How to Apply for Biology at the University of Wollongong: Biology Majors in the Three-Year Bachelor of Science, Plus Medical Biotechnology (Honours), Marine Science and a One-Year Science (Honours) - Entry Routes and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Biology at the University of Wollongong (UOW) is taught in the science programs of the Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, on the Wollongong campus. The website does not list a stand-alone "Bachelor of Biology": biology directions are mainly majors inside the three-year Bachelor of Science, plus a four-year Bachelor of Medical Biotechnology (Honours), a three-year Bachelor of Marine Science and, after a bachelor's degree, a one-year Bachelor of Science (Honours). This guide summarises the 2027 entry information for domestic students, international students (including applicants from China) and transfer students. Medicine, nursing, nutrition, exercise science, psychology and teaching degrees are outside this guide; see the UOW website for those.

1. Degrees where you can study biology

• Bachelor of Science (course name carries "SMAH"): three years full-time (or part-time equivalent), 24 subjects, CRICOS 003283D, UOW course code 742, on-campus at Wollongong. The majors listed are Cell and Molecular Biology, Chemistry, and Ecology and Conservation Biology. The website says you can start your major immediately if you know it, or take foundation subjects in first year and begin the major in second year; in the final year you complete a substantial original research project. Bachelor of Science (Cell and Molecular Biology major).
• Cell and Molecular Biology major: the page says it prepares you for careers in biomedical science and the biotechnology industry, covering DNA, RNA, proteins and other molecules involved in transmitting genetic information, using separation, manipulation, imaging and analysis techniques; the final-year research example given is reviewing antibiotic resistance profiles within the Illawarra.
• Ecology and Conservation Biology major: the page says it studies interactions among organisms and their environment and applies them to managing and protecting species and ecosystems, in laboratory and outdoor settings, across biodiversity, conservation, ecology, evolution, genetics, marine biology, medical research and molecular biology. Ecology and Conservation Biology major.
• Bachelor of Medical Biotechnology (Honours): four years full-time, CRICOS 084862C, UOW course code 1781, on-campus at Wollongong, with ATAR-SR shown as 80. The website says it covers molecular biology and genetics, biochemistry and chemistry, disease mechanisms and therapeutic development, bioinformatics and experimental design, with an integrated honours year that includes a guaranteed research project sourced from UOW's research community, and links to the Molecular Horizons research institute. Medical Biotechnology (Honours).
• Bachelor of Marine Science: three years full-time, CRICOS 039553A, UOW course code 789, on-campus at Wollongong, with ATAR-SR shown as 70. The website says it combines marine biodiversity and ecology with oceanography and chemistry, with fieldwork and laboratory work; its examples include collecting plankton from a boat, surveying rocky-shore life and field trips on fisheries and aquaculture. Marine Science.
• Bachelor of Science (Honours): a one-year research degree after a three-year bachelor, CRICOS 003126F, UOW course code 741; biology-related majors listed include Biological Sciences, Cell and Molecular Biology, Marine Science and Molecular Bioscience. See section 6. Science (Honours).
• Study-area page: the Environmental and Biological Sciences page also names Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours) directions (Climate and Sustainability, Wildlife and Conservation); their details are not given on the pages used for this guide, so check the website. It says nearly half of course hours are in laboratories or the field (coastal, freshwater, bushland and geologically diverse environments), and that UOW College's science diploma can lead into second year of bachelor's degrees. Study-area page.

2. How admission works and what to study first

• Choosing a biology major: for the Bachelor of Science you apply to the degree and can pick Cell and Molecular Biology or Ecology and Conservation Biology at the start or in second year; whether a major has a grade threshold or a quota is not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website. Medical Biotechnology (Honours) and Marine Science are applied for directly.
• Prerequisite subjects: the course pages only say you should have completed relevant subjects in senior high school or other qualifications and refer to the entry requirements page; they do not name specific high school biology, chemistry or mathematics subjects, so this is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask UOW's Future Students team. Applicants must hold a qualification equivalent to 13 years of schooling in Australia.
• Workload: the website says a full-time student should expect about 48 hours of study a week (class time plus independent study), more in exam periods or with practical work and placements.

3. Domestic applicants (Australian and New Zealand citizens, permanent residents)

• Routes: current Australian Year 12 (including the NSW HSC) or IB students apply with an ATAR through UAC, or through UOW Early Admission (which looks at Year 11 results and personal attributes; the website says the application period is usually June to August); non-school leavers can apply directly. The website says that in many cases guaranteed entry is available based on the Selection Rank (ATAR plus adjustment points). Admission information.
• Autumn 2027 dates: UAC early bird 30 September 2026; direct applications 31 December 2026; UAC final round 28 January 2027; session starts 1 March 2027, census date 31 March, recess 19-23 April, session ends 24 June 2027.
• Reference scores: the Bachelor of Science page shows ATAR-SR 70, Marine Science also 70 and Medical Biotechnology (Honours) 80. For Bachelor of Science ATAR-based offers in 2025 the highest ATAR was 96.95 (selection rank 99.95), the median 72.70 (77.25) and the lowest 60.05 (65.05); scores for the other degrees are not given on the pages used for this guide.
• Fees: the undergraduate course pages show only the international fee table; domestic fees (Commonwealth-supported student contribution) are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website.

