How to Apply for a PAVE ECE Seat: Emails, CV, Letters, Timing

To get a PAVE Evaluated Clinical Experience (ECE) seat, you apply directly to an AVMA-accredited veterinary school, usually with a letter of intent, a CV, your transcript and diploma, three reference letters, your QSE result and proof of English. Deadlines fall well before the year starts: Missouri's deadline for May 2028 is 1 November 2026, and Penn Vet's window for 2028-29 runs 1 June to 31 August 2027, both for years starting in May 2028. This guide shows what schools ask for, when to apply, and gives templates you can adapt.

For the AAVSB rules behind the ECE (the forms, the 40-week Standard 9 route, split ECEs), read our complete guide to the PAVE ECE. All facts here were checked on the schools' and AAVSB's own pages on 6 October 2026. navleexam.com is not affiliated with AAVSB, AVMA or any school mentioned.

Before You Apply: Three Checks

1. Find schools that are actually open. The AAVSB does not place candidates and publishes no list of host schools. Its handbook says not all accredited schools take ECE candidates and some do so only irregularly. Our verified list of host schools shows which schools' own pages confirm they are taking candidates.
2. Pass the QSE, or schedule it in time. Missouri requires a QSE pass before you apply. Penn Vet requires one by the time it finalizes selection. If the exam is still ahead of you, our QSE practice questions mapped to the 2027 outline are built for that step.
3. Get your English result in order. The AAVSB requires English proficiency before you sit the QSE, and Penn asks for your English test result in the application. The AAVSB treats TOEFL and IELTS scores as valid for two years. See the PAVE English requirement for the section minimums.

What Schools Ask For

The two schools with open, published programs ask for similar packages: