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Second degree in veterinary medicine: important information before starting your studies
The field of veterinary medicine offers numerous fields of activity, so many prospective students choose to study the subject. Veterinary medicine is also very popular as a second course of study, which means that there is a large rush for study places in Germany. If prospective students wish to pursue a second degree in veterinary medicine, they must not only choose a place to study, but also submit a well-reasoned application. The financing of the second degree should also not be ignored.
Reasons for a second degree in veterinary medicine
The reasons for a second degree in veterinary medicine/veterinary medicine turn out to be manifold. Many prospective students decide to pursue a second degree in veterinary medicine after completing a degree in a related field such as human medicine. In contrast to human medicine, veterinary medicine offers a broad range of specialties. Consequently, veterinarians can treat a wide variety of animals and specialize in one group of animals if desired. After successfully completing their studies in veterinary medicine, veterinarians can, for example, treat small animals, focus on agricultural animals or devote themselves to the care and nurturing of exotic or. Dedicate to zoo animals. The broad career field attracts many trained physicians who are looking for a new direction while continuing to practice medicine or. would like to work as a doctor.
The course of study itself also has a different content structure. In addition to the physical structure of a wide variety of animals, numerous diseases and treatment methods are taught. This gives aspiring vets and veterinarians a broad skill set, allowing them to change career specialties at any time. At the same time, being a veterinarian is not a profession in the strict sense, but a vocation. The job appeals especially to great animal lovers, who are also willing to put a lot of time and energy into their profession in order to provide the best possible care for their small and large patients.
Chances for a study place
In Germany there are only five faculties, which offer a study in animal resp. Veterinary Medicine guide. Accordingly, study places are hotly sought after, resulting in high demand. The full-time course of study, which lasts around eleven semesters and culminates in a state examination, is offered by the Justus Liebig University in Giessen, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover, the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, the Free University in Berlin and the University of Leipzig. Consequently, if prospective students would like to take up a place on a second degree course in veterinary medicine, they must either decide on a place of study and provide the relevant evidence or submit applications to all five faculties.
Moreover, the access to the study in veterinary medicine is not free. Like human medicine, the universities require a general university entrance qualification in the form of a baccalaureate or a comparable qualification with numerus clausus. Since the veterinary medicine course is subject to nationwide admission restrictions, prospective students must always submit an application together with all the necessary documents. If you apply for the first semester, you must send your application to the Stiftung fur Hochschulzulassung (Foundation for University Admission). Students in higher semesters, however, can apply directly to the selected university.
Unlike a first degree in veterinary medicine, there is no compulsory attendance of preliminary courses for partial subjects or the entire course of study. At the same time, the start of the study is not flexible. The courses always start in the winter semester, which means that only interested students who are able to start their studies in this semester have a chance of being admitted to the program. The ranking procedure with regard to available study places also limits the chance of admission even further. Applicants who have already studied or are currently studying veterinary medicine at a college or university in Germany or another EU member state will be considered first in the ranking process. Subsequently, study places are offered to all applicants who have studied veterinary medicine at a college or university outside the EU. If there are any remaining study places, they will be offered to those who change their subject. Second degree in veterinary medicine without a previous first degree is consequently only possible for a few applicants.
Overview of study places in Germany
As already mentioned, animal resp. Veterinary medicine can only be studied at five faculties in Germany:
- Justus Liebig University Giessen
- Hanover University of Veterinary Medicine Foundation
- Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
- Free University of Berlin
- University of Leipzig
All German universities have a compulsory application as well as a numerus clausus, so that general applications are not possible. If prospective students are unable to study at any of the five faculties due to a low number of places or for other reasons, they have the chance to study in the immediate foreign country. Study programs in Switzerland or Austria include the same training, which means that the degrees are also valid in Germany.
Veterinary medicine in Austria as a major is only offered at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. The diploma program lasts twelve semesters and ends with the title Mag.med.vet or Dipl.Tzt. Alternatively, a course of study in equine science is an option. Suitable courses are run by the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna as well as the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna. Bachelor's degree programs last six semesters and end with a bachelor's degree.
In Switzerland, on the other hand, prospective students can take suitable courses in veterinary medicine at the University of Bern and the University of Zurich. While the University of Bern runs a full degree program, which is also the standard model in Austria and Germany, the University of Zurich offers a choice between full- and part-time studies. In contrast to Germany and Austria, however, veterinary medicine in Switzerland is a bachelor's degree with a corresponding qualification. After the bachelor's degree, prospective students can complete a master's and doctoral degree program, the duration of which corresponds to that of a standard degree program in Germany.
