Do you need the BCSE before the NAVLE?

Updated 20 October 2026

This is one of the most common questions foreign-trained vets ask, and the answer depends on where you graduated.

If you graduated from an accredited US or Canadian veterinary school

You generally do not take the BCSE as a licensing requirement. In Canada, graduates of accredited schools need only pass the NAVLE (within the permitted attempts) to receive the Certificate of Qualification. In the United States you apply to take the NAVLE through your licensing board and ICVA.

If you graduated from a school outside the accredited programmes

You usually complete a recognition pathway, and the BCSE is part of it.

ECFVG (United States): candidates must pass the BCSE before they are approved to take the NAVLE.
NEB (Canada): the BCSE, NAVLE, PSA and CPE, all within seven years of registering.

Check before you plan

Eligibility rules differ between states, provinces and bodies, and they change. Confirm yours in the ICVA candidate handbook, the AVMA or NEB bulletin, and with your licensing board. Then read the NAVLE for international graduates guide and how to register for the BCSE.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need the BCSE to take the NAVLE?

Foreign-trained candidates on the ECFVG pathway must pass the BCSE before they are approved for the NAVLE. Graduates of accredited US and Canadian schools generally do not take the BCSE for licensing.

Can I skip the BCSE?

Not if you are on the ECFVG or NEB pathway for graduates of non-accredited schools. The BCSE is a required step.

Which comes first, the BCSE or the NAVLE?

The BCSE comes first for ECFVG candidates. In Canada the NEB requires both, and the BCSE is the first exam on its list.