Veterinarian licensure requirements

Murdoch Veterinary School has full accreditation with the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC), the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA COE).

Accreditation of the veterinary course

In July 2023, the School was visited by representatives from the AVBC, RCVS and AVMA COE to conduct a routine site inspection, as scheduled at seven-year intervals. The respective bodies approved the ongoing accreditation for the Murdoch Veterinary School. Each year there is a reporting process with each of the accrediting bodies to maintain accreditation status until the next scheduled site visit in 2030.

The School’s accreditation status entitles our graduates to practise in many countries around the world:

• AVBC accreditation status through the Veterinary Schools Accreditation Advisory Committee (VSAAC), entitles Murdoch veterinary graduates to be eligible for registration as a veterinary surgeon in each state and territory in Australia, and in New Zealand.
• RCVS accreditation ensures that Murdoch veterinary science graduates are eligible to be registered to practise veterinary medicine in the UK, and countries in Asia that accept degrees recognised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (such as Hong Kong and Singapore).
• AVMA accreditation ensures that Murdoch veterinary science graduates are eligible to sit the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination – a prerequisite for any veterinarian seeking to practise in the United States of America and Canada.

Additional information can be found at the respective websites of the accrediting bodies.

State registration

For registration in Western Australia, please see the Veterinary Surgeons Board of WA website.

Registration in North America

The International Council for Veterinary Assessment (ICVA), formerly the National Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (NBVME), manages the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE).

The NAVLE

The NAVLE is the examination used to determine eligibility for veterinary medical licensing in the United States and Canada. Each state in the US differs in their requirements and we recommend you visit the American Association of Veterinary State Boards licensing boards site for licensing information relevant to each US state.

The NAVLE is offered twice a year – in November/December and in April. It is offered throughout North America and in Sydney and Perth at computer testing centres. It is available during a four-week testing window in November-December and a two-week window in April.

You will apply through a potential US state or the Canadian national board. Application deadlines are August 1 or February 1. It costs approximately AU$2,000 (US$1,200 approximately) for an overseas test plus relevant US state or Canadian fees.

To sit the NAVLE you must have an expected graduation date no later than 10 months from the last date of the applicable testing window. Graduates from accredited schools may sit the exam at any time after graduation.

The NAVLE consists of 360 clinically relevant multiple-choice questions, which aim to test day one skills applicable to general clinical veterinary practice. It is 5-7 hours long and tests both endurance and knowledge base. The 360 questions are divided by activity (e.g. data gathering and interpretation; health maintenance and problem management) and species (small animal/large animal/equine plus a small amount of public health).

Why do you need the NAVLE?

The NAVLE is a requirement to enter into private veterinary medical practice in North America. It may not be required for those seeking to undertake an internship or residency at a US or Canadian university veterinary hospital.

Preparation for the NAVLE is essential and should focus on examination technique. The exam pass mark is 70%. You will need to become familiar with the format of the questions asked. You also need to become adept at identifying the distractors for each MCQ question.

How do I prepare for the NAVLE?

There are various resources to assist you in preparing for the NAVLE.

Sample exam questions are available through ICVA. There are also companies offering online NAVLE preparation material (practice questions and answers), including VetPrep and Zuku Review.

For further information on how North American students prepare for the NAVLE, please refer to the AVMA website (PDF, 20MB).

NAVLE results for Murdoch DVM students

Need more information? Get in touch