How to Apply to Life Sciences and Health Degrees at RMIT University: Biomedical Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nursing and Biology Majors in the Bachelor of Science, With Entry Requirements for Local, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

RMIT University is in Melbourne. On the pages used for this guide, its life sciences and health undergraduate degrees include three dedicated degrees: the Bachelor of Biomedical Science (BP231), the Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences (BP311) and the Bachelor of Nursing (BP032), all at the Bundoora campus and three years full-time. The Bachelor of Science (BP350) also has biological sciences, biotechnology and nutrition science majors. No medical degree (MBBS/MD) appears on the pages used for this guide; RMIT says many biomedical science graduates go on to postgraduate degrees in health such as medicine, physiotherapy and dentistry. This guide covers 2027 entry for Australian students, international students (including those from China) and transfer students.

1. The degrees

• Bachelor of Biomedical Science (BP231): Bundoora campus, three years full-time, CRICOS code 110985E, February and July intakes, AU$47,040 a year for international students in 2027. Core knowledge covers cell biology, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, immunology, pathology, genetics, molecular biology, pharmacology and toxicology. Two work-integrated learning (WIL) subjects are Precision Medicine and a Research Project for Medical Sciences, and RMIT says students also do an industry placement in a university research laboratory or professional organisation. Minors include medical biotechnology and clinical health and disease. Graduates may be eligible for membership of societies such as the Australian Society for Medical Research (ASMR), and there is a separate Osteopathy plan.
• Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences (BP311): Bundoora campus, three years full-time, February intake only, AU$47,040 a year for international students in 2027. It covers pharmacology, physiology, drug development, clinical trials and therapeutics, and RMIT stresses links with pharmaceutical companies, clinical research organisations, hospitals and universities. The page lists eligibility for Australian professional societies in the pharmaceutical and medical fields (such as ARCS, APSA, ASCEPT and ASMR); it does not discuss pharmacist registration, which should be checked with RMIT and the Australian pharmacy regulator.
• Bachelor of Nursing (BP032): Bundoora campus, three years full-time, February and July intakes, AU$45,120 a year for international students in 2027. RMIT says it is accredited by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) as an entry-to-practice degree, and graduates can apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), subject to meeting all NMBA registration standards. The course includes simulated learning and clinical placements with a variety of healthcare agencies. One plan (BP032P24D2) is only for applicants who completed an Australian Diploma of Nursing in the past 10 years and hold Enrolled Nurse registration. International student-visa holders can only study full-time.
• Biology-related majors in the Bachelor of Science (BP350): Biological Sciences, Biotechnology and Nutrition Science among nine majors; three years, City campus, February and July intakes, AU$45,120 a year for international students in 2027; everyone takes common science foundations in the first semester and chooses a major afterwards. RMIT says Biological Sciences and Biotechnology graduates may be eligible for the Australian Society of Microbiology and the Australian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Nutrition Science graduates for the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology and the Nutrition Society of Australia. International entry matches the rest of this guide, plus a mathematics prerequisite (a study score of 20 in General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics, or equivalent) and no selection task.
• Prerequisites: for Biomedical Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences the international page lists a VCE units 3 and 4 study score of at least 20 in Biology or Chemistry, and at least 20 in General Mathematics, Mathematical Methods, Specialist Mathematics or Physics (or equivalent studies). Nursing says there are no prerequisite subjects. None of the three has a selection task.
• Other health degrees: RMIT lists other health degrees, such as Medical Radiation, that are not covered here; check RMIT’s site.

Australian students

• How selection works: local students apply through VTAC (or directly) and are ranked by ATAR plus adjustment factors. Biomedical Science has a Guaranteed ATAR of 70.00 for Semester 1 2027 (excluding adjustment factors); the lowest ATAR (with adjustments) to receive a 2026 offer was 70.30. Pharmaceutical Sciences is shown at ATAR 70.75 and Nursing at 72.90; those pages do not print a year, so check whether they apply to 2027 entry. For VTAC applicants the course must be your highest eligible preference.
• Prerequisites (Biomedical Science): VCE English (other than EAL) 25 or EAL 27, plus 20 in Biology or Chemistry and 20 in mathematics or Physics (or equivalent). For Pharmaceutical Sciences and Nursing, check the local prerequisites on RMIT’s pages.
• Adjustment factors: a study score of 25 in any Information Technology, Mathematics or Science subject earns 2 points per study, up to 8; equity schemes are counted separately and total adjustments are capped at 28. Applicants from low socio-economic areas receive an automatic regional adjustment. Applicants with vocational or university study are ranked under their own rules and may sit the STAT.
• Local-student fees: in RMIT’s 2027 Commonwealth supported place table the range is AU$4,908 to AU$18,025 for a standard full-time year. Nursing subjects are AU$4,908 a year; Other Health, Science and Pathology subjects are AU$9,880 a year. HECS-HELP loans can defer payment. Which band each subject falls in is on RMIT’s site.

