How to Apply to Life Sciences and Pre-Health Study at Rutgers University–Camden: Arts and Sciences Majors in Biology, Biochemistry and Health Sciences Plus Its Own School of Nursing, and the Path for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Rutgers University–Camden is in Camden, New Jersey, across the river from Center City Philadelphia, and is one of the three universities of the Rutgers system. Life-science and health study is split between the Camden College of Arts and Sciences (also written School of Arts and Sciences–Camden), which offers Biology, Biochemistry, Computational and Integrative Biology, Health Sciences and others, and the Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden. There is no pre-med major in the United States. This guide summarises Rutgers’ published information for fall 2027 entry for U.S. applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Engineering majors are not covered.

What we read: the admissions office (admissions.rutgers.edu), the Camden campus site, the biology department, the health sciences department and the School of Nursing–Camden. The page for the Camden BS/DO joint program returned a 403 (access denied) and we did not request it again, so its details were not read.

1. Relevant bachelor’s programs

• Biology (BA or BS): offered by the biology department. The program page lists molecular biology, genetics, ecology and physiology with laboratory work, faculty-mentored research, and a Certificate of Life Science Research earned through curricular training. It says the major fulfills pre-medical, pre-veterinary and pre-dental requirements. The department FAQ says “you will receive a BS” with an option to receive a BA after discussing it with your faculty mentor, while the program page says both degrees are offered.
• Biochemistry (BS or BA): listed on the arts and sciences page; the directory links to the chemistry department’s “BS Chemistry: biochemistry track” page.
• Computational and Integrative Biology (BS): the program page lists Molecular, Systems and Physical tracks at undergraduate level and an accelerated five-year BS/MS.
• Health Sciences: the official pages disagree on the degree: the arts and sciences page lists it as a BA, the program page is titled “Health Sciences, BS”, and the department site just says “major”. The program page describes an interdisciplinary curriculum including Health Psychology, Human Development and Biomedical Ethics for health careers or graduate and professional programs. The department also has BA-MPH joint programs with Rutgers–New Brunswick and Jefferson University in Philadelphia (five years), and an accelerated BA to Prevention Science MS.
• Others: General Sciences (BA), Chemistry (BS/BA), Psychology (BA), Social Work (BA). The directory also lists “Medical BA/DO” while the arts and sciences page says “Joint BS/DO program”; the names differ and the program page returned a 403, so its details were not read.
• School of Nursing: the BS in Nursing (four years), the Accelerated BS in Nursing (15 months, for people who already hold a bachelor’s degree) and RN to BSN, plus graduate programs.
• Whether programs are STEM: not stated on the pages we read.
• Honors: the Honors College admits first-year and transfer students by invitation; rising sophomores may apply.

2. How admission works

• Applying: first-year applicants use the Rutgers Application or the Common App and choose the school (Camden College of Arts and Sciences, the business school or the School of Nursing). Under Rutgers’ Maximum Admission Consideration, if you are not admitted to the school you chose, Rutgers can automatically consider another school you listed, with no extra materials.
• Arts and sciences majors: the admissions pages we read do not say whether a specific major must be chosen at application. The biology department urges students to declare the biology major as soon as possible by contacting the Registrar’s Office; declaring puts you on the department mailing list and assigns an advisor, and changing the major follows the same process. The biology major can only be completed by daytime attendance, not evening courses alone.
• Entry conditions for biology and similar majors: no GPA threshold or cap is stated on the pages we read. Contact the arts and sciences college (artsci@camden.rutgers.edu).
• Nursing (a limited program): there are three paths into the four-year BSN: traditional (for first-year students enrolling right after high school), internal transfer and external transfer. The nursing application page says deadlines vary by program and sends you to the admissions requirements. The accelerated BSN needs a bachelor’s degree in any field plus prerequisites: General Chemistry I or II or Organic Biochemistry (4 credits with lab), Anatomy and Physiology I and II (8 credits with labs), Microbiology (4 credits with lab), Statistics (3), Human Growth and Development (3), Nutrition (3) and any ethics course (3).
• Health Sciences to nursing: the department describes two options. Option 1: start in health sciences and transfer into the School of Nursing, limited by space and highly competitive; to be competitive you should have at least a 3.0 GPA with As and Bs in science classes, Anatomy & Physiology completed within 5 years of enrollment, and a school-to-school request during the freshman year; the department says about 10% of declared pre-nursing students transfer each year. Because nursing courses begin in the sophomore year, transferring later means more than four years in total. Option 2: complete the BA in Health Sciences and then the post-baccalaureate BA-BS accelerated dual degree.
• Combined bachelor’s and master’s: Biology BS/MS; apply in the spring of junior year with at least 90 credits, a 3.5 GPA in the major and overall, three recommendation letters and a personal letter; GRE not required.

