How to Apply to Life Sciences and Health Programs at Saint Louis University: Biology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience, Nursing, Public Health and Health Sciences, Earlier Deadlines for Nursing and Therapy Majors, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Saint Louis University (SLU) is a Catholic, Jesuit private university in St. Louis, Missouri. Its life-science and health undergraduate programs sit in several colleges: Arts and Sciences (Biology, Neuroscience), the School of Science and Engineering (Biochemistry, Biomedical Engineering), the Trudy Busch Valentine School of Nursing, the College for Public Health and Social Justice and the Doisy College of Health Sciences. There is no pre-med major in the United States; SLU’s Pre-Health Studies office advises students across majors. This guide summarises SLU’s published information for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students.

1. Relevant undergraduate programs

• Biology (Arts and Sciences): a BS and a BA. The catalog lists five BS concentrations: Biological Science; Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology; Cell Biology and Physiology; Ecology, Evolution and Conservation; and Plant Science. The BA gives more flexibility in upper-level electives and, per the catalog, is favored by students seeking double majors. The BS major needs at least 74 credits (35 in BIOL at the 3000 level or above); the BA needs at least 48 credits (25 in BIOL at the 3000 level or above). Both degrees total 120 credits. The BS requires three structured upper-level laboratory experiences; the BA electives must include one structured laboratory course.
• Neuroscience (BS, Arts and Sciences): interdisciplinary across biology, psychology, chemistry, physics, math, philosophy and medicine; at least 70 credits in the major, including core neuroscience courses, a lab, a senior seminar and a capstone (research, practicum or advanced coursework).
• Biochemistry (BS, chemistry department): 68 credits in the major; the catalog says the degree has been continuously certified by the American Chemical Society since 2004. The catalog’s outline: general chemistry, calculus and biology principles in year one; organic chemistry, analytical chemistry and physics in year two; biochemistry, physical chemistry and undergraduate research in year three. The catalog also lists a Biochemistry BA and a combined Biochemistry–Chemical Biology bachelor’s/master’s; we did not read those pages.
• Nursing (BS, School of Nursing): a direct-entry program; first-semester students take NURS 1400 Introduction to Nursing. The catalog says graduates are eligible to apply for the NCLEX-RN; the school is approved by the Missouri State Board of Nursing and the baccalaureate program is accredited by CCNE. The catalog also lists an accelerated BSN and an RN-to-BSN, which we do not cover.
• Public Health (BS): 36 credits in the major; accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health; prerequisite MATH 1400 Pre-Calculus; an accelerated BS/MPH option applied for in the fifth semester.
• Health Sciences, Medical Sciences, Exercise Science, Nutrition and Dietetics (Doisy College):
  • Health Sciences (BS): described for premedicine, pre-PA and pre-PT/OT paths; 59–61 credits in the major; cumulative GPA of 2.70 for good standing;
  • Medical Sciences (BS): described as a pre-professional program mainly for SLU students; the basic science courses cover what the MCAT needs;
  • Exercise Science (BS): exercise and wellness, athletic training and physical therapy concentrations; the latter two are direct-entry routes toward the Master of Athletic Training and the Doctor of Physical Therapy;
  • Nutrition and Dietetics (BS): to become a registered dietitian nutritionist, the catalog points to SLU’s M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics with a dietetic internship.
• Others: the catalog also lists Occupational Science (BS), which we did not read (occupational therapy admission requirements are below), and Biomedical Engineering (BS, School of Science and Engineering), mentioned in one line: the catalog says it combines engineering with medicine and that its students take part in the Medical Scholars and University Honors programs; engineering is not covered further. STEM status: the international page says “50+ STEM-qualifying degree programs” without a list on that page; see SLU’s “STEM OPT Programs” page.

