APPLYING ~ SELECTION
Selection into the Professional Phase of the BVSc
Selection into the BVSc programme is competitive, and applicants can enter the programme in one of two ways depending on eligibility. These are as a New Zealand government subsidised student or an international student.
Click here for Vet Selection on the College of Sciences website.
A. New Zealand government subsidised places
 Applicants must be New Zealand permanent residents.
Applicants for selection require a minimum of 10 days veterinary work experience, certified by a veterinarian (complete your work experience before the start of the academic year).
There is no direct entry of students from school into the professional phase of the degree.
To be eligible for selection all applicants must have passed ALL four subjects of BVSc 1, Semester 1, or their equivalent, at a New Zealand Tertiary Institution.
Selection is based on grades attained at New Zealand Universities (80%) and the results of a Special Tertiary Admission Test (STAT F) (20%). The STAT test examines problem solving ability and comprehension of written material.
For assessing academic grades, a weighted grade point average (WGPA) is calculated for grades attained at New Zealand Universities, using the formula:
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(Where grade scores are 2 to 9 for grades "C to A+")
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The minimum WGPA required for selection will be 5.0 (B grade average) along with a STAT test score at the same level. For applicants with a break from University study of three years or more, only grades attained after returning to study are normally used to calculate their WGPA, while for students with an academic record at University of more than two years, only the last two years' grades are used. University grades or qualifications obtained overseas are not normally considered in the selection process, but details of such study must be provided so the Veterinary Programme Director can determine pre-selection study requirements.
Normally students are admitted to the professional programme at Semester 2 of BVSc 1.
There are provisions for considering minority group applications.
Up to two applicants from overseas countries without a Veterinary School, supported by the New Zealand Agency for International Development (NZAID) programme, may be selected each year.
The closing date for applications for selection is 1 May in the year for which selection is desired. Applications must be accompanied by the completed STAT test application, the STAT test fee and the veterinary work experience certificate. Late or incomplete applications WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
 Comments:
- This BVSc student selection system has been designed to be fair and equal for all applicants, yet simple to administer.
- These procedures have been approved by the appropriate Veterinary Programmes and Massey University Committees.
- There is a right of appeal against decisions of the BVSc Student Selection Committee.
B. International Students (24 places)
In order to be selected into the veterinary program international applicants must first gain admission to Massey University. Applicants for selection require a minimum of ten (10) days veterinary work experience, certified by a veterinarian on their clinic letterhead. It is recommended that you complete your work experience before the start of the academic year.
There are a total of 24 places available for international vet students to apply for each year, via two methods of entry, Group 1 and Group 2. The exact distribution of these places between the two groups will be determined annually but will be between 10-14 places per group.
Group 2 - Competitive Selection directly into BVSc Semester Two (16 places)
Group 2 is for applicants who have already completed or are completing an appropriate undergraduate or postgraduate science qualification in a country other than New Zealand. Please note that you DO NOT have to have completed your entire degree, but you do need to have completed at least 2 years of your degree by the time you would start vet school at Massey University. Currently, ten to fourteen (10-14) places are reserved for these students, which can include up to five (5) students from the University of Vermont. As a Group 2 student it would take 4.5 years (9 semesters) to complete your degree.
 Selection criteria
There are 3 criteria for eligibility to apply for a Group 2 Position.
- A minimum science Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00
- Achievement of the minimum Graduate Record Exam General Test (GRE) score.
For tests taken after 1 Oct 2002 the minimum combined GRE score for all 3 parts (verbal, quantitative and analytical) is 1600 out 2400. The verbal and quantitative sections are scored out of 800, while the analytical written score out of 6 will be converted to a score out of 800, and added to the other 2 sections. GRE scores are to be no older than 5 years.
- Successful completion of university level classes equivalent to the 4 pre-selection semester (BVSc year 1 semester 1) classes:
If you do not meet ALL of these criteria you will not be eligible for a Group 2 position and should therefore apply as a Group 1 applicant (see below for details on Group 1)
The science GPA will be calculated from all university level science classes taken in the most recent 2 years (or equivalent) of full time study prior to application. While the minimum science GPA to be eligible for selection is 3.0, the actual GPA for selection may be higher depending on the number of and academic ability of the applicants each year.
GRE scores are to be no older then 5 years and need to be sent to Massey University directly from ETS. The Institution code for Massey University is 3194 and the department code is 0622.
It is a pre-requisite for selection into semester 2 that all applicants have passed university level classes equivalent to the BVSc year 1 semester 1 (a.k.a. pre-selection semester) classes, including an associated laboratory class. To give you an idea of the material that you will need to have covered course descriptions for these classes at Massey University are available.
