(Work) Experience and Supplementary Assessment Questionnaire Guidance
Historically all veterinary schools have had rigid requirements for pre-application work experience, with most requiring applicants to gain experience in both clinical and animal husbandry settings to gain a place on their veterinary or veterinary nursing courses.
Here at Bristol, we regularly review and amend our admissions requirements to ensure they are fit for purpose for ourselves, and most importantly for our applicants.
Our Experience Requirements
At the start of 2023 we removed the requirement for set work experiences as part of our admissions processes. We understand that securing placements for work experience can pose challenges for many. We firmly believe that everyone should have an equal opportunity to apply for our undergraduate degree programmes and that the application process should not rely on acquiring specific experiences.
Having said that, we do have an obligation to ensure that individuals who join our professional programmes at Bristol Veterinary School have a good understanding of the programme they are applying for, and the profession they will subsequently join. Our aim is to ensure that those who enrol on our programmes have the potential to thrive throughout their academic journey.
(Work) Experience Defined
At Bristol we recognise that ‘experience’ can take many forms, all of which can hold value for potential applicants. Whilst we would encourage you to gain experience in a veterinary practice and/or in animal-related settings, other experiences are also valuable. For instance, a paid job in a shop can provide relevant exposure to customer service and communication skills, which are equally valuable as time spent working as a veterinary receptionist. Experience can also be obtained outside of traditional work settings through extracurricular activities and self-study. We want to encourage applicants to embrace and reflect on the diverse experiences they have had rather than seeing work experience as a barrier to application. Below is some guidance regarding experiences which could support you in the application process as well as helping you to decide if joining one of our programmes is right for you.
The Supplementary Assessment Questionnaire
If you are applying for our Veterinary Nursing and/or Veterinary Science programmes you will be asked to complete a Supplementary Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) as part of the admissions process. The SAQ aims to assess your understanding of the course and profession you are hoping to join, as well as highlight personal attributes which make you suited to the programme.
Bristol Veterinary School uses the SAQ scores to select between applicants when choosing to make an offer of a place.
We have compiled the following guidance and links to assist you in your application for our Veterinary Nursing and/or Veterinary Science degree programmes. Our intention is to provide support in determining if the course/profession aligns with your aspirations and if Bristol is the right institution for you. Additionally, the resources below aim to offer insights into the qualities we value, helping you gauge whether you would excel in our programmes. Please note that this guidance is meant to aid individuals seeking to enhance their existing experiences for informed decision-making and application purposes. We do not expect you to engage with everything below!
Understanding the programme you want to join
