University of Sydney Vet Med C/O 2026

Veterinary Science Graduate Programs from U. of I.
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Does anyone have any idea/ done the math how much total tuition cost would be as an international student coming into USYD with just on loans?
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Tuition alone is roughly 50 thousand usd with the current exchange rate. the USYD Federal aid department recommended about $18000-20,000 in living costs depending on the year. Meaning a year could end up around 70,000. Those are the rough figures that the USYD financial student office gave us in the info session.
 
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papilation said:
I'm from FL as well. You don't need to start looking for housing or figuring out moving just yet. USYD will aid you when the time comes, or you can reach out to me and I can offer a few helpful websites to search for affordable housing. Take the process one step at a time. Although we've been told that we would be in person next semester, there still might be a chance that we'd be online again, and you wouldn't have to worry about moving as new info about Omicron is released. This week they found 2 positive cases of omicron in Sydney, and the residents are trying to push the gov. to go back into lockdown, although the gov. is a bit resistant. They've pushed the opening of borders for students from Dec. 1 to Dec. 15 yesterday as a result. Point is, we don't know what's going to happen in the upcoming weeks... just when we thought we were finally gaining improvement on the whole COVID situation... 😢

For those of you who need a bit of swaying on exclusive USYD DVM perks (I promise I don't get paid for this even though I really should be smh), below is a list copied and pasted from a response I gave to one of you who PMed me. I think the rest of you might find this beneficial. I didn't know half of this until I started the program:

  • Cheaper in tuition due to conversion rates than almost any other U.S. uni (with the exception of your in-state)- they make up for it in more expensive living costs.... BUT THE EXPERIENCE OF GOING TO A VET SCHOOL IN AUSTRALIA IS *chef's kiss* what i'd call elite... Like it's literally such a flex.
  • USYD hates competition. They'll tell you during your first week to not compete with your classmates. There are no rankings, nothing. They really want everyone to pass.
  • If you fail a semester/class, you don't just fail out of the program and kicked out. You take a remediation exam for the class you failed (like a retake), and if you pass that then you can move on. If you don't, then you're held back a year. You can do this up to 3 times -> Which means you can fail up to 3 times (and be held back at most 2/3 years). On your 3rd time you meet with the board, and can explain your case and circumstances and at that point you'd be either kicked out or given a 4th chance. Tbh I haven't heard of anyone reaching that point, so I wouldn't worry about it. But it's a good grace option.
  • Going to USYD you get more hands on starting the end of your first year. You do rotations at the end of your first year and work with a variety of animals on your breaks; I don't know of any vet school that does this to be honest, especially that early.
  • At USYD you learn how to work on fish and do surgeries on them and stuff (again, something that is exclusive to very little Vet schools- esp since they do ask you to calculate anesthesia rates on fish on the NAVLE and stuff). We're currently placed at LMU and LMU doesn't do any work with fish.
  • During your first year you draw blood on fish, anesthetize, and conduct necropsies, you learn how to handle and draw blood from sheep and pigs, etc. along with other large animals (Basically stuff you'd normally learn in second year or 3rd year at other vet schools you learn during your first year).
  • Graduating from USYD means you gain automatic licensure to work in Aus. and NZ. You are also eligible to work in U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, China, and UK. Whereas, if you graduate from U.S. school, you're only eligible to work in U.S. and Canada.
  • During your 4th year, you do clinics in your home country AND Aus. to ensure your proficiency in each country's veterinary industry for when you become a working vet.
  • This is SUPER HUGE. USYD pays for any NAVLE prep you take when it comes to you taking the NAVLE (no other vet school does this. And NAVLE prep is like ~$400)
  • Every U.S. student who takes the NAVLE from USYD passes. They mentioned that their rates aren't at 100% because some of the Aus. students like to take the NAVLE without studying just to see if they'd pass and be eligible to work in U.S.
  • ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT (and my favorite since I'm literally so scared of failing). A passing at USYD is 50% or higher. At any other vet school it is 70% or higher. This extra cushion is great since we learn a lot of material and allows us to actually learn the material for our patients' sake rather than for the exam grade.
  • During your 3rd year, you have to do a research project with a staff of your choosing, and you can basically publish a paper. This is great because in order to be board certified in the U.S. you need to have a paper published, and it is very rare to do this when you're in any other vet school. But with USYD you have the potential to graduate with a published paper, so you're already ahead of any other graduating vet.
  • First year is all anatomy, histology, physiology, basically all the -ologies. But starting second year it is case-based.
  • Another exciting point: Because of how the school year is set up- First semester in February, second semester in end of July- you get your full 4 years in, but you graduate a year earlier than other applicants this cycle, if that makes sense. Like, right now, you are schedule to be class of 2026 (graduating in May/June of 2026 at any other vet school). At USYD you would be class of 2025, graduating in December of 2025.
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Do you have any recommendations for OSHC? USYD gives several options and I don't know the difference.
 
