VetSkill Level 3 Diploma in Veterinary Nursing - Companion Animal Pathway

The course covers a comprehensive range of topics relevant to companion animal nursing (cats, dogs, rabbits, and guinea pigs) across nine units:

• Professional Veterinary Nursing Responsibilities – Professional responsibilities of the student and registered veterinary nurse, including the RCVS Code of Conduct, health and safety in the veterinary practice and legal/ethical duties
• Diagnostic Principles – Key principles of imaging and laboratory techniques to support the veterinary surgeon in diagnosis; including microscopy, endoscopy, ultrasound and radiography
• Principles of Veterinary Nursing Care 1 – Underpinning knowledge relating to the care of patients in a veterinary environment including anatomy, physiology and emergency first aid
• Pharmacology and Dispensary Management – Basic veterinary pharmacology and its application, including the prescription, storage, supply and dispensing of medicines to standards required of a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP)
• Practical Veterinary Nursing Skills – Developing practical skills in RCVS approved Training Practices through the compilation of a portfolio of evidence
• Anaesthesia and Theatre Nursing Skills – The principles of anaesthesia and theatre practice including surgical instruments, assisting in theatre and the preparation and monitoring of patients during anaesthesia and sedation
• Life Stage and Medical Nursing Care and Support – How the patient’s life stage influences their individual needs. The patient’s response to disease and trauma, reproduction, nursing care of medical conditions, palliative care and euthanasia
• Principles of Veterinary Nursing Care 2 – Nursing requirements of patients including fluid therapy, pain assessment, preventative care and physical therapy techniques
• Surgical Nursing and Patient Care – Specialised knowledge in surgical nursing, including pre, peri and post-operative nursing from admission to discharge

Suitably Qualified Persons qualification
Embedded within this diploma is the training required to become a Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) for companion animals allowing you to, on successful completion, join the VetSkill SQP Register and prescribe and/or supply certain veterinary medicinal products.

How you study

Theory lessons - you will attend theory lessons for one day a week. These lessons can either be undertaken in-person in one of our college centres (subject to availability) or via our Live Online classroom. Our Live Online classrooms offer real-time interactive lessons that allow you to engage with your tutors and peers. During online lectures you will be expected to participate in a diverse range of learning and assessment activities including live chat, group chat, breakout room activities, independent activities e.g. research, polls and Q&A sessions.

Online course materials - our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) provides a wide range of learning resources including interactive online lessons, revision and study support materials, recordings of classroom lessons for you to rewatch, an extensive eLibrary, access to journal articles and career resources.

Practical skills training - you will attend one of our college centres for practical skills training days, there are approximately 10 of these across the programme.

Tutor support – you will be allocated a personal tutor to provide 1:1 support and guidance and be a point of contact throughout your programme.

Virtual reality (VR) – You will be loaned a free virtual reality headset for the duration of your programme that will allow you to use our two exclusive software programmes. The OSCE preparation software will help you to prepare for your OSCEs (practical exams) by creating muscle memory and alleviating exam anxiety. You can practise the OSCE tasks that you may come across in your real exam, such as taking x rays, packaging samples and identifying parasites. Our anatomy software allows you to explore and learn body systems in details. We are the first veterinary nurse college to use virtual reality and we are very excited about the potential application of it.

Additional information for non-employed students

• Year 1 (Theory block)– you will undertake theory lessons on a day release basis.
• Year 2 (Six-month placement followed by a six-month theory block)– You will undertake a six-month unpaid work placement in an RCVS approved veterinary training practice, followed by six months of theory lessons on a day release basis.
• Year 3 (six-month theory block followed by a six-month placement block)– You will undertake six months of theory lessons on a day release basis, followed by a six-month unpaid work placement in an RCVS approved veterinary training practice

We have a dedicated placement team who will help source an unpaid work placement for in a veterinary practice for you.

During your theory lesson blocks, you should allocate an additional day per week working through online course materials/private study/developing your practical skills using a virtual reality headset.

Casual Work – When you are not undertaking college lessons, online learning or practical skills training during your theory blocks, you are able to undertake casual work (working in any type of employment) to financially support yourself during the programme.

You will undertake a variety of assessments including online examinations, assignments and case studies and a formative practical assessment. You will also complete an online Nursing Progress Log (NPL) over the course of your training, as evidence of practical competence. Final practical examinations (OSCEs) are undertaken on successful completion of all other assessments at the end of your programme.