Application for a second degree in veterinary medicine
All universities in Germany require a compulsory application for the study program Veterinary and Veterinary Medicine. Veterinary medicine ahead, regardless of whether it is a first or second degree program. Consequently, all prospective students must submit a meaningful application together with all the necessary documents in order to be included in the ranking process for study places. The application for a second degree program is different from the application for a first degree program in veterinary medicine. Whereas for a first degree program an application via hochschulstart.If the application is necessary due to the numerus clausus, the application for a second degree program is made via the website or at the selected faculty.
The website hochschulstart.de, however, not only includes application procedures for first-year students. The website also allocates places for second degree applicants. The allocation procedure of hochschulstart.de, however, only provides for a low study place quota amounting to a maximum of three percent. Thus prospective students, who apply over the Website, possess a very small chance on a study place with the first application.
A detailed guide for the general application for a second degree program is provided by hochschulstart.de in its leaflet "The admission to the second study", which is available as a free download on the website, to. The fact sheet contains the exact ranking procedure for a second degree in veterinary medicine. The application via hochschulstart.de, however, only applies to prospective students in the first semester. If prospective students wish to enter a higher semester because they have had courses credited to them, the number of available study places is reduced by the website. If places become available, this usually means that students have either failed exams or dropped out of their studies. Applicants for higher semesters, unlike other applicants, have the priority right to the study place that has become free. Consequently, prospective students in higher semesters should always apply directly to the selected university in order to increase their chances of being admitted to the program.
If students plan to have courses credited for a second degree in veterinary medicine, they need a credit certificate. Courses from related courses of study such as human medicine can be credited under certain conditions. This happens however always only with an equivalence certificate of the lecturers for medicine at the selected university, at which the Erststudium is or was completed. Possible courses that can be credited for a second degree in veterinary medicine include chemistry, physics and biology. Courses in physiology, microscopic anatomy and biochemistry, on the other hand, require a case-by-case decision, which means that not every university gives credit for them. Likewise, some universities accept internships already completed. The state examination office of the state in which the prospective student was born issues crediting notices accordingly. Students can obtain specific information regarding crediting options and procedures from the state examination office.
For the application in veterinary medicine as a second course of study, the reasons given in the application also decide on the receipt of a place at the university. When applying via hochschulstart.The grade of the first degree is also of great importance. Applications directly to the university presuppose that the prospective students have already fulfilled the requirements for the first degree, so that the application documents are the same as those submitted via hochschulstart.de are. The faculties explicitly list the respective application procedures in their information materials as well as on their websites, along with the possibility of entering a higher semester of study.
Important reasons, which belong in the application for a second study in veterinary medicine
The application for a second degree in veterinary medicine is always divided into scientific and professional reasons. The scientific reasons are always evaluated by the university in an expert opinion, so they have the greater value. Prospective students can get in touch with the responsible persons of the selected university for the expert opinion. Nevertheless, the professional reasons should not be ignored, since they also determine whether a student will receive a place at the university.
The scientific reasons are varied. For example, the prospective students may have already begun a doctoral thesis in veterinary medicine, which they would like to complete in their second degree program. A general research project is also considered a good reason for a second degree in veterinary medicine. If the prospective students have studied other subjects, such as biology, which do not offer any research activities, the justification regarding the desire for research additionally strengthens the desire for a place at university. The personal thirst for knowledge is also considered a scientific reason. For example, interested persons would like to learn more about certain diseases and their healing methods, because previous studies have treated the topics too little or too superficially. In addition, prospective students may note that they would like to network the expertise of veterinary medicine with another field, such as human medicine, which will significantly expand their general knowledge. Scientific reasons can also be proven by publications. Applicants must or. should include all relevant scientific publications, which they have written independently or together with other scientists, in the application or in the application documents.
The professional reasons are just as individual. Some prospective students want to change careers after completing their first degree and work as a veterinarian. Other applicants can prove that they have a degree in human medicine, but would like to treat animals rather than people. Some applicants also cite better career prospects after their second degree. At the same time, unemployment is considered a professional reason, since either the profession studied cannot be practiced or no suitable position is offered for the graduate in Germany. The general intention regarding a degree in veterinary medicine along with the desire to work as a veterinarian or. Working as a veterinarian additionally falls under this category.
