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The Royal Veterinary College University of London (RVC)

England, United Kingdom
Visit School Website
  • Public Type
  • 2,600 Students
  • 3 Faculties
  • 1791Founded
  • MedicalSpecialization
  • YesAccept Int. Studs
  • YesDistance learning

About

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC), a constituent college of the University of London, is a world-renowned institution for veterinary medicine, biosciences, and veterinary nursing. Founded in 1791, it's the largest and longest-established veterinary school in the English-speaking world.

Acronym RVC
Nickname RVC
Motto / Slogan Confront disease at onset
Colour Purple
Founded 1791
Location City of London, England, United Kingdom
Address The Royal Veterinary College Royal College Street London NW1 0TU United Kingdom

Mission

The Royal Veterinary College's (RVC) mission is to be a leading international authority in education, clinical care, research, expert opinion, and employment in veterinary and biomedical sciences, striving for happy, healthy, and resilient individuals and communities. 

Vision

The Royal Veterinary College's (RVC) vision is to be a leading institution in education, clinical care, expert opinion, and employment in veterinary medicine and science. They aim to be a pioneering and sustainable institution, celebrated for equality, diversity, and wellbeing, with a global impact. 

The Royal Veterinary College University of London

Objectives

The Royal Veterinary College (RVC), a part of the University of London, aims to be a leading international authority in veterinary and biomedical sciences, focusing on education, clinical care, research, expert opinion, and employment to improve animal and human health and welfare.

Main Academic Divisions (Faculties)

  • Clinical Science and Services
  • Pathobiology and Population Sciences
  • Physiology.

Reasons to Study at The Royal Veterinary College University of London

  1. Learning Resources

    The Royal Veterinary College offers an inclusive range of facilities tailored to diverse learning needs, aimed at helping you to personalise your study. We continue to upgrade and develop learning resources to provide you with a flexible learning experience, for class-paced and independent study. Find out more about how we deliver blended learning and hear what students say.


     

  2. Facilities

    Whether you are discovering new subjects in our lecture theatres, or applying your knowledge in a practical scenario, we have the facilities to provide the best possible learning environments for scientists, veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.


     

  3. Social Life

    The SU is there to represent your interests, to raise awareness of issues that will affect you, to raise money for charities by hosting events, and, most of all, to help you have fun. Both campuses have their own Union-run bars: The Buttery, our small but mighty bar at the Hawkshead Campus, has been around since 1960 (although it has been recently refurbished!) and is infamous throughout the UK veterinary community. 

  4. Living In London

    London has been ranked as the best city in the world for university students (QS Higher Education Group) based on the diversity of the culture, the quality of life and the local jobs market, as well as being a very international city that welcomes overseas students.


     

Fees

Undergraduate Tuition

Indigenous Students GBP 9,535
International Students GBP 26,200 - GBP 47,960

Postgraduate Tuition

Indigenous Students GBP 13,980 - GBP 17,010
International Students GBP 32,370 - GBP 48,560

Admission

Undergraduate Admission Requirement

Check the course page for entry requirements.

  • A Levels
  • Welsh, Scottish, and Irish applicants
  • International Baccalaureate
  • Diplomas and Further Certificates (including Access L3 Extended Diploma)
  • GCSEs (only in addition to other qualifications)
  • International and EU applicants.

English language requirements

  • IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 or above with minimum 6.5 in each component

All applicants must have an acceptable English Language qualification, many of which are listed under 'Academic qualifications' above. Please see our English Language Requirements page for a list of qualifications we accept as alternatives.

Postgraduate Admission Requirments

  • You must have (or expect to receive) a first- or second-class university honors degree (or equivalent). Please contact Admissions if you are unsure whether your degree is equivalent.

English language requirements

A good working knowledge of scientific English is essential in order to follow the course. All applicants must have an acceptable English Language qualification:

  • IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 or above with minimum 6.5 in each component

For those without IELTS, please see our English Language Requirements page for a full list of qualifications we will accept as alternatives.

How To Apply For Admission

The application process varies depending on the course you would like to apply for, when you want to start, and whether you are applying from the UK or from outside the UK.

  • All students are usually required to apply for undergraduate degrees through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).
     

International Students: 

Submit your application through UCAS. For more information on applying as an international student, please visit www.rvc.ac.uk/international.

Admission Contacts

Email: [email protected]
Phone : +44 (0)20 7468 5147

Apply For Admission

RVC Tour

Facilities

  • Classrooms
  • Library
  • Laboratory
  • Research Center
  • Accommodation
  • ICT
  • Cafeteria
  • Library: The Library is divided between two sites; Camden, located in central London, and Hawkshead, located near Potters Bar, just north of the M25. Both are intended primarily for use by students and staff of The Royal Veterinary College.
  • ICT: The Information Services Directorate (ISD) promotes and supports the effective use and development of information technology (IT) throughout the RVC.

The division strives to ensure that IT is used in an appropriate manner in order to:

  • assist in the efficient and cost effective running of the institution
  • improve the quality of education and research
  • enhance the reputation of the college
  • identify opportunities to use IT to improve the quality and cost effectiveness of teaching and research
  • develop users' skills in the operation of software and systems, through the provision of training and advice
     
  • Laboratory: You will find laboratories and microscope rooms situated in both campuses, with all the equipment you will need for your course.


