Doctor of Veterinary Clinical Science
Overview
The Doctor of Veterinary Clinical Science is our veterinary residency program, designed to prepare already qualified veterinarians to meet the credentials for specialist certification.
It is designed to lead to careers as a specialist veterinarian, provided you meet all other requirements.
The doctorate will take you 3.5 years to complete full-time. It combines advanced coursework with clinical training and a research-based 50,000-word thesis. The doctorate is intended to introduce you to all aspects of specialist practice.
You will undertake clinical work in a diagnostic laboratory or a veterinary teaching hospital to develop your clinical skills to specialist level. This work will also count towards the coursework part of the degree.
The research thesis will provide a path to clinical or research careers with an evidence-based focus. These can include roles in public health agencies, universities or research centres.
Program highlights
- Extend your expertise and scientific knowledge in areas such as case management, clinical record keeping, epidemiology and research methods
- Learn in $100 million facilities including a small animal hospital, an equine specialist hospital and a diagnostic laboratory
- Write a thesis on a topic of your choice and be inspired and challenged to explore new ideas and develop greater understanding of complex questions
- Study at a university fully accredited by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American Veterinary Medical Association
Supervision
You have to find a thesis supervisor before you apply.
This supervisor will support, guide and mentor you through your research, and can introduce you to professional networks that will start your career.
What you'll study
Students in this program have to complete a thesis, coursework and clinical work to develop their skills to specialist level.
Career possibilities
Our programs prepare you for your first job and beyond. Here are some of the careers you could be on your way to:
- Anatomical pathologist
- Anaesthesiologist
- Avian and exotics veterinarian
- Equine veterinarian
- Equine surgical veterinarian
- Small animal veterinarian (emergency and critical care)
- Small animal veterinarian (internal medicine)
Events
See all events
Stories
See all stories
Study tips
5 key agriculture courses and animal science courses for postgrads
9-minute read
Uni life
What’s it like to study agriculture, environment and sustainability as a postgraduate?
6-minute read
Stories
See all stories
UQ people
Biotech with purpose: Krishtee’s plan to future-proof food in Mauritius
2-minute read
UQ people
From childhood curiosity to conservation career: Edith’s journey
5-minute read
Study tips
5 key agriculture courses and animal science courses for postgrads
9-minute read
Entry requirements
Prerequisites
Postgraduate degree in Veterinary Science of at least one year full-time equivalent including relevant experience and an overall GPA of 5; OR
BVSc or equivalent plus two years relevant experience, or one year internship under the supervision of a registered veterinary specialist.
Applicants must satisfy the Head of School and Dean of the Graduate School that they are qualified for admission, and may be required to attend an interview. Applicants must be eligible for registration with the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland.
Prerequisites
Postgraduate degree in Veterinary Science of at least one year full-time equivalent including relevant experience and an overall GPA of 5; OR
BVSc or equivalent plus two years relevant experience, or one year internship under the supervision of a registered veterinary specialist.
Applicants must satisfy the Head of School and Dean of the Graduate School that they are qualified for admission, and may be required to attend an interview. Applicants must be eligible for registration with the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland.
Fees and Scholarships
Indicative annual fee
Your fees will vary according to your academic field, study load and whether you study internally or remotely.
Your fees will vary according to your academic field, study load and whether you study internally or remotely.
Financial aid
As an international student, you might be eligible for financial aid – either from your home country, or from the Australian Government.
Research costs
Scholarships
Scholarships are only available when a residency vacancy becomes available. Scholarships will be advertised on the UQ Scholarships website.
Successful applicants will receive a tax-free living stipend of $52,352/annum in 2025, indexed annually.
How to apply
Before you apply
To apply, you will need to submit:
- an initial expression of interest (EOI), to ensure a supervisor will support your research
- a final application, if invited after the supervisor reviews your EOI.
1. Check your eligibility
Check your eligibility by reviewing the entry requirements for this program.
If you are applying for a scholarship, check the scholarship's eligibility and important dates.
2. Identify a potential supervisor
You have to find a clinical supervisor and thesis supervisor before you apply. Your supervisors will support, guide and mentor you through your research and clinical training.
3. Gather your documents
You will need to compile the necessary documents. We will accept scanned copies of original documents, but you will have to keep all original documents for the duration of your studies.
Upload all documents as PDFs and name your files like this: LASTNAME_firstname_document-name.pdf
If any of your documents is in a language other than English, you will need to provide both the original document and an official translation.
You must provide the following documents when you submit your expression of interest (EOI):
If your nominated supervisor supports your EOI, you will be invited to submit a final application. You must then provide the following documents:
If you don't provide us with all documents it will take us longer to process your application. Your start date might then be delayed, or you might miss an admission or scholarship deadline.
4. Submit an expression of interest
Once you have checked your eligibility, identified a potential supervisor or project, and prepared your documents, submit an expression of interest (EOI) online.
Important dates
The academic year for Doctor of Veterinary Clinical Science students is divided into research quarters. You can only start in Research Quarter 1 or Research Quarter 3.
The deadlines to submit your EOI or final application will depend on whether you're applying for a UQ scholarship with a specific closing date.
Important dates
The academic year for Doctor of Veterinary Clinical Science students is divided into research quarters. You can only start in Research Quarter 1 or Research Quarter 3.
The deadlines to submit your EOI or final application will depend on whether you're applying for a UQ scholarship with a specific closing date.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants
For support with applying – or if you have any questions about university life – get in touch with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (ATSIS) Unit.
Explore other programs
Express yourself. And your interest.
They say choosing a degree is hard, which is why we've made it easy. Register your interest and we'll send you everything you need to know about applying to UQ.