How to Apply to Biology at the University of Hong Kong: Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Ecology & Biodiversity and Biochemistry Are Majors within the Faculty of Science BSc (6901), the First Three with Royal Society of Biology-Accredited Intensive Versions, and Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Local, International (Including Mainland Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has no separate admission code for a Biology degree. Biology-related study sits within the four-year Bachelor of Science (BSc, code 6901) of the Faculty of Science: you apply to 6901 and choose a major after arriving. The biology-related majors listed on the website are Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Ecology & Biodiversity and Biochemistry; the first three also have a 144-credit Intensive version accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB). This guide follows the HKU Admissions Office and Faculty of Science websites for entry in September 2027, with sections for Hong Kong local students (JUPAS), applicants with international or overseas qualifications, Mainland Chinese gaokao applicants and transfer students. Medicine (MBBS), nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and Biomedical Engineering (6925) are outside this guide; see the Admissions Office website.

1. How the biology-related majors work at HKU

• Admission route: one programme choice, 6901, covers many majors. One page says "10 majors and 7 intensive majors", another says "11 majors and 7 intensive majors"; the wording is inconsistent, so check the Faculty's latest description. Students have up to two years to choose a major and may change later; they may take one major, a second major, a minor or two minors (in science or non-science), and some non-science majors or minors may require a minimum result. Quotas for a given biology major and conditions for entering it after arrival are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the Faculty.
• Credit structure: the BSc is 240 credits (forty 6-credit courses over four years). The structure chart for Intensive Majors shows language courses, 54 credits of Common Core, Science Foundation Courses, 144–150 credits of disciplinary courses including the capstone, and 36–42 credits of minors/electives. The first-year shared course list and laboratory schedule are not given on the pages used here; check the Faculty's syllabus pages or ask the Faculty.
• Biological Sciences: a 96-credit regular major and a 144-credit Intensive version. The website says teaching stresses core concepts and applications, and senior students do experiential learning in three areas: genetics, molecular and cell biology; ecology, systematics and evolution; and physiology and organismic biology. The regular version leaves room for other fields; the Intensive version is for students who want depth and breadth.
• Molecular Biology & Biotechnology: 96 / 144 credits, focused on molecular and cell biology with industrial and medical applications, taught with hands-on laboratory training and experimental projects. Applications listed include bioactive substances, genetic engineering for agriculture and aquaculture, biomedical research and pharmaceuticals, and biofuels, bioremediation and wastewater treatment.
• Ecology & Biodiversity: 96 / 144 credits; core courses cover the evolution and diversity of life, interactions between organisms and their environments, and biodiversity conservation and sustainable management, with special reference to Hong Kong and Asian aquatic and terrestrial flora and fauna. Senior students do fieldwork and use quantitative and experimental methods.
• Biochemistry: 96 credits; only this version is listed (no Intensive version). Core courses cover the basic ideas of biochemistry, and electives cover biochemistry, bioinformatics, molecular medicine and molecular genetics; the website stresses laboratory practicals, problem solving, group learning, industrial experience, overseas exchange and research projects.
• Accreditation: the Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology and Ecology & Biodiversity Intensive majors are accredited by the Royal Society of Biology (RSB), UK. Students completing them receive a certificate from the School of Biological Sciences authorised by the RSB, and graduates receive one year of guest membership of the RSB at Associate level. The website does not say that Biochemistry is RSB-accredited. The Environmental Science major has separate accreditation from the Hong Kong Institute of Qualified Environmental Professionals (an 11-course accredited pathway) and is not covered here. One page says four accredited majors are offered "in the first instance" but lists seven; the wording is inconsistent, so confirm with the Faculty.
• Articulation: the website says outstanding students from selected science programmes can progress to HKU taught master's degrees or the University of Melbourne's Doctor of Veterinary Medicine; whether each biology major is included is not stated on the pages used here.
• Careers listed: for Biochemistry, the website says over half of graduates enter the commercial world, about a third work in science, biotechnology and healthcare, others work in education, hospitals and universities, a few join the civil service, and many go on to postgraduate study each year. Pages for the other majors list roles such as medical laboratory technologist, biotech research associate, officers in government departments, school biology teacher and environmental consultant.
• Young Scientist Scheme (YSS): the website says it gives outstanding 6901 students early research experience; see the Faculty page for how students are selected.

