How to Apply to the Biology Undergraduate Program at the University of Guelph: BSc in Biological Science with Flexible Electives and a Three-Year Honours Option, Plus Animal Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Neuroscience and Other Biological Science Majors, and Admission and Prerequisites for Canadian, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The University of Guelph (U of G) is in Guelph, Ontario. Biology-related undergraduate study is applied for by major within the Bachelor of Science. Below is what U of G publishes for September 2027 entry, organized for Canadian students, international students, applicants from China and transfer students. Chemistry, mathematics, physics, computer science and engineering are not covered here; veterinary medicine, nursing, pharmacy and medicine are outside this guide – see the relevant program pages on the website.

Biology-related majors and options

• Majors the website lists: the international requirements page lists these "Biological Sciences" majors under the Bachelor of Science: Animal Biology, Biochemistry, Biological Science, Bio-Medical Science, Biomedical Toxicology, Food Science, Human Kinetics, Marine and Freshwater Biology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Neuroscience, Nutritional and Nutraceutical Sciences, Plant Science, Wildlife Biology and Conservation and Zoology. A star on the page marks majors offered as regular or co-op programs; Biological Science, Bio-Medical Science, Animal Biology, Human Kinetics and Zoology are not starred. This guide centres on Biological Science; the program pages of the other majors were not each read here, so check the website.
• What the Biological Science major offers (program page): courses in health and nutrition, animals and the environment, and molecular and cellular biology, with free choice of electives, or one of four interdisciplinary focal areas – Healthcare Professional Foundation (preparing for professional schools such as medicine, nursing, pharmacy, dentistry and veterinary medicine), Healthcare Leadership and Innovation (public health and epidemiology, exercise and rehabilitation, health and disease, nutrition), Sustainable Ecosystems Biology and Molecular and Cellular Biotechnology. A minor or second major in science, arts, social sciences or business can be added, and an internship or international exchange pursued.
• Honours in three years: the website says Biological Science students who take a full course load in fall, winter and summer can complete an Honours Bachelor of Science in eight straight semesters, or three years. The sample schedule shows first-year fall courses BIOL*1090 Introduction to Cellular and Molecular Biology, CHEM*1040 General Chemistry, PHYS*1080 Physics for Life Sciences and MATH*1080 Elements of Calculus, and winter courses BIOL*1070 Introduction to Biodiversity, BIOL*1080 Biological Concepts of Health, CHEM*1050 General Chemistry II and PHYS*1070 (a sample, not a fixed schedule).
• Co-op: in the international requirements page's list, Biological Science, Bio-Medical Science, Animal Biology, Human Kinetics and Zoology carry no co-op star, while the other biological majors are marked as regular or co-op; co-op admission conditions are under "Prerequisites and basis of admission" below.
• Changing major after admission: the pages read do not state a GPA requirement for moving into or out of Biological Science after admission; the deadline to change program choices on the application is April 15.

Prerequisites and basis of admission

• International prerequisites (listed by degree on the website): the website lists the required courses for the "Biological Sciences" group (including Biological Science, Bio-Medical Science, Animal Biology and others) as English, Advanced Math, and two courses from Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Advanced Math is defined as Pre-Calculus, Functions, (I)GCSE or CSEC Mathematics, IB Math (only SL/HL Analysis and Approaches or HL Applications and Interpretation), or equivalent math containing Advanced Functions, Algebra, Geometry or Trigonometry. The page gives courses, not cut-off grades.
• Prerequisites for Canadian high school students: the website uses an interactive search tool that gives the specific courses and minimum grades by student type, province and program. The pages read do not print the specific 4U courses and minimum grades for biology – please check the website's admission requirements search tool. The website explains that the admission average uses your best six 4U/M (or equivalent) courses including required subjects; where not available it uses the best six combining in-progress 4U/M and completed 3U/M courses; co-op courses are not used.
• Admission average and cut-offs: the website gives only "estimated cut-off ranges" based on previous cycles, stresses they do not guarantee admission, and says actual cut-offs depend on the number and quality of applications and the space available, typically higher than the estimated ranges early in the cycle. The pages read do not print the range for biology.
• 4U prerequisites must be completed before you start: the transfer page says 4U prerequisites cannot be taken after arriving; missing ones can be taken at an Adult Learning Centre or an accredited private school course provider.
• Supplementary documents: the Student Profile Form (optional but strongly encouraged, due April 1; it may be considered if the average is within 5% of the cut-off) and the Supplemental Information Form for Students with Disabilities (SIF-D, April 1). Background Information Forms are required only for Landscape Architecture and Turfgrass Management, not for biology. The website mentions no entrance test or interview for biology.
• Co-op (from high school): the co-op admission page says high school applicants to co-op normally need an average of 80% or higher in university-level courses, with cut-offs possibly higher, and those not admitted are automatically considered for the regular program; you select the co-op option on the application and must declare a major. Biological Science carries no co-op star (see above); for the other biological majors with a co-op stream, co-op students pay CAD 405 more per semester.

