Overview
No specific undergraduate program is preferred, but students must complete the prerequisite courses listed below. Students can choose to take the prerequisite coursework at a four-year institution, community college (for lower-division prerequisites) or through an accredited online program. Online lectures and labs are acceptable for any of our prerequisites. Many students choose an animal science or biological science major because these bachelor's degree programs generally include most of the pre-veterinary requirements. A bachelor's degree is not required for admission to the Oregon State University Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine. If you are a future or current undergraduate student interested in pre-veterinary medicine programs at Oregon State University, contact a pre-veterinary medicine advisor.
We do not have an expiration date on prerequisite coursework, so any prerequisite courses that you have completed with a C- or better grade, will still be valid.
There is a 3.0 or higher science GPA requirement for our non-resident applicants. We will be utilizing the science GPA calculated by VMCAS. There is no GPA requirement for Oregon residents or WICHE applicants. Applications must be verified by VMCAS so that we have access to your science GPA. Unverified applications will not be reviewed, so please keep track of that status of your transcripts and submit documents early enough that you can fix any issues.
If you are a student interested in transferring from another program, please see details below.
If you are interested in applying to the DVM program and have specific questions, please contact our Director of Admissions at CVMAdmissions@oregonstate.edu.
Prerequisite Courses
Successful completion (see "Grading" below) of the following undergraduate courses is necessary for admission to the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine. Please note that some prerequisite requirements are listed in a number of courses while others are listed in credits to accommodate for differences between semester and quarter systems.
Science Prerequisites:
- Introductory Biology - A course sequence in biology (2 semester or 3 quarter courses). OSU BI 221, 222 and 223 or BI 204, 205, and 206 (restricted to degree seeking Ecampus students)
- Advanced Biological Sciences - A minimum of at least 1 additional semester course or 2 additional quarter courses of upper-division biological science courses with at least one laboratory. Recommended courses include additional biochemistry, additional physiology and/or anatomy, animal reproduction, cell biology, cell physiology, epidemiology, histology, immunology, microbiology, parasitology, and virology.
- Physics - A course sequence in physics for science majors (2 semester or 2 quarter courses). OSU PH 201 and 202 (PH 203 is optional).
- General Chemistry - A course sequence in general chemistry with laboratories (2 semester or 3 quarter courses). OSU CH 121, 122, 123 or CH 231, 232, and 233.
- Organic Chemistry - A minimum of 1 semester or 2 quarters of organic chemistry. OSU CH 331 and 332.
- Biochemistry - A minimum of 1 semester or 2 quarter courses of upper-division biochemistry. OSU BB 450 and 451.
- Genetics - A course in general genetics that includes both Mendelian and molecular genetics (1 semester or 1 quarter course). OSU ANS 378, BI 311, or FW 370.
- Mathematics - A course or course sequence in college level algebra and trigonometry, or higher level math such as calculus.
- Physiology - A course in animal or human physiology (1 semester or 1 quarter course). OSU ANS 314, Z 431, or Z 423.
- Statistics - A course in statistics (1 semester or 1 quarter course). OSU ST 201 or ST 351.
General Education Prerequisites
If you have completed a bachelor's degree or plan to by July 1 of the year in which you would be starting the veterinary program, we will automatically consider the following courses fulfilled. If you do not intend to complete a bachelor's degree prior to starting veterinary school, we require the following general education prerequisites.
- English - At least 4 semester or 6 quarter credits of English writing (e.g. English composition, technical writing).
- Public Speaking - At least 1 semester or 1 quarter course of public speaking.
- Humanities/Social Sciences - At least 8 semester or 12 quarter credits of humanities or social sciences courses.
Grading
*COVID-19 Pandemic note: The Admissions Committee allowed pass/fail coursework from Winter term 2020 through Spring term 2021. We do prefer that applicants receive a letter grade in prerequisite coursework if available, but pass/fail grades were acceptable during that time frame. Online lecture and labs are acceptable during any term.
All prerequisite courses taken after August 2004 must be graded on an A-F scale and not taken as pass/fail. Any grade below C- in a prerequisite course is considered unsatisfactory and the course cannot be accepted to fulfill a requirement. Applicants can fulfill the requirement by repeating the same course or by substituting a higher-level course in the same field as that of the required course. A student who attends an institution that traditionally does not provide grades will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
In addition to the prerequisite courses, applicants are encouraged to take elective courses to better prepare them for the veterinary curriculum and profession. Suggested elective courses include: animal science courses, business related courses, embryology, and microbiology.
Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exam credits for lower division prerequisite courses are accepted. Credit must be reflected on the official ETS College Board Score report or on an official college transcript.
We do accept online coursework from accredited online programs including Oregon State University Ecampus, which offers nearly all of our prerequisites.
Please note:
Students must complete prerequisite courses by August 1 of the year in which they begin the program. If a student applies in September 2024 for admission into the DVM program in September 2025, all prerequisites must be completed by August 2025.
Complete and final academic transcripts for all accepted applicants must be received by the Oregon State University Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine by August 15 of the year in which they are accepted into the program. It is the applicant's responsibility to verify receipt of these materials.
Transfer Students
The college considers applications for transfer from students currently attending an AVMA-accredited veterinary medical institution outside of North America.
Transfers are only possible when positions in the first, second, or third year class become available.
To be considered for a transfer position, you must be currently attending an AVMA-accredited veterinary program outside of North America. You must have a minimum 3.0 or higher GPA for your DVM coursework. You must have completed equivalent coursework to the class that you intend to transfer into.
The first step for students interested in transferring to the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine is to electronically submit a Transfer Interest Form. If space becomes available in one of the classes, we will contact you to gauge interest and eligibility. If interested and eligible, we will send you a link to the transfer application. The transfer application will require that you submit the following:
- A transcript for all coursework completed in the professional veterinary program. A 3.0 or higher overall GPA is required. An unofficial transcript will be accepted for initial evaluation; however, final acceptance will be contingent on receipt of an official transcript.
- An unofficial undergraduate transcript showing all coursework completed prior to entrance to a veterinary program.
- An updated personal statement outlining the student's career objectives, reasons for applying to the Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, anticipated educational experience at Oregon State University, clinical veterinary and animal experience, skills, aptitudes, traits or qualities the student would bring to the college. In the personal statement, the student must explain any felony convictions and any disciplinary actions taken by a college or university for unacceptable academic performance or conduct violations in the past. Personal statements are limited to 500 words or less.
- A current resume or CV.
- One letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the veterinary institution currently attended by the student. The letter should address any academic or disciplinary difficulties experienced by the student. The recommendee will submit their letter electronically through the transfer application portal.
- Students selected for transfer will be required to submit official transcripts and other information required by the admissions department. Students must also meet all applicable immigration regulations. Non-US citizens must meet OSU Graduate Admissions language requirement.
For more information, please contact CVMAdmissions@oregonstate.edu.