About the school
Founded on 16 December 1949 by decree of the Slovak National Council, the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice (UVLF, in Slovak Univerzita veterinárskeho lekárstva a farmácie v Košiciach) is the only veterinary school in Slovakia and the second-oldest in the former Czechoslovakia after Brno (1918).
UVLF is a single-faculty university dedicated to veterinary medicine, animal science and — since 2006 — pharmacy (which is why it adopted its current name in January 2015). Its English-taught Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) is a 6-year, 12-semester programme compliant with EU Directive 2005/36/EC on regulated professions.
Alongside Budapest, Brno and Warsaw, Košice is one of the historic Central/Eastern European destinations that international candidates consider when applying outside the ultra-selective French, Belgian or Spanish concours. Compared to its peers, UVLF is significantly cheaper to live in than Budapest, offers university-owned dormitories with 400+ beds (Budapest does not), and delivers a curriculum-focused, no-frills path to the DVM.
Accreditations — verified
- EAEVE / ECOVE : full Accreditation status confirmed by ECOVE in June 2025, valid until April 2032. Previous approval & accreditation had run 2016-2025.
- EU Directive 2005/36/EC : the DVM is automatically recognised across the EU/EEA.
- ⚠️ AVMA (Council on Education) : UVLF is NOT AVMA-accredited. Only 4 continental-European schools are AVMA-accredited (Utrecht NL, VetAgro Sup Lyon FR, UCD Dublin IE, plus 3 in the UK). US-bound UVLF graduates must therefore complete ECFVG or PAVE certification before sitting the NAVLE.
Verified 2026-09-22 · Official sources: uvlf.sk (payments-fees, entrance-exams, application-process, accreditation, accommodation, history) + AVMA COE accredited-colleges list + SAIA scholarships.sk. Sub-agent correction: UVLF is NOT AVMA-accredited (only 4 continental-EU schools are: Utrecht, VetAgro Sup Lyon, UCD Dublin + 3 UK).
Campus & Facilities
Košice is Slovakia's second-largest city (~230,000 inhabitants) and the metropolis of the country's east. It was European Capital of Culture in 2013, has a beautifully preserved medieval Old Town arranged around Hlavná ulica — Slovakia's longest pedestrian street — and is dominated by St. Elisabeth's Cathedral, the largest Gothic church in Slovakia.
💡 Cost of living is one of the strongest reasons students choose Košice over Budapest, Vienna or Brno. A student typically budgets EUR 500-750 per month all-in (rent + food + transport) — meaningfully less than Budapest or Bratislava. Public transport by tram and bus is cheap and student-discounted, and the city is compact enough to be walkable end-to-end.
Campus & housing
- Main campus : Komenského 73, roughly 15 minutes on foot from the Old Town, grouping teaching pavilions, the Small & Large Animal Clinics, the Equine Clinic and the University Veterinary Hospital.
- Dormitories : UVLF operates two on-campus student halls at Cesta pod Hradovou 11-13, about 10 minutes' walk from the teaching buildings. Combined capacity is over 400 rooms in single or double occupancy, with per-floor shared kitchens, study rooms, laundry, Wi-Fi and supervised parking. This is a real advantage vs. Budapest, where international vet students must find private-market housing from day one.
- Leisure : lively café and beer-garden scene in the Old Town, Sunday markets, mountain hikes in the Slovenský Raj and High Tatras within 1-2 hours by train, and low-cost flights from Košice International Airport (KSC) to hubs like Vienna, Prague, Warsaw and London.
Academic requirements
Admission to the English DVM at UVLF Košice is based on secondary-school completion + a written entrance examination in Biology and Chemistry. There is no minimum GPA cut-off and secondary-school grades are considered but not part of the formal admission conditions.
Academic prerequisites
- Secondary-school leaving certificate : completed upper-secondary education equivalent to the Slovak maturita. Applicants may apply while still in their final year (submitting current transcripts), but the authorised copy of the diploma must be produced before registration.
- Subject background : Biology and Chemistry at upper-secondary level are strongly expected (they are the two entrance-exam subjects). Physics and Mathematics are useful preparation for the pre-clinical years.
