How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at the University of Richmond: Biology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Health Studies in Arts & Sciences, a Neuroscience Concentration, Dedicated Pre-Health Advising, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Richmond is in Richmond, Virginia. Biology, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Health Studies and Neuroscience are all offered in the School of Arts & Sciences. The university’s majors page says students declare a major in their sophomore year. The United States has no pre-med major; Richmond runs a separate Pre-Health Studies program open to students in every discipline. This guide summarises Richmond’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: School of Arts & Sciences; B.A. or B.S., and a minor.
• Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (BMB): School of Arts & Sciences; B.A. or B.S.
• Chemistry: School of Arts & Sciences; B.A. or B.S., and a minor (not covered further here).
• Health Studies: offered by the Department of Health Studies; major and minor, B.A. only. The department says majors take courses in the three core areas of undergraduate public health education (health policy, global health and epidemiology); the minor adds a social-medicine foundation for clinical and professional practice.
• Neuroscience: described as an interdisciplinary concentration, not a stand-alone major. Majors in biology, psychology or biochemistry and molecular biology may apply; it can only be completed with a B.S., and early declaration (fall of sophomore year is suggested) is encouraged.
• Pre-Health: listed as an advising program, not a major; see section 3.
• The pages we read list no nursing, kinesiology or nutrition major (a Human Nutrition course exists within Health Studies). Whether any of these programs is STEM-designated is not stated on the pages we read.
• Biomedical engineering and other engineering programs are not covered in this guide.

2. Admission and entering a major

• Applying: through the Common App or Coalition App. The majors page says students declare in sophomore year; the first-year application pages we read do not ask applicants to choose a major or list separate quotas for biology programs. Not published; confirm with admission.
• Biology major: 14 units. Core: BIOL199 (or BIOL192), BIOL200 and BIOL202 (Integrated Biological Principles I and II); five more biology units (at least four approved 300-level courses, three with a lab; two with a lab if you have one unit of research); CHEM141 (or CHEM192) and CHEM205 Organic Chemistry I. The GPA in biology and chemistry coursework must be at least 2.00 with no grade below C- (1.7).
• B.S. versus B.A.: the B.S. adds CHEM206 (Organic Chemistry II) and a quantitative-physical science requirement: MATH211 Calculus I plus two units drawn from two different categories (Calculus II; statistics, data science, methods or biostatistics; computing or calculus-based physics). The B.A. needs only one quantitative unit (for example statistics, Calculus I, data science or computing) but requires three or more thematically linked non-science courses chosen with an adviser, with a written rationale.
• Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major: about 14.75 units, including BIOL199/192, BIOL200, BIOL202, the BMB300 junior seminar, CHEM141, organic chemistry CHEM205–206, physical chemistry CHEM309, CHEM324 and CHEM325 laboratories, CHEM326 Biochemistry, one macromolecular structure-and-function elective, one gene-regulation elective, two senior seminars, Calculus II and calculus-based physics 1 and 2; with one more upper-level elective and an approved research experience the total is 15–16 units. Each chemistry and biology course needs a C- (1.7) or better. On the page the B.A. and B.S. headings show nearly identical course lists; see the page for any difference.
• Health Studies major: 10 units, including HS100 Health Systems and Policy, HS101 Global Health, HS250 Epidemiology and Health Research Methods and the HS400 capstone; one statistics course; and one course each from humanities, social-science and natural-science perspectives (natural-science options include human anatomy, human physiology, microbiology, immunology and biochemistry), plus electives. The GPA must be at least 2.00 with no grade below C-.
• Neuroscience concentration: the course lists for each major sit in collapsed tabs on the page that we did not read; see the concentration page.
• Any GPA threshold or cap for declaring these majors, beyond the grade requirements above: not stated on the pages we read.