The GRE and GPA are combined (with equal weighting) to determine a student's ranking. Following ranking, the top students (including students from the University of Vermont) will be offered places in the second semester until all the Group 2 positions have been filled. If there are not enough eligible applicants to fill all the Group 2 positions the remaining positions will be added to the allocation for Group 1.
Selection Outcome
The selection committee meets several times a year to consider the applications. The main selection meetings are in mid February and early July. Applicants will be notified of the outcome of the selection meetings soon thereafter by e-mail, fax and/or letter.
 Closing Date for Applications for Group 2
The closing date for applications for selection into Group 2 is December 1 of the year prior to starting classes (i.e. to apply for Group 2 starting in July 2009 the deadline would be December 1, 2008). Completed applications received earlier than the closing date will be considered at the next selection meeting after their receipt.
If you are enquiring after the application deadline please email the International Student Liaison Officer.
Successful Applicants
An offer of a place in the Massey University veterinary program will be sent to successful applicants. In order to accept the place, the student needs to return the acceptance of offer documents and pay the semester tuition fee before the expiry date. Once acceptance and tuition are received the student would then be sent a confirmed offer of a place, which is required by the New Zealand Immigration department as part of the application for a student visa.
Students who are eligible for a Group 2 position but are not ranked highly enough to be offered a place initially will be placed on a waiting list. Should a position become available it will be offered to the highest ranked student on the waiting list and so on until all the positions are filled.
Information on the GRE
More general information on the GRE and Computer Based General test can be found here.
 Group 1 - Competitive Selection into BVSc via Semester One (8 places)
Group 1 is for students who have not met the eligibility requirements for a Group 2 position. There are currently ten to fourteen (10-14) places reserved for these students. If there are insufficient suitable applicants for Group 2, the additional places will be made available to applicants in Group 1.
Group 1 students are required to complete one semester (beginning at the end of February of each year) of full- time study (4 classes) at Massey University in order to develop a GPA for selection. The NZ based GPA will supersede any previous GPA in terms of selection. The minimum average GPA required for eligibility for selection is a B (3.0 on a scale of 4.0). The actual GPA for successful applicants may be higher depending on the number of and academic ability of the applicants each year. As such not all students who enrol in the first semester will be selected into the second semester.
Including this semester plus the 9 semesters in the vet program it will take 5 years (10 semesters) to complete the BVSc.
If you have not undertaken previous university study, you will enrol in the 4 standard semester 1 papers listed below. In New Zealand a paper is the same as a course or class.
123.101 Chemistry and Living Systems
124.111 Physics for Life Sciences
162.101 Biology of Cells
199.101 Biology of Animals
For details of these papers click here.
For details of the course content of these classes click here.
If you have undertaken previous university level courses, the classes you would take in the pre-selection semester (aka semester 1) will be determined individually taking account of your previous study and must be approved by the Veterinary Academic Programme Administrator.
As part of your application, you will need to send course content information about each of the classes you have completed that are similar to the first semester classes studied at Massey University. That information should include a copy of the University Calendar course description of about half a page per course, and include the numbers of hours of lectures and practicals/laboratories and topics. If you get credit for some of these classes then you will choose alternate class(es) in their place, and you will still be required to get a minimum B average over all of the classes you take. We will provide you with a Course Choices Document to help you choose alternative classes, once we have seen a copy of your academic transcript.
Selection Criteria
Selection is based on grades attained at New Zealand Universities (80%) and the results of a Special Tertiary Admission Test (STAT F) (20%). The STAT test examines problem solving ability and comprehension of written material.
For assessing academic grades, a weighted grade point average (WGPA) will be calculated for grades attained at New Zealand Universities, using the formula:
| |
(Where grade scores are 2 to 9 for grades "C to A+")
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The minimum WGPA required for selection will be 5.0 (B grade average) along with a STAT test score at the same level. For applicants with a break from University study of three years or more, only grades attained after returning to study are normally used to calculate their WGPA, while for students with an academic record at University of more than two years, only the last two years' grades are used. University grades or qualifications obtained overseas are not normally considered in the selection process, but details of such study must be provided so the Veterinary Programme Director can determine pre-selection study requirements.
Closing Date for Applications for Group 1
The closing date for applications to enter semester one as a Group 1 student is December 1st of the previous year. If you are enquiring after this date please contact the International Student Liaison Officer.
Selection Outcome
The top 10-14 students will be offered places in the second semester. However, if there are insufficient qualified applicants for Group 2, the additional places will be made available to the next highest ranked eligible applicants in Group 1. The selection committee will meet in early July and applicants will be notified immediately of the results of their application.
 Successful Applicants
Successful applicants will begin the professional phase of the degree in Mid July.
Comments:
This BVSc student selection system has been designed to be fair and equal for all applicants, yet simple to administer. These procedures have been approved by the appropriate Veterinary Programmes and Massey University Committees.
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