How to Apply to UC Santa Barbara’s Life Sciences and Medicine-Related Undergraduate Programs: Every Biology Applicant Is Admitted as a Pre-Biology Major and Declares the Full Major by the End of Sophomore Year, No Nursing Degree in the Major List, and Admission and Prerequisites for U.S., International (Including China) and Transfer Applicants

UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) is in Santa Barbara, California, and is a public university in the University of California system. Its life-science majors are mainly in the College of Letters & Science, with a biology major in the College of Creative Studies. The U.S. has no pre-med undergraduate major, and UCSB’s Pre-Health Advising says its pre-health tracks are not majors and may need to be completed in addition to the major. This guide covers fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, then transfer students.

1. Degrees in this area

• Biology majors (Letters & Science) are offered jointly by the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology (EEMB) and the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB). The program page counts 10 biology majors:
  • Biological Sciences: a BA or a BS shared by both departments, giving general training in all aspects of biology; how the BA and BS differ in coursework is not stated on the pages we read;
  • Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB, BS) with four optional emphases: Biochemistry-Molecular Biology, Cell and Developmental Biology, Microbiology and Pharmacology (the site says the Pharmacology emphasis treats pharmacology as a basic science rather than therapeutic principles);
  • EEMB majors: Aquatic Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Physiology and Zoology (all BS).
• Other related majors: the Letters & Science list also includes Biochemistry (Chemistry and Biochemistry; a five-year BS/MS is available) and Biopsychology. The College of Creative Studies (CCS) has a Biology major for students who want to do research early; it needs a supplemental application.
• The lists we read show no undergraduate nursing, public health, kinesiology or nutrition major. There is a Health Humanities minor; “Public Health” in Pre-Health Advising is a pre-health track, not a major. The biology program offers no minor. Whether any program is STEM-designated is not stated on the pages we read.
• A combined BS/MD program: not stated on the pages we read.

2. How admission works: everyone starts as a Pre-Biology major

• Applying: through the UC Application, choosing campuses and majors. UCSB considers an applicant’s second-choice major when space is available; the site encourages applicants to the College of Engineering or CCS to pick an alternate major in Letters & Science.
• Pre-major admission: the biology program says all freshmen requesting any of the 10 biology majors are admitted as Pre-Biology majors (it says “to the BA”). The pre-major holds the chemistry, math, physics and introductory biology that all majors share; students then declare the BS or BA and a specific major, usually at the end of sophomore year. The admissions FAQ says pre-major status does not mean a major is more selective or difficult, only that you must complete required courses and meet GPA requirements set by the department.
• Declaring the full major: freshman admits may declare at the end of the second year after completing MCDB 1A and 1B, EEMB 2 and 3 (2.0 GPA required), MCDB 1AL, EEMB 3L and either MCDB 1BL or EEMB 2L (2.0 GPA required), Chem 1A–1C and two other preparatory courses (2.0 GPA required). At the time of petition you need a 2.0 in all courses attempted toward the major in the preparatory and upper-division groups, and grades must meet the prerequisites for the full major. The full pre-major requirement sheet is a PDF we did not read.
• Prerequisite grades: all upper-division MCDB courses and some upper-division EEMB courses require a C or better in prerequisites; a lower grade must be repeated. The program recommends two upper-division biology courses a quarter (8.0 units) and says most majors need 48.0 upper-division units.
• Moving in from another UCSB major: a first-year non-biology student can declare Pre-Biology at the beginning of spring quarter, after Chem 1A and 1B with a C or better. Students are not admitted to the pre-major after their seventh quarter (or equivalent), and in the seventh quarter only if they have completed introductory biology and most of the pre-major courses.
• The site contradicts itself: the admissions FAQ says Letters & Science majors are not selective, while the biology pages call the program “impacted” and the transfer page lists all biology majors as selective. Check the site for the latest.
• Research: UCSB lists FRAP (Faculty Research Assistance Program) and URCA (Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities) grants. CCS Biology students can pursue independent research from the first year under a faculty advisor, and some receive CCS funding such as a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship. Specific numbers are not published.

