How to Apply for Life Sciences and Medicine at the University of St Andrews: Four-Year Biology and Biochemistry BSc Degrees, Neuroscience, and the Six-Year Medicine BSc with a Partner Medical School, for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of St Andrews is in Scotland, and its life sciences and medicine undergraduate degrees sit in several Schools: the School of Biology offers Biology, Biochemistry and related BSc degrees; Neuroscience is run jointly by the School of Psychology and Neuroscience and the School of Biology; and the School of Medicine offers the medicine programmes. Scottish degrees usually take four years: the first two (sub-honours) include other subjects alongside your main one, and the last two are the Honours years. The subject list on the website has no undergraduate pharmacy or nursing degrees. This guide follows the St Andrews website for 2027 entry and covers UK applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students.

1. Which degrees you can apply for

• School of Biology BSc degrees (four years): Biology BSc (UCAS C100), Biochemistry BSc (C700), and BSc degrees in Animal Behaviour, Cell Biology, Ecology and Conservation, Evolutionary Biology, Marine Biology, Molecular Biology and Zoology; there are also five-year integrated Masters degrees: MBiol (Biology), MBiochem (Biochemistry) and MMarBiol (Marine Biology). The UCAS codes of these other degrees were not read one by one for this guide; check each course page.
• Neuroscience BSc: UCAS B140, four years, run by the School of Psychology and Neuroscience and the School of Biology.
• Joint degrees: biology can be combined with other subjects in joint BSc degrees. The course page lists (UCAS codes): Biology and Chemistry C761, Biology and Computer Science F899, Biology and Earth Sciences CFC6, Biology and Economics CL11, Biology and Geography CF18, Biology and Mathematics CG11, Biology and Philosophy CV16, Biology and Psychology CC18, Biology and Statistics CG13, Biology and Sustainable Development F896; the Biology and Psychology joint option can also be taken as a programme with British Psychological Society accreditation. St Andrews says the entry requirements for the joint degrees with Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics, Statistics and Earth Sciences differ slightly from single-subject Biology; see each course page.
• Medicine: the School of Medicine’s programmes are in the Medicine section below.
• Choosing a subject: you apply directly to a specific degree and UCAS code; in first year you take your main subject plus other subjects, not a general intake sorted later.

2. Course structure (Biology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience)

• Biology BSc: the first two years cover core material such as animal and plant biology, molecular biology, cell biology and genetics; in first year you take two additional subjects, and in second year you might carry on at least one, sometimes two. First-year modules are Biology 1 (molecular and cellular biology) and Biology 2 (diversity of life, behaviour and ecology); second-year modules include Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology and Research Methods in Biology. Third year becomes more specialised, and fourth year includes a substantial research project occupying half of the year; you can also apply for Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) modules.
• Biochemistry BSc: the biochemical mechanisms of life processes from viral replication to neurobiology, including protein structure and function, regulation, molecular genetics, membranes and cell communication, and pharmacology, with a final-year laboratory project in a research group in the Biomedical Sciences Research Complex.
• Neuroscience BSc: first year combines biology, psychology and one additional subject; in second year you continue biology and psychology and take a dedicated neuroscience module, with four compulsory modules and two optional biology modules.
• Laboratory and field work: biology students have the opportunity to go on field trips from first year to Honours, and recent Honours courses have visited places such as the Red Sea and Antarctica. First-year Biology modules are assessed entirely by coursework.
• Extra costs: biology and biochemistry students need to buy a laboratory coat and dissection kit; they may be asked to contribute towards optional residential field-trip modules.
• Overseas study: biology students can apply to the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme and may also join the School Abroad exchange programme. The course pages do not mention a placement year.

