How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at Case Western Reserve University: Biology, Neuroscience and Biochemistry in Arts and Sciences, Direct Admission to the BSN in Nursing, the Pre-Professional Scholars Program for Conditional Medical or Dental School Admission, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is in Cleveland, Ohio. Its life-science and health-related majors sit in several schools: the College of Arts and Sciences offers Biology (BA, BS), Neuroscience (BS), Systems Biology (BS), Chemical Biology (BA), Biochemistry (BA, BS, run by the School of Medicine’s Department of Biochemistry) and Nutrition (BA, BS); the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing offers the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN); Biomedical Engineering (BSE) is in the Case School of Engineering and is only mentioned here. There is no pre-med major in the United States, and CWRU’s pre-professional page describes pre-professional tracks that run alongside its 100+ majors and minors. This guide summarises CWRU’s published information for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Relevant undergraduate majors

• Biology (Arts and Sciences; BA and BS): the Bulletin says the BA gives a general background in biology and has the most flexible scheduling of the three biology degrees; it is especially recommended for pre-professional students, students with multiple majors, those who intend to study abroad or do internships, and those with heavy extracurricular commitments, and it does not formally require undergraduate research. The BS prepares students to be bench or field research scientists and requires two semesters of undergraduate research plus additional quantitative courses (programming, statistics, data analysis) and physical chemistry. Bulletin totals: BS 76–84 credit hours, BA 60–69. Because of the extra requirements, the BS may be hard to schedule alongside multiple majors, study abroad or internships.
• Neuroscience (BS): the structure and function of the nervous system from molecular to systems levels; two semesters of independent research are required.
• Biochemistry (BA and BS): run by the Department of Biochemistry in the School of Medicine, with five optional concentrations (Cancer Biology, Infectious Disease, Metabolism, Computational Health Science, Research Honors). The BS requires more rigorous math, physics and statistics and three technical electives versus two for the BA. Bulletin major totals: BS 81–82 and BA 78–81. Research is expected, with at least one semester of BIOC 391.
• Others: Systems Biology (BS), Chemical Biology (BA), Nutrition and Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism (each BA and BS), Cognitive Science (BA) and Psychology (BA); public health appears in the Bulletin as a minor; Biomedical Engineering (BSE) is in the engineering school and is not covered here.
• Nursing (BSN): a four-year baccalaureate program in the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing whose graduates are eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
• Whether these majors are STEM-designated is not stated on the pages we read; ask admissions.

2. Admission: single-door, declare later; nursing is direct

• Single-door admission: Weatherhead’s admission page says CWRU’s single-door undergraduate admission policy lets students explore and combine interests and take classes across the university. You apply through the Common App or Coalition with Scoir and add CWRU to your list. The first-year pages we read do not say how a major is chosen on the application or whether majors have separate admission standards; not published.
• Declaring a major: students entering in the fall may start declaring on October 1 and must declare in their second semester (by March 1) or a registration hold is placed; majors can be changed later. The declaration needs the student’s signature, the advisor’s name and the major’s academic representative’s signature. The Biology pages say students ordinarily begin their biology programs in the first year, are assigned an advisor when they declare, and must meet the advisor each semester.
• Nursing (BSN): the School of Nursing says students interested in nursing apply through the Office of Undergraduate Admission and are accepted to the university, with direct admission, no second application, no pre-nursing requirements, nursing courses starting in the first semester and clinical placements with patient contact beginning in the first semester. The pages we read do not give a seat count; not published.
• Entry requirements for Biology, Neuroscience and Biochemistry: no minimum GPA or capacity appears on the Bulletin pages we read; not published. BSN progression: a GPA of 2.000 or above by the end of the junior year and C or higher in required nursing and core courses; two grades of D or F in nursing and natural/behavioral science courses may lead to separation from the School of Nursing.
• Honors: Biology honors needs a 3.6 overall GPA with 3.8 in BIOL courses since the third semester, 6 credit hours of independent research and a senior thesis; the GPA criteria may instead be met by nomination from the research advisor.

