AVE 2026: The Complete Guide for International Veterinarians

Introduction

The Australasian Veterinary Examination (AVE) remains the primary pathway for internationally qualified veterinarians seeking registration to practise in Australia and New Zealand. Administered by the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC), the examination assesses whether candidates possess the knowledge and clinical competence equivalent to graduates of accredited Australasian veterinary programs.

With unprecedented demand for the 2026 examination cycle — all available MCQ places were allocated by July 2025 — understanding the pathway, requirements, and preparation strategies has never been more critical. This guide compiles verified information from official AVBC sources to help candidates navigate every step of the process.

What Is the AVE?

The Australasian Veterinary Examination is a standardised assessment for veterinarians whose qualifications are not on the AVBC "Qualifications Generally Recognised" list. Upon successful completion of all components, candidates receive the AVE Certificate in Veterinary Science, which entitles them to apply for full registration in any Australian state or territory, or in New Zealand, with the same rights and responsibilities as locally trained veterinarians.

The examination is not a licensing exam per se — it is a competency assessment. It evaluates whether candidates can demonstrate "Day One" competence as defined by the AVBC's 2024 competency framework, which encompasses 41 competencies across 9 professional domains.

Who Needs to Sit the AVE?

If your veterinary degree was awarded by an institution not on the AVBC recognised qualifications list, you must complete the AVE to register in Australia or New Zealand. Currently recognised degrees include those from:

• All seven Australian veterinary schools (Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland, Murdoch, Charles Sturt, James Cook, Adelaide)
• Massey University (New Zealand)
• RCVS-accredited programs (United Kingdom and Ireland)
• AVMA-accredited programs (United States and Canada)
• University of Pretoria (South Africa)
• Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences — SLU (accredited July 2024)

If your degree is not from one of these institutions, the AVE is your pathway.

The Three-Step Pathway

The AVE consists of three sequential steps. Each must be completed before progressing to the next:

Step	Component	Fee (AUD)	Format
1	Eligibility Assessment	$515	Document review
2	Preliminary (MCQ) Examination	$3,460	Computer-based, 1 day
3	Final (Clinical) Examination	$9,325	In-person, 5 days

Total minimum examination cost: AUD $13,300 (excluding English testing, travel, accommodation, and preparation resources)

Step 1: Eligibility Assessment

Requirements

To be eligible for the AVE, candidates must:

1. Hold a primary veterinary degree or diploma awarded after a minimum of four years of study
2. Graduate from a recognised institution — the veterinary school must appear on the AVMA ECFVG-listed Veterinary Colleges of the World, or be part of a college or university listed in the World List of Universities
3. Demonstrate English language proficiency through an approved test (see English Language Requirements below)

Processing

• Fee: AUD $515
• Processing time: approximately 2-3 months
• Successful eligibility assessments remain valid for three years

Candidates should note that AVBC also conducts Migration Skills Assessments for visa purposes. This is a separate process from AVE eligibility assessment, with its own fees (AUD $702.46 from 30 January 2026).

English Language Requirements

All candidates must demonstrate English proficiency through one of the following approved tests:

Test	Required Score
OET (Occupational English Test)	B grade or higher in all sections, or 350+ in each section
PTE Academic	65 or above in each of the four communicative sections
IELTS Academic	7.0 or above in each of the four sections
TOEFL iBT	Listening 24, Reading 24, Writing 27, Speaking 23

Key Points

• English test results are valid for three years
• The MCQ examination must be sat within the validity period of the English language test
• Results must be sent directly from the testing body to AVBC
• Plan your English test early — processing times vary, and an expired result can delay your entire timeline

Source: AVBC English Language Standards, April 2024

Step 2: Preliminary (MCQ) Examination

2026 Key Dates

• Examination date: Friday, 17 April 2026
• Status: All available places for 2026 have been fully allocated as of July 2025. Eligibility applications were paused and were scheduled to reopen at 10:00 AM AEST on 6 October 2025 for future sittings.

Format

The MCQ examination is delivered via secure computer on a single day, consisting of two papers with a scheduled break between them:

Paper 1 — Base Knowledge (General Veterinary Science)

• 120 questions
• 3 hours
• Tests general knowledge of veterinary science across all species

Paper 2 — Clinical Reasoning

• 100 questions
• 3 hours
• Tests ability to apply specific knowledge and clinical judgement to clinical scenarios

Total: 220 multiple-choice questions over 6 hours

Calculators and electronic devices are neither required nor permitted. Candidates receive a practice test upon enrolment.

Examination Venues

The MCQ is offered at centres in:

• Australia: Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth
• International: Auckland, London, Dubai, New Delhi, Singapore

The expansion to Dubai, New Delhi, and Singapore represents a significant improvement in accessibility for candidates in the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions.

