Domestic Student Admissions Guide

Pre-requisite subjects

Prior to submitting an application for admission, all applicants are advised to check they have either completed, or are in the process of completing, the prerequisite subjects:

• One of SACE Stage 2:
  • Mathematical Methods, or equivalent
  • Chemistry, or equivalent
  • Biology, or equivalent
• IB
  • Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations (HL), or Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (SL)
  • Chemistry (SL grade 4/HL grade 3)
  • Biology (SL grade 4/HL grade 3) 
• Equivalent university or bridging courses: Applicants are advised to contact a Future Student Advisor to enquire whether they have or will need to complete equivalent prerequisite courses.
• Assumed knowledge: SACE Stage 2 Physics

Note for Tertiary Transfer applicants:
Tertiary Transfer applicants who have studied Chemistry I and/or Biology I at the University of Adelaide (or equivalent) must have achieved at least a credit grade average in each of these courses. Alternatively, Tertiary Transfer applicants who do not meet this requirement can subsequently meet the requirement if they obtain a minimum Pass grade in a course at a higher year level for which Chemistry I and/or Biology I are prerequisite courses. A pass in one of either ANIML SC 2530RW – Animal and Plant Biochemistry II or AGRIC 2500WT Agricultural Biochemistry II are recognised as meeting the credit grade average requirement for either or both Biology and Chemistry (not subject pre-requisite requirement).

FAQ: I don't meet the subject prerequisites

Academic score

To meet the minimum academic threshold for entry into the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) degree, applicants must achieve a minimum:

• Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) including any applicable adjustment factors (bonus points): 90 or above or an equivalent International Baccalaureate score
  or
• Higher Education/Tertiary Transfer: Grade Point Average (GPA): 5.0 or above
  or
• STAT Entry: Rank in the top decile
   

Inherent requirements and vaccination guidelines

There are inherent requirements associated with the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) that prospective students need to be aware of before applying. These requirements include but are not limited to, physical fitness, physical capacity to learn how to handle a range of large and small animals, required vaccinations (specifically Q fever), and effective written communication. Applicants must read the Inherent Requirements and Vaccination Guidelines before submitting their applications. By applying for this program, applicants acknowledge these Inherent Requirements and Vaccination Guidelines.
 
If you have a temporary or permanent medical condition or disability that may impact on your study in the veterinary science degrees, you should visit Disability Support or contact them on +61 8 8313 5962 as soon as possible to discuss whether reasonable study adjustments can be made without compromising the inherent requirements for veterinary registration. Such conditions may include, but are not restricted to, learning disabilities, mental health problems, sensory and physical disabilities, life-threatening allergies, and immunosuppressive conditions.

Applications for the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) are completed online through the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC).

Applications open in August each year. Check with SATAC for key dates.

Late applications to the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) degree will not be considered.

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* All applicants applying to the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) program, at the University of Adelaide, are required to complete the Acuity Insights Assessment for the 2024/2025 admissions cycle. 

Domestic applicants must register for the Acuity Insights Assessment with their (nine digit) 2025 SATAC reference number. Please note 2025 SATAC reference numbers will not be available until applications open in SATAC on Monday 5th August 2024. SATAC reference numbers change yearly and a previous year’s number will not be matched with the current application cycle so the application would be deemed incomplete. In the instance where an applicant is applying as both a domestic and international applicant, they must register with both their (nine digit) 2025 SATAC reference number AND their (seven digit) International Application System application number. 

The Acuity Insights Assessment is a standardized, online assessment that measures different competencies and attributes that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. This assessment will complement the other tools that we use for applicant review and evaluation. In implementing the Acuity Insights Assessment, we are further enhancing fairness and objectivity in our selection process.  

The Acuity Insights Assessment consists of: 

• Casper: 90-110 minute online, open-response situational judgment test (SJT)

How to complete the assessment 

In order to take the assessment, you will be responsible for securing access to a laptop or desktop computer with webcam and audio capabilities and a reliable internet connection with an internet speed of at least 1.5 Mbps and upload speed of at least 2 Mbps. You will require the following for both account creation and completing the Acuity Insights Assessment:

• Government-issued photo ID (English/French) for account validation
• Valid email address (the same one you will use to submit your application)
• Desktop or laptop computer
• Working webcam
• Working microphone
• Reliable high-speed internet connection

1. Please go to www.acuityinsights.app to sign up for Acuity Insights Assessment for CSP-10411 - AUS/NZ Undergraduate Health Sciences, under your specific country, and register using your SATAC ID number and a piece of government-issued photo ID. 
2. Select a Casper test date. You will be provided with a limited number of testing dates and times, which have been pre-arranged/approved by your program(s) in accordance with their admissions timelines. Please note that these are the only testing dates available for your Casper test based on your program selection(s). There will be no additional tests scheduled. Please use an email address that you check regularly and that you have used for your application; there may be updates to the test schedule.

Important: To account for identity verification and payment processing timelines, ensure that you register for your test at least 3 days before your preferred test date and time. Last-minute bookings are not recommended.

