About Royal Veterinary College

Since 1791, the Royal Veterinary College has been pushing forward the scientific frontiers of animal health and medicine. Join us today, and you’ll find a vibrant student community that provides taught courses and research degrees that cover a wide range of specialist subjects, each one contributing to the improvement of treatment, understanding and welfare of animals in all areas of society, across the world.

Discovery is our heartbeat. It drives us on through our work with animals and in nursing, and it reinforces our commitment to science and research. It’s what we all share here at the Royal Veterinary College, and we’re looking forward to sharing it with you.

Worldwide reputation

As a top ranked university internationally in the QS World University Rankings (2026) by Subject, we promise you an unparalleled experience.

We are an international organisation and welcome students and staff from all over the world. With accreditations from the major global authorities, you can be confident that as an RVC graduate you will possess the expertise and knowledge, as well as the competence and confidence, to work in your chosen field worldwide.

Facilities and support arrangements

Facilities

Whether you are discovering new subjects in our lecture theatres, or applying your knowledge in a practical scenario, we have the facilities to provide the best possible learning environments for scientists, veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses.

Practical environments

A fundamental part of our courses is the practical experience you gain that will prepare you for your career once you have graduated. We believe that is critical to your development that you are able to apply your theoretical learning in a practical environment, and in some situations, to real-life research or client cases.

You will find laboratories and microscope rooms situated in both campuses, with all the equipment you will need for your course.

Depending on your course, you can gain practical experience across our three animal hospitals, two first opinion practices, including an exotics service, and our own farm.

Student support services

Location

Located in London and Hertfordshire, we want to ensure that you make the most of your time at the RVC, and support you in experiencing your local surroundings, getting involved with the Students’ Union and engaging with fellow students and staff.

London is ranked as one of the top student cities in the world (QS Best Student Cities, 2026). Camden is one of the most creative and stimulating areas of the city. It is home to Camden Market, Camden Lock and canal, London Zoo, Regent’s Park and a number of other University of London institutions. Europe’s largest biomedical laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, is just a few minutes down the road.

The King’s Cross area has been developed into a vibrant area of shops, cafes, bars, and restaurants. The British Library is down the road from King’s Cross Station, and the British Museum is a short walk away.

The Camden Campus is a short walk from London King’s Cross St Pancras, with overground, underground and bus links to reach just about anywhere in London or the UK, as well as the Eurostar, allowing quick travel to mainland Europe.

Hertfordshire has some fantastic cycle and footpaths, allowing you to travel easily to neighbouring towns and villages, or to explore the countryside.

Getting in and around Potters Bar and the surrounding area is made simple by a number of public transport routes serving nearby bus and train stations. Potters Bar train station offers frequent trains to London King’s Cross, which is just a 20-minute train journey away. The RVC runs a free regular shuttle bus from Potters Bar train and bus station to the Hawkshead Campus.

Accommodation

At our Camden Campus we have a number of places available in our on-campus student halls, and also in our off-campus accommodation. Find out more - Camden Campus accommodation.

On our Hawkshead Campus we have our award-winning, on-campus student halls. Find out more - Hawkshead Campus accommodation.

You can opt to stay in private accommodation. The University of London Housing Services (ULHS) maintains a landlord registration scheme, operate a contact list for students offering or wanting accommodation, assist with tenancy agreements, deposit and rent queries. Find out more

Research

The RVC’s research mission is to create, communicate and apply scientific knowledge to improve the health and welfare of animals and people and the environments in which they live.

The scope of the RVC’s research and innovation is defined by this mission – we aim to conduct world-leading research and discovery in veterinary medicine, comparative biomedicine, One Health, Epidemiology and Virology, animal welfare, and allied disciplines.

The past two decades have seen sustained growth in the scale, range and impact of research at the RVC. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, RVC ranked first in the UK for research power and impact in the veterinary, agriculture, food and sciences.