How to Apply to UC Irvine’s Life Sciences and Medicine-Related Undergraduate Programs: Ten Majors in the Dunlop School of Biological Sciences, Nursing Science as a Restricted Direct-Entry Major, Public Health Sciences and Policy, and Admission and Prerequisites for U.S., International (Including China) and Transfer Applicants

UC Irvine (UCI) is a public university in the University of California system, in Irvine, California. Its life-science and health-related undergraduate majors sit in three schools: the Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences (biology majors), the Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing (BS in Nursing Science) and the Joe C. Wen School of Population and Public Health. The U.S. has no pre-med undergraduate major; the Dunlop School’s health-sciences advising in the catalogue says students can prepare for health-profession schools by majoring in Biological Sciences or by majoring in any school or department while completing the specific courses the target school requires. This guide covers fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, then transfer students.

1. Degrees in this area

• Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences (catalogue), all BS degrees: Biological Sciences; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Biology Education; Developmental and Cell Biology; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Genetics; Human Biology; Microbiology and Immunology; Neurobiology; and Physiology and Exercise Science (the school introduction says “Exercise Sciences” and the transfer page says “Physiology and Exercise Science”, so the name is inconsistent). There is also a minor in Biological Sciences. The catalogue says these majors form an excellent basis for graduate or professional study such as medical school.
• BS in Nursing Science: from the School of Nursing, about four years, leading to eligibility for the NCLEX-RN and for public health nurse certification. It is a restricted major, limited by clinical placement sites and Board of Registered Nursing approval; the program’s goal is to graduate 50 students a year.
• School of Population and Public Health: the BS in Public Health Sciences and the BA in Public Health Policy, plus minors in Public Health and Global Health. The catalogue says the school is a CEPH-accredited program and is going through self-study to become an accredited school of public health. The BS requires biology, chemistry and calculus courses and a 100-hour public health practicum.
• Other: the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences offers a BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences (only its transfer requirements are mentioned below); engineering-based biomedical programs are not covered.
• Whether any program is STEM-designated, and whether there is a combined BS/MD, is not stated on the pages we read.

2. How admission works: choose a major, nursing is direct entry

• Applying: you choose a major in the UC Application. The nursing pages say the major listed in your applicant portal is the major you were admitted into, and if you are not admitted to nursing, admission defaults to your second-choice major (you may reapply the following year). Whether every biology major can be chosen at application is not spelled out one by one on the admission pages we read; the transfer page says five of the biology majors are “not available until the student is enrolled at UC Irvine” for transfers.
• Curriculum frame of the Dunlop School (catalogue): first-year students start with ecology and evolution and cellular and molecular biology; the second year covers genetics, biochemistry and molecular biology; third and fourth years offer advanced electives, with a series of laboratory courses. The core includes the Freshman Seminar (Transfer Student Seminar for transfers), BIO SCI 90L, 93, 94, 97, 98, 99 and 100, a year of general chemistry (Chem 1A–1C with labs, or honors), a year of organic chemistry (Chem 51A–51C with labs), calculus (MATH 5A–5B Calculus for Life Sciences, or MATH 2A–2B), one of statistics or linear algebra and similar courses, and a year of physics (Physics 3A–3C or 7C–7E, with labs). Students need a 2.0 GPA in the biology core, four upper-division electives and two upper-division laboratories; core prerequisites are “rigorously enforced.”
• Changing majors within UCI: contact the Dunlop Student Affairs Office; requests are accepted throughout the year. The change-of-major page sets capped intake for some majors: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 24 new majors a year, Developmental and Cell Biology 30 and Microbiology and Immunology 24, with requirements such as the biology core through BIO SCI 99, organic chemistry, an average 3.0 in required biology courses and junior standing (90 units), then, for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BIO SCI 98/99 grades and BIO SCI 199 research as tiebreakers if the pool is too large (other majors list different tiebreakers); the Exercise Sciences major is open to juniors and seniors only. Caps and criteria may change each year.
• Research: the BIO SCI 199 Undergraduate Research Training Program can start as early as sophomore year; the school says there are more than 250 laboratories and medical clinics for research. The school’s Honors Program requires a 3.5 UC GPA and a 3.5 in required biology courses and the Excellence in Research program. Free biology tutoring is available.

