How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at Washington University in St. Louis: Choose a School such as Arts & Sciences, Declare a Major by the Spring of Sophomore Year, Majors in Biology (with Several Tracks), Biochemistry and Public Health & Society, No Nursing Major Listed, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Washington University in St. Louis (WashU) is in St. Louis, Missouri. Its life-science and health-related majors are mainly in the College of Arts & Sciences; biomedical engineering is in engineering and health care management is in the business school, and we do not cover them. There is no pre-med major in the United States, and WashU’s PreHealth office says you can major in any subject and meet professional-school requirements alongside it. This guide summarises WashU’s published information for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, then transfer students.

1. Relevant undergraduate majors

• Biology: the Department of Biology says it offers seven majors: the biology major, five specializations (Ecology and Evolution; Genomics and Computational Biology; Molecular Biology and Biochemistry; Neuroscience; Microbiology) and an Environmental Biology major. The Arts & Sciences degree-requirements page describes the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. The department says more students major in biology than in any other Arts & Sciences offering and that more than 75% of its undergraduates do research before graduating.
• Biochemistry: a separate major, usually completed in 67–69 units; the Chemistry major also has a Biochemistry specialization.
• Public Health & Society: 34 units, including an internship (APEX).
• Others: Psychological & Brain Sciences (Cognitive Neuroscience), Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology, Physics (Biophysics) and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (Health) majors, which we do not cover.
• Nursing: the Arts & Sciences major list we read has no undergraduate nursing major. Whether these majors are STEM-designated, and whether any combined bachelor’s/medical-degree program exists, is not stated on the pages we read; ask admissions. The biology page mentions the MD/PhD Medical Scientist Training Program, which is postgraduate.

2. Admission: choose a school, declare a major after enrolling

• Applying: you must choose one of five undergraduate schools (Architecture, Art, Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering) as your “home base” and name a primary academic interest, but you do not need to formally declare a major until your second year. WashU says you are welcome to take classes in other schools or transfer to them.
• Declaring: the Arts & Sciences bulletin says you must declare a major by the first Friday of the spring semester of sophomore year, and have an academic plan in place by the end of junior year.
• Entry conditions: the Biology, Biochemistry and Public Health & Society pages we read state no GPA threshold or cap; ask the departments.
• Biology major: 58 units; all courses must be taken for a letter grade, with C– or better. The core includes BIOL 2960 and 2970, general chemistry I and II with labs, organic chemistry I and II with labs, physics I and II with labs, MATH 1520 Calculus II, and either MATH 2130 Calculus III or a statistics course (SDS 2020, 3020 or 3030). You also need at least 18 units of advanced biology (numbered 3000 or above), at least one course from each of three areas (cellular and molecular; organismal; evolution, ecology and population biology), and an advanced laboratory course.
• Neuroscience specialization: 60 units including the biology major requirements, with BIOL 3057 Physiological Control Systems, one area A course (cell biology or biochemistry), BIOL 3411 Principles of the Nervous System and a laboratory pathway.
• Biochemistry major: foundational courses in biology, chemistry (all chemistry courses must be taken in residence at WashU), Calculus I and II and physics, one math or data-science elective, at least 24 units of upper-level courses and an advanced laboratory. The bulletin says that from fall 2026 the organic chemistry sequence was replaced by separate lecture and laboratory courses.
• Public Health & Society: letter grades with C or better; required courses on foundations of public health, global health, theories and research methods, an APEX seminar and internship, plus 18 credits of electives.
• Research and honors: first- and second-year students can take introduction-to-research courses; a research emphasis needs at least 6 credits of independent research and a thesis. Biology senior honors needs a 3.30 GPA in biology, 3.30 in math, chemistry and physics, a 3.65 overall GPA at graduation, and 6 units of research plus a thesis; students should start research by the spring of junior year.

