How to Apply to Biology at King’s College London: Seven BSc Degrees Including Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics, Neuroscience and Pharmacology Share a Common Year One, AAA at A-Level on the Course Pages, and Admission Routes and Prerequisites for Home, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

At King’s College London (KCL), biology-related undergraduate degrees are mainly offered by the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine. The faculty’s undergraduate page also lists Medicine (MBBS), Pharmacy (MPharm), Physiotherapy and Biomedical Engineering (BEng/MEng) degrees; these, together with nursing and dentistry, are outside this guide, so see King’s website. This guide covers September 2027 entry for home, international, Chinese and transfer applicants, based on King’s official pages.

1. The biology degrees

The seven BSc degrees below all belong to the “Common Year One” suite taught in the School of Bioscience Education. The course pages say year one covers all biomedical science disciplines and that after successfully completing it you can switch to another course within the suite (the grade threshold is not given on the pages used here). All seven course pages show A-level AAA, full-time, single honours, in-person delivery and a start date of September 2027:

• Biomedical Science BSc (BC99, three years; four if it includes a year abroad or extra-mural year): King’s calls it the most popular of its bioscience courses, with an entry of over 300 students per year and a flexible choice of themes and modules in years two and three;
• Biochemistry BSc (C700, three years, or four with a year abroad or extra-mural year, or four with transfer to MSci);
• Molecular Genetics BSc (C400, three years, or four with a year abroad or extra-mural year, or four with transfer to MSci);
• Neuroscience BSc (B140, three years, or four with an extra-mural year or year abroad);
• Pharmacology BSc (B210, three years, or four with a year abroad, or with an MSci);
• Medical Physiology BSc (B120, three years, or four with a year’s study abroad);
• Anatomy, Developmental & Human Biology BSc (B150, three years, or four with a year abroad).

The Department of Chemistry’s Chemistry with Biomedicine degrees are filed under chemistry on King’s site and are not covered here; Natural Sciences is an interdisciplinary degree mentioned only briefly. These course pages do not name an accrediting body such as the Royal Society of Biology; whether the courses carry accreditation is not stated on the pages used here, so check the course pages.

2. Choosing a degree and moving between them

• You choose the specific degree when applying: each degree has its own UCAS code. For the seven Common Year One degrees the first year is similar, and you can switch after successfully completing it.
• Biochemistry: later years focus on biochemistry applied to human disease, biochemical and biophysical techniques, and protein structure and function. In year two you may spend a semester at a partner institution abroad, extend the degree with a full year abroad between years two and three, or apply for an extra-mural or work placement, usually at a leading biomedicine employer; in third year there are laboratory or library projects, or you can apply to transfer to the four-year MSci.
• Molecular Genetics: the course runs from the molecular basis of genes and genomes to evolutionary and healthcare genetics, and King’s says it has close links with the Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS clinical genetics service and Genomic Laboratory Hub. In Year 3 you may apply to transfer to the four-year MSci Molecular Genetics, which may carry additional entry requirements.
• Neuroscience: a research-focused course; in the final year you choose between a Laboratory Research path and a Literature and Practical Topics path. The course page says that after Common Year One you can apply to transfer to a four-year MSci (Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics or Neuroscience).
• Pharmacology: after the shared first year, pharmacology is the main focus in year two. Students who meet the required academic standards can apply to progress to the four-year MSci after year two; the page says this involves a professional placement year, and applications are considered under programme regulations and placement availability.
• Medical Physiology and Anatomy, Developmental & Human Biology: year two allows more flexibility, with a core of physiology modules in the former and, in the latter, advanced laboratory work in year three and an optional year at a partner institution. The Anatomy page says King’s is one of only a few UK universities to offer an Anatomy BSc.
• First-year common modules and labs: the module names and credits load dynamically and were not shown on the pages used here; check the course page. The Biochemistry page says students are trained in laboratory techniques, experimental design and data analysis.
• Switching outside the Common Year One suite: the conditions are not stated on the pages used here; check the course pages and the faculty.

3. Prerequisites and tests

• A-level grades: all seven course pages show AAA.
• Required subjects: whether A-level Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics and particular GCSEs are required is in the course page’s “Entry requirements” section, which loads dynamically and was not shown on the pages used here; please check each course.
• Practical endorsement: King’s says practical skills are vital to a science education, and applicants taking linear A-levels in England need a pass in the practical endorsement in all science subjects.
• IB: King’s table equates AAA with 36 points or 18 from three Higher Levels.
• AP: where a course page asks for an A* or A in a subject at A-level, King’s expects 5 in the AP exam and 4 for a B.
• Scottish Advanced Highers: any required subjects must be met at Advanced Higher.
• Admissions tests: see the “How to apply” section below.

