1. Format

• Both the Master of Advanced Studies in Veterinary Medicine (MAS) and the European Master of Advanced Veterinary Studies (EMSAVM) are professional Masters, but the EMSAVM is more similar to the format of a scientific Master (MSc) program.
• Both consist of a course work module comprising 8 ESAVS courses plus exams, a case log module of 200 cases and a case reports module with 10 in-depth case reports and an oral case presentation.

The difference lies in the Master thesis requirement: Whereas in the EMSAVM a research thesis of ~10.000 words is required, in the MAS the thesis now consists of the case reports module plus the oral presentation (“defense”) of one of the cases.

• By omitting the research thesis requirement, the MAS comprises of 80 ECTS vs. 120 ECTS for the EMSAVM.
• In the MAS the practical work (daily work at the practice/clinic at home) is attributed towards the written work modules vs. a stand-alone module in the EMSAVM.

2. Accreditation

• The EMSAVM is a degree offered by ESAVS under the roof of the University of Luxembourg which only provides administrative support including issuing the diploma. The Certificate and master programs were authorized by the Lux department of education. None of the programs at the UL are either certified or accredited by external bodies.
• ESAVS is now an independent educational institution recognized by the state of Luxemburg. The CAS and MAS are certified by the Federation of Education in Europe (FEDE) and accredited by Veterinary Continuous Education in Europe (VetCEE) (accreditation for all disciplines is currently in progress) -> please also see: “What is the value of the MAS and is it also internationally recognized?”

3. Administration

• For the MAS and CAS programs, all enrolments, course and exam registrations, records and transcripts are administered by ESAVS only and require lesser formalities, whereas for the EMSAVM, all of the above is administered by two different system (ESAVS and UL) which also entails more bureaucracy for the students.
• Exams have been conducted online in the last years and will continue to take place online for the CAS/MAS programs. At the University of Luxembourg, exams are already conducted on-site again for resident students, which could become mandatory again also for ESAVS students in the future.

The MAS provides advanced knowledge training with an emphasis on professional practice. The main focus is on solving practical problems. The MSc provides broad-based knowledge training emphasizing the principles of the field of study. The main focus is on research and scientific work.
The MAS prepares you specifically for doing a better job in your practice/clinic; whereas an MSc prepares you for a scientific career.
The MAS is thus better for the professional market, the MSc better if you are looking for a job in a research/academic environment.

It is definitely not. Since it was started, the EMSAVM at the UL has always been presented as a “professional master degree”, which ESAVS had always intended, meaning the courses/study programs, the case log and the case reports have always been consistent with the practical training for professionals.
Since the Luxembourg Ministry of Education allows only one Master format, our “professional Master” at the University of Luxembourg had to comply with the traditional Master of 120 ECTS, which is the format of a scientific Master degree (MSc), and with the obligation to submit a research thesis. This means that ESAVS students received practice-oriented training but were nevertheless required to produce a scientific thesis which proved to be the major obstacle for many.
It was therefore decided to adapt the EMSAVM to the internationally accepted MAS format, which is specifically designed for continuing education studies. In consequence, the “new” ESAVS Master (MAS) had to be established outside of the University of Luxembourg.

ESAVS does not grant any refunds in the event of a cancellation received less than 8 weeks (56 days) prior to the course. We strongly recommend the purchase of travel insurance, when registering for a course and making travel arrangements. Travel insurance can cover the cost of your travel expenses in the event of a last minute cancellation or emergency. To learn more about our cancelation policy, please refer to the terms and conditions page on our website.

In the event of a cancellation received between 12 to 8 weeks (84-56 days) prior to the course, the ESAVS reserves the right to retain 50% of the payment received.

Cancellations made more than 12 weeks (more than 84 days) before the course start date will receive a full refund minus €300 administrative costs.

Fees cannot be transferred to another course or refunded for either cash or goods, unless a separate agreement with the ESAVS office has been made. This may incur an administrative charge (€300).

Tuition fees will be fully reimbursed if a course is cancelled by the ESAVS. No further claim can be raised thereafter. This means that the ESAVS refunds only tuitions fees and does not reimburse expenses for travel arrangements made by participants.

The annual enrolment fees and examination fees for the Master or Certificate Program are non-refundable.

If you are going to attend an ESAVS course for the first time, you will receive a separate e-mail with your log-in data. You can use this log-in data for each ESAVS course you attended. If you forgot your user name or password, please contact our office – e-campus@esavs.eu.