How to Apply to Biology at the University at Buffalo: Biological Sciences BA and BS in the College of Arts and Sciences, with Bioinformatics, BA/MS and Teacher-Education Options, Choose Biological Sciences on the Application, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Undergraduate biology at the University at Buffalo (UB) is taught mainly by the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. This guide follows UB’s admissions pages and the department’s website and covers domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Where the official pages say nothing, we write “not published” or “not stated in the pages we read” and point you to where to check. UB’s medicine, pharmacy, nursing and public health degrees are outside the scope of this guide; see UB’s website. Biochemistry as a separate undergraduate major has no program page among the pages we read, so check UB’s website.

1. Degrees and tracks

• Department degrees: Biological Sciences BA; Biological Sciences BS; BS in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (Biological Sciences concentration); BA/MS; Biological Sciences BA with an EdM in Biology Adolescence Education; Biological Sciences BS with PharmD; and a Biological Sciences minor.
• BA versus BS: the department says the BA is flexible and suits double majors, minors, study abroad, or combining biology with fields such as education, communication or policy; the BS is more intensive, with more biology credits than the BA, additional advanced and upper-level labs and 400-level electives, and can follow a broad-based plan or focus on cell and molecular biology, ecology and evolutionary biology, neurobiology or health-focused pathways. Credit totals and required courses are not given in the pages we read; see UB’s undergraduate course catalog.
• Bioinformatics and Computational Biology BS: described as interdisciplinary, with core coursework in biological sciences, mathematics, statistics and computer science, and required independent study, undergraduate research and a senior capstone.
• BA/MS (five years): the department says students earn both degrees in five years instead of six, share a curriculum for the first three years, and in the fourth year eligible students formally enter the program and begin graduate coursework, with a research project at the center of the MS; the BA is awarded after year four and the MS on completion.
• BA/EdM (UB Teach, five years): run with the Department of Learning and Instruction for teaching biology in grades 7 to 12 with a grades 5 to 6 extension, leading to New York State biology education certification, with a full-year teaching residency at the end; the format is on campus with some online coursework.
• BS/PharmD: described as a seven-year structure of three years of undergraduate study plus four years of PharmD; the same page says admission to the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences occurs after the second year at UB, following program and school requirements. First-year students can declare the combined major on entry and apply to the pharmacy school later. The pharmacy school’s own requirements are outside this guide.
• Discontinued track: the department’s FAQ for current students says the pre-dental BIO BS/DDS program is no longer offered and refers students to UB Prehealth Advising.

2. How admission works: choose Biological Sciences on the UB application, or change in later by form

• You apply to UB, not to a college: the department’s admissions page says high school seniors and transfer students first apply to UB, selecting Biological Sciences as the intended major (or the minor); deadlines, requirements and steps are on the undergraduate admissions website.
• Thresholds inside the major: the pages we read give no GPA requirement or seat limit for entering the BA or BS after direct admission.
• Changing in after enrolling: the admissions page says current UB students submit the College of Arts and Sciences Major/Minor Change Request form to add a major, minor or certificate. The FAQ says students can change between the BA and BS after meeting their advisor to understand the effect on requirements and timeline, and that switching from the minor to the major requires a new application to the major.
• Combined programs: BA/MS—students typically apply in their fifth semester at UB; admission is competitive and based on academic preparation and faculty recommendations, through UB Graduate School admissions; BA/EdM—first-year students can declare it when they apply, current and transfer students use the major change process, and students move to the graduate portion after meeting the criteria in the catalog’s academic requirements; BS/PharmD—see above.
• Honors Program: a two-year research-focused program for BA or BS majors. Applicants need a GPA of 3.6 or higher and apply in the fall of the junior year (by emailing the program contact); the spring of the junior year includes BIO 487 (honors research methods), and in the senior year students join a faculty lab and enroll in BIO 497 (six credits), complete an honors project and present at the department’s May symposium. Graduates earn Honors in Biological Science, with magna cum laude at a GPA of 3.6 to 3.749 and summa cum laude at 3.75 or above, plus High Honors and Highest Honors; BIO 497 counts as two required lab courses, BIO 487 and 497 count toward major credits, and the GPA must stay at 3.6 or higher through graduation.