International students: entry requirements

• Academic requirement: all three degrees and the Bachelor of Science require the equivalent of a VCE average of at least 65%, or completion of RMIT Foundation Studies, or a recognised post-secondary diploma in the relevant discipline. RMIT stresses that meeting the minimum does not guarantee entry.
• Prerequisites and selection: see above. How overseas qualifications count as “equivalent studies” is not itemised; RMIT assesses it at application.
• Clinical and work placements: the length, location and arrangements for international students in nursing placements and biomedical industry placements are not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask RMIT.
• Other costs: on top of tuition there is the Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF, maximum AU$386 in 2027) and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC, required for the whole visa period for student-visa holders); some programs also have materials fees, textbooks and equipment costs. RMIT says tuition may be adjusted each January by up to 7.5% (higher-education fees are rounded up to the nearest AU$10 per credit point, so the actual rise can exceed 7.5%). Fees are fixed within a calendar year, so students starting later in the year pay slightly more in total.

Applicants from China

RMIT converts qualifications to a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) average. The degrees above all require the equivalent of 65%, and the China equivalency table gives:

• Gao San: an overall average of 75%. The table shows “not applicable” in the Gao Er column for bachelor degrees, so Gao Er results alone are not enough.
• Gaokao: RMIT publishes a score for Beijing only: 441. For other provinces it says to contact RMIT International; the scores are not published.
• IB Diploma: 25 points, including bonus and penalty points.
• A-levels and AP: the pages used for this guide do not give conversions; check RMIT’s country equivalency pages or ask RMIT International.
• Prerequisites: Biomedical Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences need 20 in Biology or Chemistry and 20 in mathematics or Physics, “or equivalent studies”. How Chinese senior-high biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics count as equivalent is not published; RMIT assesses it at application.
• If your marks fall short: RMIT Foundation Studies is listed on the China table at a Gao Er average of 60% or Gao San average of 50%, and the University Pathways Fast Track at Gao Er 75% or Gao San 60%.
• Documents: RMIT lists academic transcripts and graduation certificates, evidence of English level, and any course-specific documents. Whether Chinese senior-high proficiency-test (huikao) papers are asked for separately is not given on the pages used for this guide; check RMIT’s required-documents page or ask RMIT.

How to apply, deadlines and timeline (2027 entry)

• How to apply: international students apply through RMIT’s Application Portal, directly or through an RMIT-authorised agent. Students who have taken an Australian Year 12 (in Australia or overseas), or the IB in Australia or New Zealand, apply through VTAC. RMIT says applicants from some countries must pay an application fee and are strongly encouraged to apply through an authorised agent.
• Semester 1 deadline: the international bachelor-degree application deadline is 3 March 2027, and every required document must be in by that date (incomplete applications are not assessed). Outcomes are due on 5 March, which is also the last day to accept. If an interview is required, complete it by 28 January 2027 and accept and pay by 1 February. Requests for a change of program, a selection task or a credit assessment must be in by 24 February 2027. RMIT notes that programs with late-enrolment restrictions are not covered by this deadline.
• Semesters 2 and 3: RMIT says the 2027 Semester 2 and Semester 3 dates will be published “later this year”. They were not on the pages used for this guide, so check the application dates page.
• Visa timing: RMIT recommends that students who need a student visa apply and accept an offer at least 4–8 weeks before the course starts, so apply well before the deadline. Student-visa holders can only study full-time.
• Application fee: RMIT lists countries whose applicants pay an AU$100 application fee (credited to the tuition deposit once you accept and start). China is not on that list. Check the list for other countries.

