How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at Marquette University: Biological Sciences and Biochemistry in Arts and Sciences, Direct Admission to Nursing, Biomedical Sciences and Exercise Physiology in Health Sciences, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Marquette University is a Catholic, Jesuit university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its life-science and health majors sit in three colleges: the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences offers Biological Sciences and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; the College of Nursing offers the BSN; and the College of Health Sciences offers Biomedical Sciences, Exercise Physiology and others. There is no pre-med major in the United States. This guide summarises Marquette’s website and bulletin for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Relevant undergraduate majors

• Arts and Sciences (B.A. or B.S. degrees conferred by the college):
  • Biological Sciences, BS: broad, or with one of four concentrations: Genetics, Genomics and Developmental Biology; Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Molecular and Cellular Biology; Neurobiology, Physiology and Animal Behavior. The college also lists Biophysics BS (Physics), Cognitive Science BS, Environmental Science BS and a Bioinformatics minor, which we do not cover;
  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BS: offered jointly by Biological Sciences and Chemistry, with an accelerated five-year BS/MBA;
  • Biological Sciences Education and a Biological Sciences minor; Chemistry BS and Psychology BA are not covered here.
• College of Nursing: BSN (eight terms; the major page says you are admitted directly to the College of Nursing); also Health Studies and Public Health minors.
• College of Health Sciences (undergraduate programs in the bulletin list): Biomedical Sciences, BS, Exercise Physiology, BS (housed in the Department of Physical Therapy), Speech Pathology and Audiology BS, and minors including Biomedical Sciences, Medical Genetics and Neuroscience. Physical therapy, occupational therapy and physician assistant programs are professional graduate programs and are not covered.
• Engineering: biomedical engineering is in the engineering college; see our Marquette engineering guide.
• Whether these majors are STEM-designated, and whether any combined bachelor’s/medical-degree (BS/MD) program exists, is not stated on the pages we read; ask admissions. Biomedical Sciences and Exercise Physiology have linked pathways into Marquette’s dental, physical therapy, occupational therapy and physician assistant programs (section 3).

2. Admission and conditions for entering a major

• Choosing a college or major when you apply: the first-year application page and the bulletin admission page do not explain how you choose a college or major, or whether Arts and Sciences and Health Sciences have separate admission steps. Contact admissions (the bulletin lists (414) 288-7302).
• Nursing: the major page says you are admitted directly to the College of Nursing; the bulletin says acceptance as a freshman assures placement in clinical nursing courses provided students remain in good standing and follow the program plan, and that once admitted students are guaranteed all required classes and clinical hours, so a four-year finish is possible with satisfactory performance. Seat numbers for nursing are not on the pages we read.
• Nursing progression (bulletin): term and cumulative GPA of 2.500 or higher (first-term freshmen at least 2.000); at least a C in all required NURS and HEAL courses, and in Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2, Survey of Biochemistry, General Psychology and Life-Span Developmental Psychology; at least a D in other required courses; failing a required course twice, or failing more than two, leads to dismissal from the college (a College Academic Alert); health requirements and background checks apply.
• Declaring in Arts and Sciences: the bulletin says formal declaration of the major is usually made in the sophomore year and no later than the first term of the junior year; a major is required. Internal transfer between colleges is not described on the pages we read.
• Biological Sciences BS: the major is three introductory courses (9 credits), four reinforcing-level courses (12), two upper-division labs (6) and three electives (9–10), plus chemistry, physics and math cognates. Arts and Sciences students take ARSC 1953 in the first fall term (Honors students are exempt). A 2.000 GPA is required in the major. The pages we read state no GPA threshold or cap for entering the major. Disciplinary Honors in the department require a 3.200 cumulative GPA, application in the spring of sophomore year or fall of junior year, two research or internship experiences and a 3.200 major GPA at graduation.
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology BS: the bulletin lists 56–61 credits in biology, chemistry and physics courses, plus 16 credits of math and physics cognates.
• Biomedical Sciences BS (Health Sciences): at least 128 credits in total, with 30 in the Marquette Core Curriculum, 28–31 in foundational courses and 33 in the major (three required courses of 12 credits: Clinical Human Anatomy, Biochemistry and Human Physiology, then content-area courses and electives); major courses need C- or better; 2.000 cumulative and major GPA.
• Exercise Physiology BS: at least 128 credits; major courses need a C or better; the bulletin says the program is CAAHEP-accredited through 2027 (check current status).

