How to Apply to Biology at Curtin University: No Stand-Alone Biology Bachelor's, but Biochemistry and Environmental Biology and Ecology Majors in the Bachelor of Science and Molecular Genetics and Other Majors in Advanced Science (Honours), Entry and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including China) and Transfer Students

Curtin University's main campus is in Perth, Western Australia (Bentley). Curtin has no degree called "Biology": the biology-related options sit in the Faculty of Science and Engineering, as majors in the Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours). This guide covers those majors and then the shared 2027 entry points for Australian domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Health Faculty degrees - biomedical science, laboratory medicine, medical radiation science, pharmacy, medicine (MBBS) and nursing - are outside this guide; see the health study-area page on Curtin's website.

1. The biology-related majors

• Bachelor of Science (Science) (B-SCNCE): three years full-time at Curtin Perth (the course page also lists Curtin Singapore), Semester 1 and Semester 2 intakes, CRICOS 061600D, guaranteed ATAR 70. Curtin says the degree has 16 majors; the two closest to biology are:
• Biochemistry major: Curtin says you study the molecular structures and processes that underpin living matter - core principles of chemistry, biological, medicinal and natural-product chemistry, plus units in cell biology, molecular biology and molecular genetics - and the molecular systems that regulate cell growth (signalling, defence and related metabolic pathways), with applications in biosensors, drug design and monitoring the impact of exogenous compounds on living systems. Within it you choose a specialisation: Chemistry or Environmental Biology. The Chemistry specialisation is accredited by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI).
• Environmental Biology and Ecology major: Curtin says you gain knowledge in zoology, botany, ecology and genetics, with a focus on how living systems respond to and influence environmental change; field activities build environmental monitoring skills alongside laboratory and computer skills, experimental design and statistics; the final year has a capstone experience in field or laboratory data collection and environmental problem-solving plus a work-integrated learning unit. It can be combined as a double major with Marine Science or Environmental Science. Careers listed: environmental biologist, ecologist, conservation consultant, mine restoration consultant, natural resource manager, remediated lands consultant and sustainability consultant.
• The Science degree also has Marine Science, Agricultural Science, Food Science and Technology and Environmental Science majors that overlap with biology; they are mentioned in one sentence only - see the study-area page or the Science course page.
• Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) (BH-ADVSCI): four years full-time at Curtin Perth, CRICOS 095949E, guaranteed ATAR 95. Curtin describes an honours degree for high-performing students with multidisciplinary, project-based learning and scientific professional practice (entrepreneurship, communication, leadership), year-long projects from second year embedded in Curtin research groups or external organisations, work-integrated learning from second year, and a self-directed honours project in the final year. The most relevant majors are Environmental Biology and Ecology and Molecular Genetics. Curtin says the Molecular Genetics major gives deep knowledge of genetic processes and bioinformatics for careers in human, animal, plant and environmental health and food security; it includes programming in R and Python and a final-year genetics capstone from pure research to translational (entrepreneurial) science, and Curtin notes it hosts the Centre for Crop and Disease Management with the Grains Research and Development Corporation. Careers listed: plant and animal geneticist, agricultural and food scientist, bioinformatician, biotechnologist, ecologist.
• The Science course page adds that if you reach a course-weighted average (CWA) of 65 or higher you may apply for a fourth-year honours program (Bachelor of Science (Science) (Honours)).

2. How admission works and when you pick the major

• Curtin says a major is part of a degree: choose the degree, check its entry requirements, apply, and after accepting an offer enrol in the major at the start or later depending on the course structure. So you apply to the Bachelor of Science (or Advanced Science), not to "Biology" on its own. The Science structure is: pick a major (one of 16), then either a second major, or two specialisations/minors, or one specialisation/minor plus four electives. The year in which the major is chosen, any grade threshold and the first-year common units are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the course Handbook.
• July intake: the Science course page says that for the Biochemistry major the course duration may exceed three years because of unit prerequisites.

