How to Apply to Life Sciences and Medicine at Swansea University: Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Biochemistry, Applied Medical Sciences, Medical Pharmacology, Pharmacy (MPharm) and Medicine (MB BCh) Degrees, and Entry Requirements for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Year 2 Applicants

Swansea University’s life-science and medical degrees are in two places: Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Ecology and Conservation and related courses sit under the School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics on the Singleton Park Campus; Biochemistry, Applied Medical Sciences, Medical Pharmacology, Pharmacy and Medicine appear under the Medical School in the course directory and are also taught at Singleton Park. This guide sets out what you need to know for September 2027 entry, based on Swansea’s official information, for UK applicants, international applicants (including students at high schools in China) and students who want to join Year 2.

1. The degrees and how you are admitted

• Biosciences BSc: Biology (UCAS code C104), Zoology (C300), Marine Biology (C160) and Ecology and Conservation (C1C3), each three years; and Biological Science with deferred choice of specialisation (C100), where you study Biology, Zoology and Marine Biology in Year 1 and choose your specialisation before Year 2. Most can add a Foundation Year (for example Biology C101), a Year Abroad (C106), a Year in Industry (C152) or a Year in Applied Research (C14R); the deferred-choice course lists only a Year Abroad version (C105). The website says fieldwork and laboratory work are essential parts of the courses, and Biology Year 2 includes a residential field course on plant ecology.
• Biochemistry BSc, three years (C700), and MSci integrated master’s, four years (C701), with Foundation, Year Abroad and placement versions; Applied Medical Sciences BSc, three years (B100), and MSci (B1M0); Medical Pharmacology BSc, three years (B210), and MSci (B21M). The course list also shows Genetics, Medical Biochemistry, Medical Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, and Medical Sciences and Population Health, whose pages this guide does not cover; check them on the website. Biomedical Engineering is listed only as a BEng/MEng in engineering and is not covered here.
• Pharmacy MPharm, four years (B230), with a five-year route including a Preparatory (Foundation) Year (B231); the website states the programme is accredited by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC). Medicine MB BCh, four years (UCAS code A110). The course list also shows a graduate-entry Medicine course, which this guide does not cover. Nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy, healthcare science and paramedic degrees are also listed; many have externally funded places and, the website says, are outside the guaranteed-offer scheme, so they are not covered here.
• You apply to a specific course by UCAS code (or directly, for international applicants). The deferred-choice Biological Science course is the only one that says you choose your specialisation before Year 2; whether you can change course after entry on the other courses is not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask the school or admissions.
• Biology Year 1: compulsory modules are Cellular and Microbial Biology, Becoming a Scientist, Ecology and Behaviour, Evolution and Genetics, and Life in the Oceans, 20 credits each, plus a 20-credit option, Animal and Plant Diversity (also offered in Welsh). The website says later years let you specialise in microbiology, whole-organism biology, or community biology and conservation.
• Accreditation: the Biology, Biological Science (deferred choice), Zoology and Marine Biology pages state the programme is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology; the Pharmacy MPharm is accredited by the GPhC. Accreditation for the other courses is not stated on the pages used for this guide.

2. Prerequisites: A-Level, IB and other qualifications

The figures below are the typical offers on the September 2027 course pages. The pages also say the requirements are a guide and offers are tailored to the applicant.

• Pharmacy: also GCSE English and Mathematics (grade C or 4); applicants must be 18 by the end of January of the first year; selection includes an online or in-person interview, an enhanced criminal-record check (international applicants provide a certificate of good conduct from their country’s police force or Home Office, or equivalent) and an occupational health check; a satisfactory educational reference is needed. English: for applicants whose first language is not English, IELTS 6.5 overall with no less than 6.0 in each component.
• Medicine (MB BCh): the course page says applicants must be completing, or have completed within the last two years, A-Levels or an equivalent, and must be ordinarily resident in, and have attended school in, one of the local authority areas of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion or Pembrokeshire. Also required: GCSE English Language (or IELTS 7.0 overall with 7.0 in speaking), GCSE Mathematics at C, and a UCAT score of 1900 or above (the situational judgement section is not assessed); only the UCAT is accepted. After interview selection, offers are based solely on interview performance. The page’s apply button says “UK, EU and international students”, and how that fits with the residence requirement is not explained on the pages used for this guide, so ask the Medical School admissions team whether international applicants can apply.
• BTEC, Access to HE and T Level requirements differ by course (for example Biology-type courses ask for DDD in Applied Science, and Biochemistry for D*DD including Chemistry units); see each course page.
• Entrance test or interview: the Biology, Biochemistry, Applied Medical Sciences and Medical Pharmacology pages used for this guide do not mention a written test or an interview. Pharmacy (interview) and Medicine (UCAT and interview) are the exceptions.
• English: the Biochemistry, Applied Medical Sciences and Medical Pharmacology pages ask international applicants for IELTS 6.0 with at least 5.5 in each component; the biosciences course pages used for this guide do not show a separate IELTS score, so follow the course page and your offer letter.

