Scholars Programme

 

Date: 9 events in Year 1, 8 events in Year 2 (typically on a Saturday)
Time: All day
Location: Camden Campus, Royal College Street, London, NW1 0TU and Hawkshead Campus, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA
Age Group: Year 12
Capacity: 10
Eligibility: See below for full details
Cost: Free
Application Deadline: TBC for 2025

Register your interest for the Scholars Programme →

The RVC Scholars Programme is designed to support under-represented Year 12 students aspiring to study Veterinary Medicine at the RVC. The comprehensive 18-month programme will develop skills, confidence and experience around the application process, as well as provide unrivalled insight into the RVC. 

Throughout this sustained engagement, the RVC will run a variety of on-campus events, further supported by occasional online opportunities.

Scholars will have the opportunity to engage with a series of expert lectures, practical teaching, group work, animal handling, an admissions masterclass and a zoo field trip, all led by dedicated RVC staff. This will be supported by a select group of regular Student Ambassadors who will act as role models and mentors. All of which will provide a truly insightful experience of what studying at the RVC is like.  

We are looking for ten dedicated scholars to form a supportive peer group and attend nine events in year one of the programme, and eight events in year two, all of which will take place on Saturdays at either the RVC’s London or Hertfordshire Campus.

Furthermore, scholars who graduate from the scheme and subsequently join full time undergraduate study at the RVC will be awarded a scholarship of £3,000 per annum for a maximum of four years.

Eligibility*


You must meet ALL the following criteria:

  • Be a UK/Irish National resident in the UK or have settled status in the UK
  • Be a current Year 12 (England and Wales), Year 13 (Northern Ireland) or S5 (Scotland) student
  • Predicted to meet the BVetMed academic entry requirements

And be ONE of the following:

  • Attend a state-funded mainstream school, are currently in receipt of Free School Meals (FSM) whilst attending secondary school OR who have been in receipt of Fee School Meals (FSM) during their secondary education AND who will be under 21 when they join the course. 
  • Asian or Asian British; Black, Black British, Caribbean or African; Mixed or multiple ethnic groups; or the Other ethnic group

If the programme is oversubscribed, we will give priority to those who meet all or most of the following criteria:     

  • TUNDRA MSOA score: If your home address is in an area with a TUNDRA MSOA score of 1. You can check this via the Office for Students website.
  • Care Leaver: you have been looked after by a local authority for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14 (requires letter from relevant authority). This includes foster care, residential care, kinship care as a formal agreement with the local authority or living at home under the supervision of the local authority.
  • Level 2 School: If you are currently taking Level 3 (A-level or equivalent) qualifications, or have taken them within the last 12 months and the school at which you took your GCSEs is a school with an RVC contextual flag. You can check this here.
  • Level 3 School: If you are currently taking Level 3 (A-level or equivalent) qualifications, or have taken them within the last 12 months, and your school is a school with an RVC contextual flag. You can check this here.
  • IMD Quintile score: If your home address is in an area with an Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) quintile score of 1. You can check this using one of the following links, depending on which country you live in:
  • England: http://imd-by-postcode.opendatacommunities.org/imd/2019 (an IMD “Decile” score of 1 or 2 given here is equivalent to “quintile 1” above, and Decile 3 or 4 is equivalent to “quintile 2”).
  • Wales: https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Community-Safety-and-Social-Inclusion/Welsh-Index-of-Multiple-Deprivation
  • Scotland: https://simd.scot
  • Northern Ireland: https://deprivation.nisra.gov.uk (a Deprivation Rank in the top 20% most deprived is equivalent to “quintile 1” above, and top 40% is equivalent to “quintile 2”) ·

The application form will require a reference to support your application, this should confirm your suitability for the programme both academically and professionally.

Please click here to see an example of a suitable reference for the Scholars Programme

In support of your application, and to evidence eligibility, we ask that you submit (via sending to schools@rvc.ac.uk):

  • A legal document/letter which has your home address on e.g. bank statement, National Insurance letter, letter from the council
  • GCSE results transcript
  • Name, job title and email address of a teacher at your school

If applicable: 

  • A copy of your passport
  • Evidence of receipt of free school meals;
  • Birth certificate

*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).

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