Is it cheaper to go to International Vet School or U.S School?

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Riscatto

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I am only 21 so I have a long ways away before I even apply, but I like to work out my option. The Only U.S. Vet School that I want to attend is Florida, plus its one of the cheaper schools in terms of In-state once I obtain Residency. I can't go to my instate school because AZ just added a vet school but they don't even acknowledge that AZ residents so I would be paying the same as OOS.

Anyway, I have been reading up on international schools and was wondering about costs. I'm looking for a school that I would be able to save up to have less debt or no debt coming out of vet school.

Is it cheaper to stay in the U.S or better to go international if their is a chance? Would the education be better internationally? I have a cat that would come with me as well. Also since the schooling is 5-6yrs internationally, is it more spread out or just more content?

I'm not sure if this particular question has been answered. If it has then redirection would be great, otherwise any insight is much appreciated.

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Anyway, I have been reading up on international schools and was wondering about costs. I'm looking for a school that I would be able to save up to have less debt or no debt coming out of vet school.

Is it cheaper to stay in the U.S or better to go international if their is a chance? Would the education be better internationally? I have a cat that would come with me as well. Also since the schooling is 5-6yrs internationally, is it more spread out or just more content?

I'm not sure if this particular question has been answered. If it has then redirection would be great, otherwise any insight is much appreciated.

There are Caribbean vet schools (2 are accredited), but there are no financial savings there -- see the link above. There are non-US schools that are accredited by the AVMA (in Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Ireland, France), but they are unlikely to save you too much money, unless you are able to immigrate and establish status there. Non-accredited schools are likely to offer you a cheaper education, but getting licensed back in the US is an expensive and drawn-out process (it could cost you $10,000 and take 2-3 years of waiting and testing). I recommend anyone planning on working in the US or Canada only go to an AVMA accredited school.
 
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I am only 21 so I have a long ways away before I even apply, but I like to work out my option. The Only U.S. Vet School that I want to attend is Florida, plus its one of the cheaper schools in terms of In-state once I obtain Residency. I can't go to my instate school because AZ just added a vet school but they don't even acknowledge that AZ residents so I would be paying the same as OOS.

Anyway, I have been reading up on international schools and was wondering about costs. I'm looking for a school that I would be able to save up to have less debt or no debt coming out of vet school.

Is it cheaper to stay in the U.S or better to go international if their is a chance? Would the education be better internationally? I have a cat that would come with me as well. Also since the schooling is 5-6yrs internationally, is it more spread out or just more content?

I'm not sure if this particular question has been answered. If it has then redirection would be great, otherwise any insight is much appreciated.


Costs for US students attending international schools are incredibly similar to out of state costs at US schools. Add in cost of living internationally and the costs are more than out of state US (minus an exception or two). Also, if you attend a 5 or 6 year program internationally, you are paying for out of state like costs for 1-2 extra years compared to US schools.

The education is similar between international and US schools, the reason international schools are longer is because their students tend to head to vet school immediately after what is similar to high school in the US. There are some international programs that are 4 years in length for students with previous degrees from university.

I'd advise anyone to try to stay in the US, if possible. Having said that, the international schools (UK at least) aren't so much more expensive than out of state and you will get a great education.

I would not attend any international school that isn't AVMA accredited. This will cost you a lot of money, time and even the potential of never being licensed.
 
Costs for US students attending international schools are incredibly similar to out of state costs at US schools. Add in cost of living internationally and the costs are more than out of state US (minus an exception or two). Also, if you attend a 5 or 6 year program internationally, you are paying for out of state like costs for 1-2 extra years compared to US schools.

The education is similar between international and US schools, the reason international schools are longer is because their students tend to head to vet school immediately after what is similar to high school in the US. There are some international programs that are 4 years in length for students with previous degrees from university.

I'd advise anyone to try to stay in the US, if possible. Having said that, the international schools (UK at least) aren't so much more expensive than out of state and you will get a great education.

I would not attend any international school that isn't AVMA accredited. This will cost you a lot of money, time and even the potential of never being licensed.

Shrug....I paid less than what I would have paid OOS, and that was for 5 years, and having tuition without inflation was a bonus.

