How to Apply to Life Sciences and Health Programs at Pepperdine University: Biology, Chemistry, Nutritional Science, Sports Medicine and Nursing at Seaver College, No Neuroscience or Public Health Major Listed, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Pepperdine University is a private Christian university in Malibu, California; undergraduates are at Seaver College. Life-science and health programs are mainly in the Natural Science Division: Biology (BS and BA), Chemistry (with a biochemistry sequence), Nutritional Science and Sports Medicine (BS and BA). The nursing BSN is run by the College of Health Science; the “Nursing” entry on Seaver’s majors list links to it. The Seaver majors list and the 2026–2027 catalog we read include no neuroscience or public health undergraduate major (psychology is in the Social Science Division and is not covered here). There is no pre-med major in the United States, and Pepperdine says pre-health is not a degree but a list of courses. This guide summarises Pepperdine’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: the catalog lists a BA and a BS. The BS is the more structured route for graduate or professional school in the life sciences; the BA gives more elective flexibility and, per the website, suits students interested in science education or a double major. The major page encourages the Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Biology (SURB) and the Honors Research Program in Biology.
• Chemistry: the catalog lists a BS and a BA; the BS has a “Biochemistry Sequence” including Cellular Biochemistry and Advanced Cellular Biochemistry.
• Nutritional Science (BS): approved as a Didactic Program in Dietetics by ACEND to prepare for dietetic internships; there is also an M.S. in Nutrition and Health Science (coordinated program) and the post-baccalaureate NSCP-ISPP.
• Sports Medicine: the BS prepares students for health-science graduate schools including medicine, physician assistant, physical therapy and occupational therapy, as well as exercise and sport science; the BA is aimed at the health and fitness industry and exercise and sport science graduate programs. Both require extensive laboratory experience.
• Nursing (BSN, School of Nursing, College of Health Science): see the next section.
• Others: the BA in Natural Science supports the 3/2 engineering programs with USC and Washington University in St. Louis, and there is a Health Humanities minor. Engineering is not covered here.
• STEM designation and a direct BS/MD program: not stated on the pages we read.

2. How admission to a major works

• Applying: first-year students apply to Seaver College through the Common App. Whether you must choose a major on the application, whether you can apply undecided, and whether Biology or Chemistry have separate entry conditions: not stated on the admission pages we read; ask admissions.
• Nursing (restricted): the BSN has a four-year direct-entry pathway and a two-year transfer pathway. The four-year pathway is for applicants who have not graduated from high school at the time of application (even if they hold college units): two years of general education and natural and social science on the Malibu campus, then nursing classes and clinical preceptorships at the Calabasas campus. People who already hold a bachelor’s degree are not eligible. The committee looks at academic record, GPA, test scores if submitted, service and leadership, references and short answers. The BSN FAQ says the inaugural Fall 2025 cohort had 594 applications to the four-year pathway and 181 admits, with averages of a 3.54 high school GPA, 1211 SAT superscore and 26 ACT superscore; the two-year pathway had 70 applications and 16 admits, with a 2.99 average GPA (the FAQ labels it a high school GPA). The FAQ also says the program is “test free” and does not use TEAS scores. Whether international students have separate quotas or clinical limits: not stated on the pages we read.
• Entering Nutritional Science (catalog): pre-Nutritional Science majors must pass the lower-division requirements with a minimum GPA of 2.5 before admittance into the major.
• Biology and other majors: the catalog says a biology course that lists prerequisites requires a C- or better in each; no GPA threshold or quota is stated on the pages we read. The honors research programs are separate applications: Biology’s in the sophomore or junior year (GPA, recommendations, career goals); Sports Medicine’s in the first semester of junior year (with a personal essay).