- English proficiency : instruction and the entrance exam are entirely in English. UVLF does not publish a mandatory IELTS/TOEFL score, but candidates whose secondary education was not in English are expected to demonstrate B2 CEFR as a practical benchmark.
Application file — required documents
- Completed application form (hand-signed, block capitals)
- Copy of valid passport or national ID
- Upper-secondary leaving certificate + transcript of records for all years — apostilled / legalised / super-legalised as required for Slovakia
- CV listing all education
- Confirmation email from the previous school certifying the transcripts
- Proof of payment of the EUR 50 application fee
- Signed GDPR consent
- (Optional) Certificate of at least 6 months of veterinary-related work → +5 bonus points
Deadlines (2026/2027)
- 27 March 2026 — file deadline for the 25 April exam
- 24 April 2026 — file deadline for the 23 May exam
- 29 May 2026 — file deadline for the 27 June exam
Applications are submitted by email to the Study Office (zas@uvlf.sk).
Work experience
Prior animal or veterinary experience is valued but not mandatory at UVLF Košice. Unlike some UK RVC pathways or French ENV concours, UVLF does not filter applicants on the strength of a shadowing portfolio.
What the university actually looks at
- The written entrance exam (Biology + Chemistry) is the decisive filter. Nothing else — no interview, no motivation-letter score, no reference letters — carries comparable weight in admission.
- Bonus points : a certificate proving at least 6 months of documented work in a veterinary-related activity (clinic, farm, animal shelter, laboratory, zoo, etc.) is worth +5 bonus points added to the exam score. It is optional; most successful applicants do not submit one.
- CV : the application file must include a CV, so any placements, summer jobs on farms, volunteer work at shelters, wildlife rescue, or lab internships should be listed there — even if not used for the +5 bonus.
Practical advice
Because the entrance exam covers upper-secondary Biology and Chemistry, your revision time will be spent on academic preparation, not shadowing hours. That said, we recommend building at least 2-4 weeks of clinic or farm exposure before applying:
- It's a solid reality-check on whether the profession suits you (long hours, physical work, euthanasia decisions).
- It gives you narrative content for later stages — Erasmus placements, EMS logbooks during the DVM, first job applications.
- Some future employers or licensing pathways (RCVS registration, UK settled-status routes) do look at earlier pre-vet experience.
Admission
No oral interview. UVLF admits solely on a written, online entrance examination in Biology and Chemistry, in English. Three equivalent sessions per year (April, May, June); candidates may attempt a later session if they fail an earlier one.
- Format : online proctored — single-choice, multiple-choice and open-ended questions
- Subjects : Biology and Chemistry (upper-secondary level)
- Bonus points : +5 for a documented 6+ months of veterinary-related work
- Result notice : within 5 working days by email, within 30 calendar days by post
The official page does not publish the annual intake quota for the English DVM programme; ask the Study Office (zas@uvlf.sk) for the current cap when you request your invitation letter.
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1. Prepare the application file
Passport copy, secondary-school certificate + transcript (translated + apostilled/legalised for non-EU applicants), CV, GDPR consent, proof of EUR 50 application fee payment.
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2. Submit by email before deadline
Send the file to zas@uvlf.sk before: 27 March, 24 April, or 29 May 2026 for the 25 April, 23 May, or 27 June 2026 exam.
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3. Receive education-evaluation result
The Study Office reviews the file and confirms whether your prior education is equivalent to Slovak upper-secondary standards.
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4. Receive entrance-exam invitation letter
UVLF sends the invitation with the exam access link, technical proctoring instructions and scheduling details.
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5. Sit the online entrance exam
Written Biology + Chemistry test in English, from home. No oral interview.
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6. Receive admission decision
Result by email within 5 working days, and by post within 30 calendar days. Failed candidates may re-apply for a subsequent session.
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7. Pay the EUR 800 deposit
Non-refundable, counts toward Year-1 tuition.
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8. Mail original documents
Send the authenticated originals to the Study Office and, if needed, start the Slovak D-visa procedure at your local embassy.
