How to Apply to Biology at HKUST: Biochemistry and Cell Biology and Biotechnology Are Entered through Science Group B, Biomedical and Health Sciences Can Be Applied to Directly, and Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Local, International (Including Mainland Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) offers its biology-related undergraduate degrees in the School of Science. The website lists three four-year BSc programmes: Biochemistry and Cell Biology (BCB), Biotechnology (BIOT), and Biomedical and Health Sciences (BMH). BCB and BIOT are entered through the school-based choice Science (Group B), JUPAS code JS5103: in the first year students take Science Foundation courses plus some language, elective and general education courses, then declare a major. BMH can be applied to directly (JUPAS code JS5118) or entered through Science (Group B). The website also lists a joint-school BSc in Biotechnology and Business. This guide follows the HKUST undergraduate admissions website 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. Clinical medicine, nursing and pharmacy are not undergraduate programmes listed there and are outside this guide.

1. How the biology-related programmes work at HKUST

• Admission route: for BCB and BIOT the website lists only Science (Group B) as the application choice; you declare the major at the end of the first year, and the international-qualifications page adds that school-based students choose majors in the spring semester of Year 1 or the fall semester of Year 2. BMH can be applied to directly; the website says students with a clear interest may apply and be admitted directly. The website gives no grade threshold or quota for entering BCB or BIOT; ask the School of Science.
• Biochemistry and Cell Biology (BCB): the website says students study how living organisms are built on the interplay of biological pathways, with emphasis on knowledge from cell-free systems (biochemistry) and within cells (cell biology). The early curriculum is broad, followed by advanced specialised electives, and BCB students can take part in intensive practical training and research. Graduate paths named: postgraduate research and employment in academic, medical and industrial settings, and careers in healthcare, biotechnology and education.
• Biotechnology (BIOT): the website says the programme covers research and development of biotechnology products and services (medicines, cosmetics, health supplements, genetic diagnostics), with a focus on applied life science, and requires basic understanding of biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, microbiology and genetics. Students choose one of two tracks: the Applied Bioscience Track (experiential or project-based courses on real-world problems) and the Entrepreneurship Track (co-curricular activities and entrepreneurial competitions). Careers named are in pharmaceuticals, agriculture, business and education.
• Biomedical and Health Sciences (BMH): the website says students study the scientific principles of biomedical and health sciences, with exposure to advanced diagnostic and disease-modelling technologies (including omics, computational analysis pipelines and experimental models for pre-clinical drug or treatment discovery). The early curriculum is broad, knowledge is integrated through inquiry-based experiential courses emphasising teamwork, and there is an individual capstone project in the final year. A JUPAS interview is compulsory for BMH. Graduates are expected to go into postgraduate training in clinical medicine, genetic counselling and biomedical research, or to pharmaceutical companies, research institutes, government agencies and healthcare consulting firms.
• Accreditation: these programme pages do not mention accreditation such as the Royal Society of Biology; this guide draws no conclusion, so please ask the School of Science. Credits and places for internships and research projects are not given on the pages used for this guide.
• Related programmes: Chemistry, International Research Enrichment and Ocean Science and Technology are also in the School of Science and are not covered here.

3. Entry requirements for JUPAS

• General JUPAS requirement: the JUPAS page is labelled "2026 entry requirements" and gives the University's general requirement as four core subjects plus two electives at minimum levels "332A33": Level 3 English, Level 3 Chinese, Level 2 Mathematics (Compulsory Part), "Attained" in Citizenship and Social Development, Level 3 in Elective 1, and Level 3 in Elective 2 (or M1/M2). Check the website for whether 2027 is the same. School and programme subject requirements and score formulae are in the website's "Admission Requirements & Statistics" lookup tool, which is not given on the pages used for this guide, so this guide does not infer which subjects Biology needs.
• Score conversion (2027 entry): Category A subjects 5** = 8.5, 5* = 7, 5 = 5.5, 4 = 4, 3 = 3, 2 = 2; each programme uses its own weighted formula, and the best sixth subject earns an extra bonus.
• Flexible arrangement (2027 entry): applicants who miss the Level 3 Chinese requirement by one level but perform well overall, have a programme score above that programme's 2026 median admission score and list the programme as a Band A choice will be considered; HKUST says this applies to all programmes.
• Interviews: of the programmes for which the JUPAS page says an interview is compulsory, the only School of Science ones are International Research Enrichment (IRE) and Biomedical and Health Sciences (BMH); Science (Group A/B) and the other majors discussed here are not on that list.

4. How to apply, by applicant type

Hong Kong local students (DSE, via JUPAS)

• Apply through JUPAS; choose Science (Group B, JS5103) for BCB or BIOT, or Biomedical and Health Sciences (JS5118) directly. The JUPAS application deadline and timetable are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the JUPAS website and HKUST's admissions site.
• Tuition for 2027/28: HK$49,500 a year for local students eligible for the government-subsidised fee. University accommodation is about HK$16,000 to HK$39,000 per residential year and personal expenses about HK$65,000 a year (the hall fees apply only to students admitted in fall 2026; 2027/28 hall fees have not been announced). Accepting an offer requires a HK$5,000 deposit.
• Scholarships: academic admissions scholarships (for JUPAS applicants, the University Admissions Scholarship Scheme for HKDSE Holders) are considered automatically with no separate application; the Student Athletes Admissions Scheme (SAAS), Beyond Academic Admissions Scholarship (BAAS) and School Nominations Direct Admission Scheme (SNDAS) scholarship need separate applications, due in early January 2027 for JUPAS applicants.

