Pre-Veterinary Resources
How to apply to the University of Saskatchewan:
The College of Veterinary Medicine is not a direct entry college which means you first need to apply to one of the many degree programs offered by the University of Saskatchewan, or obtain the pre-requisites listed below at the campus of your choice.
Here at the U of S, the Indigenous Student Achievement Pathways (ISAP) is a holistic program where students share a common group of classes with other Indigenous first year students, participate in small class sizes with culturally conscious instructors, and enjoy cultural events and time with elders. More information about ISAP can be found here: https://artsandscience.usask.ca/indigenous/isap.php
Additionally, there are other great programs that students can enroll in such as Biology, Animal Bioscience, Environmental Science, etc.
Full list of undergraduate programs offered at the U of S can be found here:
https://admissions.usask.ca/programs/find-a-program.php#AZlistofprograms
Admission to the WCVM:
Whichever program you choose you need to complete the required pre-veterinary courses which are:
- 6 credits of Biology (with lab)
- 6 credits of Chemistry (with lab)
- 6 credits of English
- 6 credits of Math or Statistics
- 3 credits of Organic Chemistry
- 3 credits of Physics (with lab)
- 3 credits of Biochemistry
- 3 credits of Introductory Microbiology
- 21 credits of elective courses (there are no preferred electives – you can choose)
All applicants must complete at least 2 full years of university courses (it’s not possible to do the pre-vet requirements listed above in under 2 years). The WCVM classifies full years as a minimum of 24 credits between the September-April academic year.
Other admission requirements:
The WCVM accepts applicants who are residents of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the Northwest territories. Each year, 2 seats are available for Indigenous students through their Education Equity Program. To be eligible, applicants need to provide proof of Indigenous ancestry which includes Indian Status or Treaty Card, Metis Membership Card, Nunavut Trust Service Card, or Inuit Roll Number.
Admission to the WCVM is very competitive, and grades do matter. Before you are offered an interview, your academic score is calculated based on the following calculation:
- 2/3 overall average (all university courses completed) — require a minimum average of 75 per cent
- 1/3 best full year average*
*The definition of a full year for this purpose is a minimum of 24 credits (eight or more one-term courses excluding labs) completed within the regular September-April academic year.
The minimum overall average to apply is 75%, but to gain an interview your average needs to be higher. For example, in the 2020-2021 admission cycle the lowest average accepted to the program was 80.7%.
Non-academic requirements include gaining veterinary and animal experience. Veterinary experience can include volunteering or being employed under a veterinarian in clinical practice, research, animal shelters, etc and this experience will provide valuable insight into the veterinary profession.
Animal experience can include providing care of livestock, experience at rehabilitation facilities or shelters, or working at a pet store.
There is no recommended amount of experience required, but keep in mind you will need to list 2 references to support your application and they must include a veterinarian and someone in an animal related background.
Additionally, it is always helpful to have some non-animal related experiences on your application such as volunteering at the local food bank or seniors residence.
The interview
In the spring, applicants are notified if they were successful in getting an interview via email. The date and time of your interview will be sent to the email address you put on your application. The interview is stressful, but being prepared will go a long way!
Here are some helpful hints:
- Be prepared to elaborate on the experiences you wrote in your application
- Contact the pre-veterinary club on campus and ask if they perform mock interviews
- Search topics such as “common vet med interview questions” or “common medical interview questions” to get an idea of what the interview committee might ask
Tuition
Tuition per year is approximately $13,277. https://admissions.usask.ca/money/tuition.php#Tuitionestimates
Grants, Scholarships and Bursaries for Indigenous Students
USask offers many awards, scholarships and bursaries for Indigenous students which can be found here: https://admissions.usask.ca/money/scholarships.php#GuaranteedEntranceScholarships
Indspire invests in the education of Indigenous students across Canada and provides bursaries through their “Building Brighter Futures” program. More information can be found here: https://indspire.ca/programs/students/bursaries-scholarships/
The Indigenous Services Canada website provides a large list of 531 bursaries available for Indigenous students. Available bursaries can be found here: https://www.sac-isc.gc.ca/eng/1351185180120/1351685455328
Good luck on your application process and please feel free to contact WCVM DIVERSE if you have any questions, we would be happy to assist in any way we can!
WCVM DIVERSE 