3. Nursing Science: a restricted major

• Applying: freshmen and transfers apply through the UC Application by November 30; the nursing page says the Nursing Supplemental Application is no longer needed. Admissions is handled centrally by the campus Office of Undergraduate Admissions, and the School of Nursing is not part of selection. The nursing page prints “Application Open: August 1, 2025; Deadline: November 30, 2025”, which is the previous cycle; confirm the dates for fall 2027.
• Freshman requirements: a cumulative high-school GPA of 3.0 or higher and two years of high-school laboratory science (biology and chemistry), each with a C or better. The site calls admission “competitive and highly selective” with limited clinical placements, and recommends researching other nursing programs. TEAS and HESI are not required, and there is no minimum number of volunteer hours.
• Direct entry: freshmen and transfers admitted to Nursing Science do not need to reapply.
• Changing in later: first-year students admitted to another major cannot change to nursing before starting UCI coursework; they may apply as continuing students from the summer after the first year (the application opens in June and closes in July; the 2026 deadline was July 31), but the page calls it very competitive with most applicants not admitted. Students admitted as transfers to a non-nursing major cannot apply. The two UCI sites give different change-of-major criteria: the nursing page says a cumulative GPA of 2.0, C or better in prerequisites taken at UCI and B or better at public California institutions; the change-of-major site says a 2.0 quarterly GPA, a 2.75 average in the courses counted toward the major, B or better for outside courses, an application window of June 1–July 31, and required courses including Chem 1A–1C, Bio Sci 93 and psychology, with GPA, science grades, repeats and healthcare experience as tiebreakers. Check the site for the latest.
• There is no second-bachelor’s or Accelerated BSN and no RN-to-BSN program; people who already hold a non-nursing bachelor’s degree cannot apply to the BS but can apply to the graduate-level Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN).
• Clinical work: rotations begin in junior year; 50% or more of clinical placements are at UCI Medical Center; availability on evenings and weekends for clinical schedules is mandatory; you must provide your own transportation. The program does not ask for vaccination proof before admission, but clinical partners have their own requirements.
• International students: the FAQ says international students are accepted, but to register for the NCLEX you need a Social Security Number or an Individual Taxpayer ID Number; getting one early avoids delays.

4. Pre-med

• The Dunlop Student Affairs Office handles health-sciences advising: students who want health-profession schools should have their programs checked there and plan to enroll in BIO SCI 3A; admissions tests for medical, dental, pharmacy and allied-health programs should be taken in the spring, one and a half years before entering.
• The catalogue says the preparation can be done by majoring in Biological Sciences or by majoring in any school or department and completing the specific course requirements of the professional school. It suggests electives in the social sciences, possibly a foreign language and physical chemistry, as the target schools require. The Wen School’s catalogue entry says students in public health who want medical school need additional courses beyond the public health requirements.
• The school has a separate Pre-Health Professional Advising website (undergraduate.bio.uci.edu), but that site returned 403 to automated access and we did not read it; check it directly for recommended courses, committee letters and medical-school statistics, which are not stated on the pages we read.
• Separate guidance for international students and limits on international students applying to U.S. medical schools: not stated on the pages we read.

5. High-school preparation and college credit

• Dunlop School recommendation (in addition to university admission requirements): a course in biology, four years of mathematics, and courses in chemistry and physics.
• UC subject requirement (A–G) (admissions page): history 2 years (one year of world or European history and one year of U.S. history, or half a year of U.S. history and half of government or civics); English 4 years; mathematics 3 years (4 recommended; algebra, geometry and advanced algebra); laboratory science 2 years (3 recommended); a language other than English 2 years (3 recommended; the same language); visual and performing arts 1 year; and a college-preparatory elective 1 year. You need a GPA of at least 3.0 (3.4 for non-California residents) in the 15 A–G courses, with no grade below C; Pass/Fail or Credit/No Credit grades cannot satisfy subject requirements. There is no pre-approved course list for schools outside California.
• AP / IB / A-Level credit: AP scores of 3, 4 or 5, IB Higher Level scores of 5, 6 or 7, and GCE or Singapore-Cambridge A-Level grades A, B or C earn graduation credit; the course equivalents are in the UCI catalogue and the UC exam-credit page, which we did not read.
• Math and chemistry placement levels: not stated on the pages we read; the admissions page says only that SAT/ACT scores may be used for class placement after enrollment.