3. The pre-med path

• The PreHealth pages say you can major in anything. Science majors (biology, chemistry, earth and planetary sciences, environmental studies, physics, engineering, biochemistry, molecular biology, philosophy-neuroscience-psychology) are named, and so are humanities and social-science majors, whose graduates have been admitted to medical school.
• Typical pre-med courses (planning page): one year each of biology, chemistry and physics with labs; one year of organic chemistry with lab (some schools accept biochemistry in place of organic II); one semester of biochemistry; one year of English or writing; one semester each of psychology and sociology. Math requirements vary; the page says AP Calculus II credit is almost always enough and AP Calculus I plus a graded statistics course often is. It suggests at least one applied ethics course.
• AP credit: the page says most medical schools do not accept AP biology, chemistry or physics for these requirements and advises students not to skip core courses.
• Pace and support: first-year students are advised to start with two science courses (including math) a semester; incoming students are invited to MyPreHealth, and sophomores are assigned an adviser in the fall. The page says more than 80% of its students take at least one gap year. The institutional letter requires a Canvas course (by 1 March) and a strategy meeting (by 1 April).
• Department figure: the biology page says that over the last six years 72% of biology majors who applied to medical school were accepted, against a 45% national rate for biology majors that it cites.
• International students: PreHealth has a page on U.S. medical school data for international applicants. It says only 49 of the 171 AAMC medical schools admit international students, and that 24 WashU students who were not U.S. citizens or permanent residents applied between 2019 and 2024, with 41% admitted in their first cycle. This guide does not cover medical school applications themselves; see that page.
• A combined bachelor’s/medical-degree program is not mentioned on the pages we read.

4. High school preparation

• WashU says it uses a holistic review and does not require specific courses for admission. Successful candidates’ transcripts often include 4 years of English, 4 of mathematics, 3–4 of laboratory science, 3–4 of history or social science and at least two years of the same foreign language. Arts & Sciences recommends both chemistry and physics for students planning pre-medicine or natural-science coursework.
• The first two years of a biology major are described in section 2 (BIOL 2960/2970, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics, calculus).
• AP, IB, A-Level: the Arts & Sciences bulletin says no more than 15 units of pre-matriculation credit (AP, A-Level, IB and similar) count toward the degree. Which exam scores earn which courses is not stated on the pages we read; check the registrar or the College. The international page says an official statement of advanced standing is given only after admission, on campus, with an academic adviser.

5. Application rounds and materials

• Four plans: Early Action (non-binding), Early Decision I, Early Decision II (binding) and Regular Decision. Applications open 1 August.
• Early Action: due 2 November 2026; decisions by 23 December; reply 1 May.
• Early Decision I: due 2 November; decisions by 11 December; reply 4 January.
• Early Decision II: due 4 January 2027; decisions by 12 February; reply 1 March.
• Regular Decision: due 4 January; decisions by 1 April; reply 1 May.
• School materials (school report, transcript, teacher evaluation, counselor recommendation): 9 November for Early Action and Early Decision I; 11 January for Early Decision II and Regular Decision. Financial aid application: 17 November (Early Action and Early Decision I), 11 January (Early Decision II), 1 February (Regular Decision). Priority scholarship applications: 16 December.
• Platform: Common App or Coalition. Application fee $75, waived for aid applicants or on hardship.
• Required: transcript and school report, one teacher evaluation, a counselor recommendation, a 250-word answer to “what you are interested in studying and why”, activities and the Common App or Coalition essay. Optional: a 90-second video, Schoolhouse.world certifications, SAT/ACT.
• Testing: optional (SAT or ACT, no writing required); self-reported scores are accepted with official scores required after enrolling; the last test date is October for Early Action and Early Decision I and December for other rounds.
• WashU says school scholarships and Signature Scholar awards are made after the Early Decision II notification date, and recommends Regular Decision to students who need an academic scholarship.

6. U.S. applicants

• Tuition: WashU is private and its cost page lists one tuition, with no in-state/out-of-state split. 2026-27 university charges: tuition $71,310, student activity fee $712, student health and wellness fee $700, average housing and food $24,272, total $96,994. Estimated costs the university does not bill: $5,266 (books $1,412, travel $1,050, miscellaneous $2,804). The student health insurance plan is separate. The pages we read state no extra fee for biology or health majors.
• Need-based aid: WashU says it meets 100% of demonstrated need without loans, and the offer is worked out the same way in every round. U.S. citizens and permanent residents file the CSS Profile and FAFSA.
• Scholarships: each school offers four-year scholarships up to full tuition with no separate application; Signature Scholar programs need an application by 16 December with 250-word answers; the Kessler Scholars Program supports up to 20 first-generation, limited-income STEM students.
• Research and internships: the biology page describes independent research for credit and summer research, internship credit that can include shadowing a physician, and fellowship and internship partners such as the Tyson Research Center and the Danforth Plant Science Center. Seat numbers are not stated.

