Campus News
UC Santa Cruz establishes new Veterinary Medicine pathway through agreement with University of Bristol
UC Santa Cruz has established its first formal pathway to veterinary school through a new agreement with the University of Bristol. The partnership creates a direct route for eligible graduates to earn an accredited veterinary medicine degree in the United Kingdom and pursue licensure in the United States.
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UC Santa Cruz has finalized an agreement with the University of Bristol to create the university’s first formal pathway to veterinary school.
The agreement establishes the terms by which graduating UC Santa Cruz students can gain admission to the Bristol Veterinary School’s Bachelor of Veterinary Science (BVSc) program, one of the United Kingdom’s leading veterinary medicine degree programs, and one that qualifies graduates to practice as veterinarians in the United States.
The new pathway emerged from a Faculty Seminar Away to the UK organized by the Division of Global Engagement in April 2024, which created opportunities for UC Santa Cruz faculty to engage in strategic discussions with their counterparts at partner institutions in the UK. Those faculty-to-faculty conversations helped identify shared academic priorities and ultimately laid the groundwork for the new veterinary medicine pathway with the University of Bristol.
“It was through the Faculty Seminar Away that I first envisioned this collaboration and worked to make it a reality for our students,” said Guido Bordignon, faculty director for Global Engagement and associate teaching professor of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology. “This veterinary medicine pathway reflects exactly the kind of innovative, forward-thinking that international collaboration can make possible, opening doors for our students that simply didn’t exist before, and positioning UC Santa Cruz as a place where global opportunity is built into the academic experience.”
Under the agreement, each academic year, between five and ten UC Santa Cruz students who graduate with an undergraduate degree in an eligible major, and who meet established academic and admissions requirements, will be admitted to the BVSc in Veterinary Science: Accelerated Graduate Entry program, which can be completed in one year less than the standard BVSc degree. Additionally, the agreement establishes that the University of Bristol will provide each admitted UC Santa Cruz student with a 10% annual tuition scholarship.
The BVSc degree at Bristol is considered a professional qualification in the United Kingdom and is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), an important distinction for students intending to practice veterinary medicine in the United States.
Graduates of the BVSc degree program earn the professional title of “Doctor” in veterinary medicine, and they are eligible to pursue veterinary licensure in the U.S., giving UC Santa Cruz students an internationally focused education while maintaining a clear professional pathway back home.
“This new pathway creates a remarkable opportunity for UC Santa Cruz students,” said George Sabo, director of Global Initiatives in the Division of Global Engagement. “We are proud to have helped establish this partnership and an agreement that expands access for our students to education in veterinary medicine and opens new possibilities for their future careers.”
For aspiring veterinarians at UC Santa Cruz, the agreement marks a significant milestone. While many UC Santa Cruz students pursue careers in veterinary medicine, this will be the first dedicated veterinary school pathway available to graduates, offering a structured and predictable route to professional study.
The pathway is expected to be especially valuable for students in Biology, Global and Community Health, and Life Sciences disciplines who are seeking competitive veterinary school opportunities and an international academic experience.