Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (Features: One Health paradigm / Animal Health & Welfare / Public Health / Dual Accreditation)
1801 (JS1801)
Local Places:
30 (For First-Year Entry; Tentative)*
Non-Local Places
(For Overall Direct Applications):
Around 400
* for JUPAS and non-JUPAS admissions
The Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) programme aims to educate future leaders in veterinary medicine who are equipped to advance animal health and welfare. The bespoke curriculum incorporates the best aspects of the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programme at Cornell University, which is ranked 3rd in QS World University Rankings for Veterinary Science 2024. It features small group problem-based learning and comprehensive, evidence-based veterinary training at state-of-the-art teaching laboratories and clinical facilities. This programme ensures that students acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to become successful veterinarians anywhere in the world.
Highlighted Features
• First and only professional veterinary medicine degree in Hong Kong with dual accreditation from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC)
• Graduates can register to practice in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, or any other country recognising AVBC or RCVS accreditation, without further examinations
• Four themes tailored to the local context: Animal Welfare, Aquatic Animal Health, Emerging Infectious Diseases and Food Safety
• Opportunities to gain hands-on experience at our world-class clinical facilities, including the CityU Veterinary Medical Centre, CityU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and CityU Farm
• Mentorship Scheme to provide academic guidance and personal support throughout six years of study
Global Exposure and Global Vision
• The well-established partnership with Cornell University offers numerous opportunities to the students, such as:
- Animal husbandry training at Cornell’s extensive large animal facilities
- Guest lectures from internationally recognized experts
- Exchange opportunities in the clinical years
• Flagship Scholarship recipients will be eligible for an exchange placement at Cornell University, providing students with advanced training in research, leadership skills and clinical practice.
Academic Requirements
Applicants must satisfy the following BVM-specific entrance requirements to be considered for admission.
| Qualifications | Minimum Entrance Requirements |
JUPAS – HKDSE JS1801 Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine | • Level 5 or above in English Language; • Level 3 or above in Chinese Language; • Level 3 or above in Mathematics; • Attained in Citizenship and Social Development; • Level 3 or above in Biology; and • Level 3 or above in Chemistry |
Non-Academic Criteria
i) Letter(s) of Accomplishment for work experience with animals:
- 70 hours, approx. 10 days (e.g. in animal shelters, veterinary clinics, zoos, aquariums). Applicants who have successfully completed the applied learning course Animal Care offered by CityU SCOPE may apply for the exemption of relevant work experience and animal handling experience.
ii) Personal statement:
- 800 words total, 200 words per question
- motivation, preferred career path, volunteer experience, teamwork/leadership
iii) Submission Deadlines:
- JUPAS applicants: 15th of July (Details of the submission method will be notified by email in mid-June)
Assessment of Applications and Competitive Scores
The JUPAS admission score is calculated based on the best five subjects (which must include English, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry).
In previous years, successful applicants had typically achieved HKDSE scores of 27 or higher (Best 5 subjects). As competition varies from year to year, this information serves only as a reference.
Click here for more information about the entrance requirements.
Selection Process
Academic Score:
Applicants will be shortlisted based on their Academic Score.
This is calculated from their final HKDSE results for the pre-requisite subjects (English, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry).
Interview:
Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an admission interview. The interview is intended to explore the applicant’s motivation for studying veterinary medicine at CityU.
Admission Score:
Applicants are ranked based on their combined academic and interview performance and offers will be made to the highest-ranked applicants until the intake quota is filled.
Academic Requirements
In addition to the University's General Entrance Requirements, applicants must satisfy the following BVM-specific entrance requirements to be considered for admission.
Excellent grades in English, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry in GCE, IB or equivalent are required.
GCE |
|
| IB |
The English A subject may be a 'English A: literature' or 'English A: language and literature' subject. For Mathematics, both Analysis and Approaches (AA) and Applications and Interpretation (AI) are acceptable. |
An alternative to GCE/GCSE English or IB English is a TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based test) or 100 (Internet-based test) or an overall IELTS score of 7.
