How to Apply to Life Sciences and Medical-Related Degrees at Swinburne University of Technology: Biomedical Science, Health Science and the Biochemistry and Biotechnology Majors in the Bachelor of Science, with Entry Routes for Australian Applicants, International Students (Including Students in China) and Transfer Students

Swinburne University of Technology is in Hawthorn, in eastern Melbourne. The life science and medical-related undergraduate routes are the Bachelor of Biomedical Science, the Bachelor of Health Science and the biochemistry, biotechnology and environmental science majors in the Bachelor of Science. The pages used list no direct-entry undergraduate medical degree (MBBS/MD). This guide follows Swinburne's own pages for 2027 entry and splits the advice into Australian applicants, international students, students in China and transfer students.

1. Degrees and programs

• Bachelor of Biomedical Science (application code BA-BIOMSC, CRICOS 116519E): Hawthorn campus, three years full-time. Swinburne calls it a new, technology-focused degree using virtual reality and digital dissection, with industry experience at organisations such as the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Royal Children's Hospital, and an optional six-month (minor) or 12-month (major) placement. The page says graduates can work or move on to postgraduate study in physiotherapy, occupational therapy and medicine; the entry requirements of those postgraduate courses are not given on this page. Example units: Anatomy and Physiology; Introduction to Biomedical Science; Musculoskeletal Anatomy; Chemistry 1 or Introduction to Chemistry; Introduction to Biochemistry; Physiology in Medical and Health Sciences; Infections and Immunology; Genes and Genomics; Pathophysiology; Biomedical Science Project.
• Bachelor of Health Science (CRICOS 077669G): three years full-time with eight majors: Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health, Biomedical Science, Clinical Technologies, Health Economics, Health Service Management, Neuroscience, Nutrition, and Public Health and Health Promotion.
• Bachelor of Science (BA-SC2, CRICOS 088402K, three years, 300 credit points): life-science majors are Biochemistry (Swinburne says Royal Australian Chemical Institute accreditation applies only to students who complete the Biochemistry major with the Chemistry minor; example units: Concepts of Biotechnology, Chemistry 2, Introduction to Biochemistry, Biochemistry of Genes and Proteins, Advanced Biochemistry, Environmental Biology, Computational Chemistry, Molecular Biotechnology), Biotechnology (example units include The Microbial World, Microbes in the Environment and Applications of Bioinformatics; students who take Biotechnology cannot take Biochemistry as a second major), Environmental Science (including Water Science, Food Science and Environmental Management) and Chemistry.
• Double degrees and links: the Bachelor of Science can be combined with Health Science, Applied Innovation, Laws, Arts or Engineering (Honours); biomedical engineering is mentioned only in passing.
• Clinical placements: the biomedical and science pages describe professional placements and work integrated learning only; clinical placements and any limits on international students in clinical settings are not given on the pages used; check the website.
• Choosing a major: in Biomedical Science students pick Chemistry 1 or Introduction to Chemistry in Semester 2 of year one; for Health Science and Science the timing, grade conditions and place limits are not published.

2. Prerequisites and entry

• Bachelor of Biomedical Science: Guaranteed Entry ATAR 60; the only prerequisite shown is VCE Units 3 and 4 English at 20 (25 for EAL) or equivalent, with no mathematics, chemistry or biology subject listed; subject adjustments (Food Studies, Health and Human Development, any mathematics, Physical Education, any science or Sociology) give 2 points at a study score of 25 and 3 at 30, up to 10.
• Bachelor of Health Science: Guaranteed Entry ATAR 60.0; the prerequisite visible on the page is VCE English at 20 (25 for EAL).
• Bachelor of Science (biochemistry, biotechnology, environmental science and other majors): Guaranteed Entry ATAR 65.0, lowest offer in 2024 (after adjustment) 58.1; prerequisites are VCE English at 20 (25 for EAL) and any mathematics at 20, with MathsLink as the bridge; no biology or chemistry subject is listed.
• All three say meeting the minimum does not guarantee an offer; applicants without a formal qualification but with significant relevant work experience may be considered. For Biomedical Science and Science, completed or partly completed approved tertiary study is also a basis of admission.

3. How to apply, start dates and deadlines

• Start dates: Hawthorn campus, Semester 1 on 1 March 2027 and Semester 2 on 2 August 2027
• Last date to apply: Science and Health Science: 24 February 2027 (Semester 1) and 28 July 2027 (Semester 2); Biomedical Science: 10 March 2027 (Semester 1) and 11 August 2027 (Semester 2). These are last application dates; applying earlier is safer, and you should check the course page for updates.
• Australian applicants apply through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) or, following Swinburne's local-applicant guide, directly online; the page says you cannot apply direct while you have an active VTAC application. There is also an Early Entry Program that uses a special code; see the website.
• International students can apply online directly or through an approved education agent; international students already in Year 12 in Australia must apply through VTAC. A direct application needs certified copies of previous academic results, certified English test results and letters from your school or employer. Essays, references and an application fee are not mentioned on the pages used; not published, so ask the admissions team.