Canadian students (citizens and permanent residents)

• How to apply: Canadian high school students apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) undergraduate application. The website says you may apply to at most three programs, each getting its own decision; the deadline for high school students is January 15 (2027), later applications are still considered but early applying is encouraged; the application fee is not stated on the pages read.
• Transcripts: Ontario schools submit grades through OUAC, and all grades must arrive by April 22, 2027; applicants from other provinces upload an unofficial transcript and have the school send an official transcript showing Grade 11 and 12 completed and in-progress courses, due April 15, 2027; British Columbia schools submit electronically through OUAC (with the BC personal education number and authorization), and Quebec CEGEP results are sent automatically when the CEGEP code is on the application.
• Offers: offers are released from November through mid-May; every offer to a high school applicant is conditional on completing the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent, six Grade 12 / 4U/M courses including required subjects, and the minimum final average in the offer.
• In-province and out-of-province students: the website lists tuition separately for Ontario residents and non-Ontario students (see "Costs and scholarships"); whether admission requirements differ by province of residence is not stated on the pages read.
• IB and AP (within Canada): the IB Diploma needs a minimum of 28 (many programs require more), six subjects (three Higher Level and three Standard Level) including the program's required subjects, with predicted scores on the 7-point scale; Higher Level courses with a 5 or higher can earn transfer credit up to 2.0 credits; AP exams with 4 or higher can earn transfer credit up to 2.0 credits. The website equivalency tables map IB Biology to BIOL 1070 and IB Chemistry to CHEM 1040, and AP Biology and AP Chemistry likewise to BIOL 1070 and CHEM 1040; IB Analysis and Approaches (SL/HL) can meet the Ontario MHF4U and MCV4U prerequisites.
• English: proof is required if your first language is not English and you have less than four years of full-time study in an English-language school system; standards are under International students below.

