How to Apply to Biology at Adelaide University: Bachelor of Science Biological Majors Including Biochemistry, Genetics and Marine and Wildlife Conservation, with Admission and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

For 2027 entry, biology at Adelaide is taught by Adelaide University; its glossary names the University of South Australia and the former University of Adelaide as its Foundation Universities. The biological majors sit in the School of Biological Sciences (College of Science) and are taught at the Adelaide City Campus. This guide sets out the main points for 2027 entry for domestic, international (including Chinese) and transfer students. The degree pages used here are the international-student versions (marked as 2027 entry).

1. Degrees and majors

• Bachelor of Science (code BSCIE, CRICOS 115751E), biological majors: the School of Biological Sciences study-areas page lists Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, Marine and Wildlife Conservation, and Evolutionary Biology and Palaeontology. The Bachelor of Science major list on the degree pages also includes Plant Biology, Animal Behaviour and Animal Science, whose school was not checked for this guide. The degree is three years full-time and 144 units: 42 to 54 units of core courses, plus either 78 to 102 units for one major (or 54 units of discipline courses) and 0 to 48 units of electives. This guide read the Biochemistry, Genetics and Marine and Wildlife Conservation pages in full; check the other majors on their own pages.
• Biochemistry major: the page describes the study of proteins, DNA, RNA and other molecules, with courses such as Biology 1A (Molecules, Genes and Cells), Biology 1C (Molecular Biology and Biomedical Science) and two Biochemistry 2 courses (molecular and cellular biology; metabolism). It states over 180 hours of lab practicals, including 80 hours of group or individual lab placements in the final year.
• Genetics major: covers the structure, function, inheritance and evolution of genes in plants, animals and humans. The page states over 180 hours of lab work and a dedicated lab placement in the final year; a core mathematics course covers statistical analysis and experimental design, and specialist topics include molecular genetics, epigenetics and developmental neurogenetics.
• Marine and Wildlife Conservation major: spans zoology, botany and ecology plus physical sciences such as chemistry, geography and oceanography. The page describes fieldwork in marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments and a final-year work-integrated learning experience (research project or industry placement). It does not give total laboratory hours.
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) (code HSCIE, CRICOS 115753C): four years full-time, 192 units; the Honours majors listed include Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Evolutionary Biology and Palaeontology, Marine and Wildlife Conservation and Plant Biology. The fourth year is a research project plus major-related courses, and the website describes Honours as a pathway into a masters or PhD research degree. The website also says that after the three-year Bachelor of Science you can move into a Master of Research with 1 to 1.25 further years.
• Outside the scope of this guide: the chemistry, physics, earth science and environmental science majors of the same degree, and health degrees such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy and biomedical and health sciences. See the degree pages on the website.

2. Admission and prerequisites

• How you enter the major: each major has its own degree page, and the degree structure also allows 54 units of discipline courses instead of a major. The Honours page mentions an "Unspecified plan" whose students can move into a named science major through a plan change, recommended at the end of first year, and says that students planning an Honours fourth year must move into their chosen major before the end of third year. The biological major pages do not state a last date for choosing a major; confirm with the Program Director.
• Prerequisite on the degree pages: the Biochemistry, Genetics and Marine and Wildlife Conservation pages list "None" as the prerequisite; the assumed-knowledge field is blank.
• First-year bridging notes: the Biochemistry and Genetics study plans list Foundations in Chemistry among the first-year core selectives, with a note that students who have completed SACE Stage 2 Chemistry should choose an alternative core selective. The Genetics and Marine and Wildlife Conservation plans list Essential Mathematics, with a note that students who have completed SACE Stage 1 Mathematics should choose an alternative. The pages do not say how Chinese high-school, IB or A-Level subjects are treated; ask the admissions office or the Program Director.
• Common courses: all three study plans include shared science courses (for example Science of People, Society and the Future Planet, SCIE1001), Data Skills for Scientists (STAT1000, statistics) and Biology 1A (BIOL1003). See each degree page for the full study plan.
• Competitive entry: applicants must meet the minimum entry requirement and any prerequisites; when there are more eligible applicants than places, admission is ranked by the entry criteria. Meeting the minimum does not guarantee a place.
• Qualifications accepted: the degree page lists three routes: a secondary qualification equivalent to the South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE); a Certificate IV (AQF 4) or higher from a registered training organisation (VET); or at least 6 months of full-time higher education study.

