FdSc Veterinary Nursing Foundation degree at Aberystwyth University
FdSc Veterinary Nursing at Aberystwyth University. Rather than classroom theory alone, you engage with hands-on clinical environments alongside rigorous academic study, preparing you for immediate contribution to veterinary practice.
About this course
FdSc Veterinary Nursing is a Foundation degree (FdSc) at Aberystwyth University, based in Aberystwyth. It runs 3 years, studied full-time.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Agriculture & Animal Science, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year 1 9 modules
- Building Blocks of BiologyCore20 credits
- Communication SkillsCore20 credits
- Fundamentals in Animal BiologyCore20 credits
- Fundamentals in Ecology and Plant DiversityCore20 credits
- Microbes, Health and DiseaseCore20 credits
- Molecules and CellsCore20 credits
- Organisms and the EnvironmentCore40 credits
- Practical Skills for BiologistsCore40 credits
- Practical and Analytical Skills for BiologistsCore20 credits
Year 2 6 modules
- Cell BiologyCore20 credits
- Comparative Animal Physiology20 credits
- Ecology and ConservationCore20 credits
- Genetics, Evolution and Diversity20 credits
- Microbial and Plant DiversityCore20 credits
- Skills for BiologistsCore20 credits
Year 3 19 modules
- Climate Change: Plants, Animals and EcosystemsCore20 credits
- Evolution and Molecular Systematics20 credits
- Practical and Professional Skills in Microbiology20 credits
- Research MethodsCore20 credits
- Applied Molecular Biology and BioinformaticsOptional20 credits
- Bench to Bedside and BeyondOptional20 credits
- Blood ScienceOptional20 credits
- Controlled Environment Crop Production and HorticultureOptional20 credits
- Freshwater BiologyOptional20 credits
- Introduction to Geographic Information Systems and Landscape EcologyOptional20 credits
- Invertebrate ZoologyOptional20 credits
- Marine BiologyOptional20 credits
- One Health MicrobiologyOptional20 credits
- Proteins and EnzymesOptional20 credits
- Tropical Zoology Field CourseOptional20 credits
- Vertebrate ZoologyOptional20 credits
- Wildlife SurveyingOptional20 credits
- Cell and Cancer BiologyOptional20 credits
- Chromosome DynamicsOptional20 credits
Year 4 2 modules
- BiotechnologyCore20 credits
- Research ProjectCore40 credits
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
You'll study the science and practice of veterinary nursing applied to agricultural and companion animal contexts. A course like this typically begins with animal and crop science fundamentals, agri-food systems, and hands-on husbandry skills. In Year 2, you'll progress to nutrition, health and livestock management, grassland and environmental stewardship, and precision agriculture technologies. Year 3 moves towards specialist options such as livestock production, equine science, animal behaviour and welfare, agronomy, or agri-tech, alongside farm business management and a final industry-based project or dissertation. The emphasis throughout is on practical competence alongside scientific understanding.
Who it's for
This course suits those with genuine curiosity about animal health and a practical mindset, people who learn best by doing, not just observing. You're likely someone who thrives in clinical or hands-on environments, balances attention to detail with compassionate patient care, and sees nursing as a career with real responsibility and progression. If you're drawn to the science of animal medicine but also value direct, meaningful work with people and animals, this foundation degree offers a direct route into a profession that combines both. You should be comfortable with scientific study and ready for the pace of applied learning.
Careers & job market
Across Agriculture and Animal Science courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months. Among those working, 40% are in highly skilled roles or pursuing further study. National earnings data for the field show starting salaries typically between £22,000 and £27,000 at the 15-month point, rising to £22,525–£31,800 after five years. A veterinary nursing qualification opens pathways into clinical practice, specialist animal healthcare roles, and potential progression into management or advanced practice, depending on your experience and further study.
University & format
This FdSc is taught at Aberystwyth University, a public university in Aberystwyth, Wales, founded in 1872. The course runs for 3 years on a full-time basis and is delivered in English. As a degree from a recognised UK degree-awarding body, it holds national recognition. The university is.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page. Set under Wales's student-finance system; the provider's page is authoritative.
Check fees at Aberystwyth University →If you normally live in Wales
2026/27 total maintenance support from Student Finance Wales. How much of it is grant and how much is loan depends on household income; the total does not. If you normally live elsewhere, use your home funding body.
Check your entitlement with Student Finance Wales →Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: paid directly to the university by Student Finance Wales.
- Maintenance support: a mix of grant and loan from Student Finance Wales, weighted to household income.
- Repayment: only above the income threshold, and written off at the end of the plan term.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
Wales runs its own system through Student Finance Wales; check studentfinancewales.co.uk for current rates.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Agriculture & Animal Science graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in agriculture & animal science · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Agriculture & Animal Science nationally
National figures for Agriculture & Animal Science graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
Job market & outlook
How Agriculture & Animal Science graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Agriculture & Animal Science graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Agribusiness & food producers
- DEFRA & agencies
- Estates & farms
- Animal & wildlife charities
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Agriculture & Animal Science graduates.
Agriculture Litigation Solicitor – Rural & EstatesBirketts LLPAgriculture TrainerRise Technical RecruitmentAgriculture Legal Director & Partner – HybridErrington LegalAgriculture & Estates Lawyer - Suffolk / NorfolkBWF Legal RecruitmentAgriculture ManagerMarks and SpencerAgriculture Lawyer - BristolChadwick NottWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Aberystwyth University
Agriculture, food and related studies across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around Aberystwyth
384 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Agriculture & Animal Science right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Aberystwyth University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £15,000 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Aberystwyth University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Aberystwyth University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Aberystwyth University
BSc (Hons) Agriculture (with integrated year studying abroad)BSc (Hons) · Aberystwyth UniversityBSc (Hons) AgricultureBSc (Hons) · Aberystwyth UniversityBSc (Hons) Agriculture with Animal ScienceBSc (Hons) · Aberystwyth UniversityBSc (Hons) Agriculture with Animal Science (with integrated year in industry)BSc (Hons) · Aberystwyth University
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
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