Get in touch: +1 888 453 5021
The list below features every veterinary program in the Caribbean.
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accreditation determines your licensure pathway after graduation.
Choose an accredited school, and you take the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) the same way every U.S. vet school grad does. Pick a non-accredited school, and you add a costly, time-consuming certification process before you can even take the exam.
Only two Caribbean vet schools hold full AVMA Council on Education (COE) accreditation:
Graduates from both programs can take the NAVLE immediately and apply for licensure in any U.S. state or Canadian province without additional equivalency testing.
Graduates from AVMA-listed schools like St. Matthew's or St. Nicholas must complete either the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG) or Program for the Assessment of Veterinary Education Equivalence (PAVE) certification program before they become eligible for the NAVLE.
The ECFVG alone costs thousands of dollars in application and testing fees and can take over a year to finish. Factor in the stress of a multi-step equivalency process while carrying six figures in student debt, and the real cost of attending a non-accredited program becomes much clearer.
Accreditation also affects how you pay for school. AVMA COE-accredited programs qualify for U.S. federal financial aid, which gives students at Ross and SGU access to Direct Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS loans. Students at non-accredited Caribbean schools are not eligible for federal aid and must rely on private loans, personal funds, or provincial loans from Canada.
To choose the right Caribbean vet school, start by deciding between the two accredited schools. A school's campus, class size, and location all matter, but none of it matters if you can't get licensed efficiently after graduation. Narrow your list to AVMA COE-accredited programs first, then evaluate the remaining factors below.
Tuition is only part of the equation. Calculate the full cost of attendance before you commit to any vet program. Caribbean vet schools require you to live on-island for two to three years of basic sciences, which means factoring in:
For example, Ross costs $25,261 per semester. SGU costs about $25,418 per term. Both look comparable on paper, but the total debt picture diverges based on:
Ross graduates who finish without repeating any coursework can complete their degree in 3.25 years. SGU's standard DVM track runs four years. That extra time in school means additional semesters of tuition, living expenses, and accrued loan interest.
Non-accredited options like St. Matthew's ($14,993/semester) and St. Nicholas ($9,500/semester) look significantly cheaper upfront. However, you need to factor in:
Tuition on paper is never the full picture.
Clinical rotations happen during your final year, and where you learn shapes the connections and job opportunities you graduate with. Ask each program specifically how clinical placements work before you apply.
Ross partners with over 28 affiliated teaching hospitals across five countries, including sites throughout the United States. SGU sends students to AVMA-affiliated schools in the U.S., UK, Ireland, Canada, and Australia for 48 weeks of clinical training. Both programs guarantee clinical placements for students in good standing.
St. Matthew's places students at affiliated veterinary schools in the U.S., Canada, and the UK for their final three semesters. St. Nicholas arranges distributive clinical rotations in the U.S., Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
For smaller, newer programs, ask for specific numbers on the number of clinical sites available and whether placements are guaranteed or competitive.
Look at the NAVLE first-time pass rates instead of rankings. The AVMA COE requires accredited schools to maintain a pass rate of at least 80% among graduating seniors. Any school meeting that threshold produces graduates who can perform at the level U.S. regulators expect.
Non-accredited schools don't report NAVLE pass rates the same way because their graduates take a different path to the exam, making direct comparison difficult. Ask non-accredited programs for their ECFVG/PAVE completion rates and eventual NAVLE pass rates to get a clearer picture of graduate outcomes.
Caribbean vet schools accept students with lower GPAs than most U.S. programs. Holistic admissions policies open doors for students who wouldn't get a second look from domestic schools.
Ask every program you're considering for their attrition and on-time graduation rates. A school that admits 100 students but graduates 60 costs the other 40 students years of time and tens of thousands of dollars in debt, with no degree to show for it. Smaller class sizes (St. Matthew's advertises a 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio) can mean more individualized support, but small class size alone doesn't guarantee better outcomes.
Look for programs that offer:
The transition to island-based education is a significant life change on top of an already demanding curriculum. Vet schools that invest in student support infrastructure tend to retain more students through graduation.