3. The pre-med route

• The biology department’s FAQ says the pre-med major “is a thing of the past”; most medical schools prefer a chosen major and require relatively few courses. It lists the minimum: General Biology I and II, Chemical Principles I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II, General Physics I and II (Elements of Physics may substitute) and at least one semester of calculus, all science courses with labs, nine science and math courses in total, plus a major of your choice. Some pre-med students choose biology because all those courses are also required for the biology major.
• The biology department’s degree-requirements page links a medical-school course planning document; we did not read it.
• Medical school acceptance statistics, committee letters and any note on pre-health advising for international students are not stated on the pages we read. The older pre-medical page sits on a renamed host and was not read.
• BS/DO joint program: the admissions pages say applicants to Camden’s BS/DO program must submit at least one SAT or ACT score. The program page returned a 403, so places, GPA and whether international students may apply were not read.
• Research in the biology major: independent research courses 491 and 492, with prerequisites Statistics for Biological Research (283) and Principles and Practices of Biological Research (295/296); students present a poster at Biology Day.

4. High school preparation

• All Camden schools (arts and sciences, business, nursing): 16 academic units: English 4 years; foreign language 2 years of one language; mathematics 3 years (including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II); science 2 years, of which 1 year each of Biology and Chemistry for the School of Nursing; 5 other academic courses.
• The decisions page says strength of program (honors, AP and similar), grades and trends, weighted GPA and class rank (where available) are the main factors.
• AP Biology: the biology FAQ says a high enough AP Biology score sent to Rutgers earns credit for Biology 101 or 101 and 102 (the score thresholds are not given). Other AP/IB credit and math or chemistry placement are not stated on the pages we read.
• Biology major: foundation courses, laboratory electives and a senior course; electives are all 300-level; 120 credits in total with a 2.0 cumulative GPA; a D is a passing grade and counts toward the major. Course lists are in the BA and BS preview documents, which we did not read.
• Health Sciences: 60 credit hours of major requirements and electives within 120 credits; courses should be taken in person on the Camden campus. Use the curriculum worksheet for your start term (a Fall 2026 or later version exists).
• Nursing: first-year students admitted for fall 2026 or later follow a new plan of study (PDF) that we did not read.