Attempt Limits

• Maximum 3 attempts for the MCQ examination
• After 3 unsuccessful attempts, candidates must wait 2 years and seek counselling from an AVE Committee member before applying to re-sit
• Each re-sit incurs the full examination fee of AUD $3,460

Paper 1 Content Areas

Paper 1 assesses fundamental veterinary science knowledge including:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Pathology and clinical pathology
• Pharmacology and therapeutics
• Toxicology
• Infectious diseases and microbiology
• Public health and food safety
• Professional practice and ethics
• Surgical and anaesthetic principles

Paper 2 Content Areas

Paper 2 presents clinical scenarios requiring diagnostic reasoning across species:

• Dogs — the most heavily weighted species
• Cats — significant representation
• Cattle — substantial coverage of production animal medicine
• Horses — equine medicine and surgery scenarios
• Small ruminants — sheep and goat conditions
• Pigs and poultry — production-relevant scenarios
• Exotic and companion species — smaller representation

Historical Pass Rates

MCQ pass rates have ranged between approximately 42% and 63% in recent years. The AVBC does not routinely publish detailed pass rate data, but a 2022 announcement noted that year saw a record number of successful candidates.

Step 3: Final (Clinical) Examination

The clinical examination is the most demanding component of the AVE. It is conducted over five consecutive days at the University of Queensland, Gatton campus in Queensland.

Timing

• Usually held in November, with an additional mid-year session possible in June at AVEC's discretion
• Must be attempted within 3 years of passing the MCQ
• Must be completed within 5 years of passing the MCQ

Structure

The clinical examination comprises 9 sections, each lasting 45 minutes to 2 hours. All 9 sections must be passed. Usually two examiners are present for each section.

Oral Examination Sections (3 modules)

1. Small Animal Practice (45 minutes)

• Forming differential diagnosis lists
• Planning diagnostic work-ups
• Interpreting radiographs and ultrasound images
• Determining anaesthetic protocols
• Interpreting clinical pathology results
• Planning surgical procedures
• Prescribing appropriate analgesia
• Antimicrobial stewardship in clinical decision-making
• Medical and nutritional treatment planning
• Recognising when specialist referral or euthanasia is indicated

2. Production Animal Practice (45 minutes)

• Investigating individual and herd/flock problems
• Developing management, treatment, and control plans
• Biosecurity measures to prevent or reduce risk of infectious disease introduction
• Recognising uncommon endemic disease, exotic disease, or public health risks
• Recognising cases of sub-optimal animal welfare
• Economic considerations in production animal medicine

3. Preventive Medicine (45 minutes)

• Notifiable and emergency animal diseases (e.g., foot-and-mouth disease, avian influenza, anthrax)
• Disease control and eradication strategies
• Biosecurity at the national and farm level
• Food safety, residues, and withholding periods
• Vaccination programs and their evidence base
• Animal welfare legislation (Australian and New Zealand frameworks)
• Public health and zoonotic disease management
• Epidemiological investigation principles

Practical Examination Sections (6 stations)

Station	Key Assessment Areas
Equine Practice	Safe physical examination including TPR, horse identification, lameness assessment, handling
Cattle and Sheep Clinical Skills	Bovine foot examination, sheep distance and individual examination, ram scrotal examination, restraint techniques, obstetric assessment
Practical Anaesthesia	Pre-anaesthetic assessment, drug selection and calculation, monitoring parameters, recognition and management of anaesthetic emergencies
Practical Surgery	Aseptic technique, suture selection and placement, instrument handling, wound management, post-operative care planning
Pathology	Gross pathology identification from images, clinical pathology interpretation (biochemistry, haematology, cytology), correlation of pathological findings with clinical history
Physical Examination of Dog and Cat	Systematic physical examination technique, appropriate restraint, documentation of findings, recognition of abnormalities

Assessment Criteria

Patient safety is the overarching assessment criterion across all sections. Examiners evaluate:

• Clinical knowledge and its application to clinical scenarios
• Clinical reasoning and decision-making under time pressure
• Communication skills (ability to articulate and justify clinical decisions)
• Professional conduct and ethical awareness
• Practical competence and procedural safety

Supplementary Examinations

If a candidate fails individual sections but passes the majority, supplementary (resit) examinations may be offered on a cost-recovery basis. This allows candidates to re-sit only the failed sections rather than the entire clinical examination.

Key Updates for 2026

Unprecedented Demand

The 2026 MCQ examination cycle marked a significant milestone: all available places were fully allocated before the standard application window closed. This is the first time eligibility applications have had to be paused due to demand, reflecting the growing number of international veterinarians seeking registration in Australia and New Zealand.