How to apply and timeline (September 2027 entry)

• All through UCAS: King’s says full-time undergraduate applicants apply online through UCAS, through a school or as an individual. UCAS opens for applications from 1 September; you can choose up to five courses a year, you cannot apply for the same course twice in one cycle, but you can apply for a different course or reapply the next year. The key information on the course pages shows a start date of September 2027.
• Deadline: King’s gives the standard deadline as 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time (Medicine and Dentistry have an earlier October deadline and are outside this guide). King’s notes that UCAS states a more flexible deadline for international students, but any application King’s receives after the dates above is treated as late. Check UCAS for the latest dates.
• Application materials: if you are still taking A-levels, your referee gives predicted grades. The personal statement format and the UCAS fee are set out on the UCAS website and are not stated on the King’s pages used for this guide; please check UCAS.
• After applying: King’s gives you a King’s Apply account to see offer details, check whether you have been invited to interview, send documents and apply for accommodation.
• Admissions tests: the compulsory tests on King’s entry requirements page are LNAT (Law), UCAT (Medicine and Dentistry) and Casper (Dental Therapy & Hygiene); the courses in this guide are not among them. The course pages’ “Selection process” section may describe other selection steps; it loads dynamically and was not shown on the pages used here, so please check each course page.

UK home applicants (A-Level, Scottish Highers/Advanced Highers, BTEC and others)

• A-Level: conditional offers are based on three A-level subjects; with four or more, the best three count, and strong results in an additional subject may compensate if you narrowly miss an offer. For most courses AS-levels are not considered and A-levels must be completed in full. General Studies, Critical Thinking, Thinking Skills and Global Perspectives are not accepted as one of your A-levels, and the Extended Project cannot replace the standard A-level requirements.
• Practical endorsement: King’s says applicants taking linear A-levels in England need a pass in the practical endorsement in all science subjects, except private candidates who cannot take the practical component.
• Predicted grades and resits: declare results you already hold; if you are taking A-levels in the year you apply, your referee gives predicted grades. King’s warns that for very competitive courses, applicants who achieved the grades within the standard study period (two years for A-levels) may be viewed more favourably; applicants who fell short and then took another eligible qualification, such as an Access to HE Diploma or UK foundation programme, can be considered as resit applicants. Early entries are judged against the standard year: a B in Year 11 is not as competitive as an A in Year 12.
• Scottish Highers/Advanced Highers: offers normally require two Advanced Highers plus three Highers. King’s table equates AAA with ABB at Higher in one sitting plus AA at Advanced Higher. The Higher and Advanced Higher in the same subject are not both counted, and any required subjects must be met at Advanced Higher.
• Access to HE: King’s table equates AAA with 45 Level 3 credits, 36 at Distinction and 9 at Merit; predicted grades are required.
• BTEC and other qualifications: most courses consider BTEC and Cambridge Technicals, but usually alongside one or two A-levels with required subjects met through the A-level, and Distinctions are usually required; an application that lists a BTEC but no A-level where A-levels are required is rejected automatically. The exact combination is on the course page, which loads dynamically and was not shown on the pages used here. For Cambridge Pre-U, AAA corresponds to D3 D3 D3; for the European Baccalaureate, 85% overall; the Welsh Baccalaureate is normally assessed on the three A-levels within it; T Levels, the AQA Baccalaureate and UAL Foundation Diplomas are not accepted in place of A-levels (the T Level exception is for Nursing and Midwifery, outside this guide).
• GCSE: some courses have GCSE requirements, shown on the course page. King’s says Core Maths can stand in for a required GCSE maths grade, but not where maths is required at A-level.
• Contextual offers: King’s says eligible UK-based applicants (for example those who completed King’s K+ programme, received free school meals, or are care-experienced or estranged) may receive offers up to two A-level grades below the advertised requirements, though an offer is not guaranteed. That page states it applies to September 2026 entry; check it for 2027.
• Home fee: King’s fees page says home fees are set at £9,790 for new students starting in September 2026. A figure for September 2027 is not given on the pages used here; check the course page or fees page. Most home undergraduates can take a tuition fee loan; repayment starts the April after you finish the course and only when income is above the plan threshold. How arrangements differ for students from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is not set out on those pages; please check King’s.