3. Pre-med

• UCSB’s Pre-Health Advising belongs to the College of Letters & Science’s Division of Undergraduate Education and serves current students and alumni of any major, with drop-in and appointment advising. It says pre-health tracks are not majors and the listed courses may be needed in addition to the major.
• Medicine track prerequisites (listed by the office; students are responsible for checking each medical school’s requirements): a full year of general chemistry (Chem 1A–1C with 2AL and 2BL labs); a full year of biology (MCDB 1A and 1B, EEMB 2 and 3 with labs); a full year of organic chemistry (Chem 109A–109C with 6AL and 6BL labs; the office notes that 6BL is no longer required for MCDB/EEMB majors but you should check your major and target schools); a full year of physics (Physics 6A–6C with labs); one to two quarters of biochemistry (MCDB 108A, MCDB 110 or Chem 142A); a recommended year of math including statistics; a year of English writing; two social-science courses (introductory psychology and sociology); and strongly recommended upper-division science such as MCDB 101A (Molecular Genetics), 103 (Cell Biology) and 131 (General Microbiology).
• AP calculus: UCSB transcripts do not list AP exam scores and equivalencies, so students with AP math credit may need to retake a course for “study list credit” to meet a medical school’s math requirement; the office lists options.
• Admissions statistics: the office has a Pre-Health Admissions Stats page showing past application cycles for UCSB students. For the 2024–25 cycle, for example, UCSB students submitted 89 AACOMAS (DO) applications, with 69 accepted and 53 matriculating, and 143 CASPA (PA) applications, with 73 accepted and 57 matriculating. MD GPA and MCAT data are in the page’s AMCAS data link, which we did not read.
• Whether Pre-Health Advising has separate guidance for international students, or limits on international students applying to U.S. medical schools, is not stated on the pages we read; email prehealthinfo@ltsc.ucsb.edu. The office’s Medicine page also covers the medical-school application process, which this guide does not.

4. High-school preparation and college credit

• Biology program recommendation (in addition to UC admission requirements): one year of biology, one year of chemistry, mathematics through trigonometry, and one year of physics.
• UC subject requirement (A–G): 15 yearlong high-school courses with C or better, at least 11 completed before senior year: history 2 years, English 4 years, math 3 years (4 recommended), laboratory science 2 years (3 recommended; two of biology, chemistry or physics), a language other than English 2 years (3 recommended), visual and performing arts 1 year and a college-preparatory elective 1 year.
• AP: the biology program says AP courses usually fulfill General Education requirements and AP Chemistry or Biology does not let a student place out of required biology courses, but a score of 4 or better on AP Chemistry or AP Biology lets a freshman enroll in Introductory Biology. The admissions FAQ says credit is given for AP scores of 3 or higher and IB Higher Level scores of 5 or higher, with course equivalents in the UCSB General Catalog (which we did not read, as it is hosted on a third-party catalog platform).
• First two years: see the pre-major courses in section 2; the program also has a recommended first-two-years schedule PDF we did not read.

5. Timeline and materials

• Fall admission only. The UC Application opens August 1; submit the fall 2027 application between October 1 and November 30, 2026; decisions come in mid-March; the page lists an April 11 Open House; the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) is due May 1; housing requests May 15; official transcripts July 1; official AP, IB, TOEFL, IELTS and Duolingo scores July 15.
• Fee: $80 per campus for U.S. residents and $95 per campus for international students (UCSB FAQ); qualified U.S. residents or certain visa holders can have fees waived for up to four campuses.
• Essays: UC Personal Insight Questions — choose four of eight.
• Recommendations: the pages we read do not require recommendations for Letters & Science; the CCS supplemental application “may include” letters of recommendation.
• Testing: UCSB does not consider SAT or ACT scores (they may be sent and used only for course placement after enrollment, not for admission or scholarships). AP and IB scores are due by July 15.
• Review: UC review looks at GPA in all A–G courses, honors, AP and IB courses, context at your school, special projects and achievements, and personal circumstances; each campus applies the factors in its own way and reviews independently. UCSB first-year minimum: GPA of at least 3.0 in A–G courses (3.4 for non-California residents); no recommended GPA.

6. U.S. applicants

• Tuition and budget (UCSB 2026-27 sample budget for a new freshman in the residence halls): tuition and student services fee $15,588, campus-based fees $2,085, books and supplies $1,515, rent $13,203, food $10,782, transportation $789, health care allowance $4,008, personal expenses $2,652 and phone $324, for a California-resident total of $50,946; non-residents add $39,270 of non-resident supplemental tuition, for $90,216. The budget page does not list an extra fee for biology or health majors; not published.
• In-state and out-of-state: California residents and non-residents pay different tuition (above), and the first-year minimum GPA is 3.0 for residents and 3.4 for non-residents. The pages we read state no in-state preference in selection; not published.
• Aid: the FAQ says most UCSB financial aid goes only to California residents based on need; fill in the scholarships section of the UC Application and submit the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application.
• Research and labs: the biology curriculum includes laboratory and field courses; placements are not numbered on the pages we read.

