How to Apply to Biology at Bowdoin College: A Biology Major with Integrative Biology, Ecology/Evolution/Marine Biology and Molecular/Cellular Biology Concentrations, a Separate Biochemistry Major, No AP/IB Credit for Major Courses, Test-Optional Admission, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Bowdoin College is a liberal arts college in Brunswick, Maine. Biology is taught by the Biology Department in Druckenmiller Hall. Chemistry, physics, mathematics, neuroscience (a separate major) and health degrees such as nursing are not covered here; see the college website. The college also has a separate Biochemistry major in which the biology and chemistry departments take part, described in section 1. The sections below follow the college website and are split into domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students.

1. The major and concentrations

• Major: the biology major is twelve courses in one of three concentrations, including at least eight in the department (excluding independent study, honors projects and courses below 1100). The pages read do not print a degree abbreviation (such as A.B. or B.S.); check the catalogue.
• Integrative Biology: BIOL 1102 or 1109; one chemistry course (CHEM 1092, 1102, 1109 or higher); two courses above 1100 from two of computer science, earth and oceanographic science, physics, MATH 1300 or higher, or PSYC 2520; one 2000-level or higher natural science course; one core course from each of three groups (group 1, for example Genetics and Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Neurobiology, Developmental Biology; group 2, for example Neurobiology, Developmental Biology, Plant Ecophysiology, Comparative Animal and Human Physiology; group 3, for example Evolution, Biology of Marine Organisms, Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Ecology, Benthic Ecology, Population Genomics); and four biology electives, two of them numbered above 2499.
• Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology: BIOL 1102/1109; BIOL 3308 Research in Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology; one chemistry course; one math course (1300 or higher) or PSYC 2520; two foundation courses chosen from Evolution (or Population Genomics), marine biology (or Coastal Ecology in the Gulf of Maine, or Benthic Ecology) and Ecology; one breadth course each in Molecular and Cellular Biology and Integrative Physiology; two advanced topics courses (at least one above 2499); and two courses above 1100 in biology, chemistry, EOS, physics, computer science or ENVS 2004.
• Molecular and Cellular Biology: BIOL 1102/1109; four foundation courses (Genetics and Molecular Biology; Microbiology or Developmental Biology; Biochemistry and Cell Biology or Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; Evolution or Population Genomics); one advanced topics course in the field; one seminar in the field; one chemistry course (CHEM 1092, 1102, 1109 or higher) plus Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 2250); two physical, mathematical, statistical or computational courses from different groups; and one of BIOL 1101, any 2000-level or higher biology course, or CHEM 2320.
• Minor: five department courses (BIOL 1102 or 1109, two core courses and two electives above 1100), excluding independent study.
• Relation to biochemistry: the department’s FAQ says the Molecular and Cellular Biology concentration and the Biochemistry major overlap at the introductory level; at the core and upper levels the former requires more biology courses on cellular and genetic mechanisms, while the latter combines chemistry, biology and other courses. Biology majors or minors may not also major in biochemistry or neuroscience.
• Biochemistry major (a separate major, briefly): at least eleven courses, including BIOL 1102/1109, BIOL 2124 or 2134, an introductory chemistry course, Organic Chemistry I and II, CHEM 2320 or 2330, Chemical Thermodynamics and Kinetics (CHEM 2510), MATH 1700 or higher, PHYS 1130 or 1140, and two electives (one at 3000 or above). The page states that biochemistry majors cannot major or minor in biology, chemistry or neuroscience; AP exams are used for placement but do not count toward the eleven courses; there is no biochemistry minor; honors students register for BIOC 4050 and 4051. See the website for the full list.
• Department rules: only one D may count for the major or minor, offset by a B or higher in another required course, and courses must be taken for letter grades; with departmental approval courses from another institution can count, normally no more than two transfer credits for the major (one for the minor); up to two courses may be double-counted with another department or program (three with the environmental studies coordinate major). The site advises finishing BIOL 1102 or 1109 and the required chemistry by the end of sophomore year, and notes that graduate and professional schools may have extra chemistry, mathematics and physics requirements; students planning health professions should contact the director of health professions advising.
• Research and honors: during the year students can do an independent study with a faculty member (taken as one of their courses); seniors can pursue honors, a two-semester project ending in a written thesis and a presentation to the department. In summer they can do 8–10 weeks of research with faculty on campus or at the Bowdoin Scientific Station; summer research fellowships provide a stipend and research funds, with applications opening in February and faculty contact advised from late November or early December. Independent study and honors cannot replace courses required for any concentration.
• Facilities: the department home page lists Kent Island and the Schiller Coastal Studies Center, among others; those pages were not read.
• Outcomes: the department home page describes biology as examining the living world from molecular interactions to ecosystem function through courses and mentored research. No outcomes data was on the pages read.