4. Routes for different applicants

Australian applicants

• Prerequisite note: no high-school biology or chemistry subject is required on the pages used; check the course pages for the latest list.
• Fees: the 2027 CSP fee is A$9,537 a year for Biomedical Science (A$28,611 over three years; the page also shows a "total indicative fee" of A$38,340 without explaining it) and A$9,880 a year for Health Science and Science (A$29,640 over three years), all shown as estimates. The HECS-HELP loan scheme is open to Australian citizens, holders of a permanent humanitarian visa and eligible New Zealand citizens.
• Swinburne also lists the free 18-week UniReady course as a no-fee, ATAR-free route into a bachelor degree; check the website for who is eligible.

International students

• Qualification: the course page says "successful completion of Australian Year 12 or an equivalent overseas qualification", assessed at application, and points to the international entry-requirements page, whose content was not read for this guide; country-by-country grade requirements are not published on the pages used. Biomedical Science lists no mathematics prerequisite; how the Science mathematics prerequisite (a study score of 20 in any mathematics) maps to an overseas qualification is not published; ask the admissions team.
• English: The Science and Biomedical Science pages give IELTS Academic overall 6.0 with no band below 6.0, or Swinburne English for Academic Purposes (EAP 5 Advanced) at 65% overall and in every skill (check the Health Science page for its own English requirement). Other accepted evidence (TOEFL, Pearson PTE, secondary-school English results and so on) is listed on the English requirements page; the Pearson test can be taken on the Hawthorn campus.
• Tuition: 2027 international tuition is A$40,520 a year for Biomedical Science, A$43,000 for Health Science and A$46,300 for Science (estimates for a standard full-time load, generally including the Student Services and Amenities Fee, reviewed annually). A six- or 12-month placement raises the total fee.
• Scholarships: you are considered automatically when you apply, with no separate application. International students starting at Hawthorn for the first time in 2027 may receive the Swinburne International Scholarship (20 percent off tuition) or the George Swinburne International Excellence Scholarship (30 percent off, for high academic performance). The reduction runs for the standard course duration, covers tuition only (not, for example, Overseas Student Health Cover) and is stated in the letter of offer. If you hold another tuition scholarship or reduced-fee arrangement, Swinburne applies the most favourable one. The 2027 page lists the Bachelor of Aviation and Piloting as excluded; the courses in this guide are not on the exclusion list.
• Back-up routes: if your qualification or English falls short, Swinburne lists UniLink diplomas (equivalent to the first year of a bachelor degree, with English and study support), the Swinburne Foundation Program (for Year 11 completers) and ELICOS. The science pathway is the Diploma of Science (UniLink): eight months full-time, up to 8 units of credit, CRICOS 089746M, leading to the Bachelor of Science (the example shows 100 credit points, which varies by major).

Students at high schools in China

• The degree page says only "successful completion of Australian Year 12 or an equivalent overseas qualification, assessed at application". Whether the gaokao is used, how, and what Chinese transcripts or the senior-high exit exams must show are not given on the pages used for this guide; check Swinburne's international entry page or ask the admissions team.
• International applicants submit certified copies of their results. Swinburne has approved education agents in many countries (course pages link to an agent search by country) who can verify documents and help with student-visa preparation; a China-specific page, interviews and credential-verification bodies are not published.
• If you do not meet direct entry, look at the UniLink diploma or the Foundation Program above. Swinburne's 2026 indicative fees are A$32,200 in total for the Foundation Program and A$38,440 in total for the Science UniLink diploma; check the fees page for 2027 figures.

Transfer students and credit

• Swinburne treats prior university study, vocational (TAFE) study and work experience as bases for admission: higher education results from the last seven years can be used; if the results are older and the degree was not completed, you may be asked to sit the Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT), which applies only to certain courses.
• Credit (advanced standing): higher education students apply online, Swinburne says it replies within five business days, and applications are due by the end of the first week of the course; at least 25% of the course must be completed at Swinburne for a Swinburne award. Credit is assessed case by case, and the pathway examples on course pages are not a guarantee of specific credit.
• Switching between degrees: grade thresholds or place limits for moving between Biomedical Science, Health Science and Science are not published; ask StudentHQ or the admissions team.

5. Checklist

Australian applicants:

• Guaranteed Entry ATAR: Biomedical Science 60, Health Science 60.0, Science 65.0; English 20 (Science also any mathematics at 20)
• 2027 CSP fee about A$9,537 a year (Biomedical Science) or A$9,880 (the others); apply through VTAC or online

International students:

• Year 12 or an equivalent overseas qualification; IELTS Academic 6.0 with no band below 6.0
• 2027 tuition about A$40,520 / 43,000 / 46,300 a year (Biomedical Science / Health Science / Science); automatically considered for a 20% or 30% scholarship
• Last dates are above; Biomedical Science differs from the other two

Students at high schools in China:

• Gaokao and exit-exam requirements are not published; ask the admissions team or an approved agent
• If you do not meet direct entry: the Science or Health Science UniLink diploma, or the Foundation Program

Transfer students:

• State prior study and submit a credit request; at least 25% of the course must be done at Swinburne

Sources: Swinburne University of Technology, Science study area; Bachelor of Biomedical Science; Bachelor of Health Science; Bachelor of Science; Biochemistry major; Biotechnology major; Environmental Science major; Diploma of Science (UniLink); How to apply as an international student; Admission and English language requirements; Scholarships for international students; Fees for international students; How to apply as a local undergraduate; Credit for prior study or experience. Information is for 2027 entry; admission data are from 2024. Check Swinburne for the latest details.