3. Entry requirements and prerequisites (2027 entry)

• Biology BSc, Standard (international applicants use this): Highers AAAB including Biology (or Human Biology) and one of Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics; A-levels AAB including Biology and one of Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics; IB 36 points (HL 6,6,5) including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in one of Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics. Minimum: Highers AABB, A-levels ABB, IB 36 (HL 6,5,5, with HL6 in Biology and HL5 in the other subject).
• Biochemistry BSc, Standard: Highers AAAB including Biology (or Human Biology) and Chemistry; A-levels AAB including Biology and Chemistry; IB 36 points (HL 6,6,5) including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in Chemistry. Minimum: Highers AABB, A-levels ABB, IB 36 (HL 6,5,5, with HL6 in Biology and HL5 in Chemistry).
• Neuroscience BSc, Standard: Highers AAAB including B in two of Biology (or Human Biology), Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics; A-levels AAB including B in two of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics; IB 36 points (HL 6,6,5) including HL5 in two of those subjects. Minimum: Highers AABB, A-levels ABB, IB 36 (HL 6,5,5).
• Prior study: Biology requires Biology (or Human Biology) and Biochemistry requires Biology (or Human Biology) and Chemistry, at Higher, A-level or equivalent; preference is given to candidates with strong science qualifications. No prior neuroscience knowledge is required for Neuroscience.
• General requirements: SQA National 5 (B) in English plus one subject from the list on the course page, or GCSE (5) in English language or literature plus one subject from the list on the course page, or equivalent.
• Admissions tests and interviews: the Biology, Biochemistry and Neuroscience course pages read for this guide do not mention an admissions test or interview; the application page says most applicants are not interviewed, with the exceptions being Medicine, supported pathway programmes and part-time study.
• Direct entry to second year: the University’s list includes, in the School of Biology, Animal Behaviour, Biochemistry (BSc and MBiochem), Biology (BSc and MBiol), Cell Biology, Ecology and Conservation, Evolutionary Biology, Marine Biology, Molecular Biology and Zoology, and joint degrees such as Biology with Geology, Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science; Neuroscience is not on the list. The Biology and Biochemistry course pages say only that well-qualified school leavers may apply; the grades are not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask Admissions.
• English profile: Biology, Biochemistry and Neuroscience BSc degrees are in the Faculty of Science and use profile 7-D (Medicine has a higher requirement, below).

4. Medicine (only what the website states)

• Programmes: the medicine page lists MBChB (A10C) for UK-domiciled students; Medicine BSc (Hons) A100, three years at St Andrews for a BSc followed by three years at a partner medical school for an MBChB or MBBS (six years); A990 for Canadian residents, three years at St Andrews and three in Edinburgh with an ongoing connection to the University of Alberta; and the four-year graduate-entry ScotGEM. The A100 page says students classed as Overseas for fee purposes complete their training at the University of Manchester.
• Deadline: the A100 page gives an application deadline of 6pm (GMT) on Thursday 15 October 2026, and the UCAS page gives the same date for Medicine; that date has passed for 2027 entry, so check the website for the next cycle.
• UCAT and interview: the UCAT is required and applicants are selected for interview. The minimum UCAT scores selected for interview for 2026 entry were 1710 for A100 (Overseas) and 1940 for A990 (Overseas), with different scores for UK programmes; St Andrews says it cannot predict next year’s cut-offs. The “how students are selected” page was not read for this guide.
• International qualifications (from the international requirements page): the IB requires 38 points (HL 6,6,6 plus SL 6,6,6) including HL Chemistry and one of HL Biology, Mathematics or Physics; if Biology or Mathematics is not at HL, SL Biology, Mathematics and English are needed; SL Mathematical Studies is not acceptable. For the Canadian High School Diploma, an overall 85% in the top six grade-12 subjects with 90% in Chemistry and 90% in two of Biology, Mathematics or Physics; an average over 85% in grade 11 is considered for interview. To be considered for interview applicants must have a strong academic record, normally at least five A grades at GCSE (or equivalent) taken at one sitting.
• UK qualifications: A-levels Standard AAA including Chemistry and one of Biology, Mathematics or Physics, Minimum AAB; plus five GCSEs at A or 7. SQA Highers Standard is AAAAB in S5.
• Applicants from China: the Gaokao is not listed among the countries and qualifications on the international requirements page as read for this guide. St Andrews says overseas-fee applicants who have not had the opportunity to study the correct qualifications may be eligible for its International Pre-Med programme, whose requirements were not read for this guide; email medical.admissions@st-andrews.ac.uk to confirm. The English requirement for Medicine is IELTS Academic with 7 in all four components at one sitting, valid for two years.
• Other rules: deferred entry is not considered; transfers are not considered, nor are applicants who hold or have held a place on a medical programme elsewhere; school-level qualifications must have been achieved within three years of the start date; retaking exams to meet entry requirements is not normally considered; you need experience in a caring or health environment; conditions of offer include fitness to practise, a criminal record check (joining the PVG Scheme) and occupational health and immunisation screening (tuberculosis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV); compulsory costs for lab and course materials are up to £70.
• Fees: the A100 page lists £41,600 a year for the rest of the world; the international students’ fees page lists £39,620 for entrants to the Faculty of Medicine in 2026-2027, which includes the Scottish Government’s mandatory levy for overseas medical students. The two figures differ, so check the latest figure on the website.
• UCAS codes for A100 (BSc), A990 and A10C are on the medicine pages; ScotGEM has its own application route, which was not read for this guide.

