The Best Veterinary Schools in the World

Veterinarians are needed around the world to attend to all kinds of animals, from giant elephants in the zoo to small guinea pigs that are kept as pets. While the world boasts over 300 colleges of veterinary medicine, some colleges are better than others. Students can select from several excellent veterinary programs worldwide.

Best Veterinary Colleges in North and South America

In the United States, colleges and universities are ranked by U.S. News & World Report. The top three veterinary schools in the United States are Cornell University in New York, University of California-Davis in California, and Colorado State University in Colorado. The Times Education World University Rankings are used to rank world universities. South America has three ranked vet schools: the University of Sao Paulo in Sao Paulo, Brazil; the University of the Andes in Bogata, Colombia; and the State University of Campinas in Campinas, Brazil. The University of British Columbia in British Columbia, Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph in Ontario and the University of Montreal in Quebec all have ranked veterinary schools in Canada.

Best Veterinary Schools in Europe

The best veterinary school according to the Times Education World University Rankings in Europe is at the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Another excellent veterinary school is at the University of Edinburgh in Edinburgh, Scotland. The University of Helsinki in Helsinki, Finland also has a very good veterinary school. Other top veterinary schools are located at Ghent University in Ghent, Belgium; Ludwig Maximillian University in Munich, Germany; and the Autonomous University of Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain.

Many of these courses are taught in English for non-native speakers. It is important to indicate your language proficiency when you apply, but many international schools are staffed with bilingual professors. Students coming from the U.S. may be interested in studying the language of the country where they are applying to school, but non-fluency will likely not bar them from attending one of the best veterinary colleges..

Best Veterinary Schools in Asia

In The Times Education World University Rankings, the University of Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan, has the best veterinary schools in Asia. Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea and National Taiwan University in Taipei, Taiwan are also highly ranked, as is Osaka University in Osaka, Japan. Although it is disputed whether to count Turkey as part of Europe, part of Asia, or both, the Times Education Rankings consider it part of Asia. The University of Istanbul in Istanbul, Turkey is also ranked among the top veterinary schools in Asia.

Best Veterinary Colleges Oceania

Oceania does not have nearly as many schools of veterinary medicine as the other continents, but according to the Times Education World University Rankings, several universities in Australia are ranked among the best veterinary colleges in the world. The highest ranked school on the list is the veterinary school at the University of Melbourne in Melbourne, Victoria in Australia. Other excellent Australian universities with veterinary schools are located at the University of Queensland and the University of Sydney.

Best Veterinary Schools in Africa and the Middle East

The Times Education World University Rankings lists only one university in the Middle East -- the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel. While there are veterinary schools in South Africa, none of them are ranked by the Times Education World University Rankings this year. However, the University of Pretoria, which has the oldest veterinary school in the country, has been ranked by The Times in previous years as excellent. Because so few colleges in Africa make The Times' worldwide rankings, universities that are excellent can slip off the list year to year.