Curious about veterinary medicine but not sure what the field looks like beyond caring for animals? Pre-vet summer programs for high school students give you a structured way to explore animal health through labs, clinical skill sessions, farm visits, simulations, and discussions with faculty, veterinarians, and current veterinary students.

You may practise skills like animal handling, physical assessment, suturing, diagnostic reasoning, anatomy, parasitology, imaging basics, and public health analysis, depending on the programme. These experiences help you understand how veterinarians make decisions, communicate with animal owners, work across species, and connect science to real patient care.

What are the benefits of attending a pre-vet program for high school students?

Pre-vet programs introduce you to areas you may not have considered, from wildlife medicine and food animal health to laboratory diagnostics, epidemiology, and veterinary research. Just as importantly, many pre-vet summer programs take place on university campuses, giving you exposure to college-style learning, residence life, labs, teaching hospitals, and academic expectations. 

That kind of setting can help you build practical experience while also thinking more clearly about future majors, coursework, and career goals. Pre-vet summer programs can act as a foundation for a high schooler’s college journey, giving them a taste of what university life is like at a top institution, in person.

If you’re ready to take the next step, here’s a list of 15 pre-vet summer programs for high school students worth considering.

For adjacent opportunities, check out the medicine summer program and the online biology program.

15 Pre-Vet Summer Programs for High School Students

1. AgDiscovery @ Iowa State University

Location: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Selective; approximately 16 students
Dates: July 13-26
Application Deadline: April 3rd
Eligibility: Students in grades 9-11, ages 14-17; not open to international students

AgDiscovery at Iowa State University introduces you to veterinary medicine through the broader systems that support animal and public health. You explore topics such as diagnostic testing, bacterial culture, animal science, wildlife biology, and conservation through labs, workshops, and field-based activities. The program connects classroom learning with practical exposure on farms, in laboratories, and at conservation or animal-care sites.

You also learn from university faculty, USDA scientists, agricultural professionals, and animal welfare organizations, giving you a wider view of career paths in the field. Activities may include visiting farms, food production facilities, shelters, zoological spaces, and research sites. Alongside the technical learning, team projects and professional development sessions help you build collaboration and communication skills. 

Why it stands out: This program gives you a rare mix of veterinary medicine, animal science, wildlife conservation, and laboratory diagnostics, all within a free residential university setting.

2. Immerse Education’s Sydney Veterinary Summer School

Location: Sydney, Australia
Cost: Varies; summer school scholarship available through our bursary programme
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; an average of 7 participants per class
Dates: 2 weeks during the summer
Application Deadline: Multiple summer cohorts; rolling admissions
Eligibility: Students aged 13-18 currently enrolled in middle or high school; open to international students

Immerse Education’s Veterinary Studies Summer Programme introduces you to the scientific and ethical foundations of veterinary medicine through university-style teaching and case-based learning. You explore topics such as animal physiology, disease diagnosis, treatment approaches, and animal welfare, guided by experienced tutors. The program uses seminars, group discussions, and real-world case studies to help you understand how veterinary professionals assess and treat different species.

You also develop analytical and communication skills through collaborative projects and guided assignments. The in-person experience includes living in a Cambridge college environment, giving you insight into university life while studying a specialized subject. By the end, you receive a certificate and personalized feedback, helping you evaluate your interest in pursuing veterinary science further.

Why it stands out: You’ll study under expert academics, be guided daily by a university student mentor, complete a project you can show in future applications, and experience genuine university college life — with other campuses worldwide as alternatives.

3. Tuskegee University – VET STEP I & II

Location: Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine, Tuskegee, AL
Cost/Stipend: $500
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; 25 students per session
Dates: Vet Step I: June 8-12; Vet Step II: June 22-26
Application Deadline: March 9th
Eligibility: VET STEP I: Rising 9th-10th graders; VET STEP II Rising 11-12th graders; minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA; not open to international students

Tuskegee University’s VET STEP program introduces veterinary medicine through a tiered residential experience, making it one of the more structured pre-vet summer programs for high school students. You take part in academic classes, laboratory activities, discussions, presentations, and field trips that help you understand the profession from multiple angles. The first level introduces foundational areas such as anatomy, research, public health, laboratory animal medicine, pathology, radiology, and clinical learning.

The second level moves into more advanced topics, including emergency medicine, parasitology, reproduction, equine medicine, small-animal medicine, and large-animal medicine. Hands-on activities and group discussions help you connect scientific concepts to real veterinary settings. The residential format also adds a campus-based academic environment that supports both career exploration and college readiness.