2. How admission to a major works

• Applying: the application includes program choices. The regular-decision notes say that for Flight Science, Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy the deadline is 1 December, and those majors are removed as application options on 2 December. For Biology, Neuroscience, Public Health and other majors, the pages we read give no separate quota or deadline and do not say whether you can apply “undecided”; this is not stated, so ask your admission counselor.
• Nursing (restricted): high school seniors are reviewed competitively, holistically and individually, with a required minimum high school GPA of 3.20 on a 4.0 scale and an emphasis on math and science. Tests are optional but “preferred”; if you submit one, the minimum for consideration is ACT 24 or SAT 1160, and accepted students averaged ACT 28 / SAT 1310. SLU does not publish nursing seat numbers. Whether international students face separate quotas or clinical-placement limits is not stated on the pages we read.
• Occupational therapy and physical therapy: also a 3.20 minimum GPA with emphasis on math and science; earlier admits averaged ACT 29 or SAT 1330; testing is now optional.
• Standards once you are in (catalog): Biology needs a 2.00 GPA in major courses (probation, and possible dismissal after two consecutive semesters below 2.00); Neuroscience 2.70; Nursing a cumulative 2.50, C or better in NURS courses and C- in the listed science and interprofessional courses; Health Sciences a cumulative 2.70; Public Health C or better in major courses. For the Physical Therapy concentration of Exercise Science, the catalog says early-assurance, freshman-entry and transfer students need a 3.00 cumulative GPA and a minor to enter the professional phase.
• Changing majors: the catalog says to meet your academic advisor and complete the Major Application Form. Any quota or GPA rule beyond the standards above is not stated on the pages we read.

3. The pre-med path

• SLU’s Pre-Health Studies office has advisors who help with course planning, resumes and professional-school applications. Tracks listed: pre-medicine, pre-dental, pre-optometry, pre-physician assistant, physical therapy, pre-podiatry, pre-veterinary medicine and pre-pharmacy.
• Pre-health course list (catalog, to finish within three years): Biology I and II with labs, an upper-division biology course, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Cell Structure and Function; General Chemistry I and II with labs; Organic Chemistry I and II with labs; Calculus I or statistics; College Physics I and II with labs; 44–47 credits in all. The catalog encourages at least three upper-division biology or chemistry courses and notes that the MCAT content has been updated.
• Medical Scholars Program: an early-assurance program tied to the SLU School of Medicine. You can apply as a high school senior alongside your SLU application, or in April of the freshman year (catalog). The pre-health page gives 1 December of the application cycle as the senior-year deadline, while the freshman application instructions say most honors, scholars and special programs close on 5 January; the two differ, so check the latest. Participants must meet the School of Medicine’s technical standards; for entering year Fall 2026 the minimums are a 3.65 GPA and an MCAT of 508. Students cannot withdraw, audit, take pass/fail or earn a D or F, and per the catalog AP or dual credit in biology, chemistry and physics does not satisfy the program’s science requirements. Whether international students can join is not stated on the pages we read; contact phpl@slu.edu.
• Other: an Early Acceptance Program agreement with Lake Erie College of Medicine (osteopathic, dental or podiatric medicine); SLU says undergraduates who apply to medical school at the end of junior year and meet the School of Medicine’s class-average GPA and MCAT are guaranteed an interview.
• A direct BS/MD program: not stated on the pages we read.