4. International applicants

• How to apply: the website encourages international students to apply through an approved UOW agent (free for students); eligible applicants can also apply directly through UOW Apply, and onshore Australian Year 12 students can use Early Admission. It recommends applying at least four months before your intake and says some courses have set closing dates on their course pages. International applications.
• 2027 closing dates: for the Autumn 2027 session the Bachelor of Science page says only "see the International students page for key application cut-off dates", and the apply page gives no fixed date. For reference, the same page shows the international deadline for Autumn 2026 as 9 December 2025; that is the previous cycle, so check whether 2027 is the same.
• English: the Bachelor of Science, Medical Biotechnology (Honours), Marine Science and Science (Honours) pages all show IELTS Academic 6.0 overall and 6.0 in each band, or a pass in UOW College English for Tertiary Studies (weighted average 50 overall, at least 50 in academic reading and writing). The English page lists accepted tests as Cambridge C1/C2, Duolingo (coursework only), IELTS Academic and Academic for UKVI, LanguageCert Academic, PTE Academic and TOEFL iBT; it does not accept IELTS Indicator/Online, TOEFL iBT Home Edition or PTE Academic Online, and tests must be within two years of the start. Cambridge equivalents: 169 for IELTS 6.0 and 176 for 6.5. TOEFL moved to a 1-6 band scale on 21 January 2026, and the page says the redesigned test is not currently accepted for Australian visa purposes (students needing a visa can take TOEFL iBT Australia). English requirements.
• Fees (2026 figures, international, AUD): Bachelor of Science AUD 20,664 per session and about 123,984 for the course; Medical Biotechnology (Honours) 21,096 per session and about 168,768; Marine Science 19,824 per session and about 118,944; Science (Honours) 20,904 per session and about 41,808. The website says these are indicative, confirmed at the time of offer, reviewed annually, and exclude Overseas Student Health Cover and the Student Services and Amenities Fee. The course pages default to 2026 and have a 2026/2027 selector, so switch to 2027 on the website to check.
• International scholarships: (1) the Country Scholarship, a 20% tuition reduction for citizens of listed countries starting a coursework degree in 2027 or later, awarded automatically with an eligible offer and with no cap on numbers; the list includes China Mainland. (2) The University Excellence Scholarship, a 30% reduction for international students with outstanding results in a recognised pathway, considered automatically. Both say they cannot be combined with other UOW tuition scholarships for the same course, and none of the exclusion lists names the Bachelor of Science, Medical Biotechnology or Marine Science. Country Scholarship; University Excellence Scholarship; International scholarships.

5. Applicants from China (only what the website states)

• Gaokao and high school results: the international entry requirements page lists, for China Mainland, bachelor degrees in Group 1 (which includes Science) at Gao Kao 60% or Senior High School Year 3 at 80%. In the same table Group 2 (Economics and Finance, Social Work) needs Gao Kao 70% or Year 3 at 85%, and Group 3 (including Dean's Scholar and Advanced degrees) needs 75% or 90%. Scores are based on the overall reported average. The page lists disciplines, not individual degrees, so which group Medical Biotechnology (Honours) and Marine Science fall in is not stated; ask admissions. International entry requirements.
• Foundation and diploma routes: the same table gives Senior High School Year 3 at 60%, 60% and 65% for the two-session foundation, three-session diploma and two-session diploma, and Year 2 at 70% for the foundation program. UOW College's science diploma and foundation courses are described on the study-area page.
• Scholarships: mainland China citizens are on the Country Scholarship list (20%, automatic for 2027 entry onward). The page also says applicants who meet the Group 3 score (Gao Kao 75% or Year 3 at 90%) may be automatically considered for the University Excellence Scholarship (30%). Only one tuition scholarship applies to the same course.
• Other: the pages used for this guide give no biology-specific rules for Chinese applicants; accreditation and interview details are not given; ask admissions.

6. Honours year and transfers

• Bachelor of Science (Honours): the website describes it as a research degree for high-achieving students. Entry requires a completed three-year full-time bachelor's degree with a weighted average mark (WAM) of at least a distinction (75%), acceptance from a potential supervisor, and a Project Proposal form attached to the application; admission is competitive. Biology-related majors listed include Biological Sciences, Cell and Molecular Biology, Marine Science and Molecular Bioscience. The 2026 international fee is AUD 20,904 per session and about 41,808 for the course. In Medical Biotechnology (Honours) the honours project is built into the four years. Science (Honours).
• Credit and transfers: the website says completed study or relevant work experience can earn credit or subject exemptions, which shortens the degree and cost; you tick the option in step 5 of the online application and supply an official transcript and a subject outline for each subject (translated into English if needed). UOW has arrangements with many overseas institutions but not every course qualifies; see the course page. Transfer applicants need evidence of at least 0.5 full-time-equivalent study (1.0 for Law and Western Civilisation). How much credit applies to the biology major is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask admissions. Credit for prior learning; Admission information.
• Completed degrees: the website says people who have already completed a bachelor's or master's degree can use those results to apply for a different degree, and may receive credit.

Checklist

• There is no stand-alone biology bachelor: apply to the three-year Bachelor of Science and take Cell and Molecular Biology or Ecology and Conservation Biology, or apply directly to Medical Biotechnology (Honours) or Marine Science.
• International applicants: IELTS 6.0 (6.0 in each band); most apply through an approved agent; apply at least four months ahead and check the 2027 closing date on the website.
• Chinese applicants: Gao Kao 60% (Senior High School Year 3 at 80%) for science bachelor degrees; confirm which group Medical Biotechnology and Marine Science fall in; mainland China citizens receive the 20% Country Scholarship automatically.
• Specific high school biology, chemistry and mathematics prerequisites are not on the course pages; ask admissions, and switch the fee view to 2027.

Sources: University of Wollongong, Bachelor of Science (Cell and Molecular Biology major); Bachelor of Science (Ecology and Conservation Biology major); Bachelor of Science (Honours); Bachelor of Medical Biotechnology (Honours); Bachelor of Marine Science; Environmental and Biological Sciences; International entry requirements by country; English language requirements; International applications; Country Scholarship; University Excellence Scholarships; International scholarships; Credit for prior learning; Admission information. Fees are 2026 figures. Check the University of Wollongong for the latest details.