2. Not given on the pages used for this guide

• No biology-specific entrance test or interview is described; the Admissions Office says interview arrangements are notified separately by programme and route.
• Subject requirements for A-Level or IB (for example whether Biology is required) are in the website's "Admissions Standards" lookup tool, which is not given on the pages used here; please check it on the website. For JUPAS the requirement is "one of Biology, Chemistry or Physics".
• Food & Nutritional Science, Environmental Science, Earth System Science and Geology are other BSc majors with their own pages and are not covered here.

3. Entry requirements for the BSc (6901) via JUPAS

• Minimum: Level 3 English, Level 3 Chinese, Level 2 Mathematics, Citizenship and Social Development "Attained", and Level 3 in two electives. The electives may be any Category A subject or Mathematics M1/M2, and one must be a science subject (Biology, Chemistry or Physics).
• Scoring: best five subjects, which must include English, Mathematics and the best science elective plus the best two of the remaining Category A subjects and M1/M2; science electives, Mathematics and M1/M2 are weighted 1.5. Level-to-score: Levels 1–4 score 1–4, Level 5 is 5.5, 5* is 7, 5** is 8.5.
• 2027 expected JUPAS admission score and places: the website gives 34 for 6901; the local quota (JUPAS plus non-JUPAS) is 253 places.
• Flexible arrangement: an applicant who reaches only Level 2 in one of English, Chinese or the two electives but does well elsewhere can still be considered, with the total score reduced by 10%; the programme must be a Band A choice, the applicant must pass an interview and meet any other requirements. HKU says this applies to all its undergraduate programmes.
• Is school Biology required? The subject requirement on the website is "one of Biology, Chemistry or Physics". The pages do not separately say that the Biology major requires school-level Biology. Conditions for entering a major after arrival are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the Faculty of Science (tel. 3917 2683, science@hku.hk).

4. How to apply, by applicant type

Hong Kong local students (DSE, via JUPAS)

• Apply to 6901 BSc through JUPAS. The JUPAS application deadline is 2 December 2026; Other Experiences and Achievements (OEA) information is due 20 January 2027; programme choices can be updated until 26 May 2027; DSE results are released 14 July 2027; main-round offers are announced 4 August 2027.
• HKU invites selected candidates to interview before or after DSE results and says it gives preference to those who list the programme as a Band A choice. The Admissions Office page also lists special routes (principals' nominations, the School Nominations Direct Admissions Scheme, top athletes and others); see that page for details.
• Tuition for 2027/28: HK$49,500 a year for local students eligible for the government-subsidised fee. Scholarships: the website says top JUPAS scorers can receive awards covering tuition plus living costs; use the scholarship filter on the website.

Applicants with international qualifications or overseas credentials (non-JUPAS)

• This route is for non-local students with GCE A-Level, IB, SAT/AP and similar qualifications, and for local students with a non-DSE international qualification; Mainland gaokao applicants use a separate scheme. HKU says decisions weigh academic results, interview, personal statement, references and other documents, and that meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission.
• For reference, the Faculty page gives the 2026 lowest admission scores for 6901 as A-Level 1A* 2A and IB 34 (last year's figures, not 2027 requirements). Subject and English-language requirements are in the website's "Admissions Standards" lookup tool, which is not given on the pages used for this guide; please check it on the website.
• Timeline: the application system opens 23 September 2026; apply by noon (HKT) on 25 November 2026 for first-round evaluation, with first-round results from December and interviews between November and January; later applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and the system closes at noon on 25 August 2027. Predicted and actual grades must be entered in the system (uploading documents alone is not enough). Offer holders must accept within three to four weeks and pay a non-refundable deposit; non-local students should allow at least four to six weeks for assessment and eight to ten weeks for a visa.
• The Faculty page says the non-local quota is separate and normally no more than 50% in a year.
• HKU also says applicants who turn 25 on or before 1 September of the entry year are deemed to meet its entrance requirements, though admission is not guaranteed. The application fee for this route is not given on the pages used for this guide; check it in the application system.
• Tuition for 2027/28: non-local students (and local students not eligible for the subsidy) pay HK$280,000 a year in the Faculty of Science. Housing: halls and colleges cost HK$17,290 to HK$37,940 a year (285 days, excluding the summer term); off-campus housing HK$30,000 to HK$50,000; living expenses up to about HK$50,000 a year. Scholarships: HKU offers merit-based scholarships for local and non-local students; filter by student type, qualification and faculty on the website.