1. Ensure you have selected Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) for distribution before the posted distribution deadline. Likely, there will be no additional tests scheduled, but the most up-to-date information can be found by browsing the Test Dates and Times on acuityinsights.app.
2. Please direct any inquiries on the Acuity Insights Assessment to support@acuityinsights.app. Alternatively, you may use the chat bubble in the bottom right corner of your screen on the acuityinsights.app website.

Accommodations: Applicants requiring testing accommodations to complete their Acuity Insights Assessment should submit an Initial Request Form (Part 1 and 2) at least four (4) weeks prior to their scheduled Casper test date. More information regarding the accommodations policy can be found via the How to apply for accommodations page.

As part of the application process, applicants are required to complete and submit a prescribed questionnaire. 

Accessing the questionnaire

On Tuesday 8th October 2024 you will be emailed a link to the 'Admissions @ Adelaide' portal. This email will be sent to the same email address you used on your SATAC application

Questionnaire content

As part of the questionnaire, applicants will be asked about their life experiences and their knowledge and interest in veterinary science. Applicants will also be required to provide information about their experience with animals and the veterinary industry.

Animal and veterinary experiences

These experiences can range from, but are by no means limited to:

• Animal rescue organisations
• Animal welfare centres or shelters
• Zoos, wildlife sanctuaries or reserves
• Research centres or organisations
• Veterinary clinics or hospitals
• Farms, stud or breeding facilities, stables, pet shops
• Pet sitting
• Pet grooming services
• Animal training organisations
• Pet boarding facilities
• Personal pet(s)

These could also be in a role of:

• Work experience
• Employment
• Family farm
• Responsible for husbandry of and facilitating veterinary care of your own pet

There are no right or wrong examples, no minimum/maximum durations required or experience with specific species required, and there is no expectation you have worked in the veterinary industry previously.

If you have more examples of experience than the questionnaire allows submission of, you will need to use your own best judgement to narrow down to what you feel are the most relevant and will give your application the most strength.

Questionnaire documentation

Supporting documentation for responses provided to the experience with animals and the veterinary industry is required. Questionnaires will not be considered without supporting documentation. Documentation will be spot checked for verification.

Examples of documentation types are, but are not limited to:

• Letter of reference or statement of recommendation from host organisation
• Placement or work experience report
• Testimonial from non-professional acquaintance (e.g. neighbour, friend, relative)
• Personal statement (statutory declaration)
• Photos (not usually sufficient without other documentation)

Documentation from an organisation should be in the most formal format as possible, i.e. on official company or organisation letterhead, and should signed and dated by a representative from the organisation, including relevant contact details for verification purposes.

Evidence preferably should include details such as the date range, frequency of activities (e.g. 1 day a week for 4 weeks) and your responsibilities or tasks undertaken or observed.

When discussing personal pets, you should elaborate on the scope of your responsibility with respect to aspects of care such as feeding, grooming, exercise, training, medical attention, etc. If you have a good relationship with the veterinarian you have regularly seen with your pet(s), a letter from them outlining what you have been responsible for (ie. yearly vaccination visits, daily medication administration, wound management at home etc.) would be accepted.

The preferred document format is pdf, although doc, docx,, jpg and jpeg files will also be accepted. Files must not have security features enabled.

Supporting documentation must be in English. Where the original document is not in English, English translations completed by a National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI) accredited translator or a locally accredited translator plus the original document must be supplied.

Declaration

Submission of your application (by yourself or an agent acting on your behalf) is your agreement that you have:

• Read and understand the 2025 Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) Admission Guide (this web document).
• Read, understand and believe you will meet the Inherent Requirements
• Read, understand and agree to the Vaccination Guidelines

and is your agreement to the requirements below:

The Australian Veterinary Board Council Inc (AVBC) is the Australian body responsible for accrediting veterinary science programs. At the University of Adelaide, the veterinary science program comprises of two degrees: the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. To practice as a veterinarian, students need to complete both degrees (6 years in total). Graduates are eligible for registration as veterinarians in all states and territories of Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and the United Kingdom. In order to meet these professional expectations, graduates must be able to demonstrate their ability to perform various animal handling, manipulative, therapeutic and diagnostic techniques. The Veterinary Surgeons Board or Veterinary Practitioners Board in any state or territory of Australia may refuse to register a person not deemed fit to practise veterinary science by reason of infirmity, injury, mental or physical illness, habitual drunkenness or addiction to a deleterious drug. In order to meet and maintain accreditation standards with the AVBC, the University of Adelaide is required to train graduate students who are eligible to be registered as veterinarians.
 
The Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine together form a broad program; it is a requirement of the accreditation of the program that graduates have the skills to practice veterinary medicine and surgery across all species of domestic animals and common wildlife species. All veterinary science students must demonstrate the ethical, physical and emotional capacity to participate in the full curriculum and to achieve the level of competence required by the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences in order to graduate and be registrable as a veterinarian.
 
