How to apply for life sciences and medical science degrees at the University of Reading: biological sciences, biomedical science, biochemistry and microbiology, plus medical science, pharmacology, MPharm and physician associate studies, mostly ABB at A-Level, entry routes and requirements for UK applicants, international students (including China) and transfers

Life sciences degrees at the University of Reading are taught by the School of Biological Sciences on the Whiteknights campus, in a Health and Life Sciences building that Reading describes as a new £60m building. Pharmacy and medical science courses sit under the "Pharmacy" and "Medical Sciences" subject pages. This guide summarises 2027/28 entry from Reading's official pages for UK applicants, international students (including those from China) and students who want to join at year two.

1. Which courses you can apply to

You apply straight to a named course. The Biological Sciences page says these courses do not have a common first year, so you study your chosen subject from the start and tailor it with optional modules; courses have a strong practical element with laboratory and fieldwork skills, and the final year includes an 11-week laboratory research project. Reading lists:

• BSc Biological Sciences (UCAS code C100): three years. Compulsory first-year modules are Cellular and Molecular Principles of Life, Fundamentals of Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, Fundamentals of Evolution and History of Life on Earth. The page says most modules are optional, so you can lean towards ecology and wildlife or human biology.
• BSc Biomedical Science (C741): three years. Compulsory first-year modules include Cellular and Molecular Principles of Life, Anatomy and Physiology, Fundamentals of Biochemistry and Human Pathology. The page says it is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and developed with practising NHS laboratory scientists, geared towards becoming a biomedical scientist in hospital and private clinical labs; working as one in the UK requires registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You can take a year-long placement between the second and final year, and a placement in an accredited NHS training lab lets you work towards the IBMS Certificate of Competence and Registration Training Portfolio. The page also says the programme is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB).
• BSc Biochemistry (C700): three years, with the option to include a placement year. First-year compulsory modules include Fundamentals of Biochemistry and General Chemistry B. The page says it is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology and you can apply for Chartered Biologist status.
• BSc Microbiology (C500): three years. The page says you can join the Microbiology Society, graduates can join the Royal Society of Biology and apply for Chartered Biologist status, and the programme is RSB accredited.
• BSc Medical Science (C750): three years, under the Medical Sciences subject page and also RSB accredited. That page says graduates go on to the NHS, pharmaceutical and academic laboratories, and some go on to medical, dentistry or veterinary degrees.
• BSc Pharmacology (B210): three years, with a four-year BSc Pharmacology with a Year in Industry. Reading says it aligns the programme with the British Pharmacological Society's core curricula. Pharmacology courses do not qualify you to work as a pharmacist; for that you need the MPharm.
• MPharm Pharmacy (B230): four years, with a five-year MPharm Pharmacy with Preparatory Year. It is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC); Reading says the MPharm is the only degree that lets you register as a pharmacist independent prescriber, after a Foundation Training Year.
• MPAS Physician Associate Studies (BB96): four years, under the Medical Sciences subject page. The page says the programme is approved by the General Medical Council (GMC) and graduates must pass the Physician Associate Registration Assessment (PARA) before registering with the GMC. The same page also calls the award a "Reading MSc programme", which does not match the MPAS name; check the website.
• Others: the Biological Sciences page also lists BSc Ecology and Wildlife Conservation, BSc Zoology and BEng Biomedical Engineering (an engineering degree, not covered here), four-year MSci versions (Biological Sciences, Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Medical Science, Microbiology, Ecology and Wildlife Conservation, Zoology), and "with Professional Experience" (four years) and "with Foundation" (four years) versions. Entry requirements for Ecology and Wildlife Conservation, Zoology and the MSci courses, and who the "with Foundation" versions are for, are not covered in the pages used for this guide; check the website.
• Medicine degrees: no medicine (MBBS) undergraduate degree appears in the course lists used for this guide.

