Accreditation
The University of Liverpool is accredited by the following bodies.
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
Our main accreditor, the UK's Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, RCVS, that allows our students to become members (MRCVS) and hence to practice veterinary surgery in the UK on graduation.
Setting and monitoring the standards for veterinary education is a key responsibility of the RCVS. The RCVS defines the competences that need to be met by the new veterinary graduate, and specifies the requirements for veterinary degree courses to be approved for registration purposes. For further details see the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons website.
The University of Liverpool School of Veterinary Science was re-accredited by the RCVS in 2023.
American Veterinary Medical Association - Council on Education (AVMA-COE)
The School was granted full accreditation status by the AVMA-COE in June 2023 for a period of up to 7 years (2030) that allows students to sit the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) to work in the USA.
Graduation from an institute accredited by the AVMA COE- or CVTEA institution represents the highest standards of achievement and confirms the Schools commitment to quality and continuous improvement through a rigorous and comprehensive peer review. It is a prerequisite for licensure or certification for professional practice through the majority of state licensing boards and credentialing agencies in order to meet the educational prerequisites. For further details see the AVMA website.
NAVLE
In order to practice as a vet in North America, graduates must also, in addition to successfully completing the BVSc degree, pass the NAVLE examination which is held twice annually in November/December and in April. The pass rate of final year students taking the NAVLE exam is one of the factors considered by AVMA in its annual consideration of the accreditation status of a school or college.
In the 2023-24 cycle candidates from the University of Liverpool achieved an overall 75% pass rate on the NAVLE.
| Date | Number of candidates | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|
| December 2023 | 1 | 100% |
| April 2024 | 7 | 71% |
Further information about the NAVLE exam can be found on the ICVA website.
European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education (EAEVE)
The mission of EAEVE is to evaluate, promote and further develop the quality and standard of veterinary medical establishments and their teaching within, but not limited to, the member states of the European Union (EU).
The School currently has ESEVT FULL APPROVED status after a visitation in October 2022 and following the decision at the ECOVE meeting on 13 December 2022.
The Self Evaluation Report (SER) and Visitation Report can be found on the EAEVE website.
Our next interim report is due April 2026.
Australasian Veterinary Boards Council and South African Veterinary Council
The Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC) and South African Veterinary Council (SAVC) formed part of the RCVS accreditation process in March 2023 and outcomes from these will be forthcoming following completion of the RCVS process.
Any student or staff member who has comments or concerns about how the educational program at the School of Veterinary Science addresses the standards of our accreditors (RCVS, EAEVE, or AVMA-COE in the future), can submit an anonymous comment using the “Message the Dean” link via the School Intranet.