Non-trads -- 2 years undergrad then apply overseas?

[BVSc2016Hopeful]

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I am a non-traditional student with 15 credit hours of undergrad cores done. I am returning to school this summer, but am hoping to do 2-3 years undergrad then start applying to overseas 5 year programs. I have significant veterinary experience (I worked in a Teaching Hospital ICU for over a year, plus ER for 1 1/2 years and 6 months in an equine surgical facility, all full time), and have done very well in my (limited, I admit) schooling already done. I know a lot depends on my GRE (although it seems that some overseas schools don't require it?) and my GPA, but has anyone started applying with only 2 years of undergrad?

 

[Kem9987221]

Hey so I did the same thing that you want to do. I went to undergrad (I applied in the fall of my junior year). I got an offer from Edinburgh and I have an interview for Glasgow in a few weeks. It is totally possible, I have a 3.3 GPA from a pretty good school, I have about 500 hours vet experience and about 200 hours animal experience. I think that I had pretty good recommendations which helped. But it is totally possible to go to some international schools (I only know of Scottish schools) but if you have any questions let me know!

 

[Kem9987221]

And also I didn't take the GRE...

 

[CatPartay]

I am assuming you can't get federal loans for international schools? Are you going to take out private loans? Just curious how that works.

 

[Kem9987221]

Im not exactly sure how it works but u can still get direct loans (through FAFSA) at least that is what edinburgh told me cause it is still considered undergrad but im not sure how it works

 

[BVSc2016Hopeful]

All the schools I am looking at are AVMA approved, so I would assume you can still get federal loans for them. I will be talking to all the schools I apply to, and making sure that is the case! 🙂

 

[lei325]

You can get federal loans for a lot of international schools; there is a way to check at the studentloans.gov website...I just can't remember how.

 

[lazyjayn]

The AvMA accredited schools all have federal lender numbers. So edinburgh, glasgow, and london in the UK, Utrecht in the netherlands (in dutch), Dublin in Ireland, Murdoch (perth), melbourne and sydney in Oz, and Massey in NZ are all federal loan (AVMA) approved.

Because Vet is a "professional" program, it's got the $20,500 (numbers?) limit on stafford sub/ unsub loans. Students are also eligible for gradPLUS loans and private loans. I think one or two of the schools might also have the special "health sciences" deal going on too, but I'm not 100% on that.

You often have to do more of the loan work yourself, though, like finding lenders, filling out actual for-real applications (not just the 2 page deally most undergrads do), and (depending on the school and their "loan person) ride the person responsible for sending paperwork from the school. At one point I had the international student loan lady at Massey on speed-dial, and would e-mail *and* drop by her office about once a week. I've heard stories (many) of int'l students not getting *any* loans until the middle of second semester. It's possible that this will become less of a problem as more loan-dependent US students go to the schools (and I don't think any of the horror stories came from UK schools, but I might have just missed them) and as more of them go screaming to their int'l student office for emergency loans.

None of which is designed to scare you away, just to make you aware. Sounds like a good plan you have, hope you can make it work🙂

 

[flyhi]

Yes, you can apply without an undergrad degree. The reason at least the UK is perfectly ok with it, is that it is considered a Bachelor's program in the UK. So, the students here basically go to high school and then take a few science classes. Therefore, it's very similar to what you would be doing and they are prepared to teach you to become a veterinarian in 5 years.