Veterinary Medicine Program

University College Dublin annually admits up to 30 North American students to the veterinary degree course through its cultural diversity scheme, The Atlantic Bridge Program.

University College Dublin (UCD) traces its origins to the Catholic University of Ireland founded in 1854 by Cardinal John Henry Newman, author of the celebrated 'The Idea of a University'.  Since then, the University has played a central role in Ireland's advancement as a dynamic and highly successful European state and has established a long and distinguished tradition of service to scholarship and the community.

Established in 1800 through a joint effort of Parliament and The Royal Dublin Society, the original mandate of the UCD Veterinary School was to train veterinarians to service Ireland's prolific horse and cattle industries.  In 1894, a group lead by Sir Christopher Nixon developed the idea of establishing a veterinary college in Dublin devoted exclusively to teaching.  By 1900, the new college was incorporated by Royal Charter and in 1946 the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine was established.  In 1954 Trinity College Dublin established a veterinary school and the two schools inevitably merged in 1977.

In 2002, the newly constructed, state-of-the-art Veterinary Sciences Center was unveiled on the main university campus at Belfield, marking the newest chapter in the school's history.

UCD is the sole provider of a veterinary medicine degree program on the island of Ireland, and enjoys a long and proud tradition.  Students on the veterinary medicine program benefit from the outstanding facilities of the purpose-designed UCD Veterinary Sciences Centre and UCD Veterinary Hospital on the main university campus at Belfield, Dublin.  Located on a 132 hectare (326 acres) site 5km south of Dublin’s City Centre, UCD is Ireland’s largest university with over 23,000 students.  The veterinary facilities are state-of-the-art and situated on the campus of a major research-intensive university, as part of the UCD College of Life Sciences.  This provides the ideal environment for students and staff to work together to push back the frontiers of knowledge in veterinary research, thus advancing animal health, animal welfare, and human health.

The UCD School of Veterinary Medicine is a state-of-the-art facility and is considered to be one of the finest in Europe. In fact, in 2007 the UCD Veterinary School received full unconditional accreditation from the American Veterinary Medical Association for the maximum period possible. This means that UCD veterinary graduates are eligible for licensure in the US and Canada, without having to take any additional "foreign graduate" examinations.

The veterinary school has an undergraduate and postgraduate student body comprised of students the world over, including the European Union, North America and Africa.  Meanwhile the vast majority of international veterinary students come from the United States, and Canada.  Many UCD graduates currently practice and/or teach Veterinary Medicine in North America.

The university also provides residency programs and the opportunity for postgraduates to study for degrees at the PhD and Master's level.

Veterinary Hospitals

The Veterinary Teaching Hospital provides clinical and diagnostic services for owners of animals and their veterinary surgeons. The hospital laboratories also provide diagnostic and consultancy services including mass servicing for industrial and governmental clients.

With more than 5000 pets, 2000 farm animals and 800 horses under care yearly, the Veterinary Teaching Hospital provides its students with ample opportunities for diverse and thorough clinical tuition and experience.

University College Dublin
UCD Faculty of Veterinary Medicine