6. Timeline and materials

• Fall admission only (the dates page says “Apply for Fall”). The UC Application period for fall 2027 admission is October 1 to November 30 (the page prints no year; read as 2026 for fall 2027 entry).
• Application fee: the UCI pages we read do not give an amount; not published, check the UC application.
• Essays: UC Personal Insight Questions — choose four of eight, each limited to 350 words.
• Recommendations: UCI says it does not accept or consider letters of recommendation.
• Testing: UCI does not consider SAT or ACT scores (they may be used after enrollment for placement or some graduation requirements).
• Review: comprehensive review of A–G completion, academic achievement, activities, talents and skills, all in the context of your circumstances; factors also include courses beyond A–G, honors/AP/IB courses and being in the top 9 percent of your class (ELC).
• Agents: UCI says it does not partner with agents; applications must be completed solely by the student, and a third-party application can lead to withdrawal or revocation.

7. U.S. applicants

• Tuition and fees (Registrar fee page, 2026-27, students entering in fall 2026, under the Tuition Stability Plan, which holds each entering class’s tuition flat): tuition $14,202, student services fee $1,386, plus student, center and recreation fees and student health insurance of $3,213.90, for a California-resident annual total of $20,105.05; non-residents add $39,270 of supplemental tuition for $59,375.05. These figures do not include housing, food, books or personal expenses, which that page does not list. Fee figures for students entering in fall 2027 are not yet on that page; not published. The page lists no extra fee for nursing or biology majors; the nursing page refers to a supplemental costs sheet, which we did not read.
• In-state and out-of-state: California residents and non-residents pay different tuition (above); the minimum A–G 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 UCI pages we read cover only international students; details of aid for U.S. residents are not published on them, so see the UCI Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. That office says the 2027-28 FAFSA and California Dream Act applications are open.
• Research and clinical work: see sections 2 and 3; the school says there are more than 250 laboratories and medical clinics.

8. International applicants

• Subject requirements (international page; average GPA of at least 3.4): two years of history (your country’s history in place of U.S. history); four years in the language of instruction at your school; three years of college-preparatory math (four recommended); two years of college-preparatory science (three recommended) covering two of biology, chemistry or physics; two years of a second language (three recommended); one year of visual and performing arts; and one more year in any area above.
• Review: you are evaluated within your country’s curriculum by counselors familiar with education abroad. Report all coursework and grades for grades 9–12, and put international exams (including predicted ones) on the International Exams page; predicted IB scores are not the only factor.
• English: the requirement depends on your high-school language of instruction, not citizenship. With less than three years of English-medium instruction, show proficiency with 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 (or SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 680), ACT English 24 or IB English. Scores are self-reported, and official scores are checked if admitted. If you have not tested, do so no later than December; UCI needs an actual score, not a planned test date.
• Transcripts: official records are requested only after admission and after you submit the Statement of Intent to Register (SIR), and must show dates attended, course and exam titles, grades and credits.
• Aid: the UCI financial aid office says international students are not eligible for federal or state aid; the UCI International Center provides advising and immigration services. For third-party tuition assistance email fafiscal@uci.edu.
• Nursing: international students are accepted, but taking the NCLEX needs an SSN or ITIN (section 3). Limits for international students in clinical placements in other programs: not stated on the pages we read.

