How to Apply to Biology-Related Degrees at the University of Sussex: Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Zoology, Ecology and Conservation, Neuroscience and Biomedical Science as 3-Year BSc or 4-Year MSci Applied for by UCAS Code, Typical BSc Offer ABB–BBB, Plus a Life Sciences Foundation Year, With Requirements for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Sussex is near Brighton on the south-east coast of England. Biology-related degrees are taught in the School of Life Sciences. This guide follows Sussex’s course pages, application page, transfers page, contextual-offers page and tuition-fee page for September 2027 entry, for UK applicants, international applicants (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students. The website also offers Medicine (BMBS) and other health and medical degrees, which are outside this guide, so please check the website; chemistry and other degrees are not covered here either.

1. Degrees and UCAS codes

The course pages say September 2027 start, on campus. The BSc degrees below are 3 years (C706 is 4 years) and the MSci degrees are 4 years (integrated master’s).

• Biology: BSc C100; MSci C101. You can focus on cell and molecular biology or on evolution and whole-organism biology, and explore neuroscience and behaviour; the page says there is practical work in labs and the field from Year 1, with field trips to places such as Wales, Ecuador, Portugal and Southern Africa.
• Biochemistry: BSc C700; BSc with an industrial placement year C706 (4 years). You can apply to spend your third year in an industrial laboratory (typically a pharmaceutical or biotechnology company) or a research institute, normally paid by the host, before returning for the final year; if you do not secure a placement you transfer to the non-placement version. No Biochemistry MSci appears on the pages used for this guide.
• Genetics: BSc C400; MSci C401. The page mentions the School’s Genome Damage and Stability Centre.
• Zoology: BSc C300; MSci C301. The campus is beside a UNESCO biosphere reserve and the South Downs National Park, with field trips.
• Ecology and Conservation: BSc CD94; MSci CD01. Field trips can be in the UK, Portugal, Southern Africa and Ecuador.
• Neuroscience: BSc B140; MSci B101. The page says the wider Sussex Neuroscience community covers more than 50 research groups.
• Biomedical Science: BSc C702; MSci C709. The course page says the course is not accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS), and that this accreditation is only required for graduates considering a career as a biomedical scientist in the NHS. It also describes a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for Brighton and Sussex Medical School for students who meet certain criteria; medicine itself is outside this guide, so check the website for the conditions.
• Life Sciences (with a foundation year): BSc C701, 4 years. For applicants who do not meet direct entry or do not have the right subject combination; a one-year intensive programme that leads to a large selection of the School’s degrees (see section 2).

The course pages do not say whether these degrees are accredited by a professional body such as the Royal Society of Biology; this is not given on the pages used for this guide, so check the course pages and the School.

First-year core modules overlap between degrees, for example Cells, Organisms and Systems, Physiology and Disease and Skills, Ethics and Society (Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Neuroscience and Biomedical Science; Zoology and Ecology and Conservation do not list Physiology and Disease), with spring modules such as Biodiversity & Ecology, Cell and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Metabolism and Neuroscience and Behaviour. Biochemistry also has Chemistry for Life Scientists in Year 1. Every degree has a Third Year Bioscience Research Project, and the Biology page says that in Year 3 you could join a lecturer’s research lab for your own project. Whether you can switch between these degrees after arriving is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask admissions.

Placements and overseas study: The Biology course page describes optional “experience year” routes: overseas study (you must meet the academic requirements at Sussex and at the partner university) and a placement (you apply for and secure it yourself, with advice from the careers team); recent students have been placed at AkzoNobel, Pfizer and the NHS. For the Biochemistry placement year see above. Students using US federal loans face extra limits on overseas study or US placements; see the website.

2. Prerequisites and entry requirements (2027 entry)

A-level: BSc typical ABB–BBB; MSci typical AAB–ABB; Life Sciences with a foundation year CDD–DDD. Subjects: Biology, Genetics, Zoology, Ecology and Conservation and Neuroscience ask for at least one science from Biology, Chemistry, Human Biology, Marine Science, Mathematics, Pure Mathematics, Further Mathematics, Physics, Environmental Science, Sports Science, Computing, Geography, Geology, Psychology, Statistics or Life & Health Sciences (Double Award), with that subject at grade B for the MSci. Biochemistry requires both Biology and Chemistry; Biomedical Science requires Biology (at grade B for the MSci). You will also normally need to pass the science practical assessment (applicants who cannot take it are considered case by case). GCSE (or equivalent) Mathematics at grade 4/C is normally needed; for qualifications other than A-level, Sussex normally expects GCSE Mathematics and two sciences at grade 5 (B).