5. Rounds, deadlines and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Early action (non-binding): 1 November 2026; the dates page says online decision by 31 January 2027, reply date 1 May. The pages disagree: the decisions page guarantees early action decisions by 15 February and regular decisions by 31 March.
• Regular decision: 1 December 2026; the dates page says decision by 28 February 2027 and reply date 1 May. A footnote says these application dates are “not deadlines”: you may apply later, but your application will be withdrawn if the school meets its enrollment goals before your file is reviewed or your file remains incomplete. Required credentials for first-year and transfer applicants are due two weeks after the application due date.
• Spring 2027 entry: 1 October 2026; first-year spring lists the arts and sciences college and the business school, transfer spring also lists nursing (part-time is not available for the Accelerated BSN).
• Availability chart (as displayed): for fall 2027, the arts and sciences college, the business school and the School of Nursing–Camden are all marked open full time to first-year and transfer applicants, including F-1 international students.
• Application fee: the transfer page states a non-refundable $70; the first-year amount is not stated on the pages we read. Waivers cover National School Lunch Program participants, U.S. military members and dependents, and College Board, NACAC, ACT and EOF waivers.
• Essay: first-year applicants write one original short essay: 3,800 characters on the Rutgers Application, or 250–650 words on the Common App, which has no supplemental essays. Activities are entered in the application.
• Recommendations: Rutgers says letters of recommendation are not used in admission decisions.
• Testing: Rutgers–Camden is test optional; you receive full consideration without scores. SAT and ACT are superscored; the ACT composite counts only English, math and reading. BS/DO applicants must submit a score. The first-year page says test-optional and test-blind policies run “through 2027”, while the transfer page says “through 2026”.
• Grades: current high school seniors self-report courses and grades in STARS; a mismatch with the official transcript can lead to an admission being rescinded.
• Latest admitted profile (fall 2026, middle 50% of regularly admitted students): Camden College of Arts and Sciences SAT 1250–1470 (math 620–770, reading and writing 620–720), ACT 29–34, high school GPA 3.4–4.0; School of Nursing–Camden SAT 1110–1370 (math 540–700, reading and writing 550–680), ACT 26–31, GPA 3.5–4.0. Rutgers stresses these are not cut-offs.

6. U.S. applicants

• In-state and out-of-state costs: Rutgers has New Jersey resident and non-resident rates. On the cost page (Camden overall; the page does not print an academic year): New Jersey residents pay $15,381 tuition and $3,829 fees; food and housing is $6,060 for commuters (total $25,270) or $21,943 on campus (total $41,153). Non-residents pay $36,831 tuition, for totals of $46,720 (commuter) or $62,603 (on campus). Nursing and other school-specific rate tables were not read.
• New Jersey residency and tuition programs: you must have been domiciled in New Jersey for at least one year before enrolling; dependent students generally follow their parents. Domestic non-New Jersey undergraduates can receive the One Tuition Grant, which brings tuition down to the New Jersey resident rate; New Jersey undergraduates can use Bridging the Gap, which covers remaining in-state tuition and fees after other need-based aid, reducing costs by up to 100%.
• Scholarships: all applicants are considered for merit scholarships with no separate application, and those who apply by the priority deadline get priority consideration; current students can apply each spring for named scholarships of $500 to $5,000. The School of Nursing lists three undergraduate scholarships (details not read).
• Research and clinical placements: biology majors can do faculty-mentored research (section 3); the School of Nursing cites 125+ clinical partners and about 9,160 square feet of simulation and clinical-skills labs.

7. International applicants

• English: required, regardless of residency status, if your secondary schooling was in a country where English is not the principal language; scores must be from the past two years and sent by the testing service (TOEFL code 2765). Camden minimums: TOEFL iBT (through 21 January 2026) 79 and (from 22 January 2026) 4.0; IELTS 6.0; Michigan English Test 56; SAT EBRW 550; ACT English 21; PTE 53; Duolingo 115; Cambridge B2. A footnote says the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy and the “Rutgers School of Nursing” require TOEFL 100 (before January 2026) or 5.5 (after) and Duolingo 130; the page does not say whether this covers Camden’s own School of Nursing, so confirm with admissions. Students from English-medium schools are assessed for a waiver case by case (RUinternational@admissions.rutgers.edu), and a B or better in a college English Composition course at an accredited U.S. college waives the requirement.
• Documents: documents not in English need a translation verified by a language professor or professional translator on the translator’s letterhead; do not send sports or craft certificates or recommendation letters. International students may use STARS and later mail official academic records from the educational authority; transfer students with fewer than 24 college credits must provide a high school transcript or finishing certificate.
• Funds and I-20: after accepting an offer you upload your passport page and the International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) with supporting documents on the Rutgers Global portal; bank letters must be on bank letterhead, show at least the ISFS amount and be dated within six months of the I-20 application, covering the first year. You then pay the I-901 SEVIS fee and apply for the visa. The residency page says most holders of temporary visas are treated as out of state for tuition.
• International scholarships: the International Chancellor’s Scholarship gives non-sponsored F-1 international first-year or transfer students up to $17,000 a year; F-1 students transferring from Camden County College can receive up to $15,000 a year; the #YouAreWelcomeHere scholarship covers at least 50% of tuition for international first-year students committed to intercultural learning.
• Nursing and clinical limits: whether F-1 students face limits in nursing or clinical placements is not stated on the pages we read. The availability chart shows the School of Nursing–Camden open full time to F-1 students for fall 2027.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the admissions pages we read do not mention the Gaokao and have no China-specific page. Write to RUInternational@admissions.rutgers.edu.
• Transcripts and school-leaving exams: international students may use STARS; the examples of school-leaving records on the pages are SSC, HSSC, WAEC, GSEC, GXE, GCE and Bagrut, which do not include a Chinese exam. How to submit Chinese school-leaving records is not stated on the pages we read.
• English: use the minimums and waiver rules in section 7.
• Math and science: no China-specific guidance; check the 16-unit list and the nursing biology and chemistry requirement in section 4 with admissions.