3. The pre-med path

• Richmond runs a Pre-Health Studies program, which it says welcomes students from every discipline; about 300 first- to fourth-year students use it in a given year. A full-time Director of Pre-health Education advises all pre-health students on curriculum and clinical experience, and during the application year helps with centralized applications, personal statements, interview preparation and school selection.
• Courses: the pre-health curricula page says prerequisites vary by professional track and offers a downloadable table of commonly required prerequisites with the matching Richmond courses (we did not read the table). It warns that prerequisites should not be taken while studying abroad.
• Health Professions Advisory Committee (HPAC): evaluates students and alumni in their application year for medical, dental and optometry schools and writes a committee letter after an interview. Timetable: questionnaire due 15 January; interviews mid-February to early April; recommendation letters due 15 May; 1 July deadline to request a committee letter. Alumni must have completed at least 50% of their prerequisites at Richmond. The FAQ says anyone who wishes to apply to medical school may use the committee, regardless of GPA or MCAT score.
• MCAT preparation: a tuition-free course (IDST 281) offered every spring for full-time students who have finished their pre-medical coursework.
• Acceptance statistics (2020–25, from the pre-health site): medical school 81%, dental 84%, veterinary 75%, physician assistant 72%, physical therapy 95%; occupational therapy, nurse practitioner, pharmacy and optometry 100%. The FAQ says Richmond’s medical-school figures reflect all applicants, not only those the committee supported. It also says about 55% of students who enter the program as first-years go on to apply to a health professional school.
• Clinical and shadowing: an EMT training course is offered most years; the clinical page lists volunteer sites such as Children’s Hospital of Richmond and CrossOver Healthcare Ministry; students are encouraged to finish a shadowing experience by the end of the fall before they apply, with Career Services helping.
• Whether pre-health advising has separate guidance for international students, or any limits on international students applying to U.S. medical schools: not stated on the pages we read; contact the Pre-Health program. No combined bachelor’s/medical-degree program appears on the pages we read.

4. High-school preparation

• The first-year application pages we read do not list required high-school courses in biology, chemistry, math or physics. Not published; ask admission.
• The college sequence in section 2 starts at BIOL199 (or BIOL192) and CHEM141 (or CHEM192); the B.S. needs Calculus I. No math or chemistry placement exam is described on the pages we read.
• AP / IB / Gaokao: the testing page says applicants may self-report AP, IB and international exams (including the Gaokao, A-Levels and Cambridge exams), and that some scores may result in college credit or exemptions after enrolling. Which scores earn credit for which biology, chemistry or calculus course is not stated on the pages we read; ask the Registrar.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials

• Rounds (How to Apply page): Early Decision I (binding) 1 November; Early Action (non-binding) 1 November; Early Decision II (binding) 1 January; Regular Decision 1 January. Applications on file by 1 December are automatically considered for the Richmond Scholars award.
• Credential deadlines: ED I 15 November; EA 1 December; ED II 15 January; RD 15 February.
• Decision dates: Richmond’s pages disagree. The round pages give about 12 December (ED I), 23 January (EA), 13 February (ED II) and 13 March (RD); the materials page table gives about 15 December, 25 January, 15 February and 1 April. Check the latest.
• Application fee: $50, with waivers; Richmond waives it for international students and other applicants living abroad (use the “Richmond Awarded Fee Waiver” instructions).
• Materials: Common App or Coalition App; the Richmond Question (choose one of three prompts, 350–650 words); a high-school transcript with grades 9–11; a school report; at least one recommendation from a school official (ideally a counselor) and up to two more; senior progress grades.
• Testing: optional for 2027 entry, which Richmond calls a temporary change reviewed each April; SAT and ACT are superscored; the ACT science section is not required.

6. U.S. applicants

• Cost: The cost page lists one tuition with no in-state rate. 2026-27: tuition $70,725, housing $8,705, food $10,110, direct costs $89,540; books $1,000, personal $1,710, direct-loan fees if applicable $70; total estimated cost of attendance $92,320. No extra fee for biology or health programs appears on the pages we read.
• Aid and scholarships: Richmond says it meets the full demonstrated need of admitted students. All applicants who apply by 1 December are considered for merit awards such as Richmond Scholars and the Presidential Scholarship. No in-state preference appears on the pages we read.
• Research: Biology offers undergraduate research (BIOL394, 395) and summer research (BIOL406); the pre-health FAQ says research is done primarily by undergraduates and can begin in the first year. Numbers of places are not published.