7. International applicants

• Education: at least 12 years of primary and secondary study and a secondary diploma are required. You submit original or certified transcripts, a description of the grading system, exam results (IGCSE, HKCEE, predicted A-Levels, national exams and so on), school-leaving certificates and certified English translations of all of them. Records must show subjects each year, course duration, lecture or laboratory periods and marks.
• English: required of applicants whose first language is not English, via TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo. WashU says its most competitive applicants have TOEFL 100 or higher (exams before 21 January 2026) or 5.0 on the new scale, IELTS Academic 7.0 and Duolingo 130; December 2026 is the last test month for fall 2027 (October for Early Action and Early Decision I). For fall 2027 applicants, SAT or ACT scores are no longer accepted in place of an English exam. Three or more years in a U.S. English-medium school with strong performance may earn an exemption. WashU holds no evaluative interviews but encourages a third-party interview supplement such as InitialView; skipping it is not penalised.
• Testing alternatives: international applicants may submit the SAT; the ACT; predicted or actual national exam results; predicted or actual IB Diploma results; predicted A-Levels; three AP scores; or three IB Higher Level scores. For STEM majors in Arts & Sciences, engineering or business, one score must be in math. Whether life-science majors count as “STEM majors” here is not stated on the pages we read; ask admissions.
• Funds and aid: international students are eligible for aid only if they apply during admission; later requests are not possible. Applicants who do not apply for aid must submit the International Financial Information form or the application stays incomplete. WashU says it meets 100% of demonstrated need for admitted undergraduates. For an I-20 you need a statement of funds, an Affidavit of Financial Support and certified English bank statements.
• Visa and insurance: F-1 is the usual student visa. All full-time degree students must have health insurance, through the university plan or proof of other cover.
• Any limits on international students in lab or clinical placements: not stated on the pages we read.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international page lists “national exams” among examples but does not name the Gaokao and has no China-specific page. Contact admissions (admissions@wustl.edu).
• Transcripts and translation: all documents need certified English translations; transcripts must show subjects, duration, class periods and marks, with a description of the grading system. Requirements for Chinese senior-high proficiency exams are not described separately.
• Twelve years: WashU requires at least 12 years of primary and secondary study; how it applies to the Chinese system is not explained.
• Math and science: no separate expectations for the Chinese curriculum, and no required courses for anyone; the biology major’s calculus, chemistry and physics sequences are in section 2.

9. Transfer

• Deadlines: fall 2027 transfer applications are due 1 March 2027, decisions by 7 May, reply 20 May. Spring 2027 applications are due 15 October, decisions by 20 November; they are for Arts & Sciences only, need at least one completed semester elsewhere, and international students must already be studying at a U.S. university.
• General: WashU says transfer admission is selective, that each school may have zero to a small handful of places, and that successful applicants typically present a GPA of at least 3.5 and a completed first-year composition course. You submit a college instructor evaluation, a college report, and college and high school transcripts, and must have left previous schools in good standing.
• Pre-health transfers: WashU calls transferring as a PreHealth or PreMed student “challenging” and recommends applying as a junior-level transfer with two semesters of general chemistry with lab, two of organic chemistry with lab, Calculus I and II and a writing course, and ideally some college biology; physics is a plus (calculus-based recommended). It lists U.S. medical school prerequisites of two semesters each of general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, physics (all with lab), mathematics including calculus, and English, and notes some medical schools do not accept AP credit.
• Credit and residence: the bulletin says transfers must be enrolled for at least four consecutive full-time semesters. Earlier coursework may count toward area requirements but generally not core requirements, and whether it counts toward a major is up to the department. The school you are admitted to cannot simply be changed; changing schools needs an application after a full semester at WashU.
• Aid: international transfer applicants are not eligible for financial aid.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Choose Arts & Sciences and name a primary academic interest (a major need not be declared yet); Early Action and Early Decision I by 2 November, Early Decision II and Regular Decision by 4 January; testing optional
• Pre-med needs no particular major; most medical schools do not accept AP for biology, chemistry and physics, so do not skip core courses

International applicants (including China):

• English reference points: TOEFL 5.0 (new scale), IELTS 7.0, Duolingo 130; SAT/ACT no longer substitute for English; transcripts and certificates need certified English translations
• Request aid in the admission application itself; confirm how the Gaokao is used with admissions

Transfer students:

• Fall 2027 entry due 1 March 2027; a GPA of 3.5 or higher is typical; pre-health transfers should come in at junior level

Sources: Washington University in St. Louis, First-year U.S. citizen/permanent resident applicants; First-year international applicants; Application dates and deadlines; English testing requirements; Transfer applicants; Scholarships; Costs; Arts & Sciences majors; Biology major; Biology: Neuroscience specialization; Biochemistry major; Public Health & Society major; Arts & Sciences degree requirements; Biology undergraduate program; PreHealth: planning your path; PreHealth: choosing your major; PreHealth: planning; PreHealth: U.S. medical school data for international applicants. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures); check the university’s website for the latest.