2. Prerequisites and entry requirements

• BSc Biological Sciences, Biomedical Science, Microbiology and Medical Science: A-Level ABB with a B in Biology, or BBB with a B in Biology and a B in a second science. Accepted second sciences: Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology, Geography, Environmental Science/Studies, Applied Science, Geology, Computer Science. IB: 32 points including 5 in Biology at Higher Level, or 30 points including 5 in Biology and a second science, both at Higher Level. BTEC Extended Diploma: DDD, taking specified Applied Science (2016) units (for example Biological Molecules and Metabolic Pathways and Genetics and Genetic Engineering; Biomedical Science also lists Physiology of Human Body Systems and Diseases and Infections; Medical Science needs two Chemistry and two Biology units from its list).
• BSc Biochemistry: A-Level ABB with a B in Chemistry, or BBB with a B in Chemistry and a B in a second science (second science options include Biology, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Statistics, Psychology and Geography). IB: 32 points including 5 in Chemistry at Higher Level, or 30 points including 5 in Chemistry and a second science, both at Higher Level. BTEC: DDD with specified Applied Science units.
• BSc Pharmacology: A-Level BBB including Biology and Chemistry (or equivalent); IB 30 points including 5 in Biology and Chemistry, both at Higher Level; GCSE Maths at grade C (5); BTEC DDD with two specified Chemistry and two Biology units.
• MPharm Pharmacy: A-Level ABB including a minimum B in Chemistry and another science; GCSE Mathematics at grade 5 (B); IB 32 points including 5 in Chemistry and in another science, both at Higher Level; BTEC DDD with specified Chemistry units.
• MPAS Physician Associate Studies: A-Level ABB including Biology and Chemistry; GCSE Mathematics B (5); IB 32 points including at least 5 in both Higher Level Biology and Chemistry; BTEC DDD with two specified Chemistry and two Biology units.
• EPQ: Reading says EPQ results can be part of a formal offer.
• Interviews and background checks: MPharm and MPAS applicants must attend an interview (the MPharm page points to a separate interview days page, which was not used for this guide). Both courses require a background check: UK candidates need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check arranged by the University; non-UK candidates must provide a certificate of no criminal convictions or a letter of good standing from their own country. You pay the DBS fee and any vaccinations or blood tests. The other course pages do not mention an interview.
• English: IELTS 6.5 with no component below 5.5 for most courses; MPharm requires 6.5 with no component below 6.0. Other English qualifications are on the international pages; a pre-sessional English course is available.
• Contextual offers: the life science course pages used for this guide do not give contextual offer conditions; ask Admissions.
• Scottish Highers and other UK qualifications: the course pages list A-Level, BTEC and IB and say many other qualifications are accepted. Requirements for other UK qualifications are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask Admissions.

3. Applying and deadlines

• All undergraduate courses, including those with an integrated foundation year, are applied for through UCAS. Reading's institution code is R12, and you can choose up to five courses, including more than one at Reading; use the UCAS codes on the course pages. You write a personal statement and need a reference and predicted or achieved grades. UCAS charges most students a small application fee; check UCAS for the amount.
• Reading says most undergraduate courses have a UCAS deadline in January; check UCAS for the exact 2027-entry date, as the pages used for this guide do not print a date or year. Whether MPharm, MPAS or other interview courses have an earlier deadline is not stated on those pages; check the website.
• If you miss the January deadline you can still apply through UCAS, and Reading will consider late applications until June; after June they go into Clearing. Reading also warns that some courses may be full after January, so apply early where possible.
• After you apply, UCAS passes your application to Admissions, which looks at your personal statement, predicted or achieved grades and reference. Offers are conditional or unconditional. Offer Holder Days normally run between February and April of your year of entry. To defer or change course, submit the Change My Offer Request form. If you want your personal statement to focus on other course choices, the Biomedical Science page says you can email a short statement about your motivation for that course.