IB: BSc 32 points, MSci 34, foundation-year version 27. Higher Level subjects: Biology, Zoology and Ecology and Conservation need at least one of Biology, Chemistry or Physics at 5 or above; Biochemistry needs both Biology and Chemistry at 5 or above; Genetics needs at least one of Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geography, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology at 5 or above; see the course page for the others. The foundation-year version asks for at least 4 in a Higher Level science (Biology, Chemistry, Geography, Physics, Psychology or Maths).

Other qualifications: Scottish Highers AABBB for the BSc (Biology, Zoology and Ecology and Conservation need one or two science subjects, ideally with a science Advanced Higher; Biochemistry needs both Biology and Chemistry; Biomedical Science needs Biology at least B; Neuroscience needs a science at least B); foundation-year version CCCCC; BTEC Extended Diploma in Applied Science DDM for the BSc; Access to HE Diploma with at least 39 Level 3 credits at Merit or above, 24 at Distinction for the BSc (27 for the MSci); European Baccalaureate at least 77% for the BSc with strong science results (at least 8); T Level in Science (the Biology page also accepts the Animal Care and Science pathway) with an overall Merit and at least B in the Core Component, as listed on the Biology and Neuroscience pages. The foundation-year version has its own requirements on its course page.

EPQ: Sussex takes the EPQ into account and it can help if you narrowly miss your conditions, but it is not routinely included in the offer; alternative conditions that include the EPQ are sometimes made.

Admissions tests and interviews: the application page says some courses invite applicants to interview; the entry requirements on these biology-related course pages list no written test or interview. Whether any applies is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask admissions.

3. UK applicants

Accepted qualifications are listed in the previous section: A-level, BTEC, Highers, Welsh Baccalaureate, Access to HE, Cambridge Pre-U, T Level and IB. The course pages give a typical offer and subject requirements for each, so check the degree you are applying to.

Contextual offers: Sussex says a contextual offer gives reduced entry requirements, with the reduction varying by course. You qualify if, for example, you live in an IMD decile 1 or 2 area or a POLAR4 quintile 1 area, received free school meals at secondary school (England, Wales and Northern Ireland), have been looked after in care for more than three months, are estranged from your family, or have refugee status or Humanitarian Protection; most are identified automatically from the UCAS application. For entry to the first year the typical contextual offer is BCC at A-level; the biology-related course pages give BBC–BCC for the BSc (Biochemistry with Biology and Chemistry, Biomedical Science with Biology).

Fees: the course pages give Home fees of £10,050 a year (the same for Channel Islands and Isle of Man students). The fees page says Sussex keeps UK fees in line with the government maximum, which is “likely” to be £10,050 in 2027 and to rise with later government changes. The course pages do not separate fee status for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland; check Sussex’s fee-status guidance.

4. International applicants

English: the course pages ask for IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component; scores are valid for two years, cannot be combined across sittings, and IELTS One Skills Retake is accepted. Other accepted tests: Cambridge CAE / CPE 169 overall with at least 162 in each skill; PTE Academic 59 overall and in all four skills (the Online test is not accepted); TOEFL iBT 80 overall with at least 17 in Listening, 18 in Reading, 20 in Speaking and 17 in Writing. Nationals of the countries on Sussex’s exempt list (set by the UK Home Office; China is not on it), or people who recently completed a bachelor’s degree or higher there, normally meet the requirement. If you fall short you may take a pre-sessional English course.

Country qualifications: the course pages list typical requirements by country, for example Australia, Canada, the USA (AP tests) and European countries; if your country is not listed, Sussex asks you to contact admissions.

International Foundation Year and the Life Sciences foundation year: applicants who do not meet direct entry can take an International Foundation Year at the International Study Centre or an International Year One course and then progress to a relevant degree. Sussex also says that where direct entry is unsuitable it will automatically consider you for its own foundation years. Entry to the Life Sciences foundation year C701 is in section 2, and its international fee is £24,200 a year according to its course page.

ATAS and visas: the application page says international students on certain science- or engineering-based courses must apply for ATAS clearance after receiving an offer. Whether these biology-related degrees are among them is not given on the pages used for this guide; follow your offer letter and the website. International students receive a CAS number to apply for a student visa.