Mainland Chinese National University Entrance Examination (NUEE) applicants are required to select the natural-science-oriented area (理科倾向) of the Gaokao exam, and must reach the Band 11 cut-off line with English score of 135 (out of 150) or above in Gaokao.
Other international qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Applications from graduates and current students of a degree programme at a local or overseas university will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. However, applicants must be able to demonstrate competencies in English, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry to levels equivalent to those specified above.
Non-Academic Criteria
i) Letter(s) of Accomplishment for work experience with animals:
- 70 hours, approx. 10 days (e.g. in animal shelters, veterinary clinics, zoos, aquariums). Applicants who have successfully completed the applied learning course Animal Care offered by CityU SCOPE may apply for the exemption of relevant work experience and animal handling experience.
ii) Personal statement
- 800 words total, 200 words per question
- motivation, preferred career path, volunteer experience, teamwork/leadership
iii) Submission Deadlines:
- Non-JUPAS applicants: available at the time of the application
Competitive Scores
As competition varies from year to year, the competitive scores of previous years as tabulated below serve only as a reference. Consideration will also be given to other factors, such as the applicant statement and English proficiency.
| Indicative scores / grades | |
| IB | ≥ 40 |
| GCE - AL/IAL | Three Grade A or above in the pre-requisite subjects (English, Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry) |
For the admission timeline of the BVM programme, click here.
Selection Process
Academic Score:
Applicants will be shortlisted based on their Academic Score.
This is calculated from the latest academic results for the pre-requisite subjects (English, Mathematics, Biology and Chemistry) available at the time of the application. These are predicted scores for final-year secondary school applicants. For tertiary student applicants, it would be the latest overall grade point average (GPA) available at the time of application, also taking into consideration whether or not their degree course is related to veterinary medicine. Priority will be given to applicants transferring from veterinary or closely veterinary-related courses (such as medicine or animal science).
Interview:
Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an admission interview. The interview is intended to explore the applicant’s motivation for studying veterinary medicine at CityU.
Admission Score:
Applicants are ranked based on their combined academic and interview performance and offers will be made to the highest-ranked applicants until the intake quota is filled.
The BVM is a six-year programme jointly developed with our partner, the College of Veterinary Medicine of Cornell University. It is designed to train professionally competent veterinarians in accordance with the international accreditation standards of the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Upon graduation, students will have fulfilled the Day One Competences of the AVBC, RCVS and OIE and will be confident and competent to practice.
The first two years of the programme focus on biomedical and pre-clinical disciplines that will equip students with the knowledge and understanding required to embark on the para-clinical and clinical curriculum taught in Years Three to Six of the BVM.
During Years One and Two, students will become confident in understanding and assessing the normal behaviour of a range of different species and in handling them for health assessments and clinical examinations. Years Three and Four incorporate problem-based learning to deliver key para-clinical courses, including the Animal Body, Function and Dysfunction and Host, Agent and Defence. In Years Five and Six, students learn about diseases and preventive health care of a wide range of animal species, apply evidence-based medicine skills to conduct research and apply and practise their clinical skills in a variety of different settings, e.g., clinical practices as well as abattoirs, laboratories, or government veterinary services.
The six-year curriculum emphasises both clinical practice and the science that underlies it, ensuring that BVM students develop into well-rounded veterinarians omnicompetent to provide veterinary care to multiple animal species, including companion animals (cats, dogs, horses), exotics and wildlife, marine and freshwater species and livestock.
The four BVM themes, comprising animal welfare, aquatic animal health, emerging infectious diseases, and food safety, are introduced from Day 1 of the BVM programme.
The completion of some curriculum components may require students to spend time at facilities outside of Hong Kong, including mainland China.
For more information about the BVM (including more details about courses and workload), click here or visit the BVM website.
