UPEI’s Atlantic Veterinary College offers a four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program in Charlottetown. Provincially subsidized seats are available to eligible Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Applicants apply through UPEI and must complete the English CASPer 2 test.
- Program
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
- Credential
- DVM
- Location
- Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
- Casper
- Required · CSP-10211
- Next deadline
- October 15, 2026 (Application, fee, residency and experience forms, supporting documents, and required agreements)
- Interview
- Interview
- Seats
- 54 subsidized seats in an approximately 95-student class
- Length
- four-year DVM
Casper Requirement for University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medicine
University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medicine requires Casper for the 2026-2027 cycle.
- Test to book
- CASPer 2 - English · CSP-10211
- Languages
- English
Check available Casper test dates in your Acuity Insights account at takecasper.com.
Take CASPer 2 - English in the current admissions cycle and select UPEI Atlantic Veterinary College for score distribution. Complete the test by the deadline listed under application deadlines; consult Acuity Insights for available sittings and distribution details.
Casper format
Casper is an online, open-response situational judgment test run by Acuity Insights. The current format has 11 scenarios (4 video-response and 7 typed-response) with 2 questions each and takes about 65 to 85 minutes, including optional breaks. Typed-response scenarios allow 3.5 minutes to answer both questions.
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University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medicine Application Deadlines 2026-2027
- Apply through
- UPEI online application portal
- Applications open
- September 1, 2026
- Application fee
- $75 CAD, non-refundable
| What | When |
|---|---|
| Application, fee, residency and experience forms, supporting documents, and required agreements | October 15, 2026upcoming |
| Final Casper test for subsidized applicants | December 1, 2026upcoming |
| Fall-course transcripts, if applicable | February 1, 2027upcoming |
| Winter-course transcripts, if applicable | June 1, 2027upcoming |
Apply for a subsidized seat through UPEI’s online portal. Atlantic Canadian residents who apply for both pathways lose consideration for a subsidized seat; a subsidized applicant may instead indicate willingness to be considered for an unsubsidized seat if eligible.
University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medicine Admissions Statistics
Period: 2026-2027 application cycle (Fall 2027 entry)
- Seats / class size: 54 subsidized seats in an approximately 95-student class
- PEI subsidized seats: 11
- Nova Scotia subsidized seats: 24
- New Brunswick subsidized seats: 13
- Newfoundland and Labrador subsidized seats: 6
Eligibility Requirements for University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medicine
- Degree / credits
At least 20 prerequisite undergraduate courses; a completed bachelor’s degree is not required or preferred.
- Residency
Meet Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, or Newfoundland and Labrador residency requirements when applying and when admitted.
- Citizenship
Canadian citizen or permanent resident
- Language proficiency
Applicants whose first language is not English must meet UPEI’s DVM English-proficiency requirement through qualifying English-language study or an accepted test score.
Admission pathways
- Subsidized: Provincially subsidized seats for eligible Atlantic Canadian residents. Apply through UPEI; an applicant cannot pursue both application pathways in one cycle.
- PEI designated Indigenous seat: One designated seat for an Indigenous applicant who meets PEI residency requirements and provides identity-verification documentation.
US applicants are not eligible for subsidized seats; they pursue unsubsidized via VMCAS.
Other requirements
- Residency documents: Submit the Atlantic Canadian Residency form, final high-school and post-secondary transcripts, and a copy of your current driver’s licence; dependent applicants also provide a parent’s or guardian’s licence.
- Provincial Admissions Agreement: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador applicants must sign and submit their province’s agreement.
- Personal Declaration: Sign the declaration in the application.
- PEI designated Indigenous seat: Applicants seeking this seat must indicate their interest and submit Indigenous identity verification documents.
Selection Factors University of Prince Edward Island Considers
Prerequisites
| Course | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Animal Biology 1 | required Laboratory required |
| Animal Biology 2 | required Laboratory required |
| Animal Biology 3 | required Laboratory required |
| Genetics | required |
| Mathematics 1 | required |
| Mathematics 2 (Statistics) | required |
| Chemistry 1 | required Laboratory required |
| Chemistry 2 | required Laboratory required |
| Chemistry 3 (Organic Chemistry) | required Laboratory required |
| English (Composition) | required |
| Electives | 10 courses required |
GPA
- How it is calculated
Academic average: 50% from the 10 prescribed courses and 50% from the most recent two full-time semesters (September to April). The highest eligible graded course is used where multiple courses satisfy a prescribed requirement.
- Minimum
- 75% average across the 10 prescribed courses
The 75% minimum applies to the average across the 10 prescribed courses, not to each course individually.
Admissions tests
- English-language proficiency (required for some applicants): If required: IELTS Academic overall 7; TOEFL iBT 100; CAEL 70; PTE 66; other accepted tests and component minimums are in UPEI’s applicant guide. TOEFL Essentials is not accepted.
