Statutory Membership Exam
If you’re an overseas veterinary surgeon with qualifications not recognised by the RCVS, the Statutory Membership Examination is your pathway to practising in the UK.
Letter of good professional standing
When you apply to sit your statutory membership exam, you'll also need to provide a letter of good standing. This letter confirms that you are fit to practise.
Your letter of good standing must be:
- an original document with a personal signature (no photocopies),
- dated within the exam application window (1 October to 14 January), and
- sent directly to [email protected] by the organisation that issued it.
We will need a new letter for every application.
If your letter isn't in English, you'll need a certified translation from a licensed translator. Send both the original letter and certified translation together.
For translation questions, contact us at [email protected].
Who can provide your letter of good standing
If you have a licence to practise veterinary medicine, contact your licensing organisation directly.
If you graduated within the last 12 months, your university can provide this letter. If you haven't graduated yet, the letter must include your predicted graduation date.
If you don't currently have a licence and graduated more than 12 months ago, you'll need to provide a sworn statement (known as an affidavit) of good professional standing. You'll need to make the statement in front of an authorised official, such as a notary public. This is a qualified legal professional who has the authority to formally witness and certify documents, signatures, and declarations. We can guide you through this process – email us at [email protected].
When to request your letter
Request your letter as early as possible. Some organisations take several months to issue it.
The letter must be dated between 1 October and 14 January of your application year. If you're applying for multiple exam sittings, you'll need up to date evidence of your good standing for each application.