3. The pre-med path

• Pepperdine says the pre-health curriculum “does not constitute a degree program” and that most students major in biology, chemistry or sports medicine but may choose any major. It says 95% of pre-health students are pre-medicine. The catalog adds that students who want a bachelor’s degree before professional school should choose a major and plan to take the MCAT, DAT or similar test in the spring preceding application to a professional school.
• Recommended courses (pre-health course requirements page): General Chemistry CHEM 120 and 121 (8 semester hours); Organic Chemistry CHEM 310 (4); Biochemistry CHEM 330 (4); introductory biology BIOL 211 Biology of Cells and BIOL 270 Human Physiology (8); 4–8 hours of advanced biology and of advanced chemistry; Physics PHYS 202 and 203 (8); statistics (4); introductory psychology and sociology (6); English composition plus possibly another English course (3–6). The page says many medical schools have no required course list, so check each school; the only science class regularly offered in summer is Chemistry 121, with Physics 203 sometimes offered.
• Advising and letters: a pre-health advisor gives advising and writes committee letters, stored electronically in PrivateFolio; there are seven pre-health clubs and a weekly opportunities email.
• Outcomes: the pre-health page lists about 350 current students, “85% attend medical school after graduation” and an “89% pre-med acceptance rate”; the pre-health FAQ says the usual acceptance rate in recent years is 70% to 80%, with 20 to 30 students applying a year. The figures differ and no method is given; check the latest.
• Whether pre-health advising has special notes for international students and any limits for international applicants to U.S. medical schools: not stated on the pages we read; contact prehealth@pepperdine.edu.

4. High school preparation and first two years

• High school courses: the admission pages do not list a common set of required high school courses for these majors. The nursing FAQ says there are no required high school courses, that math and science courses are reviewed, and that four years of each are encouraged. The pre-health FAQ recommends taking as much English, math, physics, chemistry and biology as your high school offers, at the highest level available, such as AP.
• Chemistry and math placement (catalog): the prerequisites for CHEM 120 are high school chemistry, two years of high school algebra, and either an SAT Math score of 620, an ACT of 27, an appropriate math placement result, or C- or above in MATH 103; MATH 150 (Calculus I) requires C- or better in MATH 103 and 104 or an appropriate placement score.
• First two years (catalog): the Biology BA lower division is 29 units including BIOL 110, BIOL 211, CHEM 120/121 with labs, MATH 150 and PHYS 202/203, plus BIOL 212 or 213; the upper division includes ecology, genetics, organic chemistry (CHEM 310), and biostatistics (MATH 316 and 317). The Biology BS lower division is 33–35 units (both BIOL 212 and 213), and the upper division adds Cellular Biochemistry (CHEM 330 and lab) for 32–33 units plus three upper-division biology courses. Nutritional Science suggests CHEM 120/121, MATH 150, NUTR 101 and NUTR 215 in year one, and NUTR 212, BIOL 211, NUTR 213 and BIOL 270 in year two. Sports Medicine suggests CHEM 120/121, MATH 150, SPME 110 and BIOL 230 in year one.
• AP / IB credit: the catalog says advanced placement and unit credit are granted for a 3 or higher on most AP tests (some need a 4), and for 5 or 6 or better on most IB Higher Level exams; a maximum of 32 units may be earned by examination (AP, CLEP and IB together). The subject-by-subject table is on the advising page, which we did not read; not stated on the pages we read.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Early Action: 1 November, decisions 21 December, reply by 1 May. Early Decision I (binding): 1 November, decisions 21 December, enrollment deadline 1 February. Early Decision II (binding): 15 January, decisions 1 February, enrollment deadline 1 March. Regular Decision: 15 January, decisions 19 March, reply by 1 May. Spring entry: priority 1 October, final 1 November. Only first-year applicants may use Early Action or Early Decision; transfer and nursing applicants must apply Regular Decision. The pages print these dates without a year, so check that they are for fall 2027 entry. Early Decision admits are guaranteed at least $25,000 in merit aid. The BSN page separately gives 15 January, 15 February (FAFSA) and 1 April for decisions for fall Regular Decision, which differs from the 19 March on the admission office page; check which applies.
• Application fee: the admission pages say $70 (nonrefundable); the BSN page says $65. They differ; check the latest.
• Materials: Common App essay; the Pepperdine question (as a Christian university, why you want to attend and how you would contribute to conversations of faith, 300–500 words); official high school transcripts including a sixth-semester transcript (through grade 11); one academic recommendation from a core-subject teacher or counselor; nursing applicants also answer two supplemental questions of up to 200 words each. An interview is optional.
• Testing: SAT, ACT or CLT is optional and Pepperdine says you get the same consideration either way, but scores are required for Regents Scholars consideration. For nursing, the optional ACT science section is recommended. Fall applicants must test by October for the 1 November deadline or by December for 15 January.