There are inherent requirements associated with the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) that prospective students need to be aware of before applying. These requirements include, but are not limited to, physical fitness, physical capacity to learn how to handle a range of large and small animals, required vaccinations (specifically Q fever), and effective written communication. Applicants must read the Inherent Requirements and Vaccination Guidelines before submitting their applications. By applying for this program, applicants acknowledge these Inherent Requirements and Vaccination Guidelines.
 
If you have a temporary or permanent medical condition or disability that may impact on your study in the veterinary science degrees, you should visit Disability Support or contact them on +61 8 8313 5962 as soon as possible to discuss whether reasonable study adjustments can be made without compromising the inherent requirements for veterinary registration. Such conditions may include, but are not restricted to, learning disabilities, mental health problems, sensory and physical disabilities, life threatening allergies, and immunosuppressive conditions.

Questionnaire responses must be the applicant’s own work. Responses generated through Artificial Intelligence (AI) software, such as ChatGPT violate this application requirement. Questionnaire responses and supporting documentation will be scrutinised by plagiarism and AI detection software. Applications that return a positive result for plagiarism and/or AI generated content in the Questionnaire component will not progress and will be deemed unsuccessful.

Appeals for failing to submit the questionnaire by the deadline will not be considered.

Requests for amendments or additions to the questionnaire after submission will not be considered.

Please note: The University cannot be held responsible if your email set-up filters the University’s email into a SPAM, Junk or other such folder – you are advised to check your email settings.

All notification emails are sent to the email address listed in your SATAC application form.

If you unsubscribe from University emails, or your email address is invalid, the University can not be held responsible.

Ranking for offers is based on a combination of the following components:

• Combined Questionnaire and Acuity Insights Assessment results (50%)
• Academic score results (50%)

Offers of admissions will be sent via email from SATAC. The University of Adelaide will not issue offers directly.

Please note: Feedback on performance and overall ranking will not be released by the University. Information regarding applicants and the status of their applications is confidential and will not be released to an advocate of the applicant, whether family or friends. No appeals on behalf of an applicant will be considered.

To secure a place in the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) degree, a successful candidate must enrol in all first year courses against the Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) program by the deadline stated in the SATAC offer letter. Withdrawal from those courses after the deadline will result in a loss of place in the program. Information regarding enrolment will be provided once SATAC offers are made.

Maintaining a place in the veterinary program

The B.Sc (Veterinary Bioscience) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs are offered for study on a full time basis only.

Where a student in either the B.Sc (Veterinary Bioscience) or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program requires a period of absence from study, this must be applied for and approved prior to the absence from study commencing, even if this is due to the student receiving credit for prior study or as a result of failing course/s. Where a student is not enrolled in a teaching period for which courses are available for them to enrol into and they do not have an approved Leave of Absence in place by Census Date, their place in the program will be lost and they will be discontinued from study in the program. Should the student wish to return to study in the program, they must apply again for entry to the B.Sc (Veterinary Bioscience) program, meeting minimum admission requirements and following the admission process in place at the time of their proposed commencement in the program. If the application ranks competitively and is successful, credit for prior study will be considered. Requests for direct readmission, bypassing the application and admissions process, will not be considered.

Students offered a place in the B.Sc (Veterinary Bioscience) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs should familiarize themselves with the University’s Coursework Academic Programs Policy. Particular attention should be drawn to Section 4 Completion of Programs and Courses. The B.Sc (Veterinary Bioscience) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine programs by definition are a Vertically Integrated Degree Program and as such have a 10 year Maximum Duration, which includes any periods in which the student is not enrolled at the University.

The maximum deferral period for the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine upon completion of the B.Sc (Veterinary Bioscience) is 24 months in line with the Admissions to Coursework Program Policy. Where a student does not commence the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine within 24months of completion of the B.Sc (Veterinary Bioscience) program, their place in the program will be lost. Should the student wish to recommence study in the veterinary program at a later date, they must apply again for entry to the B.Sc (Veterinary Bioscience) program, meeting minimum admission requirements and following the admission process in place at the time of their proposed commencement in the program. If the application ranks competitively and is successful, prior study will be considered and an applicant would then receive either an offer into the B.Sc (Veterinary Bioscience) or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program, dependent on the assessment of the prior study, noting program content and structure is subject to change each academic year. Requests for direct admission, bypassing the application and admissions process, will not be considered.

The Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology is committed to contributing to the University’s desire to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who participate in its programs, and makes particular effort to encourage First Nations students to participate in veterinary education.

The Bachelor of Science (Veterinary Bioscience) degree has allocated places for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants are eligible to be assessed through both the standard domestic application process (Steps 1 – 5 above) or the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicant process (below).

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicant process

1. Check minimum entry requirements (as per Step 1 above).
2. Submit a South Australian Tertiary Admission Centre (SATAC) application online prior to the closing date (as per Step 2 above).
3. Submit the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Pathway Declaration Form which will be made available once SATAC applications open.
   • Upload the form as part of your SATAC application or email a scanned copy to uoaapplications@adelaide.edu.au within five working days of submitting your SATAC application.
4. Submit the prescribed Questionnaire prior to the deadline (as per Step 4 above).
5. Attend a panel interview by Zoom.