How and when to apply

• UCAS: full-time undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Swansea’s UCAS institution name and code is SWAN S93; the campus code can be left blank. The application-process page quotes the deadline for 2026 entry (14 January 2026, 18:00), which is the previous cycle, and says most courses still consider applications after the deadline. Check the UCAS website for the 2027-entry deadline.
• International applicants can apply directly: the website says international students can apply directly, free of charge, through the Learner Gateway application portal; applications can be saved, and an unfinished application can be reopened within one month. The course pages also say international students may apply through UCAS. International students who have already submitted a UCAS application are told to apply through Clearing.
• The university’s own deadlines for September 2027 entry: Home, 6 October 2027; International, 27 August 2027. The international deposit deadline is given as “Wednesday, 3rd September 2027”, but 3 September 2027 is not a Wednesday, so the date and weekday do not match; check the website. The site also warns that courses close earlier if all places are filled.
• Interviews: the website says most programmes do not require an interview; where one is needed the faculty explains the format. Courses that do use interviews are noted in the subject sections below.
• Deferred entry: most undergraduate programmes will consider deferred entry, with exceptions for the most competitive courses; you can apply through UCAS for the following year or ask for deferral during the cycle.
• Under 18: applicants who will be under 18 at entry need a declaration signed by a parent or guardian and formal clearance from the university before turning 18; the university emails the details after you apply.

UK (Home) applicants

• The website guarantees a conditional offer to every UK undergraduate applicant who is studying the qualifications required for the chosen course. The guarantee applies to Home applicants only and does not apply to courses with professional requirements or externally funded places (for example nursing, healthcare science, midwifery, occupational therapy, and graduate-entry medicine).
• Home qualifications covered on the course pages include A-Level, BTEC, T Level, Access to HE, mixed qualifications (UCAS tariff points) and the IB; the exact figures are in the subject sections below. The website says its entry requirements are “your guide, not your barrier”, that offers are tailored to the applicant, and that you can talk to admissions about your offer at any stage.
• Fee status: the website says fees fall into Home and International categories, depending on nationality, immigration status and residence history; living in the UK for three years does not on its own make you eligible for Home fees. If unsure, submit a full application and the university will assess your fee status.

International applicants

• Qualifications: the international entry-requirements page gives general minimum standards for entry to Year 1 and warns that individual courses may ask for more. The course pages quoted below are written in A-Level and IB terms; for other national qualifications use the country table on the website, and if yours is not listed you can submit a free application and the university will advise.
• English: the website says most departments ask for IELTS 6.0 (or equivalent) at undergraduate level, with exceptions, so check each course page and your offer letter. If you fall short, you can take a pre-sessional course at the university’s English Language Training Services. Some students on a Student visa must use a Secure English Language Test (SELT).
• Qualification verification: from September 2024 entry, international applicants may be asked to verify their qualifications through the university’s Qualification Check portal, usually for a fee of £40; your offer letter will say.
• Deposit and CAS: international students must pay a minimum deposit of £4,000 to secure a place and receive a CAS statement (exceptions exist; see the deposit FAQ). The deposit counts toward tuition fees. Supply the transcripts, references and English results listed in your offer; the website advises meeting all conditions by August.
• ATAS: some international students on certain science and engineering-related courses need an ATAS certificate before applying for a Student visa; your offer letter says whether it applies.
• Accommodation: new international students who apply before 30 July, hold a firm offer for a full-time course and apply for university accommodation are guaranteed a place (the page does not show a year, so check the 2027 rule).
• International pathway (The College): applicants who do not meet direct-entry requirements can apply to The College, Swansea University, the university’s international pathway provider, for an undergraduate Foundation or International Year One programme; the website says progression to Swansea University is guaranteed on successful completion. International students starting at Foundation level are taught at The College, except for a few medical-science programmes taught by the university itself.

Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international entry-requirements page lists, for China, the Gaokao at an overall score of 70%–75%; the first year of a Chinese undergraduate degree at 60%; and the Zhuanke graduation certificate at 60%–75%. These are general minimum standards for Year 1 entry. Whether a subject sets a separate Gaokao requirement (for example in Biology, Chemistry or Mathematics) is not published on the pages used for this guide; ask admissions (admissions@swansea.ac.uk).
• How to apply: the China page says to apply through the Learner Gateway application portal and send your transcripts and a personal statement. It warns that offers can take up to 15 days to process and to email the international admissions team if you have not heard back. It says there are over 700 Chinese students at Swansea and lists regional representatives who can answer questions.
• The College’s requirements for Chinese qualifications: Foundation, two semesters: completion of Senior Middle 2; one semester: Senior Middle 3 with a 60% average, and Huikao holders can be considered for an accelerated Foundation; Engineering and Science Foundation routes need 70% in Mathematics. International Year One: Management, Economics and Accounting pathways, Senior Middle 3 with a 65% average; other pathways, Senior Middle 3 with a 75%–80% average including the relevant subject (such as Mathematics).
• Language and documents: a separate IELTS rule for Chinese applicants, Huikao paperwork and any verification agency are not published on the pages used for this guide; follow the course page and your offer letter and confirm with admissions. The university also runs a Chinese-language website and social channels.

Fees

• Home fee: the website says the undergraduate fee cap rises from 2026/27 and Swansea’s fee is adjusted to £9,790; these course pages show £9,790 for both September 2026 and September 2027 entry, and a tuition fee loan of the same amount is available. The website notes that future changes follow the Welsh Government’s regulated maximum.
• International fee (first year): biosciences courses (Biology, Zoology, Marine Biology, Ecology and Conservation and similar) £23,100 for September 2026 and £24,250 for September 2027; Biochemistry, Applied Medical Sciences, Medical Pharmacology and Pharmacy £23,900 for September 2026 and £25,100 for September 2027 (some Medical Pharmacology MSci versions with a Foundation Year are shown at £22,750 and £23,900, so check the course page); Medicine MB BCh £48,350 for September 2026 and £50,750 for September 2027. The website says international fees rise by 3% for each subsequent year of study.
• Placement and Year Abroad years: the undergraduate fees page says the fee for a Year in Industry or Year in Applied Research is 20% of the standard fee, and for a Year Abroad 15%.
• Where the Foundation Year is taught: the China page says international students starting at Foundation level are taught at The College, except for Applied Medical Sciences, Medical Pharmacology, Medical Sciences and Population Health and Microbiology and Immunology (each with a Foundation Year) and Pharmacy with a Preparatory (Foundation) Year, which the university teaches itself.

Scholarships

• International Excellence Scholarships: a tuition discount of up to £5,000 in the first year; undergraduates who receive the full £5,000 get a further £2,000 in the second year if they achieve a 70% average. You must already hold an offer. There are separate forms for “China” and “Rest of the World”, chosen by country of ordinary residence. The round now open is for January and March 2027 entry and closes at 12:00 GMT on 27 November 2026; the opening date for September 2027 entry is not given on the pages used for this guide, so watch the website or register for email updates.
• International undergraduate bursaries: the Thrive, Nepal and Sri Lanka bursaries are awarded automatically to eligible self-funding new students by country of domicile. Hong Kong is on the Thrive list; mainland China is not.
• Sports Scholarship: a support package for high-performance athletes; international students may apply (see the website for terms).
• The College: the website says its undergraduate pathways offer discounts worth up to £12,000; check The College’s scholarships page for conditions.

Joining Year 2 (direct entry)

• The website says Year 2 entry is considered case by case for most programmes if places are available. Give as much information as possible up front; applicants transferring from another university typically need to show details of all modules they are taking so the university can check they can progress smoothly. Transfers from another university also apply through UCAS.
• Course-specific grade thresholds, required modules and deadlines for Year 2 entry are not published on the pages used for this guide; ask admissions directly. For students who have finished the first year of a Chinese undergraduate degree, the international page lists a 60% general standard, but that is for Year 1 entry, and Year 2 entry is assessed separately.

Sources: Swansea University, Biology BSc; Biological Science with deferred choice; Zoology BSc; Marine Biology BSc; Ecology and Conservation BSc; Biochemistry BSc/MSci; Applied Medical Sciences BSc/MSci; Medical Pharmacology BSc/MSci; Pharmacy MPharm; Medicine MB BCh; Undergraduate application process; Guaranteed offers; How to apply - international; Undergraduate international entry requirements; Students from China; Application deadlines; English language requirements; Undergraduate tuition fees; International undergraduate scholarships; International Excellence Scholarships; The College undergraduate pathways; The College academic entry requirements. Information is for September 2027 entry. Fees, deadlines and entry requirements change every year; check the Swansea and UCAS websites and each course page before you apply.