UK applicants (A-levels, SQA Highers and Advanced Highers, IB)

• Every course page lists requirements for SQA Highers, GCE A-levels and the IB, and St Andrews accepts a broad range of other qualifications; check the entry requirements page by country.
• UK applicants use the University’s qualification indicator to see whether Standard, Minimum or Gateway applies. The course pages do not give separate grades for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; they distinguish only qualification type and entry level.
• General requirements (all programmes): SQA National 5 (B) in English plus one subject from the list on the course page, or GCSE (5) in English language or literature plus one subject from the list on the course page, or equivalent.
• Fee status is Scottish, RUK (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) or Overseas; see the fees section below. Scottish undergraduate degrees take four years: the first two (sub-honours) let you take other subjects alongside your main one, and the last two are the Honours years.

International applicants

• Use the Standard requirements: the UCAS page says applicants from other countries and territories should use the Standard entry requirements. St Andrews always lists SQA Highers, A-levels and the IB, and accepts a broad range of other qualifications; check its entry requirements page for your country.
• English: see the English language section below.
• Proof of funds: St Andrews says international students must show sufficient funds for their studies when applying for a student visa. The amount and documents are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the UK visa website and St Andrews’ visa pages.
• Qualification verification: St Andrews may request supporting documents at any stage of the process. Beyond the China page and what is written here, any verification-agency requirement is not given on the pages used for this guide.

Applicants from China

• What the China page says: if you have graduated from a high school with a national school leaving certificate, St Andrews also expects one of the following: the University’s own International Foundation Programme certificate; a US curriculum profile (one form of standardised testing plus a transcript with A to B+ grades: AP three subjects at 4+ and 5 in required subjects; SAT Subject Tests three subjects at 650+ with 700+ in required subjects; ACT 28+; redesigned SAT 1320); IB 36 (HL 6,6,5) to 38 (HL 6,6,6 plus SL 6,6,6); A-levels AAB to A*A*A; or SQA Highers AAAB to AAAAB. You must also meet the requirements on the course page of your chosen programme.
• Gaokao: the China page lists no Gaokao score or percentage, and whether the Gaokao can be used on its own is not published. The page also says each application is considered on its own merit; email the China team (china@st-andrews.ac.uk) to ask.
• The China page gives University-wide ranges; for a specific programme, follow the grades on its course page below rather than applying the ranges to it.
• International Foundation Programmes: the course pages say these prepare international students from many countries for undergraduate study, and reaching the threshold score gives entry to a degree. The Foundation Programmes’ own entry requirements, fees and threshold scores are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Foundation Programme pages on the St Andrews website. Completing the programme with the threshold score also exempts you from an English test (see the English section).
• English and pre-sessional courses: your offer may require a 10-week or 4-week pre-sessional course. For a student visa you need a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT); some tests St Andrews accepts may not be accepted by UKVI.
• Contacts and agents: the page lists agents in mainland China (IDP, ISA, JESIE, Liu Cheng and UKEC) and the China representatives’ contact details; the China team’s email is china@st-andrews.ac.uk.

