Fifty young people from low and middle income backgrounds will have the opportunity to learn what it takes to become a vet and prepare to apply to a veterinary school, at a summer school run by the Sutton Trust and the Royal Veterinary College.

The RVC joins nine other UK universities in providing 1900 summer school places this year, helped by a three-year grant of £750,000 to the summer school programme from Barclays.

Each year, around 1,500 applicants apply for 664 places at the seven veterinary schools in the UK.

The 50 successful applicants to the RVC summer school this year will enter a week-long residential course with all expenses covered. The academic programme will focus on Bioveterinary Sciences, Veterinary Medicine and Veterinary Nursing taught by full-time academic staff. It will include practical dissections, clinical skills, farm-based sessions and laboratory periods. The participants will also be given sessions on the application process and interviews.

Sir Peter Lampl, chairman of the Sutton Trust and of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: "I'm delighted that the Royal Veterinary College has joined the Sutton Trust UK summer school programme. Veterinary courses are highly competitive, but it is vital that young people from low and middle income backgrounds have a fair chance to access them.

"Veterinary life is an attractive career choice for many bright young people, not just for the interest and variety of the work but also for the earning opportunities. The 50 students who enrol at the Royal Veterinary College this year will be given the best opportunity to prepare for university courses through our highly successful summer school model."
 
Professor Stuart Reid, Principal at the Royal Veterinary College, said:  "For many years the Royal Veterinary College has been focused on widening access to veterinary education to the most able students regardless of their background. The Sutton Trust has a long and successful tradition of supporting under-privileged students into higher education and we are proud to be working with the Trust's summer school programme.

"We hope that the summer school will demonstrate the broad range of exciting opportunities available to students with an interest in veterinary science and encourage more students from non-traditional backgrounds to consider a veterinary career."

Young people interested in applying to Sutton Trust summer schools can find more information at http://www.suttontrust.com/students/uk-summer-schools/

PS: Whilst you're here, take a moment to see our latest job opportunities for vet nurses.