Can a veterinary technician become a veterinarian without starting from the first year? Sometimes: the university assesses the vocational education and checks which subjects correspond to its veterinary programme. In our experience a technician joins the second year, in Ukraine or in Georgia. We describe the general rules for veterinary medicine in the article Graduate entry veterinary medicine abroad.
Key points
- In our experience a veterinary technician starts veterinary medicine in the second year and only in Ukraine or Georgia. Nobody can guarantee this before the university decides.
- Veterinary medicine in Ukraine is a master’s programme after secondary school of 360 ECTS credits and six years, ending with a state qualification exam. Directive 2005/36/EC requires at least five years of study from a veterinary surgeon.
- The veterinary universities in our offer in the EU, that is Košice and Budapest, describe transfers of people from other universities. We did not find rules for technicians from a vocational school on their pages.
- Start with your school diploma and the list of subjects with hours: send them to us and we will check where it makes sense.
What the university assesses in a veterinary technician’s diploma
The university does not assess the profession, only the documents. The programme of a technician is shorter and different from the veterinary programme, so the university checks which subjects of the school diploma correspond to its programme. Veterinary medicine is taught for five to six years; in Ukraine it is a master’s programme after secondary school of 360 ECTS credits and six years, with tuition of 4900 USD a year (we describe it in a separate article). Prepare:
- the diploma of the school you completed and the list of subjects with hours;
- descriptions of the subjects (syllabi), if the school issues them;
- translations of the documents: Tbilisi State Medical University writes on the page of required documents that all documents must be translated into Georgian and certified by a notary in two original copies.
What the veterinary universities in the EU write
Below are two veterinary universities in our offer in the EU that describe transfers. Both speak about people from other universities.
| University | What it publishes |
|---|---|
| University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, UVLF (veterinary medicine) | Transfer is possible only for students registered at another institution in a study programme of the same level and study branch, conditional upon passing the entrance exams and acceptance to the first year. The university does not accept students applying to the fifth or sixth year. Within 15 days of the delivery of the admission decision you may apply for recognition of the subjects passed (only subjects completed with a final grade), with a full transcript and course information letters; after the recognition and the evaluation of their position in the study plan you may be transferred into the higher year of study. |
| University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest (veterinary medicine in English) | The university recognises studies at other accredited universities from any part of the world, and applicants who have completed a section of the curriculum in natural science may be admitted after the study of the submitted material (transcripts and references), without a written examination; an online oral exam is mandatory before final acceptance. The original syllabi have to be sent by your school directly to the Student’s Secretariat within 3 months. If a sufficient number of exemptions is approved, the time of studies can be shortened, and a start in February may also be possible. Prior to entering the third year of the Budapest curriculum all exams from the previous two years have to be passed. |
The Košice rule concerns students registered at another institution in a study programme of the same level and study branch, so it does not cover a technician from a school that is not a higher education institution. In that case we ask the university about another route.
Ukraine and Georgia: our experience
In our experience a vet technician starts veterinary medicine in only two countries: Ukraine and Georgia. These are not guarantees: the university decides on admission and on the year.
- Ukraine. A veterinary technician starts veterinary medicine in the second year; the university decides after comparing the documents. After joining the second year of a six-year programme you have five years left.
- Georgia. The same: the second year, the university decides after comparing the documents. Remember the translations into Georgian certified by a notary.
Tip
Before you send the documents, work out the cost of the whole programme. In Ukraine tuition is 4900 USD a year, and after joining the second year five years are left; living costs come on top.
Step by step
- Send your documents Send us a scan of your school diploma, the list of subjects with hours and the descriptions of the subjects. The consultation and the assessment of documents are free.
- Choosing a university From the universities in Ukraine and Georgia we work with we choose those that can consider your diploma and tell you which year and which costs are realistic.
- Application We prepare the request for the recognition of subjects, the translations and the deadlines, and where needed also the entrance exam.
- The university’s decision The university recognises subjects and names the year of entry. It may also set additional subjects to catch up on.
- Departure We help with tuition, the visa where one is needed, accommodation and travel.
- Studies from a higher year Your adviser stays with you until graduation. This care is free for students because it is sponsored by the universities we have agreements with.
Pros and cons of a shortened route
Pros
- After joining the second year of a six-year programme you have five years left, not six, so you also pay tuition for fewer years.
- Subjects that the university recognises count as completed, so you do not repeat that material.
Cons
- You have no guarantee of the year or of admission: the university may recognise fewer subjects than you expect.
- A technician has fewer universities to choose from: in our experience only Ukraine and Georgia, and the veterinary universities in our offer in the EU describe transfers of people from other universities.
- Studies from a higher year still last several years, so you need to plan living costs and tuition for that time.
After graduation: the right to practise
Where you can work as a veterinarian depends on the country where you graduate and the country where you want to work. In Ukraine the studies end with a state qualification exam (we describe it in a separate article). We check the rules of recognition of the diploma with you before you choose a university.
Frequently asked questions
Can a veterinary technician become a veterinarian?
Yes, through veterinary studies: the directive requires at least five years of study from a veterinary surgeon. In our experience a technician starts veterinary medicine in the second year in Ukraine or Georgia. There is no guarantee: the university decides on admission and on the year.
Can I join a year higher than the second?
In our experience veterinary medicine is entered at the second year at the highest. The University of Veterinary Medicine in Košice does not accept transfers to the fifth or sixth year.
Can a veterinary technician study in Košice or in Budapest?
Košice accepts transfers only from students of another institution in a study programme of the same level and study branch, after passing the entrance exams and acceptance to the first year. Budapest recognises studies at other accredited universities, and before final acceptance every candidate takes an online oral exam. We did not find rules for technicians from a vocational school on their pages, so we ask the universities about your case.
How many years of study will be left after joining the second year?
Veterinary medicine in Ukraine lasts six years, so after joining the second year you have five years ahead of you, but the university may add subjects to catch up on.
How much does your help with entering a higher year cost?
The consultation and the assessment of documents are free. We set the price of a transfer and of admission to a higher year individually because it depends on the case. Care during the studies is free for our students because it is sponsored by the universities we have agreements with.
Read also: graduate entry veterinary medicine abroad, veterinary studies in Ukraine and from veterinarian to doctor. You can find all the universities in the list of universities.
Official sources
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