DrsWithoutBorderCollies said:
Do you have any recommendations for OSHC? USYD gives several options and I don't know the difference.
Click to expand...
I accepted it fully. I believe it’s $3k and it covers all four years (as in it is not 3k each year, but rather the total for the four years). I found that to be really cheap. I also know the healthcare system in aus is pretty good and not like US at all. You do need proof of an international insurance coverage as well in order to start your visa, so just getting this one helps. When you apply for your visa btw make sure you DONT check off that you’re a medical professional. Aus does not recognize Vet students as such, and by checking it off you will not get your visa approved immediately and will be sent to a local clinic to do a $700 out-of-pocket exam to make sure you aren’t diseased etc. Please don’t make that mistake…
 
papilation said:
I accepted it fully. I believe it’s $3k and it covers all four years (as in it is not 3k each year, but rather the total for the four years). I found that to be really cheap. I also know the healthcare system in aus is pretty good and not like US at all. You do need proof of an international insurance coverage as well in order to start your visa, so just getting this one helps. When you apply for your visa btw make sure you DONT check off that you’re a medical professional. Aus does not recognize Vet students as such, and by checking it off you will not get your visa approved immediately and will be sent to a local clinic to do a $700 out-of-pocket exam to make sure you aren’t diseased etc. Please don’t make that mistake…
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Are you all cleared to head over finally??
 
Accepted my offer and deposit posted. What now? I haven’t heard anything from them yet and it still says my status is “Applicant”
 
Has anyone not heard a single thing from this school? I assume I'm obviously rejected but I find it odd that I have crickets.
 
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Hi everyone! I'm an international student (currently live in Los Angeles, California), and I'm super excited with my acceptance to USYD.🙂 I was wondering if any current/prior students would have time for a quick 15 minute call to review the pros/cons of the vet program in Sydney? I've always dreamed to live abroad but I'm weighing the opportunities of going to Sydney versus going to vet school in the United States? I'm concerned about residency opportunities post vet school and lost of living/tuition. Thank you SO much!
 
Also, can someone please provide insight on how the grading system works at USYD? Is it P/NP or do we get actual letter grades? Also what is the frequency of exams? Also is the curriculum taught differently vs in the states? I'm looking for a program that prioritizes collaboration and does not thrive on competition. I hear some US schools have exams literally every week and can easily cause burnout... Thanks!
 