As the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) undergraduate degree programme is one of the Flagship Programmes offered by CityUHK, the ten highest-ranking local JUPAS students admitted to the BVM programme each year will be awarded the Flagship Scholarship.
The Flagship Scholarship goes towards covering tuition fees and hall fees, guarantees a berth in the Halls of Residence and includes a one-off special sponsorship for one exchange placement at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, which is ranked 3rd in QS World University Rankings for Veterinary Science 2024, in addition to the compulsory Cornell Extra-mural Studies (EMS) programme already embedded in the BVM programme.
The following placements at Cornell are offered depending on availability:
- a place in the Veterinary Investigator Program (VIP) , a 10-week summer programme designed to provide veterinary students with rigorous and rewarding exposure to biomedical research at the highest level of inquiry and to motivate students to pursue the study of research problems that are relevant to veterinary medicine.
- a place in the Leadership Program for Veterinary Students, a summer research experience for veterinary students who seek to broadly influence the veterinary profession through a science-based career.
- a place in the Summer Dairy Institute Program, a concentrated 6-week course of the highest quality to a select group of professionals whose career objective is to enhance the well-being of dairy cattle such that they contribute to efficient, profitable, and environmentally sound production of safe food.
- a Clinical EMS placement of four weeks duration after completion of Year 5 or during Year 6 only.
Based on the student's HKDSE scores, they will be offered either a full or half scholarship. The scholarship will be automatically renewed annually throughout the normal duration of the programme, on the condition that the student continues their study in the BVM programme by the end of Semester B each year.
For more information about this and other scholarships, go to CityU Scholarships for Hong Kong Talents - City University of Hong Kong.
International Programme Accreditation
The BVM Programme has been internationally accredited by both the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Our BVM Programme is the only programme in Asia to be directly accredited by AVBC and RCVS.
Registration
With dual accreditation of the BVM Programme by AVBC and RCVS, graduates can register to practise in Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, without the need to sit further examinations.
Individual graduates need to fulfil the registration requirements of relevant professional bodies, which can include certain minimum fitness to practise standards relating to medical or physical conditions, conduct or competence issues, disciplinary findings, convictions, language skills, etc.
Information about registering as a veterinary surgeon in Hong Kong is available on the website of the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Hong Kong (VSBHK).
China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will also allow veterinary graduates who are Chinese nationals and are registered in Hong Kong or Macau to sit the Chinese National Veterinary Licensing Examination.
The Jockey Club College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences offers a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine (BVM) programme modelled on the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programme of Cornell University.
Our vision is to become a centre of excellence in veterinary medicine and life sciences education and research and to be one of the 20 leading veterinary schools in the world within the next 20 years. Our BVM programme caters for the needs of the region, with particular emphasis on animal welfare, aquatic animal health, emerging infectious diseases, and food safety.
Our mission is to establish, in partnership with Cornell University's College of Veterinary Medicine, a world-class veterinary programme to train high-calibre veterinarians and biomedical and life sciences professionals who can respond to the grand challenges and societal needs of our time.
The research, teaching and outreach activities of our college will advance the development of veterinary and human medicine and will focus on research excellence to understand the fundamental processes that underlie health and disease. Our overall goal is to improve the quality of life and the health of humans, animals and the environment under the One Health paradigm, and to ensure sustainable food production through safeguarding animal welfare.
This is one of the CityUHK’s Flagship Programmes, which equip students with essential knowledge and skills, cultivate their global leadership abilities, and connect them with leading professionals. The Flagship Scholarships, which cover tuition and hall fees, a guaranteed berth, and a one-off exchange sponsorship of up to HK$500,000, will be awarded to local JUPAS talents who meet the criteria.
3442 8948
On a selective basis
- January to July 2025
- Individual interview (15 - 30 minutes)
- English
On a selective basis
- 23-31 July 2025
- Individual interview
- English