Why it stands out: Its tiered structure makes the experience more targeted, with separate tracks for younger and older students exploring different levels of veterinary science.

4. University of Minnesota – VetCamp

Location: University Of Minnesota, College Of Veterinary Medicine, MN
Cost: $15 (fee waiver available)
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Open enrollment; 20-30 students per session
Dates: Multiple sessions throughout the year, including summer
Application Deadline: Rolling / Until Full
Eligibility: Students in grades 6-12; open to international students

The University of Minnesota’s VetCamp introduces veterinary medicine through interactive activities designed and taught by students at the College of Veterinary Medicine. You work through focused modules that may involve simulation animals, case-based reasoning, toxicology scenarios, and team problem-solving.

These activities help you understand how veterinarians think through patient concerns, identify risks, and make decisions based on evidence. A careers-focused activity also introduces the range of veterinary roles involved in clinical care, public health, toxicology, and other fields. The program also leaves space for questions about coursework, admissions, and daily life in veterinary school. 

Why it stands out: Its short, module-based format gives you focused exposure to veterinary topics without requiring a full residential commitment.

5. Veterinary Summer Experience – University of Tennessee’s College of Veterinary Medicine

Location: Local vet practices + University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN
Cost: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Competitive; 12 students per cohort
Dates: June 9th – July 11th
Application Deadline: January 30th
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors in Tennessee who are at least 16 years old by June 1 and have a minimum 3.0 GPA; secure an approved local veterinary practice site for shadowing; not open to international students

The University of Tennessee’s Veterinary Summer Experience Program gives you sustained exposure to veterinary medicine through both professional shadowing and campus-based instruction. For much of the program, you observe veterinary practice in a local clinic, where you can see how veterinarians manage exams, procedures, records, and client communication across a regular workweek.

The final portion of the program shifts to the university campus, where faculty-led lectures, lab sessions, and clinical rotations connect your shadowing experience to academic veterinary medicine. You also gain a clearer sense of how veterinary training builds from undergraduate preparation to professional school. 

Why it stands out: You get both extended clinic shadowing and a residential university-based week, so the experience feels closer to a real pre-professional placement than a standard summer camp.

6. Adventures in Veterinary Medicine High School Program

Location: Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Grafton, MA
Cost: $1,800; limited need-based financial aid is provided
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; approximately 60-80 students per session
Dates: June 22-26
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: High school students (typically rising 10th, 11th, and 12th graders; open to international students

Tufts’ Adventures in Veterinary Medicine High School Program introduces you to the veterinary profession through a week of applied, skills-based learning. You practice tasks such as bandaging, suturing, reading X-rays, completing dog clinical exams, and working through team-based medical cases. Time with farm animals adds another layer, allowing you to learn proper handling techniques and basic physical-exam methods.

The simulation lab is one of the program’s most useful components, introducing tools and procedures such as intubation and ultrasound in a teaching-focused setting. Classroom experiences also help you understand the range of career paths within veterinary medicine. 

Why it stands out: The program is centered around practical clinical skills, including simulation-lab exposure to techniques that mirror parts of formal veterinary training.

7. UMass Amherst’s Pre-Veterinary Medicine

Location: University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA
Cost: $4,119 (residential); $2,337 (commuter) + $95 materials fee; scholarships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Competitive; small groups
Dates: June 28th – July 11th
Application Deadline: May 15th
Eligibility: Rising high school juniors and seniors; open to international students

UMass Amherst’s Pre-Veterinary Medicine program gives rising juniors and seniors a detailed introduction to both the profession and the preparation required for veterinary school, placing it among the more comprehensive pre-vet summer programs for high school students. You study topics such as comparative anatomy and physiology, animal handling and restraint, pharmacology, clinical pathology, parasitology, diagnostic imaging, obstetrics, and wound management. The program combines short lectures with hands-on modules on campus and at university farms, where you interact with animals such as sheep, goats, beef cattle, and horses.

You also learn basic veterinary terminology, imaging concepts, therapeutics, and the rules that shape clinical practice. Field trips, academic games, and team presentations keep the experience active and collaborative. A major benefit is the focus on building a personalized plan for becoming a stronger future veterinary school applicant.

Why it stands out: You earn college credit while building practical veterinary knowledge through labs, farm-based modules, field trips, and applicant-readiness planning.

