How to Apply to Life Sciences and Medicine Degrees at Lancaster University: Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedicine, Neuroscience and Pharmacology by UCAS Code, A-level Mostly AAB, Plus Medicine and Surgery MBChB, and Requirements for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At Lancaster University, the life sciences degrees are taught by the Department of Biomedical and Life Sciences in the Faculty of Health and Medicine, while Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) is admitted separately by Lancaster Medical School; both are on the main Lancaster campus. UK undergraduate applications are made directly to a course through UCAS. This guide sets out what the course pages say for 2027 entry, for UK applicants (A-levels, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, BTEC and others), international applicants (including those from China) and transfer students entering Year 2.

1. The courses

The Department lists five undergraduate subject areas, and you apply to a specific course by UCAS code:

• Biology: BSc C100 (three years); MSci 1M66 (four years); placement-year C104; study-abroad C105; BSc with a Foundation Year C10F. The “similar courses” list on the Biology page also shows Zoology BSc C300, whose requirements are not given on the pages used for this guide.
• Biochemistry: BSc C700; MSci C706; placement-year C707; study-abroad C710; Foundation Year C70F.
• Biomedicine and Biomedical Science: Biomedicine BSc C701, MSci C703 (placement-year C708, study-abroad C709, Foundation Year C71F); Biomedical Science BSc B990, MSci B992 (study-abroad B991, Foundation Year B99F).
• Neuroscience: BSc B140; MSci B141; placement-year B142; study-abroad B143; Foundation Year B14F.
• Pharmaceutical Science and Pharmacology: Pharmaceutical Science BSc B200, MSci B201 (placement-year B202, study-abroad B203, Foundation Year B20F); Pharmacology BSc B210, MSci B213 (placement-year B211, study-abroad B212, Foundation Year B21F).
• Medicine and Surgery (MBChB): admitted by the Medical School; see its own section below.

This guide follows the pages for C100, 1M66, C700, C701, B990, B140, B200, B210 and C10F. Grade requirements for the other MSci, placement-year, study-abroad and foundation-year courses (for example C706, C703, B992, B141, B201 and B213) are not given on the pages used for this guide; check each course page. Biomedical engineering, nursing and health sciences degrees are not given on the pages used for this guide.

2. Course structure, accreditation and choosing a pathway

• Biology (C100): Year 1 introduces the fundamentals, from genetics and cell biology to ecology, conservation biology and zoology. Lancaster says you choose in Year 1 between Microbes, Pathogens and Immunity and Biodiversity and Global Change, and your Year 2 core and optional modules depend on that choice. Fieldwork options include the Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland (marine ecology), the Great Rift Valley in Kenya and Cornwall; whether these are compulsory, and their cost, are not given on the pages used for this guide, so check the course page.
• Biomedicine (C701): Year 1 core modules are Anatomy and Physiology, Genetics and Biotechnology, Introduction to Biosciences, Microbes, Pathogens and Immunity, and Molecules to Cells, with options including Foundations of Biomedical Science and Foundations of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Science; Year 2 core modules are Biochemistry of Cellular Metabolism, Cell and Developmental Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, and Molecular Genetics; Year 3 core modules are the Biosciences Research Project, Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, and Global Health Challenges. Lancaster points students wanting a more research-oriented route to the Biomedicine MSci, which has an extended independent research project in Year 4.
• Biomedical Science (B990): accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). Lancaster states that graduates who train in an NHS lab and complete an IBMS registration training portfolio can register as Biomedical Scientists with the HCPC. Students can compete for a placement in an NHS pathology lab in Year 3, transferring to the Biomedical Science (Placement Year) degree and returning for the final year. Whether international students can apply for these placements is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the department. The Biomedicine (C701) page does not mention IBMS accreditation, and Lancaster advises those who wish to become an NHS Biomedical Scientist to consider Biomedical Science.
• Switching courses after you start: the course pages do not state conditions; you choose a specific course when applying. Holders of an offer for a specialist variant can usually switch to the standard variant (see the application section).
• Placement and study-abroad years: most subject areas have placement-year and study-abroad versions; details, and any restriction for international students, are not given on the pages used for this guide.