3. Pre-med: what CWRU says

• Pre-Professional Scholars Program (PPSP): gives a few outstanding entering first-year students conditional admission to CWRU’s School of Medicine or School of Dental Medicine, honored when each professional school’s requirements are met. The medicine track is an eight-year program: you must finish your bachelor’s degree first, and if you finish in fewer than four years you are required to pursue other experiences such as research, study abroad, additional undergraduate coursework or graduate coursework. The dental track is seven years: you must take the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and earn an average of 18 or higher on the academic and perceptual ability sections, and complete the dental school prerequisites; the Career Center page says dental scholars are not required to complete a bachelor’s degree but may choose to. CWRU calls admission to PPSP “highly competitive”.
• How to apply: choose Regular Decision or Early Decision I, and indicate PPSP interest later in the application; PPSP applicants submit two additional essays, and finalists are interviewed in late March; no test scores are required. If you apply to PPSP under Early Decision I you must attend if admitted to the undergraduate program, whether or not you are selected for PPSP; Regular Decision applicants not selected are considered for ordinary admission. The deadline table lists PPSP separately with a December 1 deadline (aid documents December 15, notification January 30, enrollment deadline May 1), while the program page says to choose Regular Decision or Early Decision I; the two do not line up exactly, so ask admissions.
• Whether PPSP accepts international students is not stated on the pages we read; contact undergraduate admission (admission@case.edu).
• Pre-Medicine track: the pre-professional page says the tracks complement the 100+ majors; hospitals within walking distance offer shadowing, research and volunteering, and faculty help find internships and research and write recommendations. It lists medical schools where students have started in recent years, including CWRU, Duke, Michigan, NYU, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, Vanderbilt and Washington University in St. Louis. A required pre-med course list and medical-school acceptance rates are not given on the pages we read.
• Combined programs: the Bulletin says undergraduates may join accelerated programs toward graduate or professional degrees (details are in the Undergraduate Academics section, which we did not read), and the pre-professional page says the university offers many combined degree programs you can apply to after admission.