3. Prerequisites, course rules and AP/IB credit

• High school courses: UB’s first-year page says the following are not required but suggested as preparation: four years of English, four of social studies, three of college-preparatory science, three of a second language and at least three of college-preparatory mathematics. The department’s own high school biology, chemistry or mathematics requirements are not stated in the pages we read; check with the department.
• First-year courses: UB’s program page says that after core classes in biology, chemistry and other foundational topics students choose what to study next, and the department stresses labs, experiential lab projects and faculty-guided research. The required first- and second-year course list with course numbers is not in the pages we read; see UB’s undergraduate catalog and your advisor.
• Course rules (current-student FAQ): up to 19 credits per fall or spring semester; up to six total credits from BIO 495, 496, 498 and 499 may count toward the major, and they must come from at least two different courses; BIO 498 (undergraduate research) cannot be self-registered, since a faculty mentor must agree to supervise and arrange registration; non-controlled courses may be retaken once without permission and further attempts need a petition.
• AP (registrar’s 2026–2027 table): AP Biology 3 earns 8 credits of general elective credit; 4 or 5 maps to BIO 201 plus elective credit, 8 credits in total, and the table notes it also matches BIO 129–130, which is intended for non-majors satisfying the Scientific Literacy and Inquiry requirement. AP Chemistry 4 or 5 maps to CHE 101, 113, 102 and 114 (the table lists 9 credit hours) and a 3 earns elective credit. AP Calculus AB 4 or 5 maps to MTH 141 and BC 4 or 5 to MTH 142, with a maximum of 8 credits.
• IB and A-Level: the credit page says an IB diploma with a score of 30 earns up to 30 credits, and students with 29 or below, or without the diploma, are guaranteed credit for higher-level exams with a 5 or higher. The registrar’s table: IB Biology HL with a minimum score of 5 earns 7 credits (BIO 129 and 130 lecture and lab); IB Chemistry HL with a minimum score of 5 earns 10 credits (CHE 101, 113, 102, 114). A-Level Biology earns 7 credits of general elective credit (AS earns 3.5); A-Level Human Biology grades A or B earn 7 credits mapped to BIO 129 and 130; A-Level Chemistry grades A to C earn 10 credits mapped to CHE 101, 113, 102 and 114. The table does not say whether these replace the department’s required courses; confirm with the department.
• Biology competitions: the pages we read do not say how competitions such as the Biology Olympiad are viewed in admissions.

4. Timeline and materials

• Domestic first-year applicants (fall entry): the application opens on 1 August; Early Action (non-binding) is 1 November; Honors College priority consideration is 15 December; the regular-decision application completion deadline is 1 February, and the page says applications can still be submitted until capacity is reached; the enrollment deposit is due 1 May or 10 days after acceptance, whichever is later. For spring entry UB recommends applying by 1 October. The pages show no year, so check that these dates apply to fall 2027 entry.
• Application and fee: ApplySUNY, the Common Application or Coalition for College (submit only one); the $50 fee is non-refundable, and fee waivers are available to eligible applicants.
• Transcripts and recommendations: a high school transcript, or the self-reported STARS record completed after applying (a final official transcript is still required). The first-year page says UB strongly recommends at least one letter of recommendation from a counselor, teacher, community member or employer, up to three; the international first-year “other requirements” page lists one letter as optional. UB does not say the letter must come from a biology teacher.
• Standardized tests: optional. UB does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission or scholarship consideration; the international page says most admitted applicants who submit scores have an SAT total of 1170 or above or an ACT composite of 25 or above, and that not submitting is no disadvantage. SAT code 2925, ACT code 2978.
• Choosing a major: applicants indicate an intended major on the application; Common App applicants are encouraged to pick a second-choice major; in general the review process is the same for most majors, including exploratory students. The “special requirements for certain majors” page lists extra review, portfolio or audition requirements for some programs; biology does not appear in the text we read.
• Honors College: Common App and Coalition applicants apply in the Academics section of the application; ApplySUNY applicants complete a supplemental application after submitting.