9. Transfer students

• Who is a transfer applicant: a high school graduate with at least 12 college credits earned elsewhere. Transfer applicants must use the Rutgers Application, not the Common App.
• Deadlines: fall 2027 transfer 1 February 2027, decision by 15 April, reply date 1 May; spring transfer 1 October 2026. Required credentials are due two weeks after the application date.
• Camden requirements: Rutgers says there is no minimum GPA to apply as a transfer student to Camden; transfer students are expected to have completed the high school subjects above (college courses may fill gaps), and GPAs from previous institutions do not transfer into Rutgers. Admitted transfers had a middle 50% cumulative college GPA of 3.1–3.8 (arts and sciences) and 3.2–3.8 (nursing).
• Credit transfer: courses from accredited institutions that match Rutgers courses and earn a C or better; up to 60 credits from two-year colleges and up to 90 from four-year institutions. An AA or AS from a New Jersey community college usually brings about 60 credits and junior standing; Camden has priority or partnership programs with several local community colleges, and NJTransfer.org gives a preliminary evaluation.
• Into biology: the biology department says all biology elective courses are 300-level and community colleges do not offer them, so no biology electives transfer; missing prerequisites on your transcript block course registration until you file the department’s transfer evaluation form. Required chemistry and calculus sequences are not stated on the pages we read.
• Into nursing: internal and external transfer each have their own course-requirement lists (PDFs we did not read); the health sciences department says the School of Nursing requires Anatomy & Physiology to be completed within 5 years of enrollment.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Early action 1 November 2026 or regular 1 December; testing optional; nursing needs one year each of high school Biology and Chemistry
• The biology major meets the minimum pre-med courses per the department; BS/DO applicants must submit an SAT or ACT score

International applicants (including China):

• English: Camden TOEFL 4.0 (new scale), IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 115; the nursing footnote is higher, so confirm with admissions
• Have non-English documents translated by a qualified person; prepare ISFS and bank letters; ask admissions whether the Gaokao can be sent; International Chancellor’s Scholarship up to $17,000 a year

Transfer students:

• Apply with the Rutgers Application by 1 February 2027; no minimum GPA; biology electives do not transfer; nursing transfer follows the School of Nursing lists

Sources: Rutgers University, Explore majors; How we make decisions and high school course requirements; Camden dates and deadlines; How to apply; First-year credentials and testing policy; International applicant credentials; Transfer credentials; Information for transfer students; Tuition and fees; Scholarships; New Jersey tuition eligibility; Discover Rutgers–Camden; School of Arts and Sciences–Camden; Biology BA/BS; Health Sciences; Computational and Integrative Biology; Biology undergraduate program; Biology degree requirements; Biology undergraduate FAQs; Independent research in biology; Biology BS/MS; Health Sciences department; Health Sciences major; Health Sciences and nursing; Health Sciences BA-MPH; School of Nursing–Camden; BS in Nursing; Accelerated BS in Nursing; Nursing: how to apply; Nursing admissions and aid. Information is for fall 2027 entry (the cost page does not print an academic year, so check it); check Rutgers’ website for the latest.