3. Minimum scores by qualification

These come from the "International admissions by country" table on the degree pages (2027 international version). The Biochemistry, Genetics and Marine and Wildlife Conservation pages show the same scores; Honours is higher.

Qualification	BSc (biological majors)	BSc (Honours)
Gaokao (China)	60%	75%
Australian ATAR	70	85
IB Diploma	25	30
GCE A-Level (UK/global)	7	10
Singapore GCE A-Level	7	10
Hong Kong HKDSE	16	19
Ontario OSSD	65%	80%
AP (USA/global)	7	10
ACT	21	26
SAT	1100	1220

The website says that reaching the minimum still means competing, with ranking by entry criteria when places are limited. A separate undergraduate admission by country PDF prints no year, so check whether it applies to 2027 entry; the scores on the degree page take precedence.

4. Application process and timing

• Intakes: the degree pages give February and July as start months; exact dates are in the academic calendar.
• Two ways to apply: most international students can apply directly through the International Application System. Students from the Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), the Philippines and Latin America must apply through an authorised Education Agent. Mainland China is not on that list and the page says most students can apply directly; confirm with the admissions office whether Chinese applicants should apply directly or through an agent. The agent list is on the Find an Education Agent page.
• Application fee: a non-refundable AUD 150 per application (not charged for research degrees, 100% online programs and non-award programs).
• Documents: academic certificates and transcripts, graduation certificates for secondary and tertiary study, proof of English proficiency and proof of identity such as a passport; some programs ask for a personal statement, portfolio or supplementary form. Non-English documents must be officially translated and submitted with certified copies.
• Closing dates: the international application page says only to check the closing date for your chosen degree, as degrees differ, and the degree pages used here print no date. Not given on the pages used for this guide; check the degree page or the international application page for the closing date for 2027 entry (February or July).
• Processing time: the website says high application volumes mean assessment may take up to two weeks, and up to three weeks if a credit assessment is needed. The result is an unconditional or conditional Offer of Admission; conditions must be met before a conditional offer can be accepted.
• After you accept: pay the first tuition payment, arrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), update your passport details so the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) can be issued, then apply for the student visa. Agents can lodge the visa application for you; direct applicants apply on the Department of Home Affairs website.

5. General requirements for international students

• Four conditions: the website groups international requirements into academic, English language, Genuine Student and financial capacity requirements. The Genuine Student requirement is an Australian Government integrity measure for all student visa applicants; the offer may carry a condition about it, and you may be asked to complete an interview. On finances, the university must be satisfied that you can pay tuition and living costs (and those of any dependants), and it will not waive tuition fees or pay costs in Australia.
• English: the minimum for any undergraduate program is IELTS Academic 6.0 overall or equivalent, but requirements are set by degree. The biological major pages and the Honours page require IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each of reading, listening, speaking and writing. The English language page lists accepted tests: IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, and OET for some degrees. Results are generally valid for two years, and some degrees require less. In the equivalency table, IELTS 6.5 corresponds to TOEFL iBT 79 and IELTS 7.0 to TOEFL iBT 94. If you meet the academic requirement but not the English one, the university can issue a conditional offer packaged with an English language program at its English Language Centre.
• If you do not meet direct entry: use the pathway programs offered with Eynesbury College, Kaplan International College Adelaide and TAFE SA, with the English Language Centre for English.

6. Chinese applicants

• Gaokao: on every degree page, the country table lists China as Gaokao with a percentage: 60% for the Bachelor of Science biological majors and 75% for Honours. Whether the percentage applies to the total score or to individual subjects, and whether it is converted from a province's full mark, is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the admissions office. For the generic minimum in the country PDF, follow the PDF.
• International curricula: the same table lists minimums for IB, A-Level, SAT, ACT and AP (see above). How a Chinese high-school diploma plus a foundation program, or an international high-school curriculum, is converted is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the admissions office.
• Documents: the website lists only the general international documents (transcripts, graduation certificates, English results, passport; non-English documents officially translated with certified copies). It gives no separate document list, interview or accreditation-body requirement for mainland China.
• Bridging courses: the study-plan notes about Foundations in Chemistry and Essential Mathematics are written in terms of SACE; how Chinese high-school subjects are assessed is not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask the admissions office or the Program Director.

