How to Apply to Life Sciences and Medicine at Keele University: Royal Society of Biology-Accredited Degrees in Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Plus Medicine MBChB, Pharmacy and Nursing, With Entry Requirements for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Keele University is on a campus in Staffordshire, England. Its life-science degrees are mainly taught in the School of Life Sciences, with Medicine, Pharmacy and Nursing taught by the School of Medicine and the related health schools, on campus and at partner hospitals. This guide uses Keele's 2027-entry course pages and its application, fees, scholarship and transfer pages, and sets out what you need to know for September 2027 entry as a UK applicant, an international applicant (including students at Chinese high schools) or someone hoping to join in Year 2.

1. Which degrees there are and how you are admitted

• Single-honours BSc degrees in the School of Life Sciences (three years, or four with a placement or international year), applied for as a specific course in UCAS: Biology (C102), Biochemistry (C701), Biomedical Science (C900), Neuroscience (B141), Pharmacology (B210) and Microbiology and Immunology (C501). The A-Z list also includes Zoology, Ecology and Conservation, Forensic Biology, Human Anatomy, Neuroscience with Psychology, Neuroscience with Artificial Intelligence, Pharmaceutical Science, Bioveterinary Science and others, as well as four-year "Integrated Master's" versions (for example of Biology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Microbiology and Immunology); their detail pages are not covered here, so check the A-Z list. Biomedical engineering in one line: Keele lists a Bioengineering (Regenerative Medicine) course.
• Accreditation: the Biology, Biochemistry and Neuroscience pages say they are accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, partly meeting the requirements for Chartered Biologist (CBiol). Biomedical Science is described as dual accredited: by the Royal Society of Biology and by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), which Keele says means the programme is recognised by the NHS and meets the HCPC Standards of Education and Training. Pharmacology and Microbiology and Immunology are said to hold interim accreditation from the Royal Society of Biology.
• Laboratories and practice: laboratory work takes place in the David Attenborough Laboratories on campus. Biology uses the campus woodlands, grasslands, lakes and streams for biodiversity surveys and offers an optional Tropical Biology field course in Malaysia and an Operation Wallacea expedition (both with extra costs). Across the degrees you can take a placement year between Years 2 and 3, flexible placement modules, school placements and an international year. Biomedical Science also has summer secondments of 2 to 8 weeks and an optional clinical placement: Keele says successful students transfer to an Applied Biomedical Science degree accredited by the HCPC, whose graduates receive an IBMS Certificate of Competence; whether international students can take this route is not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask the School.
• Choosing a course: the course pages do not describe a common first year followed by a later choice of subject; you choose in UCAS. The conditions for switching between these degrees are not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask the School.
• Foundation year: these BSc degrees have a foundation-year version for UK/Home applicants (UCAS codes printed on the course pages: Biology C103, Biochemistry C703, Biomedical Science C933, Neuroscience B143, Pharmacology B213, Microbiology and Immunology C502), needing 56 UCAS points including at least one Level 3 qualification. International students use the KUIC International Foundation Year (below).
• Admissions tests and interviews: the BSc course pages in the School of Life Sciences do not mention an admissions test or an interview; the health courses (Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing) do interview, as set out below.

2. Prior study and grades (as written on the course pages)

• The Keele Defined Sciences List: most of these courses ask for a grade in subjects from this list. The 2027 A-Level list includes Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Further Maths, Geography, Geology, Psychology, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Statistics and Physical Education among others; the IB list includes Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Design Technology, Geography, Maths (Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretation), Physics, Psychology and Sports, Exercise and Health Science; the Scottish Highers list includes Biology, Chemistry, Maths, Physics, Human Biology and Psychology. See the Keele page for the full lists.
• Biology: A-Level BBB including a B in one Defined Science (contextual BCC); IB 555 in three Higher Levels including a 5 in one Defined Science, or 30 points; GCSE Maths 4/C is also required.
• Biochemistry: A-Level ABB including a B in Chemistry and a B in one other Defined Science (contextual BBC); IB 655 with a 5 in Higher Level Chemistry and a 5 in one other Higher Level Defined Science, or 32 points; Scotland BBBBC in five Highers including Higher Chemistry.
• Biomedical Science, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Microbiology and Immunology: A-Level ABB including B in two Defined Sciences (contextual BBC); IB 655 including two Higher Level Defined Sciences, or 32 points; Scotland BBBBC in five Highers including two Defined Science subjects.
• Other requirements: the BTEC offer is usually DDM and the T Level Distinction (Merit for Biology), Access to HE needs science-related content, and each course has its own GCSE Maths condition (4/C for Biology, for example).
• English: Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Microbiology and Immunology all need Group A (IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each component).

