V.E.T. Student Equine Externship Grant Program
Veterinarians Encouraging and Teaching will provide up to $1500 to support veterinary students who complete an externship in equine practice. Externship grant funds are for private clinical practice experience. The funds are intended to defray travel and associated expenses incurred on the externship. This support is meant to empower veterinary students interested in entering equine practice to spend ample time in an externship to learn basic equine skills while fostering a mentee relationship with veterinarians successfully navigating career paths like those currently faced by the students.
To promote emphasizing equine curriculum earlier in their careers, students in all 4 years of veterinary college are eligible to apply. Applicants must be full-time students at a US veterinary college.
Grants will be limited to 1 grant per season (spring/fall) per applicant but receiving a grant won’t disqualify applicants from applying in succeeding seasons.
Applications Starting
FALL 2025
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Fall 2025 apps accepted from:
May 15, 2025 – Aug. 1, 2025
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Fall 2025 announcement:
August 21, 2025
SPRING 2026
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Spring 2026 apps accepted:
Sept. 1, 2025 – Oct. 15, 2025
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Spring 2026 Announcement:
November 15, 2025
How To Apply
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Complete the online Externship Application Form. Applications can be reviewed/edited until the deadline
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Submit a letter from the practice to be visited briefly describing the practice and stating what the housing arrangements will be for the student. The student is responsible for letter being submitted by the deadline. Incomplete applications will not be considered.
Grant funds will be disbursed in 2 installments. The first 50% upon approval of the grant, and the balance upon successful completion of the externship and submission of an externship report, consisting of a short case report or externship journal, within 30 days of completion of the externship.
The student extern must sign a release releasing V.E.T. from liability associated with the externship activities, prior to commencing any activities connected with the externship, including travel.
Insurance and Liability Information
If the practice’s supervising veterinarians are insured for professional liability through the AVMA PLIT, preceptor coverage can be purchased for $10. This is an endorsement to the veterinarian’s policy and duplicates the policy limits for the student. The student must be a SCAVMA member and be attending an accredited veterinary college. It is strongly recommended that students have professional liability coverage in place.
V.E.T. suggests that all practices and students contact their insurance carrier or workers compensation insurance carrier to decrease liability to the practice if a student is injured while at a practice. The AVMA and some state VMAs provide resources to decrease your risk and your clients risk of liability. These can include liability waivers for students, appropriate oversight of students, training on safety when working with animals, and obtaining insurance through your insurance carrier.
Some veterinary colleges extend their insurance coverage for work-related injuries to students on externships. Students should verify coverage with their college administration.