3. Prerequisites (same table for domestic and international applicants)

• Science, Biochemistry major: essential subjects are Mathematics Applications and Chemistry; desirable are Mathematics Methods, Biology, Human Biology and Chemistry. Curtin says Mathematics Applications can be met with MATH1013, MATH1014 or MATH1015, and Chemistry with CHEM1003 and CHEM1001.
• Science, Environmental Biology and Ecology major: the essential subject is Mathematics Applications; the page lists no desirable subjects on that line, so check the course page.
• Advanced Science, Environmental Biology and Ecology: essential is Mathematics Methods ATAR. Molecular Genetics: essential are Mathematics Methods ATAR and Chemistry ATAR. Curtin says Mathematics Methods can be met with MATH1014, MATH1017, or MATH1015 (final mark at least 70) plus MATH1016, and Chemistry with CHEM1003 and CHEM1001. The page lists no desirable subjects for these two majors.
• These are Western Australian ATAR subject names. How they map to other curricula (A-Level, AP, IB, Gaokao) is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask Curtin admissions. Curtin links an older TEE/WACE correlation chart for reference.
• The Science course page notes that admission criteria may differ when a major is taken as part of a double degree or an honours degree; contact the Admissions Office.

4. Application timing and method for 2027 entry

• Dates on the Curtin course pages (Curtin Perth): Bachelor of Science, Semester 1 2027 open and closing 28 January 2027; Semester 2 2027 opening 1 March 2027 and closing 1 July 2027. Advanced Science (Honours), full-year 2027 intake, closing 28 January 2027. Curtin says deadlines vary by course, and the deadlines page lists course-specific deadlines. The view read for this guide is the domestic one, so international closing dates are not given on the pages used; check the international view of the course page or the deadlines page.
• International applicants can apply directly to Curtin through its online application portal or through a Curtin registered agent. Curtin says you can list up to five course preferences, ranked 1 to 5, and only your first is assessed unless you do not meet its requirements; to study on a student visa you must select the "Full-time - Internal" study mode; when searching, use keywords from the degree title rather than the major name. After an offer you accept it and receive a Confirmation of Enrolment for the student visa.
• Documents: ID and passport copies, qualifications and English proof; documents not in English need a recognised translation (NAATI-accredited translator, the awarding institution, a notary public, the official government body, or an official accredited translator).

5. Australian domestic applicants

• Year 12 students apply through the Western Australian admissions centre TISC, whose dates differ from Curtin's; non-school-leavers, transfer students and current Curtin students changing courses apply directly to Curtin.
• Science: guaranteed ATAR (or equivalent) 70, meaning a guaranteed place if you meet that and all other requirements (prerequisites and English); Advanced Science (Honours) 95. Curtin says equity adjustment factors (for where you live, the school you attended or your background) raise your Selection Rank and are applied automatically through TISC; StepUp to Curtin and other pathways exist. Curtin has an ATAR profile page with recent offer ranks.
• Non-ATAR routes: for the Science degree, vocational study (VET/TAFE) needs an AQF Certificate IV (with separate English proof), Diploma or Advanced Diploma plus the essential subjects; Advanced Science (Honours) does not accept VET studies (Curtin says VET cannot meet the equivalent ATAR requirement); the work-and-life-experience route is not available for either course. STAT is not accepted as an entry pathway, only as English evidence.
• Fees: domestic undergraduates get Commonwealth supported places. Indicative 2026 first-year fees are A$10,000 for Science and A$9,200 for Advanced Science (Honours) (based on 200 credit points of full-time study; actual fees vary with units and exclude incidentals such as lab coats).