3. Medicine (MBChB), Pharmacy (MPharm) and Nursing

• Medicine MBChB (A100): five years, in the School of Medicine. Keele's entry-requirements page says every applicant must take the UCAT in the year of application; international (international fee status) applicants are ranked on total UCAT score and need at least 1,950 with a situational judgement (SJT) result in bands 1 to 3, and those below that, or in SJT band 4, are rejected automatically; international applicants are not eligible for the Health Foundation Year for Medicine (A104), which is for Home applicants. The international A-Level route asks for A*AA with Biology or Chemistry as the first designated subject, a second from Biology, Chemistry, Economics, Maths/Further Maths/Statistics, Physics or Psychology, and a third academic subject; Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics at GCSE level (or evidence of high performance to age 16) are all essential; English can be met with GCSE English 6/B or IELTS Academic 7.0 in each component taken at the same sitting, TOEFL iBT 100 overall and other listed tests. One of the IB routes in the page's equivalent-qualifications section is 37 points including a 7 or 6 in Higher Level Biology or Chemistry; see that page for the details.
• Timing and interviews: Keele states the UCAS deadline for September 2027 entry is 15 October 2026, so by the time you read this it may have passed; check the next cycle on Keele's site. Interviews are online on Microsoft Teams (two 15-minute interviews), expected between December 2026 and April 2027, with decisions mostly by the end of March. Applicants must be 18 by 1 October of Year 1. For 2026 entry there were 171 places (161 Home and 10 overseas) and 2,738 applications (418 overseas). Medicine does not accept direct entry to Year 2.
• Chinese applicants for Medicine: the China page says the senior high school diploma and gaokao must be supplemented with A-Levels in Biology and Chemistry and one other subject, with an A in each; if you do not have science and maths at A-Level you must have them at gaokao. The international scholarship is not available for Medicine.
• Pharmacy MPharm (B230): four years; A-Level ABB including a B in Biology or Chemistry (contextual BBB); gaokao 72% including 69% in Biology or Chemistry plus 65% in Maths in the high school diploma or gaokao; GCSE Maths 6/B; interview; offers are subject to occupational health and enhanced DBS clearance; English Group D (IELTS 7.0 with 6.5 in each component). Keele notes that after graduating you must complete a statutory foundation training year and the General Pharmaceutical Council registration assessment to practise as a pharmacist.
• Nursing (Adult) BSc (B740): three years; A-Level BBC; gaokao 66%; English Group E (IELTS 7.0 with 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking and 6.5 in writing); interview, DBS and occupational health clearance; the programme is NMC approved, with placements allocated within about a 50-mile radius of Keele. Keele states that international students are not eligible for the Learning Support Fund travel and dual-accommodation expenses scheme, so travel to placements is at their own cost. Children's and Mental Health nursing routes also exist and are not covered here.

How to apply and key dates

• All applications go through UCAS. Keele states that every undergraduate course is applied for online through UCAS; Keele's UCAS institution code is K12, and one UCAS application can include up to five course choices. An application contains your personal details and qualifications (including GCSE-level or equivalent), your course choices, a personal statement (Keele has a separate personal-statement guidance page) and a reference from a teacher, adviser or professional who knows you academically. Keele only says the UCAS fee is "small"; check the amount on the UCAS website.
• Dates for September 2027 entry (Keele's "2027 entry" application page): the 2027 UCAS cycle opens for submission from September 2026; the equal consideration deadline is 18:00 GMT on 13 January 2027, and applications in by then are reviewed in the same way. Keele adds that for most courses it welcomes applications after that date, so check the course page (one sentence on that page refers to the "2025 entry cycle", which looks like a typo; confirm with the admissions team). UCAS Extra opens on 25 February 2027, and 18:00 GMT on 30 June 2027 is the last date in the main cycle; later applications go into Clearing, which opens on 2 July 2027. Keele says that if you apply by the January deadline you will normally hear by the end of March.
• After you apply: offer holders can attend an Applicant Visit Day, choose their first and second choice in UCAS when UCAS asks, apply for accommodation once an offer is accepted, and have the place confirmed on results day.
• Interviews: Keele lists these courses as interviewing all applicants: Medicine, Midwifery, Nursing (all routes), Occupational Therapy, Paramedic Science, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Social Work, Speech and Language Therapy and Veterinary Medicine. For other courses only some applicants with non-traditional qualifications may be invited. The School of Life Sciences BSc course pages do not mention an admissions interview or test; Medicine, Pharmacy and Nursing interview as set out above.