International tuition: the course pages give £28,100 a year for international students (the same for BSc and MSci; £24,200 for the Life Sciences foundation year). Sussex says fees, once set, may rise each year. Scholarships: the course pages say details for 2027/28 are not yet set; check the scholarships pages.

5. Applicants from China

The China entry on the course pages says that for applicants with the Gaokao, Sussex will consider direct entry to the first year, normally with an overall average of 75%, including required subjects; applicants following a recognised International Foundation Year, or with one or more years of higher education at a recognised degree-awarding institution in China, are also welcome. The Senior High School Graduation alone is not enough for direct entry, but you may be eligible for the International Foundation Year and can progress to a relevant degree after completing it. Sussex adds that its entry requirements are guidelines assessed case by case.

The wording is the same on every biology-related course page: it does not give separate Gaokao percentages for the BSc and the MSci or for particular degrees, or the percentages needed in Biology, Chemistry or Mathematics. These are not published, so ask admissions. English requirements are as above; the entry conditions of the International Foundation Year are on the International Study Centre website and are not given on the pages used for this guide. Interview and accreditation-body arrangements for Chinese applicants are also not given on those pages.

6. How to apply and timeline (September 2027 entry)

Full-time undergraduate courses are applied for only through UCAS. Sussex’s UCAS institution code is S90 (code name SUSX), and an application can list up to five courses. The page gives 13 January 2027, 18:00 as the initial deadline for most courses (Medicine has an earlier deadline of 15 October 2026), and says UCAS accepts late applications until 30 June but some courses may close earlier if they fill. For personal statement and reference rules, check UCAS; Sussex also has a page of tips for the personal statement.

If you receive an offer, Sussex invites you to an Undergraduate Visit Day. After you meet your conditions, Sussex confirms your place via UCAS when results are published; if results are not supplied by UCAS you may need to send them, and all results (including verification) must be submitted by 31 August. If you miss your conditions Sussex reviews your application and may offer a foundation year; you can request to defer for a year, but only once. Registration and pre-arrival information is sent in early September.

7. Transfers and second-year entry

Sussex’s transfers page says it accepts transfer applications for first-year entry to all courses and second-year entry to most, but not direct entry to the third or final year; courses that only take first-year entry are broadly Law, Medicine, Psychology and Social Work. The course pages for Biology, Biochemistry (including the placement-year version), Genetics, Zoology, Ecology and Conservation, Neuroscience and Biomedical Science all say they accept transfers into Year 2.

Requirements: apply through UCAS and indicate the point of entry; have (or be able to achieve) 120 credits from your current UK university (60 ECTS credits if coming from outside the UK); the reference should come from a current tutor; Sussex looks at how well your current modules match its own, your school-leaving qualifications (in line with first-year entry), and your reasons for transferring. Second-year entrants normally need 120 credits from their first year with an overall weighted average of at least 60% (2:1 equivalent) and no resits. Exemption is given only for full years of study. Check the financial implications, especially if you would repeat a year.

Checklist

UK applicants

• Apply through UCAS (S90) with the course code; BSc typical ABB–BBB (Biochemistry needs Biology and Chemistry, Biomedical Science needs Biology), MSci AAB–ABB; submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00
• Home fees £10,050 a year; contextual offers if you qualify (BSc BBC–BCC)

International applicants (including China)

• IB 32 (MSci 34); applicants from China can use the Gaokao (normally an overall average of 75% including required subjects), an International Foundation Year or the Life Sciences foundation year
• IELTS 6.0 (5.5 in each component); international fees £28,100 a year; scholarships for 2027/28 not yet set

Transfer students

• Year 2 entry is accepted; apply through UCAS with 120 credits, a weighted average of at least 60% and no resits

Sources: Sussex website Biology BSc; Biology MSci; Biochemistry BSc; Biochemistry (industrial placement year) BSc; Genetics BSc; Genetics MSci; Zoology BSc; Zoology MSci; Ecology and Conservation BSc; Ecology and Conservation MSci; Neuroscience BSc; Neuroscience MSci; Biomedical Science BSc; Biomedical Science MSci; Life Sciences (with a foundation year); undergraduate application; transfers; contextual offers; tuition fees. This is for September 2027 entry; the university website is the final authority.