6. International applicants

• English: the IELTS Academic scores shown on the course pages are 6.0 overall and 6.0 in each band for Science, 7.0 overall and 7.0 in each band for Advanced Science (Honours). Curtin accepts tests such as IELTS, PTE, TOEFL, CAE and OET; applicants without a score can ask a registered agent to request Curtin's online Password placement test, but Password cannot be used to meet the entry requirement and only indicates which Curtin English course you need. The English requirements page as read describes the domestic routes; whether international applicants have other exemptions is not given on the pages used; check the international view of that page.
• If you do not meet the English requirement you can tick the box to be considered for a Curtin English pathway and receive a conditional offer packaging your degree with the English course.
• Tuition: international fees are charged per course per year, but the pages used for this guide do not give the international tuition (AUD) for Science or Advanced Science. Check the international view of each course page or the fees pages, and confirm the fee is for 2027 entry. Curtin also says fees are charged per unit and exclude incidentals such as lab coats and textbooks.
• International scholarships (Curtin page): John Curtin Global Excellence Scholarship - 40% off tuition (up to four years), requiring a CWA of 95% or equivalent in your most recent eligible study and a CWA of 70% from the second study period on; Curtin Global Merit Scholarship - 20% off tuition, requiring Distinction-level results; Global Future Leaders Scholarship - a one-off A$10,000 tuition credit, requiring Credit-level results and at least 1.5 years at the Western Australian campus. None needs a separate application: eligible applications are assessed automatically, and all are for Western Australian campuses and 2027 (the first two 2027 or 2028) commencement; the scholarship pages show an application close date of 1 October 2027, and accepting requires paying the deposit on your Letter of Offer. Curtin also lists the Curtin English Scholarship (a one-off credit of up to A$7,496 after a Curtin English course) and the Global Scholars Program Scholarship (A$15,000 for studying at two Curtin global campuses). The eligible-courses list excludes Medical Radiation Science, MBBS, Advanced Nursing, Paramedicine and Oral Health Therapy, so the biology-related majors are not excluded.
• Visa: Curtin says a student visa allows full-time study and work of up to 48 hours a fortnight (figure accurate as of December 2024; check the visa page for current rules).

7. Applicants from China

• Curtin's list of recognised overseas qualifications (page, PDF) says that for undergraduate courses requiring an ATAR 70, Gao Kao results meet the minimum entry requirement with an aggregate in the required subjects equivalent to 67% of the overall maximum, giving equivalent scores of 322/480, 402/600, 503/750, 543/810 or 603/900. The list covers ATAR 70 courses only, so it corresponds to the Bachelor of Science (70); how Gaokao is used for Advanced Science (ATAR 95) is not given on the pages used; ask Curtin admissions.
• How Chinese senior-high or Gaokao subjects map to the Chemistry (for Biochemistry) and Mathematics prerequisites is not given on the pages used; ask Curtin admissions.
• High-school diploma plus foundation: Curtin College is an on-campus pathway to Curtin whose diploma Curtin says equals the first year of the corresponding Curtin bachelor's degree, so students typically go straight into year two; it suits applicants who do not meet Curtin's minimum entry requirements, finished Year 12 without WACE/ATAR or equivalent, or completed Year 11 with a 50% average, and it accepts international students (see the Curtin College page). Whether a biology-related route exists at Curtin College is not stated on that page.
• Interviews, country-specific notes and accreditation bodies: not given on the pages used for this guide.

8. Transfer students and credit

• Course switchers within Curtin: to move into Advanced Science (Honours) you need an ATAR of 95, or 200 credits over one year with a CWA of 80% or higher, plus the prerequisites for your major; for the Science degree you must meet Curtin's general admission criteria and the essential subjects. For switching from another higher-education provider, Curtin says Advanced Science has a Semester 1 intake only and refers to TISC.
• Credit for Recognised Learning (CRL): Curtin's admissions team assesses prior study when you apply; international applicants can opt out of CRL at application, in which case the Letter of Offer includes no credit; after an offer you can submit a separate CRL application (for units in the coming study period, by Friday of week 1). International applicants' unit outlines must be issued by the original institution and include unit code, title, year, learning outcomes, topics, assessments and credit/contact hours; Word files copied from websites are not accepted. A CRL search tool shows past credit decisions.
• Transfer quotas and whether specific biology and chemistry core units can be credited are not given on the pages used; check the CRL tool or Handbook.

9. Accreditation, projects and placements

• Accreditation: Curtin says the Biochemistry major with the Chemistry specialisation is accredited by RACI; the pages for the Environmental Biology and Ecology and Molecular Genetics majors state no professional accreditation, so check the course pages.
• Projects and placements: Environmental Biology and Ecology has field and laboratory work, a final-year capstone and a work-integrated learning unit; Advanced Science has year-long projects and a final-year honours project. Whether a placement is compulsory and how long it is for the Science degree is not given on the pages used; check the Handbook.

10. Please check

Dates, fees and entry scores here come from the Curtin pages read in October 2026; where a page prints no year, check that it applies to 2027 entry. International tuition, international closing dates, subject mapping for other curricula and the Gaokao rule for Advanced Science are not given on the pages used; please rely on Curtin's website and Global Admissions.