International applicants

• Country-specific requirements: the entry requirements page says the requirements for each country’s qualifications are on each course page, under “International applicants” in the Entry requirements section (select your country); if your country or qualification is not listed, contact King’s Advisors. That section loads dynamically and was not shown on the pages used here, so please check it on the course page.
• International A-levels: those from Cambridge International Examinations, Oxford International AQA Examinations and Pearson Edexcel are accepted grade-for-grade as GCE A-levels; other providers are not currently accepted.
• IB: King’s looks at marks in three Higher Level subjects plus the total, which includes TOK and the Extended Essay. Its table equates AAA with 36 points or 18 from three Higher Levels.
• AP and SAT/ACT: US high school applicants can combine APs, Honors or Dual Enrolment classes with an SAT or ACT, or use APs alone. In King’s table, AAA corresponds to three APs at 5 plus ACT 28, or SAT 1380 (minimum 600 Maths and 640 Reading and Writing); with APs alone, 55544 in five APs. SAT subject tests are no longer considered, super scores are not considered, AP Research and AP Seminar are not accepted, and you must have taken the AP exams, not just the classes. Where a course page asks for an A* or A in a subject at A-level, King’s expects 5 in the AP exam; for a B, 4.
• Foundation programmes: UK foundation years from other providers are considered case by case. King’s cannot accept foundations that are part of a main degree elsewhere (Year 0 or Integrated Foundation), non-UK foundation courses or Kaplan foundations; INTO/NCUK foundations must have been studied in the UK. US applicants who do not meet any accepted combination are pointed to King’s own International Foundation Programme.
• English language: see the English language section below.
• Proof of funds, qualification checks, international scholarships: the pages used here do not state a proof-of-funds amount. King’s has a funding database covering UK and international students that is searched by filter; whether awards are automatic, and their amounts, were not shown on the pages used here, so please check the database.
• Visas: the undergraduate application pages used here do not set out visa details; see King’s visa pages.

Applicants from China

• International-school students: if you take A-levels, the IB or APs, apply with the A-level, IB and AP requirements above; if Higher Level maths is required, King’s asks for HL Analysis & Approaches for programmes in the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences and accepts either maths pathway for “all other programmes”; which group each biosciences degree falls in is not spelled out on that page, so check the course page.
• Gaokao and Chinese high schools: King’s East Asia page says King’s welcomes qualifications including A-levels, the IB and HKDSE, and that students whose national high school qualifications are not accepted for direct undergraduate entry can apply to King’s International Foundation Programme; check the online prospectus for pathway options and the specific entry and English requirements. Whether the gaokao is accepted directly for undergraduate entry, and any score thresholds, are not stated on the pages used for this guide; please check the “International applicants” section of the course page (select China) or contact King’s Advisors.
• International Foundation (one year): King’s says the Foundation has four pathways and leads to over 150 degrees, with two guaranteed conditional offers subject to the progression requirements. King’s says the Health, Life & Biosciences foundation pathway is “the perfect choice if you’re interested in studying health sciences or chemistry”, with progression to degrees including Biomedical Science, Chemistry, Global Health & Social Medicine, Psychology and Sport & Exercise Medical Sciences; its module combinations are Biology + Maths for Natural Sciences, Chemistry + Mathematics for Natural Sciences and Biology + Chemistry (two of Biology, Chemistry and Maths for Natural Sciences). For 2027 entry the application fee is £75, and King’s gives the initial deadline as 28 January 2027 (applications by then are guaranteed to be considered); applicants who apply by 5 March 2027 will receive an offer in time to apply for King’s accommodation. The pathway page also lists a final application deadline of 24 June 2027, a start date of 27 September 2027 (16 August 2027 for the extended version); please check the page. You submit a personal statement (at least four paragraphs), transcripts for Years 10, 11 and 12 (an interim Year 12 transcript if you are still in school, or the diploma if you have graduated; official translations for non-English documents) and an English test; a decision usually takes about eight weeks, and pathway or module changes are not allowed once you start. Foundation tuition fees are not stated on the pages used here (the Foundation fees page could not be opened); please check the Foundation pages.
• Progression rules: King’s says Foundation students are guaranteed a conditional offer or interview for most programmes, with requirements converted to A-level grades: A*A*A and A*AA need an overall A (70%), AAA and AAB need B+ (65%), ABB and BBB need B (60%); for a subject, A-level A* needs A (70%) in the Foundation subject, A needs B+ (65%), B needs B (60%). For the courses in this guide, the course pages show AAA, which corresponds to an overall B+ (65%); subject-level requirements for each course are under the “Degree eligibility” tab of each module combination page. King’s reports that 85% of Foundation students progressed to King’s undergraduate study in 2026, that between 65% and 90% met their progression requirements over the last five years and that 15% to 20% went on to other UK universities (the Foundation home page elsewhere says “over 75%” for last year; the figures differ, so check the latest on the Foundation pages). Foundation students can apply directly for up to two King’s degrees through King’s Apply without a new personal statement or UCAS; Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Midwifery, Music, Nursing, Pharmacy and Physiotherapy have extra requirements, need a UCAS application and offers are not guaranteed.
• Accrediting bodies and interviews for China: the pages used here do not mention a China-specific accrediting body or interview arrangement; check the course page and King’s Advisors.