Applicants with international qualifications or overseas credentials (including non-local DSE holders)

• Apply directly through the online application system. You must meet the general admissions requirements, the school/programme requirements and the English language requirements. The country-by-country requirements are in lookup tools on the website, which are not given on the pages used for this guide; please check them on the website.
• Timeline: the system opens 2 October 2026; the priority-round deadline is 25 November 2026; later applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, offers are announced from late December 2026, and applications close 30 June 2027.
• Documents: national ID or travel documents, a personal statement, school reports from Grade 10 onwards (another line on the site says transcripts for the past three years), proof of English proficiency, public examination certificates (if any), proof of significant prizes (if any), and at least one academic referee; IB, GCE-AL/IAL/Cambridge Pre-U and Indian High School students also name an IB Coordinator or career counsellor for predicted grades. The application fee is HK$600, paid online by Visa or Mastercard.
• You may choose up to two application choices, the first having priority. Options include school-based choices (Science Group A, Science Group B, where you take first-year foundation courses and choose a major later) and programme-based choices (International Research Enrichment, Biomedical and Health Sciences). School-based students choose majors in the spring semester of Year 1 or the fall semester of Year 2. An interview is not mandatory except for some programmes.
• Accepting an offer requires a deposit within about two to three weeks: HK$20,000 for non-local students. The website says students with qualifications such as the IB Diploma or GCE-AL/IAL, or who took advanced courses before admission, may receive up to 30 credits of credit transfer on entry (120 credits are needed to graduate).
• Tuition for 2027/28: HK$260,000 a year for non-local students. University accommodation is about HK$21,000 to HK$51,000 per residential year and personal expenses about HK$65,000 a year (the same fall-2026 note applies); non-local students get university accommodation in the first year and then arrange off-campus housing at about HK$4,500 to HK$18,000 a month.
• Scholarships: all applicants are considered automatically for academic admissions scholarships (including the scholarship for other qualifications and the one for International/Asian Olympiad medalists); non-academic scholarships (SAAS, BAAS, SNDAS) need a separate application, due 25 November 2026 for international-qualification applicants (late SAAS applications are considered case by case until late March 2027).
• The website notes that local or non-local status decides fees and admissions scheme, identity documents are required, and a change in status after submitting changes the scheme and can cancel an offer. Non-local status covers holders of a student visa or entry permit, a visa under the Immigration Arrangement for Non-local Graduates, or a dependant visa issued when the holder was 18 or older.

Mainland Chinese applicants (separate section)

• HKUST says it recruits independently in the Mainland: it is not part of the national unified admissions, does not occupy a unified-admissions choice, and applicants apply directly online by the deadline. Admission is merit-based with no upper or lower quota by province or subject track.
• Timeline: applications open 2 October 2026 and close 10 June 2027; after gaokao results are released the University invites qualified applicants to interview (interviews for current-year gaokao candidates are in late June), and offers go out from late June to early July 2027.
• Requirements: current-year (including repeat) gaokao candidates may apply. After results are out, HKUST sets each school's interview score line based on that year's applications, referring to provincial first-tier lines and cut-offs of key Mainland universities; those who reach it are invited to that school's interview, which is held in English and tests mental resilience, logical thinking, expression and communication, and passing it leads to admission. The website does not publish a score-line figure.
• The gaokao foreign language must be English; otherwise a qualifying English test such as IELTS or TOEFL is needed. Subject-category requirements by major are in a lookup tool on the website, which is not given on the pages used here; please check it there. The Chinese-language gaokao page also lists a "BSc (Biological Sciences)" among its majors for which the English programme pages have no matching entry; confirm with the Admissions Office.

Transfer students

• The post-secondary and transfer route accepts: current students and graduates of an associate degree (AD) or higher diploma (HD) at a Hong Kong institution; students from abroad holding an associate degree, sub-degree or higher diploma who want to study in Hong Kong or Asia; and transfer students from local or overseas bachelor's programmes (enquiries: ugenquiry@ust.hk).
• Places: the website says there are currently 158 places designated for local AD/HD graduates (across all programmes, not broken down for Biology); admitted students receive credit transfer and enter the senior year of an individual programme. Other applicants are considered for credit transfer case by case, and the entry year depends on the credits granted.
• Conditions: for transfers from local or overseas bachelor's programmes a GPA of B+ or 80% is normally expected; English requirements apply. 120 credits are needed to graduate.
• Dates: the system opens in early October 2026, the priority deadline is 25 November 2026, later applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, offers are announced from late December 2026 and applications close 30 June 2027. Which programmes accept first-year or senior-year applications is in the Application Guide (a PDF) that this guide did not read; please check it.

Sources: HKUST Undergraduate Admissions website JUPAS; International qualifications; Application procedures; Mainland gaokao; Post-secondary and transfer; Fees and scholarships; School of Science; Biochemistry and Cell Biology; Biotechnology; Biomedical and Health Sciences