Course intakes are in January, May, or September. However, if you are already employed in an RCVS-approved veterinary practice, you can enrol/start at any time and begin your pre course activities before your lessons begin.

September 2026

• All centres – Live Online learning – Wednesdays
• Huntingdon, Leeds, North London – Classroom delivery – Wednesdays

January 2027

• All centres  (except Guernsey) - Live Online learning – Mondays

May 2027

• All centres (except Guernsey) – Live Online learning – Thursdays
• Huntingdon, Leeds, North London – Classroom delivery – Thursdays

Find your nearest centre
We deliver this programme from centres located throughout the UK, including: Bodmin, Chorleywood, Edinburgh, Guernsey, Horsham, Huntingdon, Leeds, North London, Solihull, Wigan and Stoke-on-Trent. Find your nearest centre

Learners wishing to undertake this programme must be able to evidence capability in numeracy, literacy, science, and written English and mathematics; this typically includes GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (or A* to C) including English, mathematics and a science subject, or equivalent qualifications. Examples of equivalent qualifications that may be acceptable are:

• Maths and English – Level 2 Functional Skills
• Science – City & Guilds Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants or VetSkill Level 2 Certificate in Veterinary Care Support

Students with Scottish qualifications would typically have National 5 or Higher/Advance Higher at level A, B or C in Maths, English and Science.

Before applying, please ensure you read the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Fitness to Practise: A Guide for UK Providers of Veterinary Nursing Education and Student Veterinary Nurses, which can be downloaded here.

Age requirements
If you are employed in a veterinary training practice, you must be at least 16 years of age and have the full support of your employer. A list of TPs/aTPs can be found on the RCVS website.

If you are not employed in a veterinary practice you must be at least 18 years of age on the 1st of the month in which the course starts. Please note students who hold the Level 2 Diploma for Veterinary Care Assistants or the VetSkill Level 2 Certificate in Veterinary Care Support qualification are welcome to apply from 16 years of age.

Work experience
If you are not employed in a veterinary practice, we strongly encourage you to undertake work experience undertaken in a veterinary practice and get a reference from a veterinary surgeon or registered veterinary nurse supporting your suitability for veterinary nurse training.

If you have not undertaken any work experience, we will still consider your application, however you will be required to undertake work experience within the first three months of being on programme in order to make sure that you understand the role of the veterinary nurse and are confident it is the career for you; help to source this is available from the College. 

Read our advice for finding work experience in a veterinary practice

Please note: As our courses include online learning components, students are required to have access to a PC or laptop with a reliable internet connection.

International students
* Please note that due to changes in student visa criteria, this qualification is currently unavailable to overseas students who wish to come to the UK to study.

All applicants with international (non UK-based) qualifications require an ENIC statement.

If you are coming to the UK to study you should have proof of competence in the English Language by holding either the ESOL qualification at levels C1 or C2 or IELTS at a minimum score of 6.0 (with a minimum of 5.5 in each element) where your international qualifications were not taught and assessed in English. You will also be required to have your foreign qualifications officially translated into English with a notarised stamp.

If you are over 19 years of age, live outside the UK and wish to come to the UK to study you will need to obtain a student visa and will need to meet certain requirements under UK law – visit our International Students page for further information.

Employed students (30 months programme)
UK Students: £13,000
This can be paid in full before the course begins or via three annual payments (£5,200 at the start of the programme, £5,200 at the start of year 2 and £2,600 at the start of year 3).

Non-employed students (36 months programme)
UK Students: £18,000
This can be paid in full before the course begins or via three annual payments of £6,000 (at the start of the programme, at the start of year 2 and at the start of year 3).

Overseas Students: £20,500
This can be paid in full before the course begins or via three annual payments (£6,835 at the start of the programme, £6,835 at the start of year 2 and £6,830 at the start of year 3).

 Awarding Body Fees
All student or employers are required to pay the following awarding body fees in addition to the course fees. Please note that these are recharged at cost and may be subject to change.

• RCVS Registration: £228
• VetSkill Enrolment: £264
• Theory exam x 6 at £39 each: £234
• OSCE fee: £995

You can choose to sit your theory exams via remote invigilation (undertaking them at home or work, rather than in a college centre); there is an additional fee of £30 for this. Please note that for a first attempt of any theory exam the college waives the remote invigilation fee, and it is therefore only payable for re-sit exams. This fee is payable in addition to the normal exam fee.

