Class, homeschool friendly
Veterinary Science Certificate Program, ages 12+ — Texas A&M AgriLife
Texas A&M AgriLife's structured veterinary-science course for students 12 and up, open to homeschoolers: about 100 independent-study lessons with teacher-led videos, printable materials, online quizzes and hands-on skills, paced for roughly two years. Three tracks — Clinical (companion, livestock and exotic animal health: about 200 hours of coursework, 225 supervised clinical hours and a 100-skill checklist), One Health (how animal, human and environmental health connect) and Laboratory (research and diagnostic work). Clinical Track students 16 and older may sit the Texas A&M Veterinary Assistant exam — a separate credential; the program does not make anyone a licensed vet tech or veterinarian. Run from Aggieland, so the required clinical placement can draw on the local veterinary and animal-science community.
- Schedule
- Self-paced online, or the instructor-led Virtual Veterinary Academy: weekly live classes on Monday evenings (recently 6:30 pm Central, attendance optional), recorded lessons and weekly deadlines in a semester cohort. Clinical Track families also arrange about 225 hours of supervised hands-on experience with a vet, shelter, farm, clinic or zoo.
- Ages
- 12 and up
- Cost
- Independent-study curriculum about $1,000, or about $250 per section; Virtual Veterinary Academy about $375 a semester; student resources about $35; certification exam about $50. Prices change between years.
- Run by
- Texas A&M AgriLife
- Joining
- Enroll any time for independent study; the Virtual Veterinary Academy runs in cohorts. Families line up their own clinical placement, and should confirm current options with Texas A&M and the facility. The Veterinary Assistant exam is a separate step, ages 16+.
Checked 2026-09-20. Confirm days and fees before you enrol.