7. Australian domestic applicants

• How to apply: the domestic application page says domestic students apply through the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC), a third-party platform; check SATAC for key dates, fees and offer rounds. You can change preferences as often as you like before the cut-off for an offer round, and the university suggests including back-up options. If an offer is not for your first preference, SATAC accepts it for you and you can still be considered for higher preferences.
• Entry pathways (entry pathways page): a Selection Rank (ATAR plus any adjustment factors) based on SACE or an equivalent Year 12 qualification; for most undergraduate degrees you must not have completed more than 2 years of full-time-equivalent university study (48 units) to use Year 12 results. Guaranteed Entry is available using either an ATAR at or above the Guaranteed Entry score, or subject results (complete SACE or equivalent with an ATAR of 50 or higher excluding adjustment factors, using your best three grades from 20-credit subjects), plus any degree requirements such as subject prerequisites; if you do not reach it you are still considered competitively. Other routes include STAT, higher education GPA, internal transfer, VET Certificate IV or higher, and preparatory programs such as Foundation Studies.
• Domestic cut-offs, Guaranteed Entry scores and fees: shown on the Australian-student version of each degree page. The pages used here were the international versions, so this is not given on the pages used for this guide; switch to "Australian student" on the degree page and follow SATAC's publications.

8. Transfers and credit

• Applying with university results: the degree page says at least 6 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) higher education study qualifies you to apply. The Honours page is stricter: at least 6 months of full-time study in an undergraduate diploma (AQF 5) or higher, with a GPA equivalent to Adelaide University 5.0 on a 7-point scale.
• Credit (Recognition of Prior Learning): per the credit page, prior study or work can count as credit, which may reduce the number of courses and the length of the program. International students can request a credit assessment with the application and the result is included in the offer; an online Credit Assessor tool also exists. Non-English documents need a NAATI-accredited translation. If credit shortens the program, a new CoE is issued, which affects the visa.
• Internal transfer: current students can apply to move to another degree using their GPA, but the website notes not all degrees are open to internal transfer; confirm with the admissions office. Changing major within the Bachelor of Science is covered in section 2.

9. Fees and scholarships

• Tuition: the Bachelor of Science biological major pages and the Honours page all show an indicative annual fee of 55,400 (shown with a $ sign; 2027 international version). The website says fees change annually and are based on total units studied on a full-time annual basis; see also the non-tuition fees page. The Honours program is four years full-time; the website gives no four-year total, so confirm with the admissions office. Domestic fees are not given on the pages used for this guide; see the Australian-student version of the degree page.
• International scholarships: the international scholarships page says the university offers scholarships of up to 50% of tuition; most are assessed automatically when you apply for an eligible undergraduate or postgraduate degree, while some have extra application requirements, excluded programs and terms. The page lists the Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship (50%), Emerging Leaders Award (25%), Merit Scholarship (15%), Sibling Award (10%), Global Alumni Scholarship (10%) and Partner Award (10%). Criteria and whether each applies to a biology degree are on the individual scholarship pages.

Checklist

• Check scores, English and the study plan on the page of the specific biological major you want; this guide read only the Biochemistry, Genetics and Marine and Wildlife Conservation pages in full.
• The Foundations in Chemistry and Essential Mathematics notes in the study plans are written for SACE; students from other systems should confirm equivalents with the Program Director.
• Confirm the closing date for February or July entry on the degree page; international students apply through the International Application System or an authorised agent.
• Everything above comes from the 2027 international version of the pages; fees and scores can change each year, so rely on the latest website.

Sources: Adelaide University website: Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry); Bachelor of Science (Genetics); Bachelor of Science (Marine and Wildlife Conservation); Bachelor of Science (Honours); School of Biological Sciences study areas; international application; domestic application; credit; international scholarships. Tuition is the indicative annual fee shown on the website; rely on the latest website.