Second degree in veterinary medicine after a first degree in human medicine
Due to the application or. In the application procedure for a second degree in veterinary medicine, prospective students must demonstrate appropriate expertise from a related course of study. While subjects such as biology, chemistry, or physics can be credited, allowing entry into a higher semester, the first degree in human medicine offers distinct advantages to all applicants.
If a first degree in human medicine was already completed or if the applicants are still studying human medicine, they already fulfilled the study requirements such as the numerus clausus. This means that applicants do not have to go through the application process again for medical studies in Germany. At the same time, the study of human medicine contains similarities in content in the form of courses. These not only provide a good basis for studies in veterinary medicine, as students are already familiar with the functioning of bodies, various diseases and forms of therapy. Depending on the course and the university, the individual courses can be credited, which makes it easier to enter higher semesters and thus gain access to a place at university.
Furthermore, the first degree in human medicine can be cited as a good reason in the application. Human medicine is considered both a scientific and a professional basic. For example, students may indicate that they are seeking a second degree or a change of study for academic reasons or the urge to conduct research. With regard to professional reasons, there may be a desire to cater not only to people, but also to animals, and to devote themselves intensively to the treatment of various diseases from the veterinary field.
Suing into a second degree program in veterinary medicine – individual possibilities for a study place
If there is a desire to study veterinary medicine as a second course of study, but no study place is awarded to the interested parties despite suitable and timely submitted application documents, there is a chance to file a lawsuit. An action for a study place is usually the last resort in order to secure the coveted study place. Some lawyers or law firms conduct the specific lawsuits. The services offered may vary depending on the firm, include, for example, an analysis of the prospects of success and help with the application process. Here, the lawyers check the wording of the required justification and the compilation of the necessary documents and evidence. In some cases, the work of the lawyers may also include a review of the legality of the selection procedure. In this case, the lawyers appeal against the rejected decision.
The action for a study place in veterinary medicine is usually based on the application via hochschulstart.de. If a lawsuit for a study place is filed, it is examined in a court procedure whether the respective university can offer further study places than those already awarded. If the review shows that the university can offer more study places, the administrative court orders the allocation of the additional available study places.
Although the university place complaint does not always make the desired university place possible, many students nevertheless dare the judicial way. An action without a lawyer is not possible. Particularly in medical fields of study such as veterinary medicine, a lawsuit is nevertheless an option if a suitable study place without waiting semesters needs to be found quickly. The period in which study place lawsuits are possible also differs. Some federal states only accept appeals for study places if they are filed for the winter semester by 15. July and for the summer semester until 15. January were filed. If the rejection notice for the regular study place is waited for, in some federal states study place complaints are no longer possible for time reasons.
The chance of obtaining a study place through a study place complaint also differs. The number of available study places is directly related to the number of appeals for study places. Each program of study has different chances for success in the application for study, which means that it can possibly lead to the desired study place in veterinary medicine. At the same time, university place applicants must be aware that the process is costly. The study place complaint consists of the court costs, the costs of the own lawyer as well as if necessary the lawyer of the university or the expenses of the university together. Plaintiffs often have to pay the costs regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit, so not every student has the financial means to file a lawsuit.
Financing a second degree in veterinary medicine
The second degree must be financed on an ongoing basis, just like the first degree. While there is still a chance of receiving BAfoG for a first degree, this funding measure can only be claimed for a second degree if it is essential for a specific career goal. If the second degree is started before the students turn 25, they can receive child benefits. Child benefit for students above the age limit is not granted, however.
In order to still be able to finance their studies, including the sometimes high tuition fees, students can apply for special scholarships. Second studies in Germany are generally considered eligible for funding. The receipt of scholarships often depends on the application and the reasons given. The student has to search for scholarships, because the number of institutions that grant scholarships in Germany is constantly decreasing.
If the second study in veterinary medicine enables a professional activity, the students can aim for a position as a working student. As a regular working student, interested parties can pursue paid work activities for up to 20 hours per week. During the lecture-free period, the number of working hours per week increases somewhat. Work experience also brings the advantage that students are much more sought after when looking for internships or jobs later on. Within a certain income limit, there is the additional possibility of receiving housing subsidies. The housing allowance is intended to help cover fixed costs such as rent.
The last special financing option is the student loan. The student loan is a separate form of credit, which is led by various credit institutions in Germany. Just as with a conventional loan, borrowers receive a certain amount of money, which is intended to finance their studies. The interest as well as the repayment period, however, differ significantly, which means that the loan must be repaid at a later date. Some lending institutions make student loans exclusively to first-time students. The KfW student loan, however, can usually also be applied for second studies.