4. High school and first-year course preparation

• Minimum high school coursework (all applicants): English 4 years, math 3, science 3 (2 laboratory), social studies 3, foreign language 2. For engineering or the sciences CWRU recommends an additional year of math and laboratory science. No chemistry or physics requirement specific to life-science majors is listed.
• Biology BA/BS courses (Bulletin): the core BIOL 214 Genes, Evolution and Ecology, BIOL 215 Cells and Proteins, BIOL 216 Development and Physiology with matching labs (or BIOL 222L Introductory Research Lab) and BIOL 326 Genetics; the BA uses MATH 125/126 (calculus applications for life sciences) and PHYS 115/116, while the BS also accepts MATH 121/122 (calculus for science and engineering) and PHYS 121/122; chemistry is the same for both: CHEM 105, 106 and lab 113 plus organic chemistry I and II with lab 233; the BS also needs physical chemistry CHEM 301, an advanced math or statistics course, programming and research (BIOL 388S/390). BIOL 214 requires CHEM 105 or 111 before or at the same time.
• Neuroscience BS: the biology core plus NEUR 166, 201 and 202; MATH 125/126 or 121/122; STAT 312 or 313; CHEM 105, 106, 113 and organic chemistry I and II; PHYS 115/116 or 121/122; programming or BIOL 321; two neurobiology electives; and two semesters of research.
• Biochemistry BS: BIOC 101, 307, 308, 373, 391 and 393; BIOL 214 and 215 with labs; a year of chemistry plus two semesters of organic chemistry with labs; MATH 121 and 122; PHYS 121/122; STAT 312 or 313; and ENGR 131 or CSDS 132.
• Nursing BSN: the first semester starts nursing foundations with BIOL 114 and 116; adult, maternal-newborn and child health nursing follow in the second and third years, and the fourth year includes a population health practicum and a 280-hour clinical preceptorship, for over 1,000 clinical hours in total. The degree needs at least 120 credit hours with at least 50 at the 300–400 level.
• AP / IB credit (2026-27 Bulletin; credit is given only for exams taken before matriculation): AP Biology 4 earns BIOL 114 (3 hours; it counts toward no biology degree but meets the nursing BIOL 114 requirement) and 5 earns BIOL 214 (3 hours; also meets the nursing BIOL 114 requirement); AP Chemistry 4 or 5 earns CHEM 111 (4 hours; counts as CHEM 105 or 111) with placement into CHEM 106 and 113 (or ENGR 145); AP Calculus AB 5 earns MATH 121 (4 hours) with placement into MATH 122 or 126; AP Calculus BC 5 earns MATH 121 and 122 (8 hours); AP Physics 1 (4 or 5) earns PHYS 115 and AP Physics C Mechanics (4 or 5) earns PHYS 121; AP Statistics 5 earns STAT 201. IB Higher Level: Biology 5, 6 or 7 earns BIOL 200-TR (3 hours), Chemistry earns CHEM 111 (4 hours) and Physics earns PHYS 121 and PHYS 100-TR (7 hours). The Bulletin says departments review these policies every year. A-Level equivalents are not listed on the pages we read.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Early Action (non-binding): November 1; aid documents November 15; notification December 19; enrollment deadline May 1.
• Early Decision I (binding): November 1; notification December 5; enrollment deadline December 12.
• Early Decision II (binding): January 15; aid documents January 22; notification February 6; enrollment one week after admission.
• Regular Decision: January 15; aid documents February 1; notification March 20; enrollment deadline May 1.
• Spring entry: November 15 (later applications considered on a space-available basis). The deadline table prints no year; confirm it applies to fall 2027.
• Platforms and fee: Common App or Coalition with Scoir; $75 application fee, with waivers.
• Materials: official high school transcript, school report, counselor recommendation, two teacher recommendations, essay; Early Decision applicants need an agreement signed by the student, counselor and parent/guardian.
• Testing: optional. You choose at application and can change your mind until two weeks before decision release; no program, including PPSP, scholarships and aid, requires testing. Score codes: SAT 1105, ACT 3244. CWRU says there is no minimum GPA or test score and that it looks at how you have challenged yourself and prepared.

6. U.S. applicants

• Cost: CWRU is private and its cost page lists one tuition with no in-state rate. 2026-27 residential student: tuition $71,410, housing $11,688, meal plan $8,600, fees $696, matriculation fee $760, books $1,200, personal $1,350, total $95,704; transportation is extra, with an allowance of up to $2,000 based on home state. Nursing students may pay an additional $1,450 in fees. Any extra fees for other life-science majors are not stated on the pages we read.
• Scholarships and aid: all undergraduates are automatically evaluated for several scholarships, and there are scholarship competitions (including full-tuition awards) that need extra materials and an essay; CWRU says it awarded $213 million in institutional aid last year and more than 80% of students receive some assistance. U.S. citizens and permanent residents submit the FAFSA plus CSS Profile (codes: FAFSA 003137, CSS 1105).
• In-state preference: the pages we read do not describe an Ohio preference; not published.
• Research and placements: the Biology BS and Neuroscience BS require undergraduate research, which can be done at the university or its affiliates (the department does not formally place students); BSN students can join faculty research; the pre-professional page points to nearby hospitals for volunteering and clinical learning. Numbers of placements are not published.