shakti1035 said:
Also, can someone please provide insight on how the grading system works at USYD? Is it P/NP or do we get actual letter grades? Also what is the frequency of exams? Also is the curriculum taught differently vs in the states? I'm looking for a program that prioritizes collaboration and does not thrive on competition. I hear some US schools have exams literally every week and can easily cause burnout... Thanks!
Click to expand...
Hey! I am from Florida, and I am in the process of enrolling. I am still on the fence about it too as I am waiting to hear back from US schools. I emailed them today to see if I can get more information about the school cause I am confused about what classes I need to enroll in and whether our first semester is online. The majority of the information I know about this school is from this thread. If you want to facetime or do a zoom call to talk just let me know! 🙂
 
papilation said:
I'm from FL as well. You don't need to start looking for housing or figuring out moving just yet. USYD will aid you when the time comes, or you can reach out to me and I can offer a few helpful websites to search for affordable housing. Take the process one step at a time. Although we've been told that we would be in person next semester, there still might be a chance that we'd be online again, and you wouldn't have to worry about moving as new info about Omicron is released. This week they found 2 positive cases of omicron in Sydney, and the residents are trying to push the gov. to go back into lockdown, although the gov. is a bit resistant. They've pushed the opening of borders for students from Dec. 1 to Dec. 15 yesterday as a result. Point is, we don't know what's going to happen in the upcoming weeks... just when we thought we were finally gaining improvement on the whole COVID situation... 😢

For those of you who need a bit of swaying on exclusive USYD DVM perks (I promise I don't get paid for this even though I really should be smh), below is a list copied and pasted from a response I gave to one of you who PMed me. I think the rest of you might find this beneficial. I didn't know half of this until I started the program:

  • Cheaper in tuition due to conversion rates than almost any other U.S. uni (with the exception of your in-state)- they make up for it in more expensive living costs.... BUT THE EXPERIENCE OF GOING TO A VET SCHOOL IN AUSTRALIA IS *chef's kiss* what i'd call elite... Like it's literally such a flex.
  • USYD hates competition. They'll tell you during your first week to not compete with your classmates. There are no rankings, nothing. They really want everyone to pass.
  • If you fail a semester/class, you don't just fail out of the program and kicked out. You take a remediation exam for the class you failed (like a retake), and if you pass that then you can move on. If you don't, then you're held back a year. You can do this up to 3 times -> Which means you can fail up to 3 times (and be held back at most 2/3 years). On your 3rd time you meet with the board, and can explain your case and circumstances and at that point you'd be either kicked out or given a 4th chance. Tbh I haven't heard of anyone reaching that point, so I wouldn't worry about it. But it's a good grace option.
  • Going to USYD you get more hands on starting the end of your first year. You do rotations at the end of your first year and work with a variety of animals on your breaks; I don't know of any vet school that does this to be honest, especially that early.
  • At USYD you learn how to work on fish and do surgeries on them and stuff (again, something that is exclusive to very little Vet schools- esp since they do ask you to calculate anesthesia rates on fish on the NAVLE and stuff). We're currently placed at LMU and LMU doesn't do any work with fish.
  • During your first year you draw blood on fish, anesthetize, and conduct necropsies, you learn how to handle and draw blood from sheep and pigs, etc. along with other large animals (Basically stuff you'd normally learn in second year or 3rd year at other vet schools you learn during your first year).
  • Graduating from USYD means you gain automatic licensure to work in Aus. and NZ. You are also eligible to work in U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, China, and UK. Whereas, if you graduate from U.S. school, you're only eligible to work in U.S. and Canada.
  • During your 4th year, you do clinics in your home country AND Aus. to ensure your proficiency in each country's veterinary industry for when you become a working vet.
  • This is SUPER HUGE. USYD pays for any NAVLE prep you take when it comes to you taking the NAVLE (no other vet school does this. And NAVLE prep is like ~$400)
  • Every U.S. student who takes the NAVLE from USYD passes. They mentioned that their rates aren't at 100% because some of the Aus. students like to take the NAVLE without studying just to see if they'd pass and be eligible to work in U.S.
  • ANOTHER IMPORTANT POINT (and my favorite since I'm literally so scared of failing). A passing at USYD is 50% or higher. At any other vet school it is 70% or higher. This extra cushion is great since we learn a lot of material and allows us to actually learn the material for our patients' sake rather than for the exam grade.
  • During your 3rd year, you have to do a research project with a staff of your choosing, and you can basically publish a paper. This is great because in order to be board certified in the U.S. you need to have a paper published, and it is very rare to do this when you're in any other vet school. But with USYD you have the potential to graduate with a published paper, so you're already ahead of any other graduating vet.
  • First year is all anatomy, histology, physiology, basically all the -ologies. But starting second year it is case-based.
  • Another exciting point: Because of how the school year is set up- First semester in February, second semester in end of July- you get your full 4 years in, but you graduate a year earlier than other applicants this cycle, if that makes sense. Like, right now, you are schedule to be class of 2026 (graduating in May/June of 2026 at any other vet school). At USYD you would be class of 2025, graduating in December of 2025.
Click to expand...
Hey!
I am trying to move forward with enrolling, but I am getting mixed signals whether the first semester will be online with the new variant or even what classes to enroll in. I emailed them but I haven't heard back yet. Do you mind giving me some insight? The school really hasn't provided much information on the format and whatnot
 