9. Applicants from China

• What the site says: the international page has a China entry — complete 12 years of education and receive your certificate of graduation; report all coursework completed in grades 9–12; if you complete both the Chinese national curriculum and an international curriculum (AP, IGCSE/A-Levels or IB), report all courses and internal grades from grades 9 to 12 under Academic History and any international exams, planned ones included, on the International Exams page.
• Gaokao: the pages we read do not say whether the Gaokao is considered; not published. Contact admissions (949-824-6703).
• Huikao and similar: how Chinese academic proficiency exam records are reported is not stated.
• English: see section 8; required if you had less than three years of English-medium instruction.
• General note for all international applicants (not China-specific): UCI says it does not use agents and that applications must be completed by the student.

10. Transfer

• Timeline: transfers apply through the UC Application as well (October 1–November 30); the dates page lists a priority deadline for transfer and 2B applicants to submit the Transfer Academic Update, but the date is not given on the page we read. For most of the majors listed below, TAG (Transfer Admission Guarantee) applicants need a 3.4 transferable GPA (Nursing Science does not take part in TAG).
• Dunlop School: Biological Sciences, Biology Education and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology share one requirement: a cumulative UC-transferable GPA of 3.0 (3.4 for TAG), plus C or better in a year of general chemistry with lab (UCI Chem 1A–1C, 1LC/1LD), a year of organic chemistry with lab (Chem 51A–51C, 51LB/51LC) and a year of biology (BIO SCI 93 and 94). Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Developmental and Cell Biology, Human Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, and Physiology and Exercise Science are “not available until the student is enrolled at UC Irvine.”
• Nursing Science (not in the TAG program): a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher and B or better in a year of general chemistry, biology with lab (BIO SCI 93), genetics (BIO SCI 97), human physiology and physiology lab, microbiology with lab, anatomy with lab, statistics, psychology, sociology, philosophy, public health, lifespan/developmental psychology and nutrition, completed within the last 5 years. The nursing school says it does not review course equivalencies until you matriculate and sends transfer prerequisite questions to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions; if you are missing prerequisites, you can take at most 3 in the summer after admission (B or better at a community college, C or better in the UC system). The transfer program is two years of upper-division courses.
• Public health: the BS in Public Health Sciences needs a 3.0 GPA (3.4 for TAG) and a year of general chemistry with lab and a year of biology (BIO SCI 93 and 94); the BA in Public Health Policy needs a year of social-science courses. For the BS in Pharmaceutical Sciences B or better is required in general chemistry, organic chemistry, biology and genetics.
• International transfers: meet English proficiency by completing two UC-transferable English composition courses with C or better; English courses taken at a non-U.S. institution where English is not the main language of instruction do not count. Credit is given for courses at universities recognized by the national education ministry that are comparable to U.S. associate or bachelor’s courses; technical or vocational courses receive no credit.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• UC Application October 1–November 30; no SAT/ACT consideration and no recommendation letters; four Personal Insight Questions of up to 350 words each
• Nursing Science needs a 3.0 GPA and two years of lab science (biology and chemistry) with C or better, and is direct entry; pre-med runs through the Dunlop Student Affairs Office, not a major

International applicants (including China):

• Report all grade 9–12 coursework; English: TOEFL 4.5 (new scale), IELTS 6.5 or Duolingo 115; no federal or state aid; UCI does not use agents
• Gaokao use is not published; contact admissions (949-824-6703); the NCLEX needs an SSN or ITIN

Transfer students:

• Biological Sciences: 3.0 GPA with a year each of general chemistry, organic chemistry and biology at C or better; nursing prerequisites at B or better, completed within 5 years

Sources: UC Irvine, Majors and minors; Charlie Dunlop School of Biological Sciences (catalogue); Joe C. Wen School of Population and Public Health (catalogue); BS in Public Health Sciences (catalogue); BS in Nursing Science; Nursing Science: admissions; Nursing Science: FAQs; Change of major: Biological Sciences; Change of major: Health Sciences; First-year students; International students; Dates and deadlines; Transfer students; Transfer major requirements; 2026-27 undergraduate fees; International student aid. Information is for fall 2027 entry (fees are 2026-27 figures for students entering in fall 2026); check UCI’s website for the latest.