Caribbean vet schools offer a legitimate path to becoming a licensed veterinarian in the U.S. and Canada, with some advantages over even the best veterinary programs globally. Here's what makes Caribbean vet schools worth considering.
The average enrolled GPAs at Ross and SGU are below the average for most U.S. vet schools, and neither requires the GRE. Students who are strong candidates but fall just short of domestic cutoffs often find a realistic path forward through Caribbean programs.
Ross and SGU fall within the same range as many U.S. out-of-state tuition rates, and both offer scholarships that can reduce the total cost. Non-accredited options like St. Matthew's and St. Nicholas charge significantly less per semester, though the post-graduation licensing costs offset some of those savings.
Every Caribbean vet school in this guide places students at affiliated teaching hospitals in the U.S., Canada, or the UK for their clinical year. You graduate with hands-on experience in American veterinary settings, which means your training translates directly to U.S. practice.
Ross reported an 89% NAVLE pass rate for 2024-2025, and SGU has a 84.3% NAVLE pass rate over the last five years. The AVMA COE requires a minimum 80% pass rate to maintain accreditation, so any accredited Caribbean program produces graduates who perform nearly 9% higher than the minimum level.
Island-based training puts you in direct contact with species that most U.S. students only read about in textbooks. Sea turtles, iguanas, tropical birds, and marine wildlife become part of your hands-on education rather than a rare elective opportunity.
Ross and St. Matthew's both offer accelerated tracks that can be completed in roughly 3.25 years compared to the standard four-year U.S. timeline. Finishing your education earlier means entering the workforce sooner and paying down student debt faster.
Ross and SGU undergo the same AVMA COE evaluation process as every accredited U.S. vet school. The curriculum requirements, facility standards, and outcome benchmarks are identical across all geographies. A DVM from an accredited Caribbean program carries the same weight as one earned domestically.
Our admissions experts can help you submit a competitive application to Caribbean vet schools.
Yes, AVMA COE-accredited Caribbean vet schools (Ross and SGU) meet the exact same accreditation standards as every U.S. vet school. Both programs produce graduates with NAVLE pass rates above the AVMA's 80% minimum threshold, and their alumni practice across all 50 states.
Ross University and St. George's University are the two strongest Caribbean vet schools based on accreditation status, NAVLE pass rates, and graduate outcomes. SGU is better for students who want maximum flexibility because it holds both AVMA and RCVS accreditation, opening the door to practice in the UK, Ireland, Australia, the U.S., and Canada.
Four Caribbean schools currently offer DVM programs:
Only Ross and SGU hold full AVMA COE accreditation.
Caribbean vet schools are less competitive than most U.S. programs, but they are still selective. Average enrolled GPAs at Ross and SGU fall around 3.3-3.4, and both schools use holistic admissions that weigh veterinary experience, personal statements, and letters of recommendation alongside academics.
Yes. Graduates from AVMA COE-accredited Caribbean programs (Ross, SGU) take the NAVLE and apply for state licensure the same way U.S. vet school grads do. Graduates from non-accredited Caribbean schools must first complete the ECFVG or PAVE certification process before becoming eligible for the NAVLE.
Yes, all four Caribbean vet schools place students at affiliated teaching hospitals in the U.S. for clinical rotations during their final year. Ross partners with 28+ clinics across five countries, and SGU sends students to AVMA-affiliated schools in the U.S., UK, Ireland, Canada, and Australia.
Graduates from accredited programs (Ross, SGU) only need to pass the NAVLE and their state or provincial licensing exam. Graduates from non-accredited programs must first complete the multi-step ECFVG or PAVE equivalency certification, which costs thousands of dollars and can take over a year, before they become eligible to take the NAVLE.
Dr. Jonathan Preminger was the original author of this article. Snippets of his work may remain.
Orthopaedic Surgery Resident Physician
Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University
Get 15+ free vet school personal statements written by our succcessful applicants free of charge. No strings attached.
.svg)