International applicants: English and qualifications

• English requirements are set by group. Keele's "English language entry requirements 2027/28" page sorts courses into Groups A to F, and each course page says which group it needs. The School of Life Sciences BSc courses are in Group A (IELTS Academic 6.0 with 5.5 in each component or the equivalent); Pharmacy is Group D, Nursing is Group E and Medicine has its own English rules (see above). For applicants who need a visa, a test must be dated within the two years before the course start date, results from different tests cannot be combined, and the most recent English qualification is the one considered.
• Group A scores on Keele's table: IELTS Academic 6.0 with 5.5 in all components; Pearson Academic 59 with 54 in each component; Cambridge English 169 with 162 in all components; LanguageCert Academic 65 with 60 in all components. Other tests, including TOEFL iBT, are on the official table. Group B is IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each component), Group D is 7.0 (6.5 in each) and Group E is 7.0 in reading, listening and speaking and 6.5 in writing.
• Exemptions: the list of countries exempt from an English test is stated to apply to postgraduate students only; the undergraduate page has no country-based exemption list. Listed qualifications such as GCSE or IGCSE English at 4/C, A-Level English Language or Literature at D, and IB English at SL4 or HL4 can meet the requirement.
• If your English is not yet high enough: Keele runs a Pre-sessional English course, and the International Foundation Year is delivered on campus through Keele University International College (KUIC). KUIC's own entry requirements are on a separate website and are not given on the pages used for this guide; check it before applying.
• Foundation routes: the China page says applicants who do not meet direct entry to Year 1 can apply for a Foundation Year. For several countries (Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan) the course pages state that the national secondary certificate is not accepted for direct entry and point to the KUIC International Foundation Year.
• Other national qualifications: each course page gives a figure for dozens of qualifications, including Canada, the USA (AP and non-AP), Singapore, Hong Kong (HKDSE), India and the IB; the figures differ by course, so follow the page of the course you apply to.
• International enquiries: international@keele.ac.uk. Where a subject requirement applies, use the qualification drop-down on the course page.

Applicants from China

• How the gaokao is used: Keele's China page says direct entry to Year 1 requires the Senior Secondary School Graduation Certificate plus the gaokao, or a recognised pre-university or foundation course. For courses at ABB to BBC level it asks for 80% overall on the graduation certificate and 75% in the gaokao; for courses at BCC to CCC level, 75% on the certificate and 70% in the gaokao. Courses with a subject requirement are considered individually.
• The course pages state it differently: each course page gives its own gaokao percentage and does not mention a graduation-certificate percentage. The course pages read: Biology gaokao 69%, including 69% in one of Maths, Physics, Biology or Chemistry; Biochemistry 72%, including 69% in Chemistry, plus 60% in Maths; Biomedical Science, Neuroscience, Pharmacology and Microbiology and Immunology 72%, including 69% in two of Maths, Physics, Biology or Chemistry; Pharmacy 72% (69% in Biology or Chemistry, 65% in Maths); Nursing 66%. Medicine is different, see above. Keele does not explain how the two statements fit together, and this guide does not try to reconcile them; ask the admissions team (enquiries@keele.ac.uk or international@keele.ac.uk) which one applies to you.
• English: the China page asks for IELTS 6.0 with at least 5.5 in each component for Year 1 entry (the exact level follows the English group of your course, see above).
• Foundation route: applicants who do not meet direct entry can apply to the International Foundation Year at Keele University International College (KUIC); its requirements are on the KUIC website and are not given on the pages used for this guide.
• China office: Keele states that it has a China office that now manages all agents operating in China; the China regional manager's email and the official WeChat account ("英国基尔大学") are listed on the China page. The pages used here do not spell out transcript authentication, huikao (academic proficiency test) materials or any interview for Chinese applicants; ask the admissions team or the China office.
• Keele also states that international students starting in September who apply by 30 June are guaranteed on-campus accommodation.