3. Entry requirements by course page

Course	A-level	IB Diploma	GCSE
Biology BSc C100	AAB including Biology and one other from Chemistry, Computing, Environmental Science, Geography, Geology, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology	35 points with 16 from the best three HL subjects, including 6 in Biology HL and 6 in one other HL science (Chemistry, Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology)	Mathematics 5/B, English Language 4/C
Biology MSci 1M66	AAA, same subjects as C100	36 points, 16 at HL, 6 in Biology HL and 6 in another HL science	Same
Biochemistry BSc C700	AAB including Biology and Chemistry	35 points, 16 at HL, 6 in HL Biology and 6 in HL Chemistry	Same
Biomedicine BSc C701, Biomedical Science BSc B990	AAB including Biology and one of Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics	35 points, 16 at HL, 6 in HL Biology and 6 in HL Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics	Same
Neuroscience BSc B140	AAB including Biology and one of Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology	35 points, 16 at HL, 6 in HL Biology and 6 in HL Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology	Same
Pharmaceutical Science BSc B200, Pharmacology BSc B210	AAB including Biology and Chemistry	35 points, 16 at HL, 6 in HL Biology and 6 in HL Chemistry	Same
Biology with a Foundation Year BSc C10F	CCC including Biology and one of Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics	26 points, 14 at HL, 4 in Biology HL and 4 in another HL science	Mathematics 6/B, English Language 4/C

• BTEC: Biology (C100) asks for Applied Science Extended Diploma DDD with sufficient Biology and other science content, with Distinctions in the majority of relevant science units; Biochemistry, Pharmaceutical Science and Pharmacology ask for DDD alongside A-level Chemistry B with sufficient Biology content; Biomedicine and Biomedical Science ask for Applied Science DDD with sufficient Biology and Chemistry content. See each course page for BTEC combined with A-levels.
• Practical endorsement: where Biology, Chemistry or Physics is a required subject and you take the reformed A-level, Lancaster expects you to pass the practical element (see the UK applicants section).
• Scotland: five Highers are accepted; where an A-level subject is required, Lancaster typically requires an Advanced Higher in it.
• Interviews and admissions tests: the nine course pages above list no interview or admissions test (Medicine and Surgery is different; see below).
• The C10F foundation year: Lancaster states that its UK Foundation Years are for Home students. The year is taught at the Lancaster University School of Mathematics at Cardinal Newman College in Preston. Biology is the compulsory module and you pick two more from Additional Maths, Chemistry, Physics and Scientific Maths, each with its own requirement (for example A-level Biology at grade C or equivalent, with D considered alongside other strong grades). Progression to Year 1 requires an overall average of 50% and at least 50% in each module. The international fee on the course page is shown as “n/a”, so the course is not open to international fee-payers; the foundation-year courses for other subjects (C70F and so on) are not given on the pages used for this guide.

4. Medicine and Surgery (MBChB)

Lancaster Medical School describes Medicine and Surgery separately from the other courses; only what the pages say is reported here:

• Two programmes: a five-year Medicine and Surgery (MBChB) degree and a six-year Medicine and Surgery degree with a Gateway Year. The standard programme is shown as accepting “UK and Overseas applicants”, with predicted A-level grades of AAB or above, and applicants who meet widening participation criteria may be eligible for a reduced offer; the Gateway Year programme considers only UK applicants.
• Places: the page states 130 UK and 4 Overseas places for 2026 entry and 15 places for the Gateway Year programme. The 2027 numbers are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Medical School page.
• Four stages: academic requirements, the University Clinical Aptitude Test (UCAT, taken in the year of application), a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) and a fitness to practise assessment. The UCAS deadline is in October (the school page gives 15 October 2026 for the cycle it describes; check UCAS for the 2027-entry date); MMIs run in January and February, and most interview invitations go out in December.
• English: applicants from outside the UK or who have lived in the UK for less than five years need IELTS 7.0 with no component below 7.0, or PTE Academic 70 overall and 70 in each skill (with exceptions for long UK residence, first-language English and so on; see the English requirements page).
• International tuition for medicine, any other restrictions for international applicants, and credential requirements are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Medical School page and its admissions policy document.

