Registration eligibility

Fall 2025

The fall contest will be held November 7-9, 2025, at Texas A&M University. Four divisions of the contest are offered: undergraduate junior, undergraduate senior, veterinary, and graduate students. Veterinary technicians and AVMA members can compete as non-placing participants.

Registration for the fall 2025 contest opens this summer.

Who can register?

Students

Undergraduates enrolled in an accredited institution (including community colleges and junior colleges) offering a curriculum in animal sciences, zoology or other animal-focused studies students are eligible for participation in the undergraduate division.

Veterinary technician students are also eligible for participation in the undergraduate division.

Graduate students enrolled in an accredited institution offering advanced degrees in animal sciences, zoology or other animal-focused studies are eligible for participation in the graduate division.

Veterinary students enrolled in an AVMA Council on Education-accredited institution are eligible for participation in the veterinary division. Veterinary students enrolled in a non-AVMA Council on Education accredited institution may compete in the Graduate Division.

For more information about the undergraduate/graduate/veterinary divisions please contact Dr. Sharon Kuca at 847-285-6713 or at AWJACavma [dot] org (AWJAC[at]avma[dot]org).

Veterinarians

A limited number of AVMA members will have the opportunity to take part in the contest. Up to eight AVMA members will be selected to participate through an application process and will receive an award of $800 toward travel costs, thanks to funding provided by Merck. As always, member veterinarians will compete as non-placing participants. All contest participants will be eligible to receive CE credits.

Veterinary technicians

Registration is open to a limited number of veterinary technicians who will compete as non-placing participants. To be eligible to participate, veterinary technicians must be a member of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in American (NAVTA).