Fees and scholarships

• International tuition fees (2027/28): Keele groups undergraduate courses into Bands 0 to 7 with annual fees of £18,900 (Band 0), £20,700 (1), £21,800 (2), £22,900 (3), £23,400 (4), £23,900 (5), £24,400 (6) and £26,600 (7); Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and a few other courses sit outside the bands and are priced on their own course pages. The School of Life Sciences BSc degrees (Biology, Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Microbiology and Immunology) show Band 1, £20,700 on their course pages for 2027/28; Pharmacy MPharm shows Band 5, £23,900; Nursing (Adult) shows Band 0, £18,900; and Medicine MBChB shows £46,700. Use each course page for its own figure. The course pages also say that "international fees for 2027/28 entry have not yet been confirmed", while the banding page is headed 2027/28; both statements stand on the website, so confirm with Keele before you apply. For courses longer than one year the fee may rise with inflation; Keele states that for continuing international students the rise is in line with RPI and capped at 5% a year.
• UK Home fees: the course pages say the UK Home fee is set by the UK Government and print two figures, £10,050 and £9,790, next to the academic years 2027/28 and 2026/27; read in that page order, £10,050 is the 2027/28 figure, but verify it. The pages do not split England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so check the position for your home nation with the relevant student-finance body and Keele.
• Placement year fee: a placement year spent entirely on placement is charged at 20% of the UK Government-regulated undergraduate fee, for both Home and international students; a part-year placement pays the full fee.
• Scholarships for international students (2027/28 entry): Keele lists three, all awarded for academic achievement and assessed automatically: the Undergraduate Global Scholarship (£3,000 a year off tuition), the Advanced Entry Scholarship (£3,000) and the International Baccalaureate Global Scholarship (£1,000). Global Scholarship terms: awarded automatically to students who meet or exceed the entry requirements published on the course page, as a tuition discount for up to four years (excluding placement years); only self-funding students with international fee status, not those funded by external bodies, and not combinable with other awards; not available on Foundation Year study, Medicine, veterinary programmes or fully online courses; progression students from KUIC, NCUK, INTO and EF pathways also qualify. The China page says "up to £5,000", which does not match the £3,000 on the scholarship page; rely on the scholarship page and confirm with Keele. The Global Scholarship does not apply to Medicine.
• Deposit and other costs: Keele has a separate deposit page for international students, whose amount is not given on the pages used for this guide, so check it on the website. Course pages also list optional costs, and students on placement may have to pay their own travel, accommodation and subsistence.

UK applicants: A-Levels, Highers and other qualifications

• Keele lists these UK qualifications as accepted: A-Levels, BTEC Extended Diploma, National Diploma and National Extended Certificate, T Levels, the IB Diploma, the IB Career-related Programme, Access to HE Diploma, the Welsh Baccalaureate, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, the Irish Leaving Certificate and the NCFE Level 3 Extended Diploma. Each course page gives qualification-by-qualification requirements, which the subject sections below set out.
• For most UK students the English requirement is met with a 4 or C in GCSE English.
• Contextual and alternative offers are stated to be available to Home students only. The indicators include attending a state school and living in an area with low participation in higher education or relative deprivation, care leavers, refugees or asylum seekers, free school meals, young carers, being first in the family in higher education, and armed-forces connections; if you meet one, the offer is normally set at the contextual grades shown on the course page (for example BBB standard and BCC contextual for mathematics, ABB and BBC for physics), which differ by course. There is also a "Keele region" scheme. See Keele's contextual and alternative offers page for the exact rules. They do not apply to international applicants.
• If you do not meet the published grades but believe you are suitable, Keele invites you to email admissions@keele.ac.uk and says it considers applications on their individual merits.

Transfer and direct entry to Year 2

• Keele's transfer guidance (the document is marked "Version 2 May 2025"; check that it applies to 2027 entry) says that for the majority of courses (excluding Medicine) it will consider an application for direct entry to Year 2 as long as your first-year studies were on a similar course and covered similar content. You need to supply a transcript and details of course and module content; the reference should come from a tutor at your current university and the personal statement should explain why you want to move. Apply through UCAS and state the year of entry. Direct entry to the final year in other subjects is handled case by case: email admissions@keele.ac.uk first. Keele's own top-up final-year degrees are in Nursing, Business and Computing.
• Keele also considers applicants who completed a Foundation Year at another provider; where the course has a subject requirement you must send the foundation module details.
• The admissions-policy page adds Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): you can ask to enter with advanced standing, normally at the start of Year 2 and in some cases at the start of the final year, by describing prior learning on the application.
• Changing course inside Keele: you must meet the new course's entry requirements, have passed or be able to pass the core modules of the new subject, there must be places, and the change must be requested within the first three weeks of Semester One or Semester Two. Start by talking to your academic mentor and the new course director. Medicine does not take direct entry to Year 2; for Pharmacy, Nursing and other professionally accredited courses, whether direct entry to Year 2 is possible is not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask the admissions team.

What to check before you apply

• Use Keele's own course pages for 2027 entry as the source; grades, English requirements, fees and dates change each year, and the UCAT threshold, number of places and interview arrangements for Medicine are updated each cycle.
• The gaokao requirement is stated differently on the China page and the course pages, and Medicine, Pharmacy and Nursing carry extra conditions for international applicants; ask the admissions team before you plan.
• The UCAS fee, the deposit amount, the KUIC foundation requirements, access to the Biomedical Science clinical placement for international students and the conditions for switching between degrees are not given on the pages used for this guide; check them on the official website.