7. International applicants

• How to apply: same rounds and the same Common App or Coalition App; there is no separate international application. Richmond says it can evaluate translated transcripts and AP, IB and A-level curricula.
• English: required if your first language is not English, unless waived. Levels Richmond lists as competitive: TOEFL iBT 100 (5.5 on the updated scale), IELTS 7.5, Duolingo 135. Waivers: ACT English 28, SAT EBRW 660, at least four years in an academically rigorous English-medium secondary school, or an A or B equivalent in AP, IB (5–7) or A-level English. Richmond says these are not minimum admission scores. InitialView or Vericant interviews are optional and do not replace a test or waiver.
• Finances: Richmond is need-aware for non-U.S. citizens and permanent residents, and says the acceptance rate for international applicants who apply for aid is lower. Every international applicant must submit the Certification of Financial Responsibility; need-based aid also requires the CSS Profile (code 5569), by the aid deadline of your round (ED I and EA 15 November; ED II and RD 1 February). The average award to international students in 2025-26 was $69,900. International students who receive no aid in the first year will generally not be assisted later unless funds permit.
• Scholarships: international students can compete for all university merit scholarships except Army ROTC; apply by 1 December for full consideration.
• After admission: the I-20 is issued after the deposit; all international students must buy the university’s health insurance plan; the Center for Global Engagement provides support.
• Any limits on international students in labs or clinical shadowing: not stated on the pages we read.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the testing page says only that the Gaokao may be self-reported along with AP, IB and A-levels, and that some scores may earn credit or exemptions after enrolling. Whether it is used in the admission decision, and what scores are expected: not published; contact admission.
• Transcripts: translated if needed; requirements for Chinese school-leaving or exam documents are not stated on the pages we read.
• Other: English proof, financial certification and the fee waiver are as in section 7. Richmond has no separate page for applicants from China on the pages we read.

9. Transfer

• Deadlines: 1 March for fall and 1 November for spring; first-year students cannot apply for spring entry. Apply via the Common App, Coalition App or Richmond’s own transfer application.
• Eligibility: at least 6.82 transferable units (about 24 semester hours), which may be in progress at application; math through Algebra II and at least two years of one foreign language (at college level if not met in high school); a college GPA of at least 2.0, with successful applicants historically averaging A- or B+.
• Entry: all transfer applicants are admitted to the School of Arts and Sciences as undeclared; the committee does not admit into a major, and students begin the declaration process after enrolling.
• Credit and aid: the Registrar evaluates credit only for admitted transfers; admitted transfer candidates are offered need-based aid at 100% of demonstrated need but are not eligible for merit scholarships. The page says about 300 applicants compete for 50 fall places and about 100 for 15 spring places.
• Specific chemistry, biology or calculus course requirements for transferring into these majors: not stated on the page we read.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• ED I or EA by 1 November, ED II or RD by 1 January; apply by 1 December for Richmond Scholars; testing optional
• If pre-health, contact the Director of Pre-health Education in your first year; do not take prerequisites while studying abroad

International applicants (including China):

• English reference: TOEFL 100 (5.5), IELTS 7.5, Duolingo 135, or a waiver; submit the Certification of Financial Responsibility, and the CSS Profile if you need aid
• Use the fee-waiver instructions; self-report the Gaokao if you wish; ask admission how it is used

Transfer students:

• 1 March (fall) or 1 November (spring); at least 6.82 transferable units; enter undeclared

Sources: University of Richmond, Majors, minors and concentrations; Biology major and minor; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology major; Neuroscience concentration; Health Studies major and minor; Pre-Health Studies; Pre-health acceptance rates; Pre-health FAQ; Pre-health advising; Pre-health curricula; Health Professions Advisory Committee; MCAT preparation; Clinical opportunities; Shadowing; How to apply and deadlines; Early Decision; Early Action; Regular Decision; First-year application materials; Test-optional policy; International admission; English proficiency policy; Transfer admission; Cost of attendance; International financial aid. Some pages do not print a year; check Richmond’s website for the latest and confirm the dates apply to fall 2027 entry.