Bachelor of Veterinary Biology and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
at The University of Sydney, New South Wales.
A six-year combined program at Camperdown/Darlington leading to the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. There is no guaranteed ATAR (most successful applicants need 98.00 or higher), applicants submit a commitment statement and sit a situational judgement test, and no lowest selection rank is reported. Assumed knowledge: Mathematics Advanced, Chemistry and Biology.
Lowest selection rank
USyd has not published a lowest selection rank for this course for recent intakes. That usually means too few ATAR-based offers were made to report one, or that selection also uses a portfolio, audition, interview or other criteria. Check the current entry requirements on the official course page.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
No formal Year 12 subject prerequisites; assumed knowledge may still apply.
What you will study
Study areas include animal behaviour and welfare science, animal diseases and pathobiology, animal husbandry, cell biology, clinical and professional practice, pharmacology, veterinary anatomy and physiology, veterinary conservation biology, veterinary medicine, veterinary public health and veterinary surgery. Students must be vaccinated against Q fever and tetanus before starting units with animal contact.
Placement and industry experience
Veterinary education requires extensive practical placement: animal husbandry (typically 8 weeks of farm and dairy placements), small animal practice rotations, large animal and equine practice, government and regulatory veterinary work (DPI, NSW Local Land Services), pathology labs and emergency clinics. Students complete most placements unpaid for credit, typically during summer breaks. USyd has a teaching hospital and on-campus animal facilities, plus partnerships with rural mixed-practice clinics across regional NSW.
Career outcomes
- Graduates are registered veterinarians, working in companion animal, equine, livestock and mixed practice across NSW and regional Australia after Veterinary Practitioners Board registration.
- First-year roles typically include rural mixed practice, small animal clinics in Sydney, equine practice in the Hunter Valley and the NSW Department of Primary Industries.
- Many alumni pursue specialty registration in surgery, internal medicine, dermatology, oncology or move into research, biosecurity policy or wildlife veterinary medicine.
Professional accreditation
- Registration with state and territory Veterinary Practitioners Boards
- Recognised by the AVMA and RCVS
Typical first jobs
- Continuing into the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM, combined pathway)
- Veterinary nurse or technician (with additional certification) while pursuing DVM
- Animal-care officer with NSW Department of Primary Industries
- Wildlife rehabilitation officer with NSW National Parks
- Research assistant in veterinary and animal science
- Agribusiness graduate in livestock and dairy industries
Graduate starting salary
$75,000 - $90,000 per year
Source: jobsandskills.gov.au. Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
Graduates of the accredited program can register immediately with the veterinary practitioners board in each Australian state and territory, and the degree is recognised by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Graduates work in small animal, mixed and production animal practice, government and research.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students with strong biology and chemistry foundations
- Those genuinely comfortable working with large and small animals including livestock
- People willing to do extended rural and farm placements
- Students aware of the long combined pathway (six years for full registration)
- Those resilient to working with animal injury, euthanasia and emotional clients
It is probably not for you if
- Students drawn to vet science only for small-animal practice (the curriculum is heavily mixed-species and rural)
- Those uncomfortable working with cattle, horses or wildlife
- Anyone unwilling to do unpaid rural placements over summers
Related courses at USyd
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and selection ranks on the University of Sydney website and on UAC before applying.