Experience and volunteer hours
Required.
Submit structured descriptions of animal and veterinarian-supervised veterinary experience. No minimum number of hours is required; experience across species is encouraged. Pet ownership does not count as animal experience.
Supplementary application
Upload the Animal/Veterinary Related Experience form with the UPEI application. Applicants invited to interview must also submit a 500-word personal essay on equity, diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine; submission instructions accompany the invitation.
How applicants are ranked
Interview invitations are based on academic achievement and Casper. Overall admissions score: academic achievement 40%, Casper 20%, interview on veterinary and animal experience 30%, and personal essay 10%. An interview score below 50% removes an applicant from further consideration.
Interview Format at University of Prince Edward Island
Format: Interview
Virtual interview discussing submitted animal and veterinary experiences and understanding of the profession. Invited applicants also submit a separate 500-word essay on equity, diversity and inclusion in veterinary medicine.
- Who is invited
- Applicants ranking highly on academic achievement and Casper
- When
- Late April or early May 2027
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Start Practicing FreeCurriculum at University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medicine
- Program length
- four-year DVM
- Structure
Four years: three pre-clinical years followed by one clinical year. Years 1-2 build core foundations; Year 3 combines core courses with at least 16 credit hours of electives; Year 4 includes core and elective clinical rotations.
- Campuses
- Charlottetown
The clinical year includes 23 weeks of core and at least 16 weeks of elective rotations.
Campus and facilities
Situated in Charlottetown, PEI. Modern teaching hospitals for small and large animals, including an equine center. Clinical affiliations extend to regional practices in Atlantic Canada. Students describe a supportive environment fostering regional veterinary leadership, with life balancing rigorous academics and island community events.
Tuition and Funding at University of Prince Edward Island
Entry-year tuition has not been published. Provincial funding helps offset tuition for students admitted to subsidized seats; consult UPEI’s tuition schedule when the entry-year rates are released.
What Applicants Are Saying
Matriculated students describe extensive hands-on veterinary hours as pivotal, with one reporting over 3,000 hours as a vet tech alongside a 3.1 GPA biology degree. Current students report straightforward interview processes, with waitlists resolving over weeks post-interview, and decisions within weeks though waitlists can extend. Students report early clinical exposure at affiliated sites and describe a supportive campus environment. Panel-style interviews are reported, focusing on fit and scenarios, with SDN tracking positive experiences. Admitted students report averages near 3.1 with strong veterinary experience.
Shared by applicants and students on forums and communities. It is anecdotal, not official program information.
How to Prepare Your University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medicine Application
- Check provincial residency eligibility and gather the required documents.
- Complete the prescribed courses and check the 75% average minimum.
- Document varied animal and veterinarian-supervised experience; there is no minimum hour requirement.
- Apply through UPEI and book CASPer 2 - English for subsidized applicants.
- Prepare to discuss your experiences in a virtual interview and write the equity, diversity and inclusion essay if invited.
More About University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medicine
- College
Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC)
- Pathway restriction
Cannot apply to both subsidized and unsubsidized in the same cycle
Frequently Asked Questions About University of Prince Edward Island Veterinary Medicine
Does UPEI require Casper for subsidized DVM applicants?
Yes. Take CASPer 2 (CSP-10211) in English in the current admissions cycle.
What GPA is required?
A minimum 75% average across the 10 prescribed courses is required; individual prescribed-course grades may be lower.
How long is the wait after the interview?
UPEI provides interview and essay instructions to invited applicants; check your UPEI application account for updates.
Can US applicants apply for subsidized seats?
No. Subsidized seats require Atlantic provincial residency and Canadian citizenship or permanent residence; US applicants can apply for unsubsidized seats through VMCAS.
How much veterinary experience is required?
Submit descriptions of veterinary and animal experience. There is no minimum hour requirement; varied experience is encouraged.
Does the DVM program have early clinical training?
Clinical skills begin before the fourth-year clinical rotations.
What are UPEI’s Casper test dates?
Choose a CASPer 2 - English sitting listed for subsidized applicants on Acuity Insights and complete it by the program’s test deadline.
Is the interview panel or MMI?
UPEI specifies a virtual interview about animal and veterinary experience but does not identify it as panel or MMI.
Sources
- UPEI DVM Program Applicant Guide - Fall 2027
- UPEI DVM Admission Timeline
- UPEI Understanding the DVM Admissions Process
- Acuity Insights Test Date & School Information
- UPEI DVM Four-year Course Structure
- UPEI Calendar 2026-2027: Tuition and Fees
- UPEI Doctor of Veterinary Medicine
Last updated: September 26, 2026