3. Pre-med: what Marquette’s pages say

• We did not find a page for a pre-health or health professions advising office on the pages we read, so how that office works, medical-school acceptance statistics and committee letters are not published here. Ask the university.
• Biological Sciences (bulletin): for students applying to medical school, the major, with or without a concentration, provides most prerequisites; it recommends BIOL 3101 at the reinforcing level, PSYC 1001 General Psychology as an elective and SOCI 1001 for a core requirement.
• Biomedical Sciences: the major page and bulletin present it as strong preparation for medicine and dentistry, taught by biomedical scientists, with a full semester of human gross anatomy that the major page calls one of the only gross anatomy courses for undergraduates in the country. The bulletin lists common health-professions prerequisites to consider: Organic Chemistry 1 and 2, General Physics 1 and 2, BIOL 2001, Calculus for the Biological Sciences (MATH 1410), Principles of Sociology and General Psychology. Confirm with each program.
• Accelerated and direct-admit pathways (bulletin): 3+2 early admission to Physician Assistant Studies; Pre-Dental Scholars (complete the bachelor’s within the first year of dental school); direct-admit Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy; an accelerated Neuroscience PhD; accelerated MS programs in Exercise and Rehabilitation Science, Biomedical Sciences and Global Health Equity, an MBA and a Medical Laboratory Science Certificate. Biological Sciences has modified three-year requirements for pre-dental scholars, pre-PT students and the early-assurance PharmD at the Medical College of Wisconsin. Exercise Physiology has direct-admit Doctor of Physical Therapy (six years instead of seven) and Master of Athletic Training (five instead of six) sequences. Whether these are open to international students, and how many seats there are, is not stated on the pages we read.
• AP credit and pre-health: the bulletin advises pre-medical and pre-dental students to consult the health professions adviser before accepting AP credit and not to accept AP physics credit if they plan to attend medical or dental school.

4. High school preparation and credit

• Recommended high school preparation (bulletin chart, one column per college):
  • Arts and Sciences: English 4, social studies 3, second language 2, math 3 (algebra, geometry and intermediate algebra required; four years including pre-calculus recommended), science 2 (pre-medical and science majors should complete three units, preferably biology, chemistry, physics), other academic subjects 2; 16 academic units in total;
  • Health Sciences and Nursing: English 4, social studies 2, math 3 (algebra and geometry required), science 1, biology 1 and chemistry 1 as units specifically required for admission, other academic subjects 4; 16 units in total. The chart is called the minimum recommended preparation; how it maps to other education systems is not stated.
• AP (bulletin advanced standing page; AP chart marked revised May 2023): AP Biology 4 earns BIOL 1009 (3 credits) and 5 earns BIOL 1001 and 1002 (6 credits), 3 earns none; AP Chemistry 3 earns CHEM 1001 (4) and 4 or 5 earns CHEM 1001 and 1002 (8); AP Calculus AB 4 or 5 earns MATH 1450 (4); BC 3 earns MATH 1450 and BC 4 or 5 earns MATH 1450 and 1451 (8). A footnote says science and engineering majors’ credit does not include lab credit, so labs must be completed at Marquette.
• IB: the IB chart has four columns, H4 to H7. In it Biology lists BIOL 1001 and 1002 (3 credits each) and Chemistry lists CHEM 1001 and 1002 (4 each) in every column; Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches lists MATH 1450 (4). Check the chart itself.
• A-Level: reviewed by course content; submit a syllabus for each course to admissions@marquette.edu.
• First two years (bulletin): Biological Sciences BS starts with BIOL 1001, 1002 and BIOL 2001 (or 1101); CHEM 1001/1002 (or 1013/1014); Organic Chemistry CHEM 2111/2112 (or 2113/2114); PHYS 1001/1002 (or 1003/1004); MATH 1410 or 1450; MATH 4730 with 4740 (or 4720). Nursing requires NURS 1001 and 1002, HEAL 1060 Survey of Biochemistry, PSYC 1001 and BISC 2015 and 2016 (Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2) before NURS 2001. The pages we read do not mention a math or chemistry placement exam.
• Contradictions in the bulletin: the Biological Sciences overview gives cognates of 33–34 credits but the cognate table totals 31–32; the Nursing overview gives 79 credits major plus 15 cognate, while the tables list 69 credits for the nursing major and 28 for additional cognates. Confirm with the college.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Early Action (non-binding): 15 November; decisions in late December (the international page says by 20 December).
• Regular Decision: 1 February; decisions by 1 March; later applications are reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis.
• These dates come from the first-year and international pages, which carry no year; confirm they apply to fall 2027. The application opens in early August.
• Application fee: the bulletin says there is no application fee. Admitted students reserve a place with a $200 tuition deposit ($300 housing deposit if housing is wanted), non-refundable.
• Materials: official high school transcript, essay or personal statement, activities list; recommendations are not required but are considered. The pages we read do not list extra essays, interviews or materials for Nursing or Health Sciences.
• Testing: optional (SAT or ACT). Marquette says applicants not submitting scores are not penalized and are equally considered for scholarships; admitted students’ average GPA is 3.65, average ACT 27.5 and average SAT 1250.
• International applicants may use the Common Application or the Marquette application.

