Since 2013, we have partnered with the Sutton Trust to deliver a free, five-day residential summer school for fifty current Year 12 (England/Wales), Year 13 (Northern Ireland), or S5 (Scotland) pupils from under-represented backgrounds.  

Our Sutton Trust Summer School is one of our most immersive residential programmes. Students live on our Hawkshead Campus in Hertfordshire, with meals and equipment provided, and take part in animal handling placements across several of our facilities — valuable experiences that can contribute towards work experience requirements, whether or not students have had previous contact with animals.  

Our programme is designed to give an authentic insight into life at the RVC, with time spent at both our Camden Campus in London and our Hawkshead Campus in Hertfordshire. The academic schedule includes lectures on a wide range of veterinary topics, completing a research project, working in groups, developing practical clinical skills, and tackling a real-life veterinary case.  

Alongside academic learning, students join a welcoming and inclusive community of peers from similar backgrounds, all sharing ambitions to study Veterinary Medicine.  

Each student is paired with one of our Student Ambassador mentors, who support their academic and professional development throughout the week. In addition, our staff deliver dedicated sessions on the application process to empower students to achieve their potential and apply to the RVC with confidence.  

The experience also extends beyond the classroom. A varied social programme helps students connect, build friendships, and develop wider skills and attributes. In previous years, this has included sporting events, cooking together, and quiz nights, creating an environment that balances academic challenge with community and fun.

This Summer School, funded by the RVC and the Sutton Trust, is a free to attend, 5-day residential course for fifty current Year 12 (England and Wales), Year 13 (Northern Ireland) or S5 (Scotland) pupils from under-represented backgrounds. All costs for the week, including the cost of travel, accommodation and food is covered by the Sutton Trust and the RVC.

We also offer scholarships for students from Widening Participation backgrounds in both our Farm Veterinary and Pre-Vet Summer Schools. If you're interested in these programs, please visit their individual pages to learn more and apply!

Applications Open: Tuesday 14th January 2025

Applications Close: Thursday 6th March 2025  

Applicants will be assessed in reference to your achieved/predicted grades, in accordance with the below.

Eligibility

• To be eligible* to apply for this programme, students must attend a state school and meet a number of other Widening Participation eligibility criteria such as being eligible for Free School Meals.

Academic

• We will use the entry requirements from our Veterinary Gateway or Veterinary Medicine pathway to assess your suitability for the Summer School. NB: Applicants will need to be on track to achieving these grades. 

*The RVC is dedicated to being an organisation in which equity, diversity and inclusion underpin all that we do.   Eligibility for this event is targeted to support under-represented individuals, as we believe students from every background should be able to access advice, guidance and support in order to help them progress to and benefit from the transformative experience of higher education.   For more information on our commitment to improve equality of opportunity for under-represented groups please read our Access & Participation Plan (APP).

"The RVC Summer School was a great experience, that I could highly recommend to anybody. It allowed me to meet my old friends and make new ones, just before university."

" The Sutton Trust Summer School is perfect for any student looking to apply to or is interested in Veterinary Medicine! If you love animals, this placement is definitely for you. It is very exciting and I would definitely recommend the experience! The ambassadors are always there to help you."

"I've made so many friends here and the whole experience has really made me so excited for university, especially as I wasn't too sure about it before this Summer School. We also got work experience that was unlike any other I've done, we were far more involved." 

" It was an amazing experience that I wouldn’t pass the chance on."

If you are a teacher, adviser or learner who is interested in finding out more about the RVC Sutton Trust Summer School, please contact us at schools@rvc.ac.uk.