Merrist Wood College

Our state-of-the-art Animal Management centre has a zoo licence, giving you the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in a realistic professional environment. The centre has an arid biome, tropical biome, and nocturnal room, allowing you to study and care for a wide range of animals in a near-natural environment.

We also have a fully functioning farm with rare breed sheep and cows, pigs, goats, llamas, donkeys, chickens, ducks and many more! We are proud of our large collection of animals—which also includes meerkats, tropical birds, reptiles, a skunk, and red squirrels—and plan to add many more to the collection soon.

Our course tutors are passionate and knowledgeable, with industry related experience and we have great connections with local and global organisations such as the RSPCA, Battersea Dogs’ and Cats’ Home, Chessington Zoo, Tilgate Nature Centre, and more.

Access to Higher Education qualifications are nationally-recognised, one-year, intensive Level 3 courses. They are a fast-track route to gaining the skills and qualifications you need to study at university and begin the career you’ve dreamed of.

This course has been specifically designed to help adult learners prepare to progress onto our programme of degrees here at Merrist Wood and other Universities and Colleges. 

The course will assume no prior knowledge or experience in the animal industry as many adult learners are changing careers. It will help to develop a range of academic and study skills for those returning to education, as well as practical skills working with a range of species. 

The course gives a strong introduction to the animal field for those changing careers; and also covers a range of study skills for those re-entering education. Our new £4.5 million Animal Management centre includes an exciting range of animal species; state of the art classrooms and IT suite. The Merrist Wood campus provides a stunning backdrop to your studies with a rural setting, acres of woodlands and an inclusive atmosphere.

Merrist Wood College is part of Activate Learning