Transfer and direct entry to second year

• Transfer into the second year is possible; transfer into the final year is not. King’s says applications for second-year entry will generally only be considered if you meet all of the following: you met the standard first-year entry requirements (such as A-levels or equivalent); you studied the same or very similar modules to King’s first year (compare with the course structure on the course page); and you have achieved or are achieving a 2:1 or high 2:1 in your first year. Students completing some overseas degrees need at least two years of study first; selection is competitive if there are more qualified applicants than places.
• Acceptance varies by course: not every undergraduate course accepts transfers. The answer is in the “Selection process” part of the course page’s entry requirements section (loaded dynamically and not shown on the pages used here), so check each course; if a course page says transfers are not accepted, transfer applications cannot be considered.
• Process: transfer applications are made through UCAS with the normal deadlines. After applying, message King’s through King’s Apply to say you are transferring; Admissions then checks with the department. Offers come through UCAS. If you need a Student visa you will likely need a new application and King’s will provide a new CAS number; a transfer may also affect your funding or scholarship eligibility, so ask the King’s Funding Office.

English language requirements

• Which band: King’s English language page puts courses in the Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences (except Electronic Engineering, General Engineering and Quantitative Mathematics) in Band D; Biomedical Science, Biochemistry, Molecular Genetics, Neuroscience, Pharmacology, Medical Physiology and Anatomy, Developmental and Human Biology are also in the Band D list. The page says its lists are correct as of September 2026 for 2027/28 entry and may change each cycle.
• Band D requirements (Student visa applicants may use sections 1 to 4, others sections 1 to 5): IELTS Academic (including online) 6.5 overall with 6.0 in each skill; TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition, institution code 0394) 92 overall with 23 in writing and 20 in each other skill for tests before 21 January 2026, and 4.5 overall with 4 in each skill from that date; PTE Academic 62 with 59 in each skill (PTE Online not accepted); Cambridge C1/C2 176 with 169 in each skill; Oxford Test of English Advanced 140 with 125 in each component; Trinity ISE III with a pass in each skill; King’s International Foundation with a B in the English module; King’s Pre-Sessional at Band 6.5.
• Other accepted evidence: within five years, A-level English Language or English Language & Literature at C, IB English A (HL 4 / SL 5), IB English B (HL 5 / SL 7), GCSE English Language B or 6, plus the IGCSE and national school-leaving qualifications listed on that page; see it for the exact grades.
• Rules: all scores must come from one sitting; TOEFL MyBest and IELTS One Skill Retake are not accepted; tests must be within two years of the start date. Nationals of the listed majority English-speaking countries (including Canada, the USA, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and the UK) who completed a level 3 qualification in such a country’s education system are not required to take an additional test; Foundation students are covered by the “King’s Foundations” section of that page.

Fees and scholarships

• Home students: King’s fees page gives £9,790 for new home students starting in September 2026; check the figure for 2027 entry.
• International students: the fees page says all tuition fees are listed on each course page in the online course finder; the fee section of the course page loads dynamically and was not shown on the pages used here, so the international fee is not stated here — please check the course page you are applying to.
• Scholarships: King’s has a funding database for UK and international students across subjects, searched by filter. The database page showed no listed awards when read for this guide, so specific awards, amounts and whether any are assessed automatically could not be checked; please check the database.

Checklist

• Pick the exact degree and UCAS code (for example Biomedical Science BC99, Biochemistry C700 or Neuroscience B140) and check required biology and chemistry subjects and the “International applicants” section on the course page.
• Home applicants: AAA on all seven course pages. International: IB 36 points or 18 from HLs, or the matching AP combination. Chinese applicants: international-school qualifications follow the requirements above; if a Chinese high school diploma is not accepted for direct entry, consider the International Foundation (Health, Life & Biosciences pathway; initial deadline for 2027 entry: 28 January 2027).
• English: Band D, IELTS 6.5 (6.0 each).
• Submit through UCAS by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time; check dates on UCAS.
• Transfer students: first year close to King’s first year, 2:1 standard, second-year entry only, and confirm the course accepts transfers.

Sources: King’s College London, Biomedical Science BSc; Biochemistry BSc; Molecular Genetics BSc; Neuroscience BSc; Pharmacology BSc; Medical Physiology BSc; Anatomy, Developmental and Human Biology BSc; Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine undergraduate page; How to apply; Entry requirements; English language requirements; Transferring to King’s; Contextualised admissions; Fees and funding; Tuition fees; International Foundation; Foundation how to apply; Foundation progression; Health, Life & Biosciences pathway; East Asia page. Information is for September 2027 entry; check King’s and UCAS for the latest details.