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9. Register on campus
Registration day is held before the semester start (September). Pay the first tuition instalment (EUR 5,000), EUR 200 new-student registration fee, and EUR 25 ISIC card.
Baseline eligibility : completed upper-secondary education equivalent to Slovak maturita, with English proficiency sufficient to sit an academic exam and follow lectures.
Application file
- Signed application form (capital letters)
- Copy of passport / national ID
- Secondary-school leaving certificate + transcript (apostilled/legalised for international applicants)
- CV
- Confirmation email from previous school certifying the transcript
- Proof of EUR 50 application-fee payment
- Signed GDPR consent
- Optional : certificate of 6+ months veterinary work → +5 bonus points
Interview & exam format
UVLF Košice runs a written online entrance exam only — there is NO oral interview. This makes the format simple and predictable, but it also means your entire application hinges on one Biology + Chemistry test.
📅 2026 exam sessions
- Saturday 25 April 2026 — online, file deadline 27 March 2026
- Saturday 23 May 2026 — online, file deadline 24 April 2026
- Saturday 27 June 2026 — online, file deadline 29 May 2026
All three sessions are equivalent — you can attempt a subsequent session if you fail an earlier one, provided you re-submit the application file within the corresponding deadline (subject to available places).
📝 Exam format
- Mode : fully online (proctored), taken from your home computer
- Language : English throughout
- Subjects : Biology and Chemistry at upper-secondary level
- Question types : single-choice, multiple-choice and open-ended questions
- Duration & question count : not published on the official page; candidates typically report ~90-120 minutes and around 50-80 questions across the two subjects (confirm with the Study Office when you receive your invitation letter)
- Bonus points : +5 for a documented 6+ months of veterinary work experience, added to the exam score
Preparation
Focus revision on Slovak/CEE-style upper-secondary curricula: cell biology, genetics, animal physiology, ecology, biochemistry, general and organic chemistry, stoichiometry. Past-paper equivalents from Slovak maturita in Biology/Chemistry give the best benchmark for depth and style.
📬 Results
Acceptance/non-acceptance emails are sent within 5 working days of the exam, and by post within 30 calendar days. Successful candidates receive an acceptance letter and must then pay the EUR 800 deposit and mail original documents to the Study Office.
Tuition fees
| Student profile | Annual fees | 5-year total |
|---|---|---|
| 🌍 Tuition — New international (from 2026/2027) | €10.000 | €50.000 |
| 🎓 Tuition — Continuing international (grandfathered) | €8.725 | €43.625 |
| 🇸🇰 Tuition — Slovak / EU state-funded (Slovak-taught) | €0 | €0 |
Scholarships & financial aid
Administered by SAIA. Open to international Master's, PhD students and researchers. Two annual calls (deadlines around 31 October and 30 April). Primarily funds mobility periods (1-2 semesters), not the entire 6-year DVM. Travel grant included.
From Year 3 onwards, UVLF DVM students can spend 3-12 months at a partner EU vet faculty or on a funded clinical traineeship (up to 12 months post-graduation). One of the most-used aid instruments for UVLF DVM students.
Effective saving over the 6-year degree for students who started the English DVM before academic year 2026/2027 (pre-hike tuition of EUR 8,500-8,950/year vs. new joiners' EUR 10,000/year). Not a classic scholarship but a material reduction.
Private education lenders such as Prodigy Finance, Future Finance, MPOWER Financing (US/international), or national bank prêts étudiants garantis par l'État (FR). UVLF is NOT on the US Federal Student Aid list and NOT AVMA-accredited, so US Direct Loans are unavailable. Compare rates carefully.
⚠️ Reality check : UVLF Košice does not operate a large in-house merit-scholarship system for international DVM students — the university explicitly advises applicants to seek grants and loans in their home country. That said, several external instruments can partially fund your degree.
🇸🇰 Slovak public schemes
- National Scholarship Programme (NSP) of the Slovak Republic — administered by SAIA. Open to international Master's and PhD students and researchers, up to EUR 1,025-1,470 per month, plus travel grant. Two annual calls (deadlines around 31 October and 30 April). Note: primarily funds mobility (1-2 semesters), not the entire 6-year DVM.