Routes, deadlines and documents (September 2027 entry)

• Three routes: UCAS (St Andrews’ UCAS name is STA, institution code S36); overseas students may also use the Common Application or St Andrews’ direct application, and each counts as one of your five UK choices. The transfer page adds that the direct application can be used if you are classed as Overseas and St Andrews is the only UK university you apply to; applying to more than one UK university means using UCAS. For UCAS fees and procedure, check the UCAS website.
• Equal consideration deadline: the UCAS page gives 6pm (GMT) on 13 January 2027 (Medicine has a separate deadline of 15 October 2026). It adds that international applications after that date may still be considered where places remain, depending on subject and course availability. Another page (Academic entry explained) lists 14 January for other UK applicants and 30 June for other international applicants, which differs from the UCAS page; both are given here, so check the course page and the UCAS page when you apply and confirm with Admissions.
• Documents: grades achieved or predicted, a personal statement and a reference (required; an application without one is incomplete). The UCAS personal statement answers three questions. For the 2027 cycle, documents uploaded to UCAS are not an official submission route to St Andrews, so the University may ask you to upload them to the ‘my application’ portal or email myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk. If St Andrews contacts you about SAT, ACT or AP scores, unofficial score reports are accepted.
• Interviews: most applicants are not interviewed; the exceptions are Medicine, supported pathway programmes and part-time study.
• Decisions: applicants who apply by the relevant equal consideration deadline receive a decision by May of the year of application.
• Deferred entry: St Andrews expects you to apply in the academic year immediately before you intend to start; if you take a gap year, it recommends applying during the gap year and explaining the gap in your personal statement.

How to read the three entry levels

• Each course page lists Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry grades: Standard is what most applicants need; Minimum is for applicants who qualify as widening access students; Gateway is a bridging programme for applicants who narrowly miss the Minimum grades but meet contextual criteria.
• Applicants from other countries and transfer applicants use the Standard requirements, as both the UCAS page and the transfer page state.
• Widening access criteria include living in an area under-represented at St Andrews by postcode, attending a school or college with low progression to St Andrews, taking part in the listed widening access programmes, being care experienced, or having caring responsibilities. The guaranteed offer scheme applies only to applicants who declare a care-experienced background, or who live in the 20% most deprived areas of Scotland (SIMD20) and attend a school with 30% or lower progression to higher education, provided the subject’s minimum requirements are met and any test or interview is passed. Use the University’s qualification indicator to see whether this applies to you.
• St Andrews stresses that grades alone do not guarantee admission; it also considers context, the personal statement and the reference.

English language requirements

• You may not need a test score (Faculties of Science, Arts and Divinity) if you are a national of the UK or of a country on the UKVI list of majority English-speaking countries; if you hold an English-medium secondary school leaving qualification taken at a school with a substantial English-language environment where you were registered for at least the final two years, including at least one subject with a substantial component of writing in English; or if you completed a St Andrews International Foundation Programme with the threshold score. Otherwise you must submit a valid test score, and St Andrews may ask for further evidence.
• Test scores are normally accepted only if obtained within two years of the start date. Evidence can be sent after you apply; if you do not have it yet, English will be part of any conditional offer, and you may be required to take a pre-sessional course.
• Faculty of Science (English language profile 7-D): IELTS Academic (including One Skill Retake) 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each component; TOEFL iBT from 2026 4.5 overall with 4.0 in each, earlier tests 81 overall with Reading 16, Writing 19, Listening 16, Speaking 19; Duolingo English Test 130 (115 in each); PTE Academic 70 (64 in each); Cambridge English 176 (169 in each); LanguageCert Academic 70 (65 in each).
• A student visa needs a UKVI-approved Secure English Language Test (SELT); some tests St Andrews accepts may not be accepted by UKVI.

