Explore Our Qualifications for Vets

Compare ISVPS qualifications for vets

ISVPS equips veterinary surgeons with internationally recognised postgraduate qualifications that validate advanced clinical knowledge and professional capability at every stage of their career. We award qualifications built on specialist‑designed syllabi, assessed through rigorous, independently overseen examinations, and supported by comprehensive quality assurance processes. 

Why study for an ISVPS veterinary qualification?

With over 20 years of experience and more than 12,000 certificate holders, ISVPS assessments are widely recognised and trusted by the veterinary community.  Our examinations are developed and reviewed by international specialists. Additional internal quality assurance ensures fairness, reliability, and credibility across all regions. 

ISVPS qualifications are: 

  • Quality assured 
  • Academically rigorous 
  • Internationally peer recognised 

The standard of ISVPS qualifications is consistent across all countries. Upon gaining an ISVPS certificate, you will receive international peer recognition for achieving a high-standard qualification, regardless of where you practice.  

You will be entitled to use peer-recognised postnominals, indicating your expertise and professional achievement. Your postnominals may be displayed wherever you deem appropriate.* 

*We advise checking with regional professional bodies with respect to inclusion of ISVPS postnominals on registers.

The online accessibility of ISVPS examinations and assessments make them attainable and manageable, allowing you to succeed while balancing clinical and personal responsibilities.  

Training for ISVPS qualifications is delivered by trusted training partners through a modular approach, offering a range of learning styles to suit practising vets. Assessments draw on both a candidate’s professional experience and the new knowledge acquired during the programme, ensuring relevance and application to clinical practice.  

ISVPS Veterinary Qualifications

To enrol in an ISVPS-accredited programme you must possess a veterinary degree that is officially recognised in your country or region of practice.

ISVPS offers a range of postgraduate veterinary surgeon qualifications, including: 

Certificate and Foundation Certificate

The ISVPS Certificate (Cert) and Foundation Certificate (FCert) equip veterinary surgeons with essential foundational skills. They provide in-depth knowledge in a specific subject area and may serve as a standalone qualification or complement broader certifications such as the GPCert.   

As with all ISVPS qualifications, the FCert and FCert are internationally recognised. They grant candidates the use of peer-recognised postnominals, contribute to CPD/CE requirements, and result in entry onto the ISVPS Official Register of Certificate Holders.    

Pathway to the ISVPS Cert 

  • Complete a Certificate programme, such as the Accelerated Emergency Programme, which awards an Emergency and Critical Care certificate (Cert).  
  • Pass an online examination (e.g MCQ)  (contact english@isvps.org for further details)

Pathway to the ISVPS FCert 

  • Complete a Foundation Certificate Programme, for example Small Animal Geriatric Medicine (Focus 20, delivered by our training provider Improve Veterinary Education).  
  • Pass a written assessment (e.g. Critical Appraisal) ( contact english@isvps.org for further details) 
Find out more about Foundation Certificates and Certificates

General Practitioner Certificate and General Practitioner Certificate Advanced Practitioner Route

The ISVPS General Practitioner Certificate (GPCert) offers veterinary surgeons a globally recognised qualification achieved by thousands of vets worldwide. Designed specifically for vets working in general practice, the GPCert broadens clinical skills and deepens knowledge in a chosen subject area.

The ISVPS GPCert is internationally respected and recognised globally. Upon successful completion of the assessments, candidates receive a personalised certificate, are added to the ISVPS Register of Certificate Holders, and may use peer-recognised postnominals to signify their achievement.  

For those veterinary surgeons who are eligible, the ISVPS General Practitioner Certificate (Advanced Practitioner Route) in the UK is a postgraduate qualification accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). It provides an approved route for application to RCVS Advanced Practitioner status. 

This status formally recognises a veterinary surgeon’s enhanced knowledge, clinical expertise, and commitment to high standards in practice.  

Find out more about the ISVPS General Practitioner Certificate.

General Practitioner Advanced Certificate

The ISVPS General Practitioner Advanced Certificate (GPAdvCert) is an advanced veterinary qualification available across a range of disciplines.  

Although prior completion of a GPCert is not required, ISVPS strongly recommends that candidates have at least five years’ experience in practice before undertaking the GPAdvCert.  

The GPAdvCert enables vets to deepen their understanding of a subject area to an advanced level while gaining an internationally respected award.  

Candidates can use GPAdvCert study towards their training hours while developing advanced skills and techniques that allow them to manage more complex cases with confidence.  

Upon successful completion of the assessments, candidates receive a personalised certificate and (if opted for) are added to the ISVPS Official Register of Certificate Holders. They are also entitled to use the peer-recognised postnominals GPAdvCert, followed by the abbreviated discipline in brackets.   

Find out more about the ISVPS General Practitioner Advanced Certificates.