5. Domestic applicants

• In-state and out-of-state costs (2026–27 estimates): the tuition page lists, for New York State residents, tuition $7,070, fees $3,966, on-campus housing and dining $18,606 (double room with the Flex 19 meal plan) and estimated related expenses $6,888, with a listed total of $36,530; for out-of-state students tuition is $29,070 with the other lines the same and a listed total of $58,530. To qualify for in-state tuition a student must prove a permanent and principal home in New York State for at least 12 months before the semester; living in New York only to attend college does not count. Figures for fall 2027 entry are not published in the pages we read; check the tuition page.
• First-year scholarships: high-achieving out-of-state first-year students are automatically considered for the Provost Scholarship (renewable for up to four years); high-achieving New York students are considered for the Pride of New York Scholarship (non-tuition costs only, renewable for two or four years); no extra application is needed for either. Academically exceptional students may apply for the four-year Presidential Scholarship through the Honors College (separate application), and eligible students are invited to the Empire State Diversity Honors/Daniel Acker Scholarship by email. The scholarships page adds that all admitted applicants, including those who chose not to have test scores considered, are reviewed for merit scholarships.
• Department fellowships and scholarships: the department page says most awards are for declared or intended Biological Sciences majors and are administered through UB’s Buffalo Academic Works portal; the main application cycle opens in the fall semester, deadlines, eligibility and amounts vary by award, and one application can be considered for several awards. For example, the Biological Sciences Department Resource Fund by Joseph T. Abate, DMD supports students beginning faculty-mentored research in the first semester of the senior year (typical award $1,000 to $2,000, declared major, minimum GPA 2.8, lab placement secured by 15 November); the Irving W. and Natalie A. Knobloch Endowment Fund supports high-achieving students entering the senior year with financial need (typical award $1,000 to $2,000).
• Priority or guaranteed admission for state residents: not stated in the pages we read.

6. International applicants

• Academic expectations: the international first-year page says UB uses holistic review of academic marks, test scores, essay and recommendations; UB uses a 4.0 scale and expects the equivalent of a 3.0 (a B, or 83 on a 100-point scale); admissions counselors convert other grading systems themselves. Required academic documents are listed by country in a drop-down menu; the page as we read it does not show an individual country entry, so select your country on that page to check. Documents not in English need an English translation.
• Minimum English scores (any one): TOEFL iBT 70 (including MyBest, or 4 on the new scale); IELTS Academic 6.0; Duolingo 105; PTE Academic 50; ACT English and reading 18; SAT evidence-based reading and writing 500; IB English A Language & Literature grade 5; AP English Language 4 or a class grade of B; (I)GCSE English First Language C; A-Level English C. Scores must be less than two years old at admission; self-reported scores can be used for initial review, and official scores must come from the testing agency (TOEFL code 2925).
• English exemption: all three must apply: citizen of Australia, the Bahamas, Canada, Guam, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore or the United Kingdom; native speaker of English; educated entirely in English. Transfer applicants who completed U.S. college English composition with the grades the page describes may also be exempt.
• International scholarships: the Flagship Scholarship is for incoming international first-year students with no college credits, varies in amount, is renewable for up to four years, and all admitted international students are considered automatically; the Presidential Scholarship also applies.
• Costs (2026–27 estimate, F-1/J-1): tuition $29,070, fees $6,466 (including the international student fee and SUNY health insurance), on-campus housing and dining $18,606 and related expenses $6,888, with a listed total of $61,030. Proof-of-funds details are not given in the pages we read; see UB’s international admissions pages.
• Work limits: the scholarships page says F-1/J-1 students may work on campus up to 20 hours a week during classes and up to 40 hours during breaks, and may not work off campus without special government permission.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the pages we read do not say whether the gaokao is considered or what Chinese school-exam documents are needed; this is not published there. Ask UB undergraduate admissions (ub-admissions@buffalo.edu).
• Transcripts: the international first-year page says required academic documents are listed by country in a drop-down; choose “China” on that page to check. Non-English documents need an English translation.
• English and tests: see the English score table above; SAT/ACT are optional.
• International curricula: for AP, IB or A-Level credit relevant to biology, see the prerequisites section.