Loan Options

Advanced Learner Loan
If you are over 19 years of age and living in England you may be entitled to apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to help fund your studies (subject to loan availability). The maximum amount you can receive from the Advanced Learner Loan is currently £7,172. This means there will be an outstanding balance left to pay of:

• £5,828 for employed students – this can be paid in full or via three annual payments (£2,350 at the start of the programme, £2,350 at the start of year 2, and £1,130 at the start of year 3), or you can apply for a Loans2Learn to cover the outstanding amount.
• £10,828 for non-employed students – this can be paid in full or via three annual payments (£3,610 at the start of the programme, £3,610 at the start of year 2, and £3,610 at the start of year 3), or you can apply for a Loans2Learn to cover the outstanding amount.

CAW Loans2Learn
Course fees must be paid in full before the course begins. If you are unable to do so, we offer a personal loan scheme (Loans2Learn) that can help you to spread the cost into manageable monthly payments over a period of up to five years, subject to eligibility. It can be used to fully, or partially, cover your course fee (but does not cover any awarding body fees, such as enrolment and examination fees which are payable on top). More information can be found here.

LOAN CALCULATOR
The current rate of interest for a CAW Loans2Learn is 9%. Click on the calculator icon to calculate your monthly repayment options based on different repayment term lengths.

General Advice
Sources of financial help can be found on our student finance page. Before making any financial decision it is recommended that you seek advice from an independent source, for example the Money Advice Service.

If you have not achieved your qualification by the planned end date detailed in your individual learning plan, continued support and course access is available by paying monthly direct debit payments, or applying for a supplementary or increased loan, until certification is achieved.

These are current figures and may be subject to change. The differences in course fees reflect the level of funding that is available as a result of government policies and priorities. These may be as a result of age, employment status, previous education achievements, or location for example, and are outside the control of The College of Animal Welfare.

On completion of this qualification you will be eligible to apply to join the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) Register of Veterinary Nurses and use the post nominal term, RVN. Entry on the register allows you to legally practice as a veterinary nurse under the direction of a veterinary surgeon.

Many veterinary nurses choose to remain in first opinion veterinary practice, however there are also opportunities to pursue more specialist roles in referral practices, emergency ‘out of hours’ practices or large veterinary hospitals; perhaps specialising in a particular area such as surgical nursing. You could also find work in, for example, teaching, management, research or sales.

You may also look to pursue further training by ‘topping up’ your qualification to a full degree by undertaking the BSc Honours Veterinary Nursing Degree Top Up Programme. A degree can open up further opportunities in post graduate study, such as veterinary physiotherapy. You could also consider completing the Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Practice Nurse), which is designed to equip you with advanced veterinary nursing skills and knowledge relevant to practice and consulting environments.

No, you are able to undertake this course as a non-employed student. If doing so, our placement team will help you to source work placements in a suitable veterinary practice (please note that these are unpaid).

Yes, successful completion of this qualification, along with at least 1,800 hours of employment or work placement in an RCVS approved veterinary training practice, will allow you to apply to join the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS) Register of Veterinary Nurses.

No, unfortunately the veterinary practice you are working in must be an RCVS approved Training Practice (TP/aTP). However, we offer a full Training Practice approval service so we can work with your practice to help them become a TP/aTP if they wish to become one.

Yes, if you begin the course and go on to secure a paid student veterinary nurse position, please speak to your course tutor in the first instance about making the change. We have had several students who have done this.

• Get a foot in the door – many people secure a student veterinary nurse position as they are known to the practice. This could be via work experience, or a change of role from a veterinary receptionist or veterinary care assistant, for example.
• Online jobs boards – Keep an eye out on job boards such as the CAW jobs board, Vet Times Jobs, National Apprenticeship Service or more generic ones such as Indeed. The College of Animal Welfare also has an Apprenticeship Vacancy page where you can sign up for new apprenticeship job alerts.
• Contact veterinary practices directly – Introduce yourself, leave your CV and show them how much you would really like an opportunity to train. You can use it as an opportunity to try to gain some work experience too.

Yes, it is possible to apply without having any previous work experience in practice. However we would strongly recommend you do undertake some time in practice so that you have an understanding of what the role of a veterinary nurse involves and are confident it is for you.

Level 2 English and Maths are required to enrol with the RCVS as a student veterinary nurse so unfortunately you will need to have these before you begin the course. We do run online Functional Skills Maths and English courses that take around six months to complete.