Hi guys! Quick question. Is it true that international students have to take the NAVLE along with the ECFVG exam (The Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates) to practice in the states? Thank you!!
 
has anyone received any info from the uni lately about starting?
 
groovylama said:
has anyone received any info from the uni lately about starting?
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I feel like the school gave us our acceptance letters then ditched us on giving us any other information lol. I have been emailing the school and gathered some information on the process of enrolling as an international student. Have you decided to go or are you still on the fence?
 
skyyy said:
I feel like the school gave us our acceptance letters then ditched us on giving us any other information lol. I have been emailing the school and gathered some information on the process of enrolling as an international student. Have you decided to go or are you still on the fence?
Click to expand...
yeah, i know the uni shuts down for a randomly long amount of time over the Christmas break but I thought they would be back by now! hopefully we get some info soon. and yeah I'm going! but I'm a domestic student so the circumstances are a bit different for me 🙂
 
groovylama said:
yeah, i know the uni shuts down for a randomly long amount of time over the Christmas break but I thought they would be back by now! hopefully we get some info soon. and yeah I'm going! but I'm a domestic student so the circumstances are a bit different for me 🙂
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I get you! If you get any info please let me know and Ill do the same 🙂
 
Has anyone gotten off the waitlist recently? I haven’t heard anything for a while and school starts soon so I’m not sure if I should still be hopeful
 
I got an email about putting in timetable preferences. But no news about whether it’s in person or online so far! Anyone else heard from the school?
 
@peanut- they sent out official rejections two weeks ago. So I'd say if you didn't get accepted you probably got rejected. But you should check your spam.
@HappyToro in a information session in December they said that they plan to go forward in person.
 
Animallove24 said:
@peanut- they sent out official rejections two weeks ago. So I'd say if you didn't get accepted you probably got rejected. But you should check your spam.
@HappyToro in a information session in December they said that they plan to go forward in person.
Click to expand...
I contacted them last week and they confirmed that I was still on the waitlist. No rejection email in my spam. I was just asking what my chances are getting off the waitlist considering how soon school starts.
 
HappyToro said:
I got an email about putting in timetable preferences. But no news about whether it’s in person or online so far! Anyone else heard from the school?
Click to expand...
If there is no barriers (example: if the boarders closed or student visa not being issued) stopping you from traveling to Australia, you are required to attend in person.
 
peanut- said:
I contacted them last week and they confirmed that I was still on the waitlist. No rejection email in my spam. I was just asking what my chances are getting off the waitlist considering how soon school starts.
Click to expand...
They only take 30 international students, so hopefully for you someone will decide not to go. I know some people are now getting their unconditional offer approved (those who were offered acceptance as long as they passed their pre-req they took last semester). So, if those people decide not to pay their deposit say by the end of the month you will probably hear about some people getting off the waitlist.
 
