Frequently Asked Questions

There is no one thing that will make an applicant stand out to the Admission Committee.  The Admission Committee reviews all aspects of an application in a holistic review process.  Each component of the application is valuable in determining admission.  

Carefully consider all portions of your application and be thoughtful in your answers to the essay questions, personal statement, and interview responses (resident applicants).  Be authentic and articulate the reason for your interest in the veterinary field.

We evaluate all applicants on the same criteria no matter what college they have attended. Each cycle we receive more applications from NC State than any other school. Therefore, we admit and deny more applicants from NC State than any other school. As point of fact, roughly 38% of our students received undergraduate degrees from NC State.

The NC State CVM no longer considers transfer application requests. Interested applicants may apply as an incoming first-year student.

International applicants, as well as US resident applicants attending colleges outside the United States must meet all of the listed admissions criteria as well as :

• have all international academic transcripts evaluated by a credential evaluation service. Applicants have used the following services in the past: Josef Silny & Associates, Trustforte, and World Education Services.
• submit proof of English proficiency. In order to be eligible for admission to the Graduate School all international applicants, regardless of citizenship, must demonstrate proficiency in English at a level necessary to be successful in a graduate program at NC State.

English Proficiency Requirements

Residents of Puerto Rico are not required to submit proof of English proficiency.

We admit an incoming class of 116 students each year – approximately 93 North Carolina residents and 23 non-residents. Following are statistics of the number of applications received in recent years.

North Carolina State University is a land-grant university designed to serve the citizens of North Carolina in subject areas including, but not limited to, the practical teaching of agriculture, science, military science, engineering and education. The state of North Carolina funds higher education in an effort to offer strong educational opportunities to its citizenry. Therefore, slot allocation priority is given to North Carolina residents.

The Residency Determination Service (RDS) determines the process for obtaining residency for tuition purposes.  Here are helpful links regarding the  laws governing residency and procedures for seeking residency for tuition purposes

“Pre-vet” is not a major; it is a track that can be chosen within a major.  Pre-vet students can be any major they choose, and the required pre-professional courses can be obtained through the curricula of a number of fields of study. The most common majors that applicants pursue prior to vet school are Biology, Animal Science, Zoology, and Chemistry.  

A bachelor’s degree is not required for admission into the DVM program. An applicant just needs to satisfy the prerequisites.

The prerequisite courses are listed on the DVM Admission Requirements web page. For the equivalent course at another college or university, check the NC State University catalog or ask the advisor at your college. Use the Basic Course Information to guide you on your assessment if a course taken at your home institution meets our prerequisites.

Where should I take the prerequisite courses?
You can take the prerequisite courses at any accredited two-year or four-year college or university. This includes courses taken via distance education at those institutions.

Do you accept online courses?
Yes, prerequisite courses may be completed either online or in a classroom setting. As above, the courses must be completed at an accredited two-year or four-year college or university.

Can Advanced Placement (AP) courses be used to fulfill prerequisites?
AP courses can be used to fulfill prerequisites. However, regardless if used to fulfill requirements or not, the applicant’s undergraduate institution must list the AP course by name (Biology, Calculus, English, etc.) on its transcript indicating the number of credits granted. Please note that AP courses are not considered when calculating grade point averages.

Can College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credit be used to fulfill prerequisites?
No, the admissions committee does not accept CLEP credit in fulfillment of course prerequisites.

The Admissions Committee reviews all prerequisite courses and admission standards each year. We recommend potential applicants stay up to date on our website for information related to any changes to admission requirements.

A recent adjustment was determined by the Admission Committee regarding prerequisite course requirement. Beginning with applicants for the Class of 2030, animal nutrition will no longer be required, and students will be required to fulfill only four semester hours of physics.

Applicants completing coursework in a “Study Abroad” program must submit grades in the grade equivalent of a U.S. educational institution. This can be accomplished either by (1) the “home” institution providing the equivalent grade on its transcript or by (2) the applicant submitting the “Study Abroad” transcript to a credential evaluation service. Options for credential evaluation services include: Josef Silny & Associates, Trustforte Corporation, and World Education Services

The college offers over 130 CVM scholarships totaling over $1.2 million in awards annually. Admitted applicants complete the FAFSA and the NC State scholarship process through the university’s system, PackAssist.

Students also pursue outside scholarships through a variety of benefactors. The external scholarship page is a resource that is updated annually to include scholarships that are designated for veterinary students.

Resident applicants that meet the criteria to be considered for admission will complete an asynchronous interview. The CVM presently utilizes the Kira Talent platform to conduct interviews. Applicants are asked a question, offered a couple minutes to consider a response, and then record a timed response. Questions center on learning more about the applicant and offer insight into the candidate that would otherwise not be realized in the traditional application process.

Non resident students do not currently participate in the interview process for admission.

Letters of recommendation are very important in the admissions process. They convey your knowledge of the veterinary profession, the depth and level of your commitment to the field, and the qualities of character that you have shown to the person you choose as your evaluator. We offer a set of guidelines for those individuals writing letters of recommendation.

Unfortunately you can not. Staffing parameters prevent the office from conducting individual sessions. We encourage you to attend Admissions Information Sessions with other potential applicants. The sessions contain good information sharing that often benefits an applicant and may be missed in an individual session.

The DVM professional curriculum is a four-year full-time, day program. Several community colleges in North Carolina offer animal science programs including: Wayne Community College in Goldsboro, NC; James Sprunt Community College in Kenansville, NC; and Sampson Community College in Clinton, NC.

Are there any shorter courses of study leading to a career in veterinary medicine?Three colleges in North Carolina offers an associate’s degree in Veterinary Medical Technology: Central Carolina Community College in Sanford, NC, Gaston College in Dallas, NC and Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College in Asheville, NC.

While we do not review your high school records for admission, courses in the sciences – biology, chemistry, etc. – will help you. In addition, take college preparation courses necessary for freshman admission into an undergraduate institution. Click here for information on undergraduate admission at NC State University.