Mainland Chinese applicants (separate section)

• Gaokao applicants use the Mainland Admissions Scheme. HKU says all its undergraduate programmes recruit in the Mainland with no arts/science restriction, and that applicants from provinces under the new gaokao have no subject-selection requirement for any programme; there is no quota cap per province and admission is merit-based.
• Process: complete the online form, pay the application fee of HK$780, and upload your gaokao results after they are published. The deadline is noon on 28 June 2027; results are released from late June to 7 July 2027. HKU says it gives priority to the total gaokao score and English score, interview performance (if invited) and overall academic and non-academic qualities. Applying to HKU does not affect the national unified admissions, but once you accept an HKU offer you leave the national process.
• The website does not publish programme-level gaokao cut-offs or an English sub-score threshold; check with the Admissions Office. It gives no separate gaokao requirement for the Biology major, so do not borrow another major's.
• Optional Multi-faceted Excellence Admissions Scheme: apply after registering for the Mainland scheme; HKU lists competition awards, subject talent, leadership, and arts or sports as grounds, with admission bonuses and, for exceptional cases, conditional offers before the gaokao. Timeline: system opens 6 October 2026, first-round deadline 31 December 2026, overall deadline 22 March 2027, online interviews in batches from January–February 2027, results by May 2027. The Faculty of Science's Young Scientist Scheme is among the selections attached to this scheme.

Transfer students

• Hong Kong sub-degree holders: the Faculty's Direct Admissions Scheme takes Associate Degree (AD) and Higher Diploma (HD) graduates into Year 3 of the four-year 6901 BSc with 120 credits of advanced standing (two years' worth). In 2027 there are 75 senior-year places across all BSc majors (numbers may change); Biological Sciences is A321 (BSC(BIOLSC)), Molecular Biology & Biotechnology A324 (BSC(MBIOL)), Ecology & Biodiversity A314 (BSC(ECOL)) and Biochemistry A301 (BSC(BOC)); the 75 places are listed for the BSc as a whole, with no per-major figures. The sub-degree must be in the same or a related discipline; applicants may list up to three programmes and may also include first-year programmes.
• Eligibility: the Admissions Office says graduates of a recognised full-time AD/HD at a Hong Kong institution, and final-year students who will finish by August 2027, can apply for senior-year places, while non-final-year AD/HD students and those currently or previously enrolled in a bachelor's degree are eligible for first-year places only. The Faculty page says second-year AD/HD students are also welcome; the two statements differ, so confirm with the Admissions Office.
• Dates and fee: the system opens 23 September 2026, first-round submission is noon on 25 November 2026, later applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until noon on 20 August 2027, and the application fee is HK$780. Study begins 1 September 2027.
• Students transferring from another university (including overseas): the international-qualifications page says to choose "Bachelor's or higher degree" as the qualification; quotas and requirements for this group are not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask the Admissions Office.

Sources: HKU Admissions Office and Faculty of Science JUPAS; International qualifications; Mainland scheme; Hong Kong sub-degrees; Fees; 6901 features; Accreditations; Faculty entry requirements; Direct admission to Year 3; Biological Sciences; Molecular Biology & Biotechnology; Ecology & Biodiversity; Biochemistry