4. International students and applicants from China

• International students: the course pages point you to the country pages for country-specific entry requirements. The pages above say that if you do not meet direct-entry requirements you can join Reading's International Foundation Programme (IFP), September entry: completing it, together with any other entry requirements, guarantees a place on your chosen undergraduate degree. Whether international students can follow the MPharm or MPAS into professional registration (pharmacist, physician associate) is not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website and the regulators (GPhC, GMC).
• Applicants from China: Reading's China page says it accepts a wide range of equivalent qualifications depending on course and level. For undergraduate study it lists:
  • International Foundation Programme: Chinese High School Year 2 (Year 11) with a leaving certificate averaging 75%; High School Year 3 (Year 12) with a graduation certificate averaging 70%.
  • A recognised International Foundation Programme, or first-year study at a recognised Chinese university with at least 80%.
  • Gaokao: a minimum overall average of 80% for courses that require AAA at A-Level, 77% for AAB/ABB, and 74% for BBB. Most courses above ask for ABB and Pharmacology for BBB; they also have a B in Biology or Chemistry, and how that subject condition is read against Gaokao subjects and scores is not published, so ask Admissions.
  • Ambright (AST Maths 165, AST English 200; AST Physics case by case for science and life science courses); or the IB Diploma with 30-34 points depending on the programme.
  The China page also links a Chinese-language website and a list of approved representatives in China that you can check.

5. Fees and scholarships

• International fees for 2027/28 are £31,800 a year on the course pages for BSc Biological Sciences, Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Medical Science, Pharmacology, MPharm and MPAS, with annual increases in later years as set out in your student contract.
• UK applicants: the home fee for 2027 entry is £10,050 a year for new UK and Republic of Ireland students, subject to annual increases in later years. The course pages do not distinguish England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; check the website.
• The course pages say some courses need extra payments for field trips and resources, and you should budget for accommodation and living costs. The Biological Sciences page says optional field courses normally last one to two weeks, in places such as Devon, Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands, Iceland and Spain.
• The international scholarships page lists, among undergraduate options, the Global Sustainability Leaders Scholarship: £6,000 a year for up to four years towards living costs, with 2027 deadlines not yet confirmed. There is also the International Foundation Excellence Scholarship: £5,000 off tuition for eligible international students starting an International Foundation Programme or Year, with a deadline of 16 November 2026 for January 2027 entry. The page lists no automatic academic scholarship for international undergraduates on degree courses; ask Admissions.

6. Transfers and advanced entry

• Neither the life science course pages nor the application page explains how to transfer into year two from another university or how credits are recognised; this is not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask the School of Biological Sciences or Admissions.
• The rules for moving between courses (for example from Biological Sciences to Biomedical Science) are also not given on those pages. Because the courses have no common first year, choose before you start.

7. Checklists

UK applicants:

• Biological Sciences, Biomedical Science, Microbiology, Medical Science: ABB with a B in Biology; Biochemistry: ABB with a B in Chemistry; Pharmacology: BBB including Biology and Chemistry
• MPharm and MPAS need an interview and a background check; check the timetable on the website
• Apply through UCAS (R12) by the January deadline and check UCAS for the 2027-entry date

International students (including China):

• IB 32 points with 5 in Biology or Chemistry at Higher Level (Pharmacology: 30 points with 5 in Biology and Chemistry at Higher Level); IELTS 6.5 (5.5 per component, 6.0 for MPharm)
• If you do not meet direct entry, consider Reading's International Foundation Programme (September entry)
• MPharm and MPAS need a certificate of no criminal convictions or a letter of good standing
• International fees are £31,800 a year

Transfer students:

• Year-two entry rules are not published; contact the School of Biological Sciences or Admissions first

Sources: University of Reading, Biological Sciences undergraduate courses; BSc Biological Sciences; BSc Biomedical Science; BSc Biochemistry; BSc Microbiology; Medical Sciences undergraduate courses; BSc Medical Science; BSc Pharmacology; MPharm Pharmacy; MPAS Physician Associate Studies; How to apply; Information for students from China; International scholarships. Information is for 2027/28 entry; module lists are those the pages give for 2026/27; fees, scholarships and deadlines may change, so check the University of Reading website for the latest.