5. UK applicants

• How to apply: you apply to a specific course through UCAS (course codes below). Lancaster’s qualifications page says it typically expects the equivalent of three full A-levels, makes offers on actual grades rather than UCAS tariff points, and bases an offer on the best three if you take four or more (for some courses you may receive two offers, for example AAB or ABB plus a B in the fourth subject). AS levels do not replace A-levels. All A-level subjects are accepted subject to the compulsory subjects on each course page, and native-language A-levels count like any other subject.
• Practical endorsement: where Biology, Chemistry or Physics is a required subject and you take the reformed A-level with the practical element, Lancaster expects you to pass the practical. If you cannot sit it (for example, external candidates), contact Admissions.
• Qualifications that may earn a lower offer: the page says the Extended Project (EPQ) and Core Maths may earn a lower offer “for many courses” (for example AAB, or ABB plus a B in the EPQ), and for Mathematics-type courses the Advanced Extension Award (AEA) in Mathematics may earn ABB plus a Merit instead of AAB. Whether this applies to a given course is not published course by course; ask Admissions.
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers: applicants may be admitted on five Highers; where an A-level subject is required, Lancaster typically requires an Advanced Higher in it. The published Highers equivalents are: AAA = AAABB, AAB = ABBBB, ABB = BBBBB, BBB = BBBCC; if Highers alone fall short, a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers in separate subjects can be considered.
• BTEC, T levels and others: each course page states whether they are accepted and at what grades (see the course requirements below). The Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales counts as one A-level. The qualifications page does not give separate entry requirements for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• GCSE: every undergraduate applicant needs at least GCSE English Language grade 4/C; other subjects are listed on the course pages. Lancaster says it is flexible on GCSE Mathematics and looks at A-level Mathematics, Core Maths and science GCSEs.
• Contextual and special circumstances: Lancaster makes contextual offers; see its contextual admissions page for the criteria (not reproduced here). Mature applicants and those with mitigating circumstances can contact Admissions, and a mitigating-circumstances form should reach Admissions before 1 July.
• Fees and funding (Home): the Home fee on the course pages for 2027/28 is £10,050, reviewed annually in line with UK government policy. Home-student awards include the Undergraduate Home Excellence Scholarship (£1,000 a year for up to three years for Home students who make Lancaster their firm choice and meet the grades) and the Lancaster Bursary (£1,000 a year for Home undergraduates with an assessed household income under £35,000, paid in two instalments). See the scholarship pages for the exact conditions.

6. International applicants

• English requirement for this subject: the Biology (C100, 1M66) and C10F pages state IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (the standard level); the Biochemistry, Biomedicine, Biomedical Science, Neuroscience, Pharmaceutical Science and Pharmacology pages state 6.5 overall with at least 6.0 in each component, above the standard level for single components. Medicine and Surgery has its own 7.0 requirement (above).