6. U.S. applicants

• In-state and out-of-state tuition: the cost page lists one flat tuition; it does not describe a split.
• Costs (2026-27, new students on campus): tuition $74,370 (flat rate for 12–18 units a semester), housing and food $20,490, wellness fee $580, campus life fee $252, loan fees $66, books $1,000, transportation $1,000 and personal expenses $1,500; total $99,258, with direct costs of $95,692. About $1,362 a semester for health insurance may be added if you lack family or group coverage. The catalog notes Tier I or Tier II laboratory fees for some lab courses; the amounts are not stated on the pages we read.
• Scholarships: every applicant is considered for the George Pepperdine Achievement Award, $16,000–$35,000 a year for first-year students and renewable up to four years, with no separate application; admitted students with an unweighted, recalculated GPA of 3.60 or higher automatically receive at least $16,000 a year. The Regents Scholars Program pays $40,000–$45,000 a year for up to four years and is based on the recalculated GPA and SAT/ACT/CLT scores, for students in roughly the top 8%–10% of the admitted class.
• Research and experience: the catalog describes undergraduate research in facilities such as the Keck Science Center and the Rockwell Academic Center and structured internships for credit; Biology has SURB and a Behavioral Ecology Research Laboratory; Sports Medicine has internships and an honors research program; the website says 80% of students take part in an international program. Seat numbers: not stated.

7. International applicants

• Who counts: anyone without U.S. citizenship or permanent residence; U.S. citizens in schools abroad are also reviewed by the International Admissions Committee.
• Deadlines for international students: Spring (January intake) 1 October with decisions 15 November; Fall Early Action 1 November (decisions 10 January) and Regular Decision 15 January (decisions 1 April); enrollment deadline 1 May. The admission office pages give 21 December and 19 March for decisions, which differs; check the latest.
• Transcripts: every secondary school attended must send a transcript directly; non-English documents need English translations; students with external exams (such as IGCSE/AS or CBSE) send certified external results, and A-Level and IB results must come from the examining body. Only transcripts sent by the school are official.
• English proof: required for international first-year applicants. Accepted: SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 600+; ACT Reading 24+; TOEFL iBT (or Home Edition) 85+ (MyBest Scores not accepted); Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 186+; Duolingo 120+; LanguageCert Academic 70+; IELTS (or Indicator) overall 6.5+; a B or better in a transferable college English composition course (not ESL) in the U.S.; a C or better in UK AS or A-Level English (not ESL) or Hong Kong HKALE English; ELS Master level 112 with a B; IB English 5 or better; or four years of high school with English as the medium of instruction, subject to verification. Scores must be within two years. InitialView or Vericant interviews are optional supplements.
• Testing: SAT, ACT and CLT are optional for all international applicants; if you submit, the committee uses your highest composite across dates (superscore).
• Costs and funds: for immigration purposes, the Office of International Student Services estimates the 2025-26 Seaver undergraduate total at $98,720 ($71,860 tuition, $22,480 living costs, $4,380 other), and says actual costs may be higher or lower; see section 6 for 2026-27 tuition. The I-20 is issued after you accept the offer and submit the enrollment form and tuition prepayment; ISD form deadlines are 15 July for fall and 9 December for spring. Whether international students can receive need-based aid is not stated on the pages we read; ask OISS or financial aid.
• Limits on international students in nursing or clinical placements: not stated.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages we read do not say how the Gaokao is used; not stated. Contact international admission (admission-oiss@pepperdine.edu).
• Transcripts and materials (the China requirements PDF): for the three-year Chinese national curriculum, send documents in the original language with English translations; if you are still in school, transcripts of all subjects for years 10 and 11 (Gaoyi and Gaoer); if you have finished, years 10, 11 and 12 plus an official copy of the secondary school diploma and graduation certificate; each secondary school attended must send transcripts directly; applicants wanting the most competitive file should have the graduation certificate sent directly by CHESICC. The PDF does not mention how Gaokao results or the huikao are used.
• Email: if your Common App email is on a Chinese domain such as @163.com, @126.com or @yeah.net, send an alternate non-Chinese address (Yahoo, Outlook, MSN) to admission-oiss@pepperdine.edu so you receive all messages.
• English: see section 7 (TOEFL iBT 85, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 120 and the others).
• Math and science expectations for the Chinese curriculum are not described separately; follow section 4 and confirm with admissions.