Fees and scholarships

• Overseas (international) students: each course page lists “EU and overseas” at £34,910 a year. The international students’ fees page says tuition for 2026-2027 in the Faculties of Arts, Divinity and Science is £33,250, and that fees are adjusted annually, typically by 3% to 5%. The two figures differ, so check the latest figure on the website when you apply.
• Students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland (RUK): course pages list £10,050 (“yet to be confirmed by the UK Government”); the English students’ page says 2026-2027 fees are expected to be £9,790. Eligible English students can apply for a tuition fee loan (full-time, normally living in England, first degree).
• Scottish students: course pages say fees are yet to be confirmed by the Scottish Government; the Scottish students’ page gives £1,820 for 2025-2026 and says the 2026-2027 fee will be published when confirmed. Eligible Scottish students (normally living in Scotland, full-time, first degree) may have fees paid by the Scottish Government through SAAS. The exact 2027 entry figure is not published on the pages used for this guide; check the University’s fees page.
• Scholarships: St Andrews lists international scholarships covering full or partial tuition and funding for UK students; what you can get depends on programme, residence, household income, academic record and fee status. It advises not to wait for an offer before applying; after you apply, use ‘My Scholarships and Funding’ in the my application portal. Individual award names and amounts are in the scholarships catalogue and were not checked one by one for this guide.
• Other costs: accommodation and living costs are your own; international students must show sufficient funds for their studies when applying for a student visa.

Transfer students

• St Andrews accepts only a small number of transfer applications each year; places are limited and entry is competitive. Transfer students usually need an exceptional academic record and a valid reason for moving, and must already hold the minimum grades and subject prerequisites for the programme. Applicants from other countries use the Standard requirements.
• You cannot transfer into the final year of a four-year degree, and transfer into the Faculty of Medicine is not possible.
• The routes are the same as for first-year entry (UK applicants use UCAS; overseas-fee applicants whose only UK choice is St Andrews can use the direct application). Your personal statement should say you are applying to transfer and why, and your current institution goes in the ‘Your education so far’ section.
• Supplementary documents to send directly: a second academic reference or referee’s report; a detailed transcript from your current university (with an explanation of any non-standard grading); for international students, a high school transcript with final-year grades; and your syllabus, so that St Andrews can establish which of your courses are common to its degree. It will transfer credits where possible; how many is not published on the pages used for this guide, so ask Admissions.
• The deadline is also 6pm (GMT) on 13 January 2027; places are rarely available after January, and international transfer applications after that date may be waitlisted.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• Decide between Biology (C100), Biochemistry (C700), Neuroscience (B140) and Medicine and copy the UCAS code correctly; meet the Biology, Chemistry and other subject requirements in Highers, A-levels or the IB
• Non-medicine: submit by 6pm (GMT) on 13 January 2027; Medicine has an earlier deadline; a reference is required

International applicants (including China):

• Biology-type degrees: AAB at A-level or IB 36 (HL 6,6,5), including Biology and the required science; applicants from China should first email china@st-andrews.ac.uk about the Gaokao, or consider the International Foundation Programmes; for Medicine, email medical.admissions@st-andrews.ac.uk
• An English test score (Science profile: IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in each component; Medicine: IELTS 7 in all four) or a qualifying exemption
• Apply through UCAS, the Common App or the direct application (Medicine as set out on the medicine pages); do not wait for an offer to apply for scholarships

Transfer students:

• Relevant science results; apply by 13 January with a second reference, university transcript and syllabus; Medicine does not accept transfers

Sources: University of St Andrews, Biology BSc; Biochemistry BSc; Neuroscience BSc; Biology subject page; Medicine subject page; Medicine BSc A100; Medicine entry requirements; Medicine academic requirements; Medicine international qualifications; Medicine UK qualifications; How to apply; Applying through UCAS; Academic entry explained; Entry requirements: China; Undergraduate English language requirements; International students: fees; English students: fees; Scottish students: fees; Scholarships; Transfer students; Direct entry into second year. Information is for September 2027 entry; where a page prints no year, check that the date applies to 2027 entry. Check St Andrews for the latest details.