International students

• Qualifications: the website lists the accepted secondary qualification by country and curriculum; the secondary school certificate that admits to a recognized university at home is generally acceptable, but the degree's prerequisite courses must also be met, and meeting the minimum does not guarantee admission. Predicted or midterm grades may be considered for a conditional offer if prerequisite courses are completed or in progress and meet the minimum grades.
• How to apply and fees: international high school students can apply directly to the University of Guelph (CAD 100, non-refundable), through OUAC if applying to more than one Ontario university, or with the Common App (USD 75, non-refundable); Canadian citizens and permanent residents must use OUAC. After applying you receive login information for the admission portal, where documents are uploaded.
• English: required if your first language is not English and you have less than four years of full-time English-language secondary or post-secondary study. Accepted tests: IELTS Academic overall 6.5 with no band below 6; TOEFL total 89 with no score below 21 (the website notes that from January 21, 2026 the new scale needs a total of 4.5 with no score below 4.0); Duolingo 110; PTE 60 overall and in each component; Cambridge C1/C2 overall 176 with no band below 169; CAEL 70; or completion of the Advanced level of the university's English Language Certificate Program (ELCP). Scores must be no more than two years old. An IB Diploma taught in English also counts. Applicants who fall short can use the ELCP, and a Guaranteed Admission Pathway (GAP) links English study to degree courses (the website names the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts). The dates page gives March 1 as a soft deadline for out-of-country applicants to provide proof of English.
• IB: the IB Diploma with six subjects (three Higher Level, three Standard Level) and at least 28 points, with TOK and EE bonus points considered; the program's prerequisites must be taken at the second-year (DP2) level; programs needing Advanced Math or Calculus accept only Analysis and Approaches (SL/HL) or Applications and Interpretation (HL), not Math Studies or Applications and Interpretation SL. Higher Level courses with 5 or better can earn transfer credit up to 2.0 credits.
• Study permit: international students may need a Provincial Attestation Letter and study permit; the procedure is on the IRCC website. The funding page says Immigration Canada requires proof of enough funds for a full year of tuition and living expenses; check IRCC for the amount.
• Tuition and costs: the international funding page, based on 2025–26, lists full-time Bachelor of Science tuition at CAD 46,780, plus compulsory fees CAD 1,748–2,297, textbooks CAD 1,400, health insurance CAD 948, residence room CAD 8,387–11,742, meal plan CAD 5,750–7,850 and personal expenses CAD 2,500 (figures and ranges as printed; check the website for totals, which are not added here). The university guarantees future tuition increases will not exceed 5% in subsequent years. Co-op students pay an additional CAD 405 per semester for academic and work semesters.
• Deposits: students paying international fees pay a non-refundable CAD 2,000 tuition deposit (June 15 on the dates page); the residence application and CAD 750 deposit are due June 1.
• International scholarships: the President's International Entrance Scholarship is awarded automatically on admission average with no application – 95.0%+ CAD 20,000 in year 1 then CAD 7,500 a year (the website gives CAD 42,500 in total); 90.0–94.9% CAD 16,000 in year 1 (38,500 total); 85.0–89.9% CAD 13,000 (35,500); 70.0–84.9% CAD 10,000 (32,500). Renewal requires full-time study, an 80.0% average in the previous year and continuing to pay international fees. Others include the Dr. Franco J. Vaccarino President's Scholarship (CAD 42,500, two awards, applications due March 8, 2027), the International Transfer Scholarship (CAD 10,000, no application) and several CAD 1,000–2,000 scholarships.
• Co-op (international students): the website says international students who meet the co-op admission requirements for their degree are welcome to apply (only for majors that have a co-op stream), with the same co-op fees as domestic students; as of April 1, 2026 a separate co-op work permit is not needed once admitted to a co-op program (existing co-op work permits can be used until they expire).

Applicants from China (separate section)

• Qualification and grades: for the Chinese curriculum the website asks for academic transcripts of senior secondary school (Grades 10 and 11 and at least first-semester Grade 12) with the degree's prerequisite courses at Grade 12 / Senior 3 level, and the Academic Proficiency Test (huikao) with passing ("qualified") results in each required course. Students who have already graduated should submit gaokao (NCEE) results including required subjects, with a minimum of "approximately 500" as printed (the page does not explain the score scale or provincial differences).
• Verification and documents: gaokao and huikao results must be verified by the Center for Student Services and Development (CSSD) through its Parchment portal service; final transcripts and the graduation certificate must be sent by the school directly to intdocs@uoguelph.ca.
• English: follow the international English requirements above.
• Interview and China page: the website mentions no interview. It also links a China admission page (uofguelph.cn) that was not read here – please check it.
• Prerequisite mapping: Chinese senior secondary school needs the degree's prerequisite courses (for the biological sciences group: English, Advanced Math and two of Biology, Chemistry and Physics). How these map to Chinese courses is not published; ask the international team at internat@uoguelph.ca.

Transfer students (from colleges or other universities)

• Application and deadlines (2027): fall (September) entry – application deadline April 1, documents May 1 (most programs); winter (January) entry – application November 1, documents December 1. January entry needs at least 2.0 completed credits, and the website says the earliest a first-semester student can transfer is fall 2027. Anyone currently or previously registered at another college or university is a transfer student, and in-progress courses can be considered.
• Documents: official transcripts from every secondary and post-secondary institution attended; non-English documents need notarized literal English translations; the admission committee may request a support letter (why you want to transfer and, if the average is low, how you will improve). Unofficial transcripts are used for initial assessment.
• Transfer credit: assessed at admission and not pre-assessed. A two-year college diploma normally earns up to 5.0 credits and a three-year diploma up to 10.0; degree-level courses successfully completed are normally eligible, with a maximum of 10.0 credits from a completed degree. Credits are "specified" (matching a Guelph course) or "generic" (course numbers starting with 9, electives that may not count toward the degree). The website lists approved equivalencies for other Ontario universities.
• Minimum average: a question on the transfer page refers to a minimum admission average for transfer students, but the pages read do not print the figure – check the website's search tool. Transfer students must also meet the program's 4U prerequisites. For how transfer credit applies to Biological Science requirements, the website advises contacting an academic advisor as soon as you accept the offer.
• Co-op: external transfer students cannot apply directly to co-op; they must first be admitted. The website lists, among the conditions, acceptance to a program with a co-op option, an admission average of 70% or higher in previous university or college courses, not beyond the second year, and normally no more than 5.0 transfer credits.
• International Transfer Scholarship: a one-time CAD 10,000 for international fee-paying transfer students admitted for winter or fall 2027, with no application.