• English requirement: if English is not your first language you must provide evidence, and the required score varies by course (see each course below). Lancaster’s English page lists a standard level of IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each element, with TOEFL iBT 87 (17 listening, 18 reading, 17 speaking, 20 writing) for tests taken before 21 January 2026 and 4.5 overall with at least 4 in each element for tests from 21 January 2026; PTE Academic 58 with at least 42 in each skill (test centre only, not the online version); LanguageCert Academic 70 with 60 in each element, and others. Some science, mathematics and social work courses differ, so use the course page; where a course page gives only an IELTS score, equivalent scores for other tests are not given on the pages used for this guide. Check the English language page or ask Admissions.
• IELTS, TOEFL, Pearson and LanguageCert certificates are valid for two years and must still be valid at the start of study; scores from different sittings cannot be combined. The English page also accepts IB English (HL or SL) at 5 as high school evidence. Nationals of the listed majority English-speaking countries (including the United States, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand) do not need to submit English evidence.
• If your English is short: Lancaster offers pre-sessional English programmes. The 10-week programme requires IELTS 5.5 overall with at least 5.0 in each element, in person or online (the in-person route needs a UKVI-approved test). Scores for the 5-week and 4-week programmes depend on your degree and are not given on the pages used for this guide.
• Grades and credential evaluation: Lancaster says it will consider international high school scores, including Grade 10 and 11 results. The country-by-country equivalency table is on the qualifications page, marked 2026 entry and subject to change; the figures are not given on the pages used for this guide. Check that page by country.
• Student visa: applicants who need a Student visa may be asked for financial documents or an interview. The amounts and format of financial evidence are not given on the pages used for this guide; check Lancaster’s CAS and visa pages.
• International foundation: international applicants who do not meet the entry requirements can take an International Foundation programme at the Lancaster University International Study Centre (run with INTO), which leads to Year 1 of a degree; Lancaster states that a place on the degree is guaranteed if you complete the programme and meet the requirements of your degree. The entry requirements and the list of eligible degrees are not given on the pages used for this guide; check Lancaster’s foundation page and the Study Centre’s website.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao and High School Diploma: Lancaster’s page for applicants from China states plainly that the High School Diploma and Gaokao (NUEE) are not sufficient for entry; you need an additional qualification such as a Foundation Year.
• Foundation route: the China page says INTO Lancaster University offers foundation and pre-master’s programmes; the international foundation page describes the Lancaster University International Study Centre, run with INTO, with programmes leading to Year 1 of a degree. Whether your intended subject is on the progression list, and what scores the foundation requires, are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Study Centre’s website.
• A-level / IB route: Chinese students taking A-levels or the IB apply on the grades and subjects in each course’s requirements (see above), so check the HL subject requirements carefully. IB English (HL or SL) at 5 is accepted as English evidence.
• Other high school programmes (AP, international tracks in China): the pages used for this guide give no AP-specific equivalency and no way of using Gaokao scores; this is not published, so ask Admissions (ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk). The country equivalency table is on the qualifications page; its figures are not given on the pages used for this guide, so check that page.
• Support for Chinese applicants: the China page lists a China recruitment team (meetings can be booked), an official Weibo account, a Chinese-language website (lancasteruniversity.cn) and official agents in China. It also says Chinese applicants are automatically considered for Lancaster’s major scholarships, while the Chevening and China Scholarship Council awards require a direct application (the page does not say whether they apply to undergraduates, so check those scholarship pages).
• Interviews: the pages used do not describe a general interview requirement for Chinese applicants; see each course below. Applicants who need a Student visa may be interviewed.

8. How and when to apply

• How to apply: all full-time undergraduate applications go through UCAS. One UCAS application can carry five choices, and you may use more than one choice on different Lancaster courses (Lancaster advises that if you apply for a standard course and its study-abroad, placement, industry or master’s variant, you may apply only for the specialist version and if Lancaster cannot accept you for it will typically consider you for the standard one; holders of a specialist-variant offer can usually switch to the standard variant). You enter personal details, qualifications, an academic reference and a personal statement. UCAS cannot currently take uploaded documents, so supporting documents can be emailed to Admissions. Check UCAS itself for the number of choices and the materials format.
• Deadlines: Lancaster says that for Medicine and Surgery, or if you also apply to Oxford or Cambridge, the UCAS deadline is in October; for everything else there is a January equal consideration deadline, after which most courses still accept applications but some may close. The dates listed are 15 October 2026 18:00 UK time (October deadline), 13 January 2027 18:00 (January deadline) and 30 June 2027 18:00 (final deadline; later applications go into Clearing, and Lancaster warns that a late application may not receive full consideration). However, the page places these dates under “courses starting in 2026 (and deferred applications)” while also saying “the deadline for courses starting in 2027 has not yet been confirmed”. The labelling is inconsistent, so check UCAS for the exact 2027-entry deadlines.
• Timing: Lancaster assesses on a rolling basis and aims to decide within three weeks of receiving the UCAS application; courses with interviews or portfolios take longer.
• How applications are assessed: qualifications you are taking and predicted grades, grades already achieved (such as a full GCSE profile), the academic reference and the personal statement. Admissions tests such as STEP for Mathematics may be taken into account but are not a requirement, and work experience may be considered.
• Deferred entry: you can defer to 2028 entry, provided you meet the entry requirements by 1 September 2027.
• Under 18: you may apply if you will be under 18 at registration, but if you will still be under 18 on 30 June at the end of your first year (for example 30 June 2028 for an October 2027 start), Lancaster cannot offer university accommodation and recommends deferring unless you have accommodation arranged.