8. Undergraduate research, experiential learning and outcomes

• Undergraduate research: the department says students can join labs early and stay involved across semesters, on questions across the life sciences; projects can be found through the Office for Undergraduate Research’s project portal, which also awards a digital badge, and the department has undergraduate research advocates to help students explore opportunities. Registration rules are in section 3.
• Internships: students earn credit by enrolling in BIO 496, with placements ranging from lab and fieldwork to health and community experiences; competitive Experiential Learning Fellowships give paid support for an approved internship. UB’s program page gives the Buffalo Zoo and Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center as examples, and a student who chose conservation work in Paraguay.
• Student groups: for example Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) and Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national health preprofessional honor society.
• Outcomes: the pages we read give no employment or graduate-study figures for the major, only common directions. BA—health professions such as medicine, dentistry and pharmacy; research roles in universities, government and industry; education, outreach and science communication; nonprofits, museums, policy and business. BS—graduate study in biology and related fields, research roles, and health-related careers and professional programs. UB’s program page adds biotech or pharmaceutical companies, universities or government agencies such as the CDC and NIH, teaching biology in secondary schools or colleges, and museums, media companies and nonprofit institutions.

9. Transfer students

• Who counts as a transfer student: someone who has completed at least 12 credit hours of college-level work after high school graduation.
• Application and deadlines (domestic transfers): ApplySUNY, Common App or Coalition (one only), $50 fee. Fall entry: opens 1 August, scholarship priority 15 March, completion deadline 1 May; spring entry: scholarship priority 1 November, recommended submission by 1 December. The pages show no year, so check them. International transfers share the international first-year table (fall: Early Action 1 November, regular 1 February; spring: recommended 1 October), but the international transfer page’s sub-headings read “Fall 2026” and “Spring 2027”, so confirm the dates for fall 2027 with admissions.
• What is reviewed: the transfer page says applicants should be in good academic standing, that requirements vary by program, and that some departments have supplemental criteria, higher GPAs, departmental deadlines and limited capacity. With more than 24 college credits UB reviews the college record; with fewer than 24 it also reviews the high school transcript. The international transfer page says UB expects the equivalent of a 2.5 GPA, no transcript evaluation is needed (official transcripts with English translation suffice), and Arts and Sciences majors may admit students with 60 or more transfer credits and the minimum grades in prerequisite courses (arts programs need a portfolio or audition). The page adds that admission to engineering, and to architecture, biomedical sciences, management, nursing, pharmacy, public health and health professions programs, is competitive and selective.
• Credit transfer: UB accepts all college-level credits from regionally accredited two- and four-year institutions, viewable in the TAURUS course equivalency guide; the transfer entry GPA is calculated from all coursework using UB’s grading table. International transfers are advised to bring course descriptions and syllabi to help the department judge credit. Alternative credits (AP, IB and so on) are not considered at admission and are evaluated after enrollment from official score reports.
• Department-specific transfer information: the pages we read give no Biological Sciences requirements for transfers (such as GPA or prerequisite sequences); the department’s admissions page only says transfer students also apply to UB and choose Biological Sciences as the intended major. UB’s international transfer page says Arts and Sciences majors look at 60 or more credits and minimum grades in prerequisite courses; ask the department which prerequisites apply.
• Credit decisions: the current-student FAQ says that if transfer courses appear as BIO 999TR, check TAURUS for an existing articulation, submit an articulation request if the course is listed but unmatched, or a TAURUS petition if it is not listed; the department’s Course Petition Form can request major or minor credit or outside-course approval. For the BA/EdM, current UB students and transfer students can request to change into the program through the major change process.
• Contact: the department website lists the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Ryan D. Wynne, and the undergraduate coordinator, Giselle Zabranskey.

Sources: University at Buffalo, Biological Sciences (UB program page); Biological Sciences: undergraduate overview; Biological Sciences: admissions; Biological Sciences BA; Biological Sciences BS; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology BS; BA/MS; BA/EdM (UB Teach); BS/PharmD; Honors program; Experiential learning; Fellowships and scholarships; Information for current students; Undergraduate admissions; First-year application; International first-year; English proficiency; International standardized tests; International other requirements; Transfer application; International transfer; Dates and deadlines; Special requirements for certain majors; Alternative exam and transfer credits; Registrar: AP/IB credit tables; Tuition and estimated costs; Scholarships. Apart from the international transfer page, which labels its dates “Fall 2026” and “Spring 2027”, the admissions dates show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry. Costs are the 2026-27 estimates shown; check the University at Buffalo for the latest details.