Saving money and having the least amount of debt possible is your best option. I would not, however, trade my international experience and being able to live in Europe for 5 years for anything. I'm also now licensed in all of N. America and all of the commonwealth, which is pretty sweet in case I want to go back abroad to work.

I would not apply to non-AVMA accredited ...it's not worth the risk.
 
Yup, I said there are a couple of exceptions.

Though the changing nature of the exchange rate is always something to worry about.

I just did a quick calculation on glasgow, cost is just under $200k for 5 years and I think I underestimated it because their tuition page is confusing. So, similar to OOS cost, depending on which US school you are comparing to (obviously Upenn is more expensive).
 
Though the changing nature of the exchange rate is always something to worry about.

I just did a quick calculation on glasgow, cost is just under $200k for 5 years and I think I underestimated it because their tuition page is confusing. So, similar to OOS cost, depending on which US school you are comparing to (obviously Upenn is more expensive).

Yeah, I mean their tuition is higher for each incoming class, which is how they get away with no inflation. For the class of 2014 it was like 17.5k GBP/year, and the exchange rate hovered around 1.65 while I was there. I'd imagine it's up around 25k GBP/year now. Living costs were pretty cheap though, way less than what I am paying in freaking Manhattan, KS right now...

My point is that I got a great education in the UK, and I think it may be superior to what some of my OOS options back in the day, for me. And I ended up paying less than what I would have OOS.

Would I have gone IS if I had been given that option to save money? Probably. But then again, the method of teaching over there worked for my learning style, so maybe not.
 
i also paid less to go internationally than i would have at most of the OOS schools i applied to, but i started several years ago
 
Yeah, I mean their tuition is higher for each incoming class, which is how they get away with no inflation. For the class of 2014 it was like 17.5k GBP/year, and the exchange rate hovered around 1.65 while I was there. I'd imagine it's up around 25k GBP/year now. Living costs were pretty cheap though, way less than what I am paying in freaking Manhattan, KS right now...

My point is that I got a great education in the UK, and I think it may be superior to what some of my OOS options back in the day, for me. And I ended up paying less than what I would have OOS.

Would I have gone IS if I had been given that option to save money? Probably. But then again, the method of teaching over there worked for my learning style, so maybe not.

Exchange rate is now up to 1.7, according to their website.

I am not saying it isn't possible that some of the international schools are cheaper (depending upon which US school you compare the cost to), it is just that there isn't that big of a gap between the cost internationally (either cheaper or more expensive depending upon which schools you are comparing) that the OP will be able to "save up to have less debt or no debt coming out of vet school." Unless he is able to save up substantial sums of money, which in that case, it will make out of state schools cheaper as well. I mean, the end goal in costs needing to be saved up either for an international vet school or out of state are going to be comparable. We aren't talking, tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars difference. Ok, maybe ten thousand (I am currently saving $10,000 + a bit per year, (not including the $13,000 grant I received for summer tuition) having moved back to the US and paying out of state tuition here, so in 2 years I will have saved around $33,000). This is why I keep saying, it thoroughly depends upon which international school you are considering as well as which US school's out of state tuition you are comparing it to.

But what I took the OP to be looking for was are the international schools significantly cheaper than a US out of state school that he could go for fairly "cheap" (cheap is kind of subjective though, depending upon who you talk to) or go for free. And the answer to that is, it is highly unlikely unless he can save up a decent chunk of change.

I also completely forgot about the difference in teaching styles. Which is something else to consider. Sometimes, I really do miss the UK style of teaching. I have likes and dislikes about both styles, having been through both. However, I don't feel that there is a big difference in my knowledge or my classmates' knowledge. Not only that, I did have to re-sit through some classes that I had already taken but the students here had not, and there really wasn't a huge difference in content either.

I don't think going to an international vet school is the money-saving break the OP is seeking. He'd be better off establishing residency in a state with a veterinary school and then getting IS tuition, though that does bring the risk of not being accepted to that school, but the reward would definitely be worth it. Unless, of course, the OP is looking to non-AVMA accredited vet schools, which many are significantly cheaper and he could possibly save up for those and maybe even enough to come out without any debt, but that as we all know is an extremely dangerous route and is not advised.
 
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