6. U.S. applicants

• Cost: Marquette is private, and its cost page lists one full-time tuition with no in-state rate. 2026-27 full-time undergraduate: tuition $53,890 (12 or more credits), housing and food $14,380–18,790, fees $1,200, total $69,470–73,880 depending on residence hall. No extra fee for biology, nursing or health-science majors appears on the pages we read.
• Aid: all undergraduate applicants are automatically considered for the Père Marquette Scholarship; the page says 99% of undergraduates received some aid last year and over $170 million in scholarships was distributed; a scholarship estimator and net price calculator are offered.
• In-state preference: not stated on the pages we read.
• Research and placements: Biological Sciences students may do their own projects with a faculty mentor and a 10-week paid summer program; Nursing clinicals begin in sophomore year with guaranteed placement, with four undergraduate research focus areas; Biomedical Sciences offers credit for off-campus internships and a summer research program. Numbers of places are not published.

7. International applicants

• Materials: transcripts from every high school (upload unofficial copies first; official copies before the I-20 and enrollment); exam results or certificates for your education system; proof of financial ability.
• English (non-native speakers, any one): TOEFL iBT total 86 with at least 20 in each section for tests before 21 January 2026, or 4.5 for tests on or after that date; IELTS 6.5 in each section; Duolingo 120 (no subscore below 115 preferred); SAT Evidence-Based Reading 560; ACT English 24 and Reading 20; or in-person U.S. or Canadian transcripts (four high school or two university semesters). The process page says applications may be reviewed for conditional admission once everything except English evidence is in.
• Funds: a financial sponsorship form and a bank statement showing funds for the first year; government-sponsored students submit a letter of support.
• Estimated cost (international page, 2026-27): tuition $26,945 per term, $53,890 for two terms; living expenses $24,950 (room, food, 12 months of health insurance, personal items, books, student fees); annual total $78,840.
• Scholarships: international applicants are automatically considered for the Père Marquette Award; others require application after admission. Marquette cannot award need-based scholarships to international applicants, and even the largest merit scholarship does not cover all costs.
• Any limits for international students in nursing clinicals or the Biomedical Sciences pathways: not stated on the pages we read.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international materials page asks for exam results or certificates for your system and lists the “Chinese graduation certificate” and NCEE among examples (the page does not spell out the name; we read it as the gaokao). Whether gaokao results are required or how they are used is not explained further; contact the international admission office. Huikao-type records are not mentioned separately.
• Transcripts: upload unofficial high school transcripts first and official ones before the I-20 and enrollment; materials not in English need an official, exact English translation; official documents must carry the school’s original certification, and student scans or email attachments are not official.
• University transcripts: Chinese university transcripts need a course-by-course evaluation from ECE, WES, TEC, Educational Perspectives, Scholaro or One Earth, and a CHESICC Transcript Verification Report. This mainly concerns transfer students.
• English requirements are in section 7. The pages say nothing separate about math and chemistry expectations for the Chinese curriculum; follow section 4 and confirm with admissions.

9. Transfer

• Deadline: transfer applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and the international page says there is no deadline; fall decisions begin in December. Apply free through the Common Application or Marquette’s transfer application.
• Arts and Sciences credit: courses taken for a grade with a C or better at a regionally accredited institution transfer; only credit transfers, not grades; Marquette equivalents are specified. At least 45 credits must be completed at Marquette, 24 of them upper-division (bulletin graduation policy).
• International transfer students: all university work needs a course-by-course evaluation and verified transcript; Chinese university work also needs a CHESICC report; credit is evaluated after admission using transcripts and course descriptions translated into English, submitted by 1 August (fall) or 1 December (spring).
• Specific prerequisite and GPA conditions for transferring into Nursing, Biomedical Sciences or Exercise Physiology are not stated on the pages we read; contact the transfer team. Nursing requires all NURS and HEAL courses to be taken at Marquette unless the assistant dean approves an exception.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Pick the college (Arts and Sciences, Nursing or Health Sciences); Early Action 15 November, Regular Decision 1 February; no application fee, testing optional
• Note the 2.500 GPA progression rule in Nursing; talk to the health professions adviser before accepting AP credit

International applicants (including China):

• English: TOEFL 4.5 (new scale), IELTS 6.5 each section or Duolingo 120, among other options; prepare proof of funds
• Official English translations for non-English documents; ask the international office how the gaokao is used; no need-based aid, so plan the budget early

Transfer students:

• Rolling review; C or better transfers; international transfers need WES/ECE-type evaluations, and Chinese university work also a CHESICC report

Sources: Marquette University, Biological Sciences major page; Nursing major page; Biomedical Sciences major page; Bulletin: Biological Sciences; Biological Sciences, BS; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, BS; Arts and Sciences degrees; Arts and Sciences majors and minors; Arts and Sciences transfer credit; Nursing, BSN; Nursing admission requirements; Nursing progression requirements; Nursing degrees offered; Biomedical Sciences, BS; Exercise Physiology, BS; Health Sciences program list; Bulletin: undergraduate admission; Bulletin: advanced standing (AP/IB/A-Level); First-year application; Test-optional policy; Transfer; International application process and deadlines; International application materials; International tuition and costs; International scholarships; International credit transfer; Tuition and financial aid. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures; most application pages carry no year, so confirm they apply to fall 2027); check Marquette’s website for the latest.