Fee Adjustments

Fees for the 2026 cycle reflect CPI-aligned increases:

Component	2026 Fee (AUD)
Eligibility Assessment	$515
MCQ Examination	$3,460
Clinical Examination	$9,325
Migration Skills Assessment	$702.46 (from 30 Jan 2026)

Withdrawal Policies

• MCQ withdrawal more than 4 weeks before exam: $865 fee
• Clinical withdrawal more than 12 weeks before exam: $2,331.25 fee
• Withdrawal within these windows: full fee forfeited

These policies underscore the importance of committing only when you are genuinely prepared.

AVBC Governance Changes

Two significant governance developments occurred in late 2025:

1. Corporate structure transition: AVBC unanimously approved transitioning from an incorporated association to a company limited by guarantee, designed to strengthen governance and education oversight across Australia and New Zealand
2. Veterinary Surgeons Board of South Australia: The VSBSA resigned from AVBC membership in December 2025. The implications for AVE candidates seeking registration in South Australia should be clarified directly with the VSBSA.

Updated Accreditation Standards and Day One Competencies

New AVBC accreditation standards took effect on 1 January 2024, representing the first comprehensive review since 2013. These include an updated Day One Competencies framework comprising 41 competencies across 9 domains — the same competencies the AVE is designed to assess. Candidates should review this framework (available at avbc.asn.au) as it provides direct insight into what examiners expect.

Preparation Strategies

Official Recommendations

The AVBC encourages candidates who have passed the MCQ to gain practical experience at Australian veterinary practices before attempting the clinical examination. The Australian Veterinary Association's "Host an AVE Candidate" program connects candidates with practices willing to provide clinical placements.

Understanding Australasian Conditions

The clinical examination specifically assesses competence within Australasian conditions. Candidates must familiarise themselves with:

• Common Australian species presentations — including production animal conditions specific to Australian farming systems (e.g., facial eczema in sheep, three-day sickness in cattle, Hendra virus in horses)
• Notifiable diseases — the national list was updated in April 2024 by the Animal Health Committee. Know the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888
• Recent disease events — HPAI H7N8 was confirmed in Victoria in February 2025 and declared eradicated in June 2025. Understanding Australia's biosecurity response to such events demonstrates current awareness
• Australian veterinary legislation — state and territory registration requirements, animal welfare Acts, and veterinary practice Acts
• Drug scheduling — Schedule 4 (prescription only) and Schedule 8 (controlled drugs) requirements under Australian law
• Antimicrobial stewardship — Australian veterinary prescribing guidelines emphasise responsible use, particularly of high-importance antimicrobials (fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins)

Practical Competence

The clinical examination demands demonstrated hands-on proficiency. Theory alone is not sufficient. Key areas requiring practical preparation include:

• Safe animal handling and restraint across all major species
• Systematic physical examination techniques (small animal, equine, bovine, ovine)
• Aseptic surgical technique and instrument handling
• Anaesthetic monitoring, calculation, and emergency response
• Clinical pathology interpretation (haematology, biochemistry, cytology, urinalysis)

Timeline Planning

A realistic timeline from initial application to registration:

Phase	Typical Duration
Document preparation and eligibility application	1-2 months
Eligibility assessment processing	2-3 months
MCQ preparation	6-12 months
MCQ to clinical exam gap	6-18 months
Clinical preparation (including practice placements)	3-6 months
Total estimated pathway	12-24 months

Recommended Study Resources

• AVBC practice test — provided upon MCQ enrolment; use this to calibrate your preparation
• Australian Veterinary Journal — for current Australian clinical guidelines and practice standards
• AVBC Day One Competencies — available at avbc.asn.au; this document maps directly to what the AVE assesses
• Australian Veterinary Prescribing Guidelines (AVPG) — species-specific antimicrobial guidelines from the University of Melbourne
• National notifiable disease list — maintained by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Clinical Pearls

• Start early: With 2026 places fully allocated months in advance, begin the eligibility process as soon as possible for future sittings
• English first: Complete your English language test and confirm AVBC has received the results before applying for eligibility
• Know the regulatory landscape: Familiarise yourself with Australian drug scheduling (S4/S8), APVMA regulations, and the notifiable disease list
• Hands-on preparation is essential: The clinical exam tests practical competence — seek practice placements through the AVA Host an AVE Candidate program
• Patient safety above all: Examiners prioritise patient safety throughout every station. When uncertain, err on the side of caution and articulate your reasoning
• Australasian focus: Study conditions, parasites, toxicities, and diseases specific to Australian and New Zealand livestock and companion animals
• Budget realistically: The total cost including exams, English testing, travel, accommodation, and preparation typically exceeds AUD $20,000