8. University of Missouri – Advanced Veterinary Academy

Location: University of Missouri, Columbia, MO
Cost: $400
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; small cohort sizes
Dates: June 8-12
Application Deadline: March 31st
Eligibility: High school juniors or seniors (16 + years); must have spent or be spending time job-shadowing a veterinarian; minimum GPA of 2.7; open to international students

The University of Missouri’s Advanced Veterinary Academy is designed for students who want a more serious introduction to veterinary training. You move through lectures, labs, and clinical activities that simulate parts of the veterinary student experience. Academic sessions cover areas such as anatomy, pathology, clinical diagnostics, toxicology, radiology, comparative medicine, public health, and food animal medicine.

You may also sit in on a lecture with veterinary students, which gives you a clearer sense of the pace and expectations of professional school. Clinical components introduce small-animal rounds, surgery observation, and the role of veterinarians in diagnosis and treatment planning. The program also includes career exploration across government, academia, industry, and public health.

Why it stands out: This program is ideal if you already have some veterinary exposure and want a more advanced look at the academic and clinical side of the profession.

9. Purdue University – Senior Boiler Vet Camp

Location: Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, West Lafayette, IN
Cost: $1,600
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Selective; 50 students
Dates: June 21-27
Application Deadline: February 2nd
Eligibility: Students entering grades 10-12; must not have previously attended the Senior Camp; open to international students

Purdue’s Senior Boiler Vet Camp gives you a hands-on introduction to veterinary medicine through the care journey of a dog preparing for adoption, making it one of the more case-based pre-vet summer programs for high school students. This structure helps you see how behavior, physical exams, diagnostics, anesthesia, surgery, emergency care, and shelter medicine connect across a patient’s overall wellness plan. You practice skills such as basic physical assessment, bandaging, CPR on models, surgical scrubbing, and patient monitoring concepts.

Lab sessions in parasitology, blood analysis, and anatomy help connect clinical observations to underlying science. Visits to the veterinary hospital and humane society give you a behind-the-scenes look at professional animal-care environments. Faculty, staff, and veterinary student counselors guide the experience, adding mentorship throughout the week. 

Why it stands out: Its case-based structure follows one rescue dog’s wellness journey, helping you understand veterinary care as a continuous process.

10. North Carolina State University – VetCAMP

Location: NC State University, Raleigh, NC, or virtual
Cost: $750 for day campers; an additional $250 for overnight campers + $28 application fee for each week you apply to; limited need-based scholarships may be available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; 40 students per week for in-person camps and 250 students for the virtual camp
Dates: Week 1: July 6-10; Week 2: July 13-17; Virtual: June 22-26
Application Deadline: April 6th
Eligibility: U.S or U.S Territories Residents; rising high school sophomore, junior, or senior (rising college freshmen are also accepted); must be 15 years old by July 1st; students who have previously attended in-person VetCAMP are not eligible to apply for in-person VetCAMP, but may still apply to Virtual VetCAMP; not open to international students

NC State’s VetCAMP introduces you to veterinary medicine through a broad set of academic and hands-on activities at the College of Veterinary Medicine. You tour veterinary facilities, learn the basics of a small-animal clinic, and take part in practical sessions that go beyond passive observation.

Experiences with horses, sheep, and pigs at the university’s animal education units help you understand veterinary care beyond household pets. Lab-based activities such as suturing and dissection connect technical skills to anatomy and clinical reasoning. The program also introduces NC State majors and academic pathways, which can help you think more clearly about college preparation. 

Why it stands out: The program gives you balanced exposure to small-animal care, large-animal work, suturing, dissection, and university-based veterinary pathways.

11. University of Georgia – Veterinary Career Aptitude and Mentoring Program (VetCAMP)

Location: University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Cost: $1,000; limited, partial scholarships available based on demonstrated financial hardship
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: May 31st – June 6th
Application Deadline: January 20th
Eligibility: U.S.-based 10th, 11th or 12th grade students; ages 16+; not open to international students

UGA’s VetCAMP is structured to help you explore veterinary medicine while also evaluating the skills and preparation the profession requires. Over the week, you visit the veterinary teaching hospital, diagnostic laboratories, and specialized research environments, including poultry diagnostic and research facilities. These visits are paired with hands-on activities, simulations, and guided learning that make the experience more active than a standard campus tour.

Mentoring sessions help you understand admissions expectations, coursework, and the personal qualities needed for veterinary training. You also learn about the wide range of career paths within the field, from clinical practice to diagnostics, research, and population health. A veterinary-focused field trip adds another layer of professional exposure. 