4. High school preparation and first two years

• General: the catalog says applicants must graduate from an accredited high school or have an acceptable HiSET/GED result. For Biology, Neuroscience and Biochemistry, the pages we read do not list required high school math, chemistry or physics courses.
• Courses named for restricted programs: strong nursing applicants have four years of math (algebra-level or above) and four of science including a year of biology and a year of chemistry. Occupational therapy requires four years of math, four of science (including one each of biology and chemistry, preferably anatomy/physiology or physics) and four of English. Physical therapy requires a year each of biology and chemistry and college-prep courses equivalent to algebra, geometry, advanced algebra and/or trigonometry; strong applicants have four years of math (including pre-calculus) and four of science including physics and anatomy/physiology.
• First two years (catalog): Biology starts with BIOL 1240/1245 and 1260/1265 (General Biology and labs), CHEM 1110/1115 and 1120/1125, and MATH 1510 Calculus I; statistics and physics or earth-science lab courses follow, and organic chemistry is required in the Biological Chemistry and Molecular Biology concentration of the BS. Neuroscience needs Biology I and II, Chemistry I and II, Calculus I, college physics and General Psychology. Health Sciences needs College Algebra (MATH 1200) and statistics. Nursing starts with the introductory nursing course and Principles of Chemistry, followed by anatomy and physiology, microbiology and similar courses.
• AP / IB credit (catalog “Credit by Exam”): AP Biology 4 earns BIOL 1100 (4 credits); AP Chemistry 5 earns General Chemistry I and II with labs (8 credits); AP Calculus AB 4 earns MATH 1510 (4 credits); AP Calculus BC 4 earns MATH 1510 and 1520 (8 credits); IB Higher Level Biology 5 earns BIOL 1240, 1245, 1260 and 1265 (8 credits); IB HL Chemistry 5 earns General Chemistry I and II with labs (8 credits); IB Mathematics Analysis and Approaches HL 5 earns MATH 1510 (4 credits). The catalog says credit needs department approval and official score reports; the pages do not say whether each credit replaces the major requirement above, so ask your advisor.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Early Decision I (binding): 2 November, decisions from 1 December. Early Action (non-binding): 1 December, decisions by 1 February. Early Decision II (binding): 19 January, decisions from 1 February. Regular Decision (non-binding): “preferred by 1 April”, then accepted while space is available; for complete files by 16 March, decisions by 15 April. The pages print these dates without a year, so check that they are for fall 2027 entry. For Nursing, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy the regular deadline is 1 December; supporting documents are due by 11 December, and test scores by 12 January 2027.
• Application fee: none for undergraduate applicants. You may use SLU’s own application, the Common Application or the Coalition application (Scoir).
• Required: high school transcript (sent to admission@slu.edu); an essay for international first-year applicants. Encouraged, not required: Secondary School Report, résumé, recommendation letters and an admission interview.
• Testing: optional; no superscoring; send the composite and all subscores if you submit. All applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships whether or not they submit a score, and honors and scholars programs do not require scores.
• Honors and scholars programs have separate applications that open on 1 September in the Billiken Gateway after you apply; the Presidential Scholarship needs a 3.85 cumulative GPA and the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship 3.25.

6. U.S. applicants

• In-state and out-of-state tuition: the cost page lists one full-time undergraduate tuition; it does not describe a split.
• Costs (2026-27, full-time, on campus): tuition $58,960, fees $1,000 (additional fees may apply), billable housing $16,360, books and supplies $1,290, transportation $3,220, miscellaneous $2,880; total $83,710. The first-year admission page says new students in fall 2025 paid an average of about $20,000 in tuition after scholarships and aid, with a $45,343 average aid offer for freshmen. Nutrition and Dietetics lists clinical-practicum costs such as a $105 background check and a $70 drug screen.
• Scholarships and aid: everyone is automatically considered for merit awards; for priority consideration, the catalog says apply by 1 December and file the FAFSA by 1 February. The catalog says 99.6% of first-time freshmen received aid in fiscal year 2025.
• Research and experience: the catalog says biology majors can use the Reis Biological Station in the Missouri Ozarks, with structured internship credit through partners such as the Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis Zoo, Sigma-Aldrich and Bayer; neuroscience offers research through the biology and psychology departments and the Institute for Translational Neuroscience; nursing students can work as patient care technicians and intern at local hospitals; Nutrition and Dietetics students complete a two-semester hospital practicum. Seat numbers: not stated.

