Please ensure that your English qualification meets our requirements in time for applying.

To apply for the Exotic Animal Internship you must meet the following requirements:

• Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (or eligible) RCVS.
• Confirm you have the right to study in the UK. 
• Students classified as "Overseas" with regards to tuition fees are welcome to apply for any Internship. We are keen to find the best candidates regardless of their nationality and have had Overseas interns. Candidates should note that funding models for this programme are weighted towards "Home" fee candidates, so when candidates are equal, internships will be offered to applicants eligible for "Home" fees. To help determine whether you would be eligible for "Home" fees please see the UKCISA's 'Who pays 'home' fees for higher education in England?' guide found here.
• Twelve months experience as a qualified veterinarian.

How do I apply?

Applications for a June 2025 start have now closed. 

Please note:

• Only online application forms submitted through our system will be considered.
• Please apply using your personal email address. You will not be able to use your RVC email address to apply.
• Please upload your CV in the Additional Documents section at the end of the form

There are a number of documents which you will need to upload to your application form. Before you begin filling in the form you should have the following information to hand: ·

• Your CV 
• A personal statement explaining why you would like to undertake the specialisation you are applying for.  Please see essential attributes to join the programme. 
•  A transcript of your degree(s) - this must be a certified translation if the original was not issued in English ·
•  2 references.  These can either be uploaded directly to the form, or their contact details entered, which will automatically send an email to your referees requesting them to submit a reference.  Please see  Further guidance on references.  If we don’t receive your references by the closing date, your application may not be processed.  
• A certified copy of your IELTS test if applicable (see below).

If you are experiencing problems in uploading your documents through our on line application system, please submit your application without the documents and forward your documents to admissions@rvc.ac.uk with a covering email stating the name of the residency/internship and confirming you have submitted your application.  This may be due to old browser versions, some mobile phones and ipads that are not compatible with our on line application system.

What if English is not my first language?

You must be able to communicate clearly in English, both verbally and in writing. If you are not exempt from proving your English language proficiency, you must take an IELTS (Academic) test (or equivalent). 

We require an overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0, with no element below 6.5. A certified copy of your IELTS test result should be submitted with your application. The test result must have been obtained within 2 years of the start date of the course.  Applications that do not satisfy these criteria will not be considered for shortlisting.

Please see a list of English qualifications we will accept as alternatives to IELTS.

Applications that do not satisfy these criteria will not be considered for shortlisting.

Foreign language applicants are encouraged to practice as a veterinary surgeon in the UK for at least one year prior to application.

Admissions Policy & Procedures

Further information on the recruitment procedure can be found here.