Hey guys! A lot of questions on here! If you have accepted your USYD DVM seat please PM me. I have a made a WhatsApp group for y’all with a few other upperclassmen to offer you guys advice and answer any questions you may have. You can also meet some of your classmates! When you PM me please send your WhatsApp phone number in your first message so I can add you immediately 🙂

Regarding some of your questions: yes, the program is pass/fail. The grading system in Aus is diff than US. So a 50% or higher is considered a pass. They really want you to learn, hence the lower passing standard. Some people can memorize, get the grade, then forget. You do not need to take a foreign exam once you graduate. It’s US accredited so you just take the NAVLE like everyone else that graduates from a U.S. vet school… curriculum is great and super hands on. Less rigorous and competitive than US schools FOR SURE. No one competes. They tell you during your first week week that they have a degree for each of you and encourage you not to compete. No such thing as ranking. A lot of group projects because they want us to help and encourage one another and work as a team to get our DVM…

Just got an email this morning stating that the uni will be online until 21 Feb. Starting 21 of Feb, lectures will be back in person. However, everything is tentative to covid since there has been a recent surge. Even if you are online, you will still have to come in person on the days you have anatomy lab and hands-on stuff so don’t worry 🙂

Finally, I do have classmates who got off the waitlist and accepted as late as during our first week of classes. So don’t give up hope yet!
 
Has anyone else not heard back yet? I emailed last week and they confirmed that I was 8th on the waitlist. I'm not sure what my chances would be considering school starts in a few weeks :0 This is my top school so my fingers are still crossed
 
1. Does anyone have experience with phone plans in Australia? Is it best to get a new Australian plan or is WhatsApp and other apps more popular for international students from the US? Does anyone have experience with sticking with your US carrier and just using Wifi calling and texting?
2. Banks. Does anyone have good/bad experiences with banks in Australia? Should I select the bank with no fees for transferring money back to the US? I'm looking at Citi or Commbank, but I wanted to see if anyone had great experiences with other banks before I select one for the next 4 years.

I'm not going to USYD, but I am planning on going to another Australian school for vet school. This is a fairly active thread, so I thought I would ask in here to see if anyone knows. Considering everyone has been online/zoom for a while, I understand if no one in here has enough experience to answer my questions. Thanks in advance!
 
Vet01 said:
1. Does anyone have experience with phone plans in Australia? Is it best to get a new Australian plan or is WhatsApp and other apps more popular for international students from the US? Does anyone have experience with sticking with your US carrier and just using Wifi calling and texting?
2. Banks. Does anyone have good/bad experiences with banks in Australia? Should I select the bank with no fees for transferring money back to the US? I'm looking at Citi or Commbank, but I wanted to see if anyone had great experiences with other banks before I select one for the next 4 years.

I'm not going to USYD, but I am planning on going to another Australian school for vet school. This is a fairly active thread, so I thought I would ask in here to see if anyone knows. Considering everyone has been online/zoom for a while, I understand if no one in here has enough experience to answer my questions. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
1. Hi, vodafone is the best plan. Don't recommend sticking with US carrier or using wifi calling/texting here.
2. Make sure you add someone you trust onto your bank account at home to make wire transfers easy. You won't be able to wire transfer from the U.S. if you are living in Australia. Someone else has to do it from your U.S. account. Commbank is the one that's most accessible. Just make sure you ask for the student account which is free.
 
Heyooo to next round candidates, I am a DVM1 student from the states! I just wanted to put out there for future candidates to USYD, there will be a lack of communication about the program if you get in, so if you have any questions about the uni you can message me on insta at dogtor_international
 
Hi guys I applied this round and just received my offer letter this morning. I'm thinking about defer the enrollment for one year. Does anyone know the process of requesting deferral?
 
nz99 said:
Hi guys I applied this round and just received my offer letter this morning. I'm thinking about defer the enrollment for one year. Does anyone know the process of requesting deferral?
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I thought this degree didn't let people deffer?
 
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