7. International applicants

• Application: apply online (educational background and citizenship are asked). Records from all secondary and post-secondary schools must come with English translations, and secondary graduates send the final transcript and any school-leaving or external exam results. Unofficial copies may be accepted at first; official copies must come directly from your school before enrollment.
• English proof: official scores must come from the testing agency; self-reported scores are not accepted. Minimums: IELTS 6.5; TOEFL iBT 80 (paper 550; TOEFL Essentials 8.5; TOEFL ITP Plus for China 627); Duolingo 110; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 550; ACT English 21; PTE 54; AP Language or Literature 4; IB English A Language and Literature HL 6. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid for two years. Exemptions: a college-level English course (not ESL) at an accredited U.S. college; an entire high school curriculum in English (documented by your school); or citizenship of one of the English-speaking countries SLU lists (see the page for the full list). SLU reserves the right to require additional testing. All incoming students take an English writing placement exam, and most international students are required to take the SLU Writing Exam (SLUWE); a 4 meets the undergraduate requirement, and lower scores follow English-as-a-Second-Language Center recommendations.
• Funds: you must show proof of financial support to get an I-20; the FAQ estimates $70,000 for tuition and living expenses for one undergraduate academic year and says proof of funds does not affect the admission decision. This estimate differs from the cost-of-attendance page above; check the latest.
• Aid: SLU says financial aid is available to international students on the St. Louis campus; all applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships, and two scholarships needing separate applications (Presidential and Martin Luther King Jr.) are open to first-time freshmen.
• Pathway: INTO SLU offers English-language and academic pathway programs leading to full admission after successful completion.
• Limits on international students in restricted majors or clinical placements: not stated on the pages we read.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the English-proficiency page has a Gaokao line: an overall score in the middle of Tier 2 or better and 125/150 in English (100/120 in Jiangsu), with an interview by SLU faculty, can satisfy the English requirement. How the Gaokao is otherwise used in academic review is not stated on the pages we read; contact the international admission counselors.
• Documents: English translations of all records, plus school-leaving or external exam results; a detailed list for Chinese huikao/graduation documents is not on the pages we read.
• Other English options: TOEFL 80, IELTS 6.5 and the others listed above, including the China-specific TOEFL ITP Plus (minimum 627).
• Math and science expectations for the Chinese curriculum are not described separately; follow section 4 and confirm with your counselor.

9. Transfer

• Deadlines: most majors are rolling, with no deadline; majors with deadlines are Accelerated BSN, occupational therapy, physical therapy and aeronautics. 1 February is the priority date for FAFSA and the Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship, and 1 June is the John Paul Fechter Service Scholarship deadline (summer and fall applicants only). The Accelerated BSN uses Nursing CAS. No application fee.
• Materials: transcripts from every college attended; students with fewer than 24 credit hours must also send a high school transcript. Official transcripts are required before credit evaluation and enrollment. You may use SLU’s application, the Transfer Common App or the Coalition application.
• International transfer students: English proof as above plus a course-by-course academic evaluation of all post-secondary institutions; WES, NACES members and AICE members are accepted.
• Credit: a grade of C or better transfers, and SLU says you may transfer an unlimited number of credits; Transferology gives unofficial equivalencies; the official evaluation comes after admission and receipt of official transcripts. Credit by exam (AP, CLEP, IB) is also possible. Transfer applicants are evaluated on the continuation standards of their chosen major. Nursing transfer students take an additional nursing elective in place of NURS 1400.
• GPA and chemistry/biology/calculus sequence requirements for transferring into Biology or Neuroscience: not stated on the pages we read; ask a transfer counselor.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• ED I 2 November, EA 1 December, ED II 19 January; Nursing, OT and PT by 1 December; testing optional; no application fee
• Plan pre-health courses from the 44–47 credit list; honors and scholars programs are separate applications

International applicants (including China):

• English: IELTS 6.5, TOEFL 80, Duolingo 110, or Gaokao mid-Tier 2 plus 125/150 English with an interview; proof of funds is for the I-20 and does not affect admission
• English translations of records, official copies before enrollment; ask whether restricted majors limit international students

Transfer students:

• Rolling for most majors; deadlines for Accelerated BSN, OT, PT and aeronautics; grade of C or better; international transfers need a course-by-course evaluation

Sources: Saint Louis University, First-year admission; Dates and deadlines; Freshman application instructions and restricted-program requirements; International admission; English proficiency; International FAQs; Transfer admission; Transfer requirements; Transfer credit; Cost of attendance; Pre-Health Studies; Catalog: Biology BS; Catalog: Biology BA; Catalog: Neuroscience; Catalog: Biochemistry; Catalog: Nursing; Catalog: Public Health; Catalog: Health Sciences; Catalog: Medical Sciences; Catalog: Exercise Science; Catalog: Nutrition and Dietetics; Catalog: Biomedical Engineering; Catalog: Pre-Health; Catalog: Medical Scholars Program; Catalog: Credit by exam; Catalog: Changing major. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures; some dates are printed without a year, so please check); check SLU’s website for the latest.