7. International applicants

• Process: international applicants follow the same deadlines and process as domestic applicants; academic records and recommendations need English translations. CWRU says about 20% of undergraduates are citizens of other countries, from more than 100 countries.
• English scores (for non-native speakers; sent by the testing agency or self-reported on the applicant portal, with official reports confirmed at enrollment): Duolingo 115, IELTS 7, PTE Academic 61, TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition and Paper Edition) 4.5 on the new scale for tests on or after January 21, 2026; for tests on or before January 20, 2026, 90 internet-based or 577 paper-based.
• Waiver: automatic if you meet any one of: two years of English-language instruction by graduation; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 630 or higher; ACT English 26 or higher.
• Aid: CWRU says financial aid is available to international students, and non-U.S. residents seeking aid submit the CSS Profile only (code 1105). Whether international admission is need-aware is not stated on the pages we read. International students are also automatically evaluated for scholarships. Aid document deadlines follow the round: November 15 (EA and ED I), January 22 (ED II), February 1 (RD).
• Credential evaluation and proof of funds: not stated on the pages we read.
• Limits for international students in clinical or lab placements: not stated on the nursing pages we read; the nursing page only says that passing the exam allows licensure in the jurisdiction (single-state or multistate) of the state where it was taken, and international students’ licensure eligibility is not published.

8. Applicants from China

• The international page we read has no China-specific section and does not mention the Gaokao, the Huikao or the Chinese curriculum; not published. For how the Gaokao is used and the format of transcripts and diploma documents, contact undergraduate admission (admission@case.edu, 216.368.4450).
• General rules that apply: academic records and recommendations need English translations; English requirements are in section 7; testing is optional.
• Any special rules for international applicants to PPSP or nursing are not stated on the pages we read; not published.

9. Transfer

• Who is a transfer student: anyone who graduated from high school and enrolled in college courses, whether or not credit was earned; admissions may at its discretion treat such a student as a first-year applicant. First-year transfers are admitted in the spring.
• Deadlines: fall “early plan” March 15 (aid documents April 1, enrollment deadline June 1); fall “regular plan” July 1; spring November 15 (later applications on a space-available basis). Common App or Coalition; $75 fee; testing optional.
• Materials: transcripts from every college attended, a recommendation from a college instructor, and a transfer college report showing good standing and eligibility to return; the high school transcript is waived in certain cases; students dismissed elsewhere must be eligible to return to that institution.
• Credit: evaluated after admission; credit may be awarded for eligible courses with a C or better at an accredited institution. The academic policies page says transfer students can start declaring a major at the start of their first semester. Course requirements for transferring into Biology, Neuroscience, Biochemistry or nursing, and seat limits for nursing transfers, are not stated on the pages we read.
• English requirements for international transfer applicants are as in section 7; aid for international transfer students is not published.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• EA or ED I by 1 November, ED II or RD by 15 January; two teacher recommendations; testing optional
• For conditional medical or dental admission apply to PPSP under RD or ED I (ED I is binding); nursing is applied for on the same application, no second application

International applicants (including China):

• English: IELTS 7, Duolingo 115, TOEFL iBT 90 (old scale), or a waiver through two years of English instruction, SAT reading and writing 630 or ACT English 26
• Need aid: CSS Profile only (code 1105); the Gaokao is not addressed on the pages we read, so confirm with admissions, and ask whether PPSP accepts international students

Transfer students:

• Fall early plan 15 March; a college instructor’s recommendation and a transfer college report; C or better for credit

Sources: Case Western Reserve University, Bulletin: all programs; Bulletin: Biology, BA; Bulletin: Biology, BS; Bulletin: Neuroscience, BS; Bulletin: Biochemistry, BA; Bulletin: Biochemistry, BS; Bulletin: Nursing, BSN; School of Nursing: BSN; Pre-professional programs; Pre-Professional Scholars Program; Weatherhead undergraduate admission (single-door policy); First-year applicants; Deadlines and requirements; Test policy; International applicants; 2026-27 cost; Transfer applicants; AP/IB credit equivalencies; Academic policies (declaring a major). Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures; the deadline table prints no year, so confirm it applies to fall 2027). Check CWRU’s website for the latest.