 

School Contact

Address

The Royal Veterinary College Royal College Street London NW1 0TU United Kingdom

Phone Number

+44 (0)20 7468 5000

Website Address

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/

Social Media Pages

Accreditations

Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) 

Vice Chancellor

Professor Stuart Reid

Stuart Reid is President & Principal of the Royal Veterinary College (RVC), an autonomous member institution of the University of London federation. An academic with over 16 years’ experience in university senior management, he is a research-led, student-focused leader with a commitment to equality, equity and success for all those charged to his care. International in outlook, he has profes... read more
sional experience in Europe, Africa, North America and Australasia.

An alumnus of the University of Glasgow, he became one of its youngest professors in 1996 and dean in 2005 before moving to the RVC in 2011. Home to the oldest and largest veterinary school in the English-speaking world, the RVC is ranked as the top institution globally in the QS World University subject rankings. Through his tenure at the RVC, Reid has led a financial turnaround with 14 years of positive out-turn, a 70% increase in annual income, a 20% increase in student numbers and the initiation of new degree programmes internationally.

Reid is a recognised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) as a specialist in veterinary epidemiology, and in veterinary public health by the European Board of Veterinary Specialists. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland’s National Academy. His research interests, always data driven and evidence based, have ranged from the use of informatics and advanced technologies in diagnostics and clinical decision making to zoonotic disease and antimicrobial resistance. He has over 160 scientific publications, including in PNAS, Science and Nature, and he has secured over £16M in competitive research funding during his career.

Academic Staff

  • Dr Siobhan Abeyesinghe

    Associate Professor in Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science Siobhan graduated from the University of Newcastle in 1994 with a BSc in Animal Science and went on to complete an MSc in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare at University of Edinburgh (1995).

    ... read more

    Siobhan’s PhD (University of Bristol, 2000), supervised by Prof Christine Nicol (University of Bristol) and Prof Christopher Wathes (Silsoe Research Institute) involved development of a common currency welfare assessment for exposure to concurrent stressors, using transport of poultry as a model. Siobhan subsequently joined Prof Wathes' research group as a postdoctoral researcher in poultry cognition, demonstrating that hens can show self-control and receiving the Worshipful Company of Poulters' 2002 Poulters' Prize for a significant contribution to the poultry industry by a young scientist.

    In 2005, she joined the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) as a postdoctoral researcher and, via an RCUK Fellowship (2008), was appointed to an RVC lectureship in Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science in 2012. Siobhan was appointed Head of Group RVC Animal Welfare Science and Ethics in 2014.

  • Dr Vicki Baldrey

    Senior Lecturer in Exotic Species and Small Mammal Medicine and Surgery Vicki qualified from Liverpool Vet School in 2005 and has since worked in first opinion and referral exotics practices in the UK and overseas. She obtained the RCVS Diploma in Zoological Med... read more
    icine in 2014 and became an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine in 2016. She compeleted a Post Graduate Certificate in Veterinary Education at the RVC in 2019. 

    Vicki joined the RVC Exotics team in 2016 as an Exotics lecturer and clinican at the Beaumont Sainbury Animal Hospital in Camden.


     

  • Employee Relations Manager

    Mr Richard Browne Richard Browne is the College's Employee Relations Manager and part of the HR team. He is first point of contact for all employee relations queries. Supporting managers and staff&n... read more
    bsp;by providing them with advice and guidance on all employee relations matters. Responisbilitites also include maintaining, developing and updating relevant HR policies, i.e. Disciplinary, Grievance and Flexible Working policies. Richard is a qualified job evaluation analyst who manages the Colleges HERA panel.  Richard in his role as Employee Relations Manager works closely with the Colleges recognized Trade Unions.
View More Staff

Notable Alumni

View More Alumni

History

In the racing seasons of 1769 and 1770 a horse called Eclipse dominated English horse-racing. Eclipse was retired from racing in 1770 unbeaten and stood at stud until he died in 1789, at the age of 25.

Veterinary expertise was needed to understand the cause of Eclipse’s death and the secret of his racing success. The only qualified vet in the country at the time was Frenchman Charles Benoit Vial de St Bel, who was gaining support for his plan to establish a vet school. St Bel had the support of the Odiham Agricultural Society, whose members recognised the need for a better understanding of animal husbandry and disease. A London committee was set up to establish a vet school, whose me... read more

mbers included Granville Penn, grandson of William Penn.

The Veterinary College, London, was built in the parish of St Pancras in 1791, on the current site of The RVC’s Camden Campus and in January 1792, four students began a three-year course intended to cover all aspects of the veterinary art. In 1875 the College received its first Charter of Incorporation from Queen Victoria. Over one hundred years, the College had grown from a horse infirmary with a handful of students to a science based institution, producing internationally-renowned veterinarians and scientists.

Leading lights in veterinary science

John McFadyean, the first modern veterinary scientist in England, joined the RVC as professor of pathology and bacteriology in 1891. McFadyean established a research institute in animal pathology, which contributed to fight against tuberculosis and glanders as major diseases of man and animals.

His successor, Frederick Hobday, launched famous ‘Giant Nosebag Appeal’, fundraising campaign, which led to the College buying the freehold of the Camden site and starting to build modern facilities to support veterinary scientists.

The RVC's association with pioneering female veterinarians such as Olga Uvarov who graduated from the RVC in 1934 and was the first woman to become President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 1976, is symbolic of our continuing desire to provide equality of education for all.