English requirements (undergraduate)

• Biomedical Science, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Science: IELTS Academic 6.5 with no band below 6.0; TOEFL iBT 79 (Reading 13, Listening 12, Speaking 18, Writing 21); PTE Academic 58 (no band below 50); Cambridge C1 Advanced 176 (no component below 169).
• Nursing is higher, following the Nursing and Midwifery Board’s English standard: IELTS Academic overall 7 with at least 7 in Listening, Reading and Speaking and 6.5 in Writing; OET B in Listening, Reading and Speaking and C+ in Writing; PTE Academic overall 66 with at least 66 in Listening, Reading and Speaking and 56 in Writing; TOEFL iBT Australia total 94 with at least 24 in Listening, Reading and Writing and 23 in Speaking; Cambridge Advanced or Proficiency overall 185 with at least 185 in Listening, Reading and Speaking and 176 in Writing.
• Notes: TOEFL tests taken on or after 21 January 2026 must be the TOEFL iBT Australia test, and results on the 1–6 scale are not accepted. RMIT does not accept at-home or online tests, and results must be within two years of the course start. If your scores fall short, RMIT University Pathways (RMIT UP) offers an Academic English Advanced course.

Pathways, transfers and credit

• Biomedical Science: completing RMIT’s Associate Degree in Applied Science (Biomedicine option, AD012P24) guarantees entry, with two semesters of credit (stated as 120 credit points); completing the Diploma of Laboratory Technology also guarantees entry, with two semesters (96 credit points). The page also says a full-time year is 96 credit points, so confirm how semesters and credit points convert in your offer. You can also enter from Foundation Studies or vocational courses. Completion may lead to the Bachelor of Health and Biomedical Sciences (Honours).
• Pharmaceutical Sciences and Nursing: both pages have a Pathways section, but its content was not on the pages used for this guide; check RMIT’s site.
• Bachelor of Science: the Associate Degree in Applied Science (Science option) guarantees entry with 48 to 144 credit points of credit (one to three semesters).

Transfers and credit

• From another Australian university: RMIT says students who finish first year at another Australian university may receive credit, awarded only where the completed course has an equivalent in the RMIT program. Request credit when you apply and provide detailed course outlines (volume of learning, content and weekly topics, learning outcomes, assessment types and weightings, and learning resources). For Semester 1, undergraduate credit-assessment requests are due by 24 February 2027.
• Overseas institutions: RMIT has credit agreements with some institutions around the world. If yours is not listed you may still be eligible; credit is assessed case by case.
• Credit can limit choices: RMIT warns that credit may reduce the majors or minors you can choose. The amount of credit is confirmed in your offer.

Scholarships for international students

• RMIT says it awards more than 2,000 scholarships a year. Some international scholarships are assessed automatically when you apply; others need a separate application. Criteria include academic results, country of citizenship, program and personal circumstances.
• Undergraduate Pathway Scholarship for China: RMIT summarises it as a 20% tuition reduction for students from China whose bachelor program is packaged with ELICOS, Foundation Studies, Fast Track, a vocational program or an associate degree. RMIT describes it for these packaged offers; whether direct entry to the bachelor degree qualifies should be confirmed with RMIT.
• For international students taking an Australian Year 12 or the IB in Australia, RMIT lists the Medibank Excellence Scholarship (AU$12,000) and the Medibank High Achiever International Scholarship (AU$20,000).
• The scholarships page also lists awards by region, college and course. Whether a specific award fits your degree should be checked on RMIT’s scholarships page.

Key points by applicant

Australian students:

• Biomedical Science: Guaranteed ATAR 70.00 for 2027; Pharmaceutical Sciences shown at 70.75 and Nursing at 72.90 (no year printed); Biomedical Science prerequisites are English 25, Biology or Chemistry 20, and mathematics or Physics 20
• Subject adjustments are capped at 8 points and total adjustments at 28

International students (including from China):

• The equivalent of a 65% VCE average: Gao San 75%, Beijing Gaokao 441, IB 25. Scores for other provinces are not published
• Biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences also need biology or chemistry plus mathematics or physics; nursing has no prerequisite subjects but needs IELTS 7; the others need IELTS 6.5; Semester 1 2027 deadline 3 March, earlier if you need a visa
• Tuition: Biomedical Science and Pharmaceutical Sciences AU$47,040 a year; Nursing and Science AU$45,120 a year

Transfer students:

• Request credit on your application and attach course outlines; Semester 1 credit assessments are due by 24 February 2027; credit may limit major choices
• Biomedical Science has pathways from the Associate Degree in Applied Science and the Diploma of Laboratory Technology; check RMIT for Pharmaceutical Sciences and Nursing

Sources: RMIT University, Bachelor of Biomedical Science (BP231); Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences (BP311); Bachelor of Nursing (BP032); Bachelor of Science (BP350); Apply as an international student; Application dates; China equivalencies; IB equivalencies; English proficiency tests; Fees for international students; Application fee countries; Pathways and credit transfer; International scholarships. Information is for 2027 entry. Where a page does not print a year, check the date against 2027 entry on the RMIT website, which is the final authority.