- Government of the Slovak Republic Scholarships — bilateral scholarships negotiated with certain partner countries via SAIA; check eligibility for your nationality.
🇪🇺 EU & international mobility
- Erasmus+ — from Year 3 onwards, UVLF students can spend 3-12 months at partner vet faculties across the EU with a monthly Erasmus grant (typically EUR 350-600/mo + top-up).
- Erasmus+ traineeships — funded clinical placements at European clinics or referral hospitals during and up to 12 months after graduation.
🏠 Home-country instruments
- French candidates : CROUS bourses sur critères sociaux are portable to Slovakia; Bank BFCE or state-guaranteed prêt étudiant garanti par l'État for tuition.
- UK candidates : UK Student Loans do NOT fund studies at UVLF. Private education loans (Future Finance, Prodigy) are the main route.
- US candidates : UVLF is not on the US Federal Student Aid list and is not AVMA-accredited, so Direct Loans are unavailable. Private lenders (Sallie Mae, MPOWER) are the practical option.
💰 UVLF-side reductions
Continuing students who started before 2026/2027 keep the grandfathered rate of EUR 8,500-8,950/year for the remainder of their programme — a de facto saving of EUR 6,300-9,000 over the degree vs. new joiners.
Cost of living
FAQ
Is UVLF Košice AVMA-accredited? Can I practise in the US after graduating?
No — UVLF is not AVMA COE-accredited. Only four continental-European vet schools currently hold AVMA COE accreditation (Utrecht in the Netherlands, VetAgro Sup Lyon in France, UCD Dublin in Ireland, plus three UK schools). To practise in the US after a UVLF DVM you must complete ECFVG or PAVE certification before sitting the NAVLE and applying for state licensure. UVLF's DVM does hold EAEVE accreditation (through April 2032) and is automatically recognised across the EU/EEA.
How much does the 6-year DVM cost in total?
For new students starting in 2026/2027: EUR 10,000 per year × 6 = EUR 60,000 in tuition, plus the one-off EUR 800 deposit, EUR 200 registration and EUR 50 application fee. Continuing students who started before 2026/2027 keep the grandfathered rate of EUR 8,500-8,950/year for the rest of their degree.
Is there an interview or only a written exam?
Written online exam only. Biology + Chemistry in English, single/multiple-choice + open-ended questions. No oral interview, no motivation letter score. Three equivalent sessions per year: 25 April, 23 May and 27 June 2026. You can retake at a later session if you fail an earlier one.
What English level do I need?
UVLF does not require a specific IELTS/TOEFL score. If your secondary education was in English, no proof is generally requested. Otherwise, plan on demonstrating a solid B2 (CEFR) level — enough to sit an academic entrance exam in English and follow lectures on anatomy, physiology and pharmacology.
Does UVLF provide student housing?
Yes — a real advantage vs. Budapest. UVLF owns two dormitories on Cesta pod Hradovou, 10 minutes' walk from campus, with over 400 beds in single or double rooms, per-floor kitchens, study rooms, laundry, Wi-Fi and parking. International students should apply early (application window opens each April) as demand exceeds supply for the DVM English cohort.
How much do I need to budget for living costs in Košice?
A realistic student budget is EUR 500-750 per month all-in (housing + food + transport + insurance + leisure). Dorm room + canteen meals + student tram pass sits at the low end; a private studio in the Old Town closer to the high end. Košice is meaningfully cheaper than Budapest, Bratislava or Vienna.
Do I need prior animal or veterinary experience to apply?
No — experience is valued but not mandatory. A certificate of 6+ months of documented veterinary-related work gives you +5 bonus points on the entrance exam. Most successful applicants don't submit one; the exam itself is the decisive filter.
What are the application deadlines for 2026/2027?
File deadlines depend on the exam session you choose:
- 27 March 2026 for the 25 April exam
- 24 April 2026 for the 23 May exam
- 29 May 2026 for the 27 June exam
All exams are online and equivalent. Submit the full file (application form, passport, apostilled secondary-school certificate + transcript, CV, GDPR consent, EUR 50 payment proof) to zas@uvlf.sk.
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