Timeline (September 2027 entry)

• Canadian high school students: January 15 application deadline (later applications still considered); January 22 President's and Lincoln Alexander Chancellor's Scholarship applications (dates page; the scholarships page still prints January 23, 2026 – a previous cycle, please check); April 1 Student Profile Form and SIF-D; April 15 official transcripts for non-Ontario students, application changes, scholarships and bursaries needing an application, and the entrance financial need form; April 22 Ontario schools submit grades; June 1 accept the offer, residence application and CAD 750 deposit; July 16 meet offer conditions; July 31 deferral request.
• International students (high school outside Canada): February 1 documents for early admission; March 1 proof of English (soft); March 8 Vaccarino President's Scholarship; May 15 fall application deadline; May 22 documents; June 1 accept the offer and residence application with deposit; June 15 CAD 2,000 tuition deposit; August 20–31 final GCE and CAPE results.
• Transfer students: April 1 application, May 1 documents.

Costs and scholarships

• Canadian student costs (2025–26 estimates): the Canadian funding page lists full-time tuition of CAD 6,091–11,286 for Ontario residents and CAD 7,404–13,718 for non-Ontario students; residence room CAD 7,900–11,116, meal plan CAD 5,500–7,600, personal CAD 2,500, compulsory fees CAD 1,768–1,930 and textbooks CAD 1,400 (ranges as printed; they vary by program and lifestyle). Co-op students pay CAD 405 more per semester. 2027–28 rates are not on the pages read.
• Canadian scholarships: President's Scholarships and Lincoln Alexander Chancellor's Scholarships (CAD 42,500 each, application needed); Board of Governors' Scholarships (CAD 20,000, no application); entrance scholarships awarded automatically on admission average – CAD 2,000 at 95.0% and above, CAD 1,000 at 90.0–94.9%; program-specific awards with varying deadlines; and entrance bursaries needing a financial need assessment. Application dates on the pages are printed for 2026 – check whether they are updated for 2027 entry.
• Work: the website says co-op work terms pay roughly CAD 500–2,500 a week; there are also on-campus part-time jobs, Work Study (international students may apply for Work Study funding in their second year) and Undergraduate Research Assistantships.

Application checklist

Canadian students:

• Apply to the Biological Science major through OUAC by January 15 (later applications still considered); confirm the 4U prerequisites and minimum grades for your major in the website's search tool
• Ontario schools submit grades through OUAC (by April 22); other provinces upload an unofficial transcript and have the school send an official one (by April 15)
• Student Profile Form (April 1, optional); accept the offer by June 1, with residence application and CAD 750 deposit

International and Chinese applicants:

• Secondary school certificate and transcripts; for China: senior secondary transcripts, huikao passes and, for graduates, gaokao results verified by CSSD; prerequisites are English, Advanced Math and two of Biology/Chemistry/Physics – confirm the mapping to Chinese courses with Admissions
• IELTS 6.5 (6 per band), TOEFL 89 (21 per section), Duolingo 110 and so on, with proof of English by March 1 (soft deadline); fall 2027 application deadline for international students May 15
• CAD 2,000 tuition deposit by June 15; the President's International Entrance Scholarship is awarded automatically on average

Transfer students:

• Apply by April 1 for fall entry and send documents by May 1; official transcripts from every institution; transfer credit is assessed at admission

Sources: University of Guelph website – Undergraduate admission overview; Canadian high school students; International undergraduate admission; International requirements by country and degree; English proficiency; How international students apply; Dates and deadlines; Transfer students; Funding for Canadian students; Funding for international students; Co-op admission; International co-op students; Biological Science program page; Sample three-year schedule. The information is for September 2027 entry (check whether any date that does not print a year applies to 2027 entry); the latest information on the University of Guelph website prevails.