7. International applicants

• Review: international students may apply as first-year or transfer applicants and must meet UC subject requirements. Evaluators familiar with education systems worldwide read your record in the context of your country’s curriculum and grading; do not convert grades to a UC GPA, report all coursework exactly as on your record.
• Transcripts and exams: you generally do not submit transcripts at application (unless a campus asks); predicted exam results can be reported, and admission is conditional on results consistent with them. After you accept an offer you submit official records for grades 9–12, a graduation certificate or diploma, and official exam results, sent directly by the school and examining board. The site says records generally need no translation unless the language uses an alphabet other than the Roman alphabet.
• English: if you attended three or more years of high school with English as the language of instruction you need no test; otherwise show English proficiency (complete the exam by December). UC benchmarks include TOEFL iBT 4.5 or better (from January 2026; 80 or better before), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115, AP English 3, SAT Writing and Language 31, ACT English Language Arts 24 and IB English; self-report scores on the application and send official scores after you accept an offer. Transfer students need no test because they must complete two UC-transferable English composition courses.
• Funds and visa: UC says a U.S. consul requires proof of sufficient funds. After admission and the SIR, show first-year funding to UCSB’s Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS); you can begin the I-20 process after the SIR, and the site urges starting as early as April.
• Aid: UCSB says financial aid and scholarships for international students are very limited; as a California public university it awards aid primarily to U.S. residents, and international students must secure private funding. The non-resident figures in section 6 apply.
• Limits for international students in restricted programs such as nursing or in clinical placements: UCSB has no undergraduate nursing, and placement limits are not stated on the pages we read.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the UCSB and UC international pages we read do not mention the Gaokao or give a China-specific note; not published. Contact admissions (admissions@ucsb.edu). UCSB’s international page offers a virtual tour in Mandarin.
• Records and exams: the site’s general guidance for all international applicants is to report coursework and grades exactly as they appear, without converting, and predicted exam results can be reported (this is not a China-specific rule). How academic proficiency (huikao) records should be reported is not stated on the pages we read. The site says records generally need no translation unless the language uses an alphabet other than the Roman alphabet; it does not say whether Chinese-language transcripts fall under that, so confirm with admissions.
• Prerequisites: the UC A–G list in section 4 applies to all applicants; how it maps to the Chinese curriculum is not stated on the pages we read, so ask admissions.
• English: see section 7; required unless you had three or more years of English-medium instruction.

9. Transfer

• How it works: UCSB admits junior-level transfers for fall only; students with senior standing cannot transfer in. Admissions says the transfer admit rate is “over 60%” and about one third of the incoming class are transfers. Timeline: UC Application October 1–November 30, 2026; a UCSB TAG application September 1–30; the Transfer Academic Update December 15–January 31 (more updates through March 15); decisions mid-April; SIR by June 1.
• Biology transfer requirements (admissions and the biology program agree): complete a one-year general chemistry sequence with lab, a sequence of major-applicable general biology with lab, a one-year organic chemistry sequence with lab (first term by the fall before transfer) and calculus articulating with UCSB MATH 3A–3B or 34A–34B, each with C or better and a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better in these courses. A year of physics with lab and a statistics course are recommended. Use ASSIST to check which courses articulate.
• Restrictions: choose a biology major as first choice; if not admitted, you may be admitted to an alternate major and should expect to finish in that major. You cannot change into biology after enrolling; only junior transfers admitted as Pre-Biology can major in biology.
• Full major: transfers are also admitted as Pre-Biology and may petition for the full major after two full quarters and completing the preparation courses (2.0 GPA).
• Biochemistry (Chemistry and Biochemistry) needs more: for fall 2027 applicants a 2.85 GPA with no grade below C in a full year of general chemistry, a full year of organic chemistry, calculus I–II with multivariable calculus and linear algebra, and a full calculus-based physics sequence with labs.
• GPA: the FAQ recommends a transferable GPA of 3.2 or higher for most majors (3.6 for engineering), and 3.5 or higher for out-of-state or non-California community college students.
• Credit: biology advisors evaluate prerequisites; courses are evaluated as an entire series, with no course-to-course articulation, so complete the series at one school. AP scores of 3 or higher and IB HL 5 or higher earn credit.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• UC Application October 1–November 30, 2026; $80 fee; no SAT/ACT consideration; four Personal Insight Questions
• Biology majors start as Pre-Biology; finish the preparation courses, then declare the full major (usually end of sophomore year); pre-med runs through the Pre-Health course list, not a major

International applicants (including China):

• Report grades exactly as on your record; English: TOEFL 4.5 (new scale), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115; $95 fee
• Gaokao use and China-specific guidance are not published; contact admissions (admissions@ucsb.edu); aid is very limited

Transfer students:

• Junior level, fall only; general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology and calculus with C or better and a 2.7 GPA; no switching into biology after enrollment

Sources: UC Santa Barbara and the University of California admission site, Majors; Academics; Biology undergraduate program overview; Biology majors; Biology pre-major; Biology: freshman applicants; Biology: transfer students; College of Creative Studies: Biology; Pre-Health tracks; Medicine track; Pre-Health advising; Pre-Health admissions stats; First-year applicants; Dates and deadlines; FAQ; International applicants; Transfer; Selective majors for transfer; 2026-27 cost of attendance; UC subject requirement (A–G); UC English proficiency; How UC applications are reviewed; Filling out the UC application; UC financial requirements for visas. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures); check UCSB’s website for the latest.