9. Transfer

• Who: anyone who has graduated from high school and has any college units applies as a transfer; Pepperdine says there are no course requirements or minimum number of completed college units. Students who have not graduated from high school but have college units (including dual enrollment) apply as first-year students.
• Application: the Pepperdine Transfer Application (not the Common App), $70 fee; fall entry 15 January, FAFSA 15 February, decisions 19 March, enrollment deadline 1 May; spring entry priority 1 October and final 1 November; international transfer applicants: spring 1 October, fall 15 January.
• Credit (catalog): courses completed with a C or better at regionally accredited colleges within seven years of matriculation earn unit credit; a maximum of 64 semester units transfers from two-year or four-year colleges, at least 64 units must be taken at Seaver, and the last 28 units of requirements must be completed at Seaver; no more than 4 physical education units count. Courses from international institutions are reviewed internally by OISS, not by outside evaluators.
• Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT): the majors completable in two years are Art History, Communication Studies, Economics, English, History, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology and Spanish; biology, nutritional science and sports medicine are not on that list.
• Nursing two-year pathway: you must have graduated from high school and completed the prerequisites, with at least 60 (up to 64) college units, a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, C or better in each prerequisite, and labs completed in person; apply through NursingCAS. Prerequisites include English composition, speech and rhetoric, Elementary Spanish II, Human Anatomy, Microbiology for the Healthcare Professions and Human Physiology (each with lab where applicable).
• Course requirements for transferring into Biology or Nutritional Science: not stated on the pages we read.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• EA and ED I 1 November; ED II and RD 15 January; testing optional; nursing and transfer applicants use Regular Decision
• Plan pre-health courses from the recommended list (chemistry, organic, biochemistry, biology, physics, statistics, psychology and sociology, English); Regents Scholars requires a test score

International applicants (including China):

• English: TOEFL iBT 85, IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 120, SAT EBRW 600, ACT Reading 24, or four years of English-medium high school; scores within two years
• Each school sends transcripts directly, with English translations; Chinese applicants should ask CHESICC to send the graduation certificate and add a non-Chinese email address

Transfer students:

• 15 January for fall, $70 fee; up to 64 units transfer; nursing two-year pathway needs 60–64 units, a 3.0 GPA and NursingCAS

Sources: Pepperdine University, Seaver majors and minors; 2026–2027 Seaver catalog (PDF); Biology; Nutritional Science; Sports Medicine; Pre-Health and Pre-Medicine; Pre-health course requirements; Pre-health FAQ; Nursing (BSN); BSN first-year application; BSN FAQ; First-year applicants; Application deadlines; Transfer applicants; Undergraduate cost; Scholarships; International first-year students; International cost of attendance; China transcript requirements (PDF); International application FAQ. Information is for fall 2027 entry (costs are 2026-27 figures; some dates are printed without a year, so please check); check Pepperdine’s website for the latest.