Why it stands out: It combines veterinary exposure with self-assessment, helping you think honestly about your readiness for the field.

12. SciVet Summer Program

Location: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Cost: $1,800 Residential; $1,200 Commuter; limited number of fee-waiver scholarships available based on need
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; approximately 21 students
Dates: June 22-26
Application Deadline: February 1st
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 15 years old by June 1st; open to international students

Colorado State University’s SciVet Summer Program introduces you to veterinary medicine alongside the scientific methods that support the field, giving it a research-focused place among the many pre-vet summer programs for high school students. You take part in presentations, demonstrations, laboratory visits, and hands-on activities that emphasize investigation rather than simple observation. The curriculum includes topics such as wildlife research, water quality, scientific illustration, dendrochronology, integrative veterinary medicine, equine-assisted therapy, native bees, and wolves.

You also use tools, collect data, and work in lab or field settings, which can strengthen your understanding of how scientific evidence is gathered. Mentoring from teachers, staff, and guest presenters adds a professional perspective throughout the program. 

Why it stands out: SciVet approaches veterinary medicine through research, field science, and data collection, making it a strong fit for students interested in both science and animal health.

13. The Ohio State University – Buckeye Vet Camp

Location: Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
Cost: $1,000 + $30 non-refundable application fee; limited need-based scholarships are offered to qualified applicants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Selective; approximately 40 students per session
Dates: June 7-12
Application Deadline: April 10th
Eligibility: Rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors; open to international students

Buckeye Vet Camp introduces you to veterinary medicine through a residential experience at Ohio State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. You take part in seminars, laboratory sessions, mock lectures, and clinical-skills activities that reflect both the academic and applied sides of the field.

Team-building exercises make the week collaborative, while the community service component shows how veterinary interests can connect to broader responsibility and care. Because the camp is residential, you also get a stronger sense of campus routines, independence, and student life. 

Why it stands out: This residential camp gives you a focused look at veterinary student life through mock lectures, labs, clinical skills, and service-based activities.

14. University of Florida – Gator Vet Camp

Location: University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Cost: $1,500 + $25 application fee; limited need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; cohort size not specified
Dates: June 7-12 (rising 10th and 11th graders); June 21-26 (rising 12th graders)
Application Deadline: February 27th
Eligibility: Rising 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students residing in Florida; not open to international students

Gator Vet Camp gives Florida high school students a structured introduction to veterinary medicine through clinical skills, facility tours, and guided academic exploration. You work with faculty, staff, and current veterinary students, which gives you direct exposure to people involved in veterinary education and practice. The program includes hands-on activities that help you understand how clinical reasoning and technical skills develop in the field.

You also explore areas beyond companion-animal medicine, including wildlife, large-animal, aquatic, and fish-related veterinary work. The program also includes conversations about coursework, college readiness, and preparation for future veterinary study. Independent project work adds an active learning component, allowing you to engage with the field in a more focused academic way.

Why it stands out: It introduces you to lesser-known veterinary specialties while also helping you think about college readiness and academic preparation.

15. Auburn University – 9th and 10th Grade Veterinary Camp

Location: Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Cost: $1,300; limited need-based scholarships are available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly Selective; approximately 30-40 students per session
Dates: June 22-26
Application Deadline: March 9th
Eligibility: Rising 9th and 10th grade students; open to international students

Auburn University’s veterinary camp introduces rising 9th and 10th graders to the field through classroom, laboratory, and outdoor learning experiences. You explore topics such as companion animals, farm animals, exotics, wildlife, public health, anatomy, physiology, surgery preparation, and veterinary research. The program uses Auburn’s animal and veterinary facilities, including spaces connected to raptors, equine care, dairy, and beef animals, to make the learning more concrete.

Mentoring is built into the experience, giving you a chance to hear how people prepare for careers in veterinary science. The residential format also introduces campus life, with supervised dorm living, dining, and evening activities. 

Why it stands out: It gives younger high school students early exposure to veterinary medicine across multiple species, facilities, and professional settings.

Where Pre-Vet Experience Can Lead Next

Maybe you arrived here because you like animals, but the right programme can show you the science, judgement, and responsibility behind veterinary care.

In pre-vet summer programs for high school students, you might handle animals, study anatomy, practise suturing, visit farms, or learn how vets approach diagnosis.

That kind of experience can change your questions from “Do I like veterinary medicine?” to “Where could I study it seriously?”

Start answering that next question through our Study Abroad blogs, with guidance on destinations, subjects, applications, and university choices worth considering.