SAQ and SJT
The veterinary SAQ and SJT guide
The written assessment stages that many applicants find hardest, explained clearly, with how to prepare for them.
Several UK vet schools ask applicants to complete short answer questions, or SAQs, after the UCAS deadline, and some use situational judgement style questions, or SJTs. These stages are poorly documented and cause a great deal of anxiety, because there is little public guidance on what good answers look like. This guide explains what they are, which schools use them, and how to prepare.
What is the difference between an SAQ and an SJT?
An SAQ is a set of short written questions about your motivation, your work experience and your understanding of the profession, usually completed online to a deadline after you apply. An SJT, or situational judgement test, presents realistic scenarios and asks how you would respond, testing your judgement, ethics and professionalism rather than factual knowledge. Some schools blend the two, and several use the written stage in place of, or as a route into, a traditional interview.
Which schools use them
Bristol relies on a Supplementary Assessment Questionnaire instead of an interview, which makes the written stage central rather than supplementary. Nottingham and Harper and Keele also use written questions as part of selection. The exact format, length and timing vary by school and can change from year to year, so always confirm the current process on each school's admissions page and on our UK vet schools hub.
| University | How they select |
|---|---|
| University of Bristol | Written assessment (SAQ), no interview |
| Royal Veterinary College | SAQ, then MMI interview |
| Harper and Keele | SAQ, then MMI interview |
| University of Nottingham | SJT, then interview |
| University of Cambridge | Panel interview (plus ESAT) |
| University of Edinburgh | MMI interview |
| University of Glasgow | Interview with an ethics exercise |
| University of Liverpool | MMI interview |
| University of Surrey | MMI interview |
| SRUC (Scotland's Rural College) | Interview |
| Aberystwyth | Interview |
How to prepare
The questions test your motivation, your understanding of the profession, and your judgement in realistic situations. Strong answers are structured, reflective and specific, and they draw on genuine work experience rather than general enthusiasm. Treat each answer like a miniature, evidenced argument: make your point, back it with a concrete example, and reflect on what it shows.
Because so much of the SAQ draws on your placements, the work you put into your work experience and your personal statement pays off directly here. For schools that interview as well, our vet school interview questions guide covers the same ethical and welfare themes that SJT scenarios test. We prepare you for exactly the format your schools use, review your answers carefully, and help you express your thinking clearly under time pressure.
SAQ review is included in the Advanced and Premier tiers, with unlimited reviews. A single SAQ review starts from £249, or £599 for unlimited reviews.
Common questions
What is a veterinary SAQ?+
A short answer question stage, used by several UK vet schools after the UCAS deadline, sometimes in place of an interview. It tests your motivation, insight and judgement in writing, drawing heavily on your work experience.
What is the difference between an SAQ and an SJT?+
An SAQ is a set of short written questions about your motivation and experience. An SJT, or situational judgement test, presents realistic scenarios and asks how you would respond, testing your judgement and ethics rather than factual knowledge. Some schools combine elements of both.
Which vet schools use SAQs?+
Bristol uses a Supplementary Assessment Questionnaire in place of an interview, and Nottingham and Harper and Keele also use written questions as part of selection. The format and timing vary, so check each school each cycle.
How do I prepare for a vet school SAQ?+
Know your work experience in detail, practise writing structured, specific answers that make a point and back it with an example, and rehearse working to time. The same ethical and welfare themes that come up in interviews also appear in situational questions, so preparing for both together is efficient.
“Really clear guidance on the tricky bits of the SAQ. Made it much easier.”
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