple mini interview
- Deadlines
- Domestic admission application for BVSc pre-selection due 4 February; Domestic and International Group 1 applications for the professional phase due 5 March; International Group 2 transcripts due 1 November (year not printed) (2027)
Fees and costs
Original currency is authoritative. Each price keeps its basis (per year, per credit, whole program), academic year and student category, and is never converted. Annual tuition and whole-program tuition are different figures.
The institution does not publish tuition for this program on the pages we checked. Ask for current fees, what they include and whether clinical or laboratory charges, equipment and protective clothing, travel, placement expenses and insurance are extra.
Sources and verification
Not published on the program’s source pages: tuition.
Sources and how this was checked
Last checked 19 October 2026. Each fact carries a verbatim quote that is re-checked against the live page. Research methodology.
Sources (checked 19 October 2026)