2. How admission works: the college first; a biology-specific route is not described

• Applying to the college: the application pages read do not ask you to name a major, do not say admission is by major and do not say whether biology is capped. Admission is a holistic review of the whole college (section 5).
• Declaring the major and concentration: the biology pages read do not say when or how the major and concentration are declared or whether a GPA is required; check the catalogue, the Registrar or the department. The FAQ says students track progress with their advisor and Workday and that the chair reviews the transcripts of all majors and minors at key points in the year.
• Placement: incoming first-years who complete the biology placement exam and the quantitative reasoning (QR) exam receive one of four recommendations: enrol in BIOL 1101 (Biological Principles I); contact the chair to discuss placement (the boundary between 1101 and 1109); enrol in BIOL 1109 (Scientific Reasoning in Biology); or enrol in a 2000-level biology course (a small number of students; contact the chair). They should be taken in the summer before arrival; AP/IB scores are considered together with the two exams; a placement recommendation is required to register for a biology course numbered above 1099. Late takers should do the exam immediately and tell the chair.
• Introductory courses: most students start with BIOL 1101 (the first of a two-semester sequence, offered in fall, with 1102 in spring) or BIOL 1109 (a one-semester course offered every semester that prepares students for 2000-level courses). The site adds that when choosing between a 1000-level chemistry and a 1000-level biology course in the first semester, many students find a grounding in chemistry helpful.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school courses: the application pages read set no required high school courses, and the international page says there is no prescribed curriculum or preference (the typical entering student has taken the most rigorous program available). The biology pages give no hard high school prerequisite, only placement.
• AP/IB credit: the department states plainly that AP or IB credits may not be used to fulfil any course requirement for the major; a student who places out of introductory biology can replace that course with any biology course above 1999; twelve biology-related courses are still required, even for students who place out of introductory biology or chemistry. The biochemistry major likewise uses AP only for placement, not toward its eleven courses.
• Chemistry and mathematics: at least one chemistry course is required, and each concentration adds mathematics, statistics or other natural science courses (section 1); the site advises finishing introductory biology and the required chemistry by the end of sophomore year.
• Courses elsewhere: to count a course taken elsewhere (including summer or abroad) toward the biology major, meet the chair before enrolling with a course description, syllabus and textbook information; for a course owned by another department, such as organic chemistry, that department must approve first and then biology.
• Honors and competitions: see section 1 for honors; the pages read do not say how biology olympiads or similar contests are viewed in admission.

4. Rounds, materials and fees (fall 2027 entry)

• How to apply: Bowdoin accepts the Common Application, the Coalition on Scoir application and the QuestBridge application, all treated equally; transfer applicants must use the Common App. First-year applications open August 1.
• Deadlines (dates page; no year is printed, so confirm they are for fall 2027): Early Decision 1 on November 15 (notified mid-December); Early Decision 2 on January 5 (early February); Regular Decision on January 5 (mid-March). Financial aid applications are due November 15 (ED1), January 5 (ED2) and February 1 (Regular). International applicants (except Canadians) only submit aid materials after admission. Early Decision requires an agreement signed by the student, a parent and a school counselor.
• Application fee: $70, automatically waived for students applying for aid, first-generation students, veterans and others; it is nonrefundable if paid.
• Required materials: the application and the Bowdoin Supplement; a counselor recommendation; a recommendation from a teacher of an academic core subject (English, math, lab science, social science or foreign language) from junior or senior year; a third “other” recommendation (a second teacher, a coach, an employer or a community member, for example); the Secondary School Report; an official transcript covering grades 9–11 (or equivalent); a mid-year report for ED2 and Regular Decision; and a final transcript with the graduation date before enrolling.
• Optional materials: two short essays of up to 250 words each, a video response, an interview (Bowdoin’s own or an accepted third-party one) and an arts supplement.
• Test scores: Bowdoin is test optional; SAT/ACT are not required. The application asks, separately for SAT and ACT, whether you want the committee to use your results, and you can change that until the deadline. The site says it superscores both tests and that 50% of the most recent incoming class did not submit scores. The website states no separate test or subject requirement for biology, and does not ask for a science-teacher recommendation specifically (the core-subject teacher can teach a lab science).
• Admission and the major: the application pages read do not ask you to name a major at application or say that admission is by major. When and how the major is declared is not stated on the pages read; check the catalogue or the Registrar.

5. U.S. domestic applicants

• How admission works: holistic review based on the transcript, writing and teacher evaluations (the test-optional page says Bowdoin selects using “the materials that we require of you: your transcripts, your writing, and how your teachers talk about you”). The pages read draw no in-state/out-of-state distinction and describe no priority or guaranteed admission for state residents.
• Cost (costs and aid page, 2026–2027): tuition $74,268, fees $700, housing $10,106, food $10,326, direct costs $95,400; indirect costs (books and course materials $840, personal expenses $1,660, transportation varies) total $2,500 and up; the page’s total cost of attendance is $97,900 and up.
• Aid: the site says admission is need blind, that Bowdoin meets the full calculated need of admitted students, and that aid packages consist of grants and need-based scholarships with no loans. Printed figures: average annual aid package for incoming students $72,883; need-based scholarships in the most recent admitted class from $3,820 to $98,800; 50% of students in the most recent class receive Bowdoin aid. Aid forms are due by the dates above; see the Office of Student Aid for how to apply.
• Digital equipment: every student receives a MacBook Pro, an iPad and an Apple Pencil, which they may keep for $1 at graduation.
• Biology department awards: the biology pages read describe no separate undergraduate scholarship; the department says summer research fellowships provide a stipend and research funds, with applications opening in February (section 1); the amount is not given.