9. Transfer students (entry to Year 2)

• Year 2 entry: for some courses Lancaster considers Year 2 applications case by case, through UCAS in the usual way. It asks for: your high school qualifications (you would typically be expected to have met the Year 1 entry requirements); a list of all university modules completed and still to complete (Lancaster checks that you have covered material equivalent to its Year 1); passing the current year of your degree at upper second class honours level; and a reference from someone who has taught you at university. If you do not meet these, you may be considered for Year 1.
• Entry to Year 3 or above is not permitted.
• If you are studying a degree with an integrated foundation year elsewhere, you can apply for Year 1 at Lancaster after the foundation year. An HNC cannot lead to Year 2 entry; those completing an HND may occasionally be admitted to Year 2, but Lancaster recommends Year 1.
• Which courses accept Year 2 transfers, and any transfer-specific deadlines, are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask Admissions.

• Transfer policy for Medicine and Surgery is set by the Medical School and is not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Medical School page.

10. Fees and scholarships

• International tuition: the 2027/28 international fee on the course pages is £31,700 (as shown on the course pages above; the C10F foundation course shows “n/a”), charged for a 12-month session. International fees (including EU) are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. All undergraduates pay a college membership fee, £40 for those starting in 2027. Study-abroad and placement years are charged at the maximum the Department for Education permits: for international students 15% of the standard international fee for a study-abroad year and 20% for a placement year.
• Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship: for international fee-paying applicants who achieve A*AA or above at A-level (or the equivalent) and make Lancaster their firm UCAS choice: £3,000 off tuition for each year of study, assessed automatically with no separate application. It is not awarded for time away from the university (study abroad, placement or industry years), cannot be deferred (a deferred offer is reassessed), and students progressing from the International Study Centre are not eligible (Lancaster mentions a separate Study Centre progression scholarship, whose value is not given on the pages used for this guide).
• Undergraduate International Regional Scholarship: £3,000 off tuition per year for international students from Canada, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey or Vietnam, assessed automatically by nationality or country of domicile. Mainland China is not on the list. It can be combined with the Excellence scholarship, but not with other Lancaster scholarships.
• There are also an EU scholarship and an India scholarship (each £3,000 a year), which do not apply to applicants from China. Where a partnership scholarship or fee discount also applies, only the highest-value award is made.

Application checklist

UK applicants:

• Pick the course code (C100, C700, C701, B990, B140, B200, B210 and so on) and match the required A-level subjects (Biology plus Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics or others depending on the course)
• Apply through UCAS by the deadline (check UCAS for the exact 2027-entry dates); Medicine and Surgery has an October deadline plus the UCAT and an MMI
• Home fee £10,050; check the Home Excellence Scholarship and Lancaster Bursary conditions

International applicants (including China):

• A-level and IB students apply on the course-page grades; students with the Chinese High School Diploma and Gaokao need a foundation route first, because Lancaster says they are not sufficient for entry
• IELTS 6.5 with 5.5 or 6.0 in each component depending on the course; 7.0 for Medicine and Surgery; prepare Student visa documents
• A*AA or above with Lancaster as firm choice can automatically earn the £3,000-a-year Excellence Scholarship

Transfer students:

• Year 2 entry is considered course by course, with upper second class marks, modules covering Lancaster’s Year 1, and a reference from a university teacher; Year 3 entry is not permitted

Sources: Lancaster University, Biomedical and Life Sciences undergraduate page; Biology subject page; Biology BSc (C100); Biology MSci (1M66); Biochemistry (C700); Biomedicine (C701); Biomedical Science (B990); Neuroscience (B140); Pharmaceutical Science (B200); Pharmacology (B210); Biology with a Foundation Year (C10F); Medicine and Surgery; Medical School: how to apply; How to apply and transfers; Undergraduate entry qualifications; Undergraduate English language requirements; Applicants from China; International foundation programmes; Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship; Undergraduate International Regional Scholarship; Fees and funding. Course details are the 2027-entry course pages; the qualifications page and some scholarship pages are marked 2026 entry or carry no year. Check Lancaster and UCAS for the latest information.