6. International applicants

• Who counts: anyone who needs a visa to attend college in the U.S. U.S. citizens and permanent residents count as domestic (those at schools abroad are read in the context of their home and school community).
• Admission and aid: international admission is also need blind and Bowdoin meets full calculated need without loans. Aid materials (the CSS Profile) are needed only after admission (Canadians excepted), generally within seven days of the offer; the ISFAA and IACAC forms are no longer accepted.
• English: English proficiency tests are optional (TOEFL, IELTS, Duolingo or Cambridge English) and there is no minimum score; scores cannot be deleted once submitted. The site stresses that Bowdoin offers no ESL courses and expects college-level spoken and written English.
• Transcripts and exams: applicants from countries with national university entrance exams (examples listed, “such as but not limited to”: WASSCE, EGSE, KCSE, CAPE, IGCSE, ISC, SLC) submit official results; A-Level or IB students submit predicted grades if still in their final year, or final results. Transcripts should be translated into English, preferably by the school or a certifying official. There is no minimum GPA or IB/A-Level score; the typical entering international student has taken the most rigorous program available at their school.
• Interviews: accepted from InitialView (including VIVA) and Vericant, and the interview built into the Duolingo English Test; international applicants are asked to submit their application before requesting a Bowdoin interview.
• Deadlines: same as above (no year printed): ED1 November 15, ED2 and Regular January 5.
• International transfer students: not eligible for Bowdoin aid packages (outside scholarships may be used).

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the international page asks applicants from countries with national university entrance exams to submit official results, but its examples do not include China and the gaokao is not mentioned. Whether and how gaokao results are used is not published in the pages read; contact the admissions officer for your region (the site has a regional team page).
• Transcripts and translation: transcripts must be in English, with a preference for translation by the school or a certifying official. No China-specific note on Chinese transcripts or school-leaving materials was found on the pages read.
• English and interviews: English tests are optional with no minimum; InitialView, Vericant or the Duolingo interview can be used.
• Tests and international curricula: SAT/ACT are optional; AP/IB results feed into course placement; the department states that AP/IB credit cannot be used for any biology major course requirement (section 3).

8. Transfer students

• Who counts: anyone who enrolled in a degree-granting program after receiving a high school diploma must apply as a transfer student, whatever the credits; people with college-level work but no degree enrolment, and dual-enrollment or early-college high school students, apply as first-years. Anyone who already holds a bachelor’s degree is ineligible. The site says there is no spring entry term.
• Timeline: the fall 2027 application opens November 1, 2026, closes March 1, 2027, with notification in April 2027. (The dates page gives March 1 for transfers; another line on the transfer page says test-score preferences cannot be changed after the deadline “March 2”. The two differ by a day; confirm with the website.)
• Materials: Common Application; College Report; official college transcripts from every school attended; a final high school transcript (grades 9–12 and graduation date); two academic evaluations from professors, instructors or teaching assistants. Materials must be sent by a school official, not by the applicant. Optional: mid-term report, SAT/ACT (self-reported in the portal), video response (due March 15), English proficiency scores (optional for international applicants). There are no interviews or arts supplements for transfer applicants.
• Credit and standing: transfers are admitted at sophomore or junior standing; Bowdoin typically awards credit for liberal-arts coursework with at least a C-, not for pre-professional or vocational courses such as business, accounting, IT or nursing. The Registrar gives a preliminary assessment after admission; standing is final only after enrolment and final transcripts.
• Biology: the biology department says normally no more than two transfer credits can count toward the major (one toward the minor), with departmental approval; meet the chair before enrolling elsewhere. AP/IB credit cannot count toward major courses. The pages read give no GPA or sequence requirement for transferring into biology; ask the department or the transfer coordinator. Transfers are admitted at sophomore or junior standing. For the biochemistry major, transfer credit is requested by talking to the program director the semester before taking the course.
• International transfer students: not eligible for Bowdoin aid.

Checklist

Domestic applicants:

• Common App, Coalition on Scoir or QuestBridge; ED1 November 15, ED2/Regular January 5 (no year printed, so confirm); SAT/ACT optional
• No major needed at application; complete the biology placement exam and the quantitative reasoning (QR) exam before arriving
• Submit aid materials by the aid deadline (Regular: February 1)

International applicants (including China):

• Transcripts with an English translation; English tests optional with no minimum; optional third-party interview
• Ask your regional admissions officer whether gaokao results are needed; aid materials are due after admission

Transfer students:

• Common App, due March 1, 2027; two college faculty evaluations; admitted at sophomore or junior standing; ask the department about transfer into biology

Sources: Bowdoin College, Biology department; Biology requirements; Common questions for majors; Student research; Biochemistry program; Biochemistry requirements; Apply; Dates and deadlines; Test-optional policy; International students; Transfer; Costs and aid. The dates page prints no year for the Early Decision and Regular Decision deadlines, so confirm they are for fall 2027 entry; the transfer page states the fall 2027 timeline explicitly.