How to Apply to Biology at the University of St Andrews: Four-Year Biology, Biochemistry, Neuroscience and Zoology BSc Degrees, Five-Year MBiol, Standard Entry of A Level AAB or IB 36 for International Applicants, and Admissions and Prerequisites for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Biology degrees at the University of St Andrews in Scotland are mainly taught by the School of Biology; Neuroscience is run jointly by the School of Psychology and Neuroscience and the School of Biology, and the university’s biology subject page lists it under biology. Scottish undergraduate degrees normally take four years: the first two (sub-honours) years combine biology with other subjects, and the last two (Honours) years specialise. This guide sets out the key points for September 2027 entry from the course pages, for UK applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer and direct-entry applicants. The course pages are marked 2027 entry. Medicine and Sustainable Development are outside this guide; see the course pages on the website.

1. The biology degrees listed

• Four-year BSc (Hons) degrees in the School of Biology: Biology (UCAS C100), Biochemistry (C700), Molecular Biology (C702), Cell Biology (C130), Evolutionary Biology (C182), Ecology and Conservation (CD14), Animal Behaviour (C121), Zoology (C300) and Marine Biology (C167). The pages describe them briefly: Molecular Biology starts from molecular and cellular biology and moves to chromosome structure and function, molecular genetics, biotechnology, bioinformatics, molecular virology and gene expression; Cell Biology studies the molecular structures and biochemical processes essential to cell function; Evolutionary Biology covers the processes behind the history of life and biodiversity; Ecology and Conservation trains conservation scientists, covering terrestrial and aquatic ecology and evolution and speciation; Animal Behaviour covers behavioural ecology, mechanisms of behaviour, communication, animal cognition and cultural evolution; Zoology covers the structure, development, evolution, classification, behaviour and distribution of animals; Marine Biology covers marine life from the deep sea to coasts and estuaries and from the tropics to the poles.
• Five-year integrated masters: Biology MBiol (UCAS C101) and Biochemistry MBiochem (C701), graduating with a masters degree; the list also shows Marine Biology MMarBiol, which is not covered here.
• Neuroscience BSc (Hons): UCAS B140, four years, run jointly by the School of Psychology and Neuroscience and the School of Biology, covering molecular, cellular and physiological processes, pharmacology and neurochemistry, cognitive and behavioural neuroscience and clinical psychology.
• Joint and “with” degrees: the Biology BSc page lists joint degrees such as Biology and Chemistry (C761), Biology and Computer Science (F899), Biology and Earth Sciences (CFC6), Biology and Economics (CL11), Biology and Geography (CF18), Biology and Mathematics (CG11), Biology and Philosophy (CV16), Biology and Psychology (CC18), Biology and Statistics (CG13) and Biology and Sustainable Development (F896), and “with” degrees such as Biology with Arabic and Biology with French. Joint degrees have different requirements from single Honours; see each page.
• Accreditation: the biology course pages used here show no professional body accreditation (for example the Royal Society of Biology); check the website and the society.

2. Direct entry to the course or choosing later

• You apply through UCAS directly to a specific course (C100, C700, C300 and so on). The Biology BSc page says the first two years cover core material relevant to all biology degrees, such as animal and plant biology, molecular biology, cell biology and genetics; in year one you must study two further subjects alongside biology and in year two you may continue one or both; year three moves from broad core modules to more specialised ones; year four continues in the chosen area through student-led, inquiry-based learning.
• Biochemistry students take chemistry in year one and an Organic Chemistry 2 module in year two (see the module list on that page).
• Whether, and on what conditions, you can switch between the School of Biology degrees after starting is not given on these pages; ask the School of Biology (bioadmissions@st-andrews.ac.uk).
• The Biology and Biochemistry BSc pages say the subject can also be taken as a five-year integrated masters (MBiol, MBiochem), and the Marine Biology page says the same. The conditions for moving from BSc to MBiol are not stated.

3. Prerequisites and entry grades (2027 entry)

St Andrews sets three levels for each course: Standard, Minimum and Gateway. The UCAS page says applicants from countries and territories outside the UK should use the Standard requirements, while UK applicants use the university’s qualification indicator to see which level applies.

• Biology BSc / MBiol, Zoology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Conservation, Animal Behaviour and Marine Biology (the same on each page):
  • A Level: Standard AAB including Biology and one other science from Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics; Minimum ABB with the same subjects.
  • IB: Standard 36 points (HL 6,6,5) including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in one of Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics; Minimum 36 points (HL 6,5,5) including HL6 in Biology and HL5 in one of those subjects.
  • SQA Highers: Standard AAAB including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics; Minimum AABB with the same subjects.
• Biochemistry BSc / MBiochem: A Level Standard AAB including Biology and Chemistry (Minimum ABB); IB Standard 36 points (HL 6,6,5) including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in Chemistry (Minimum 36 points with HL 6,5,5, including HL6 Biology and HL5 Chemistry); Highers Standard AAAB including Biology (or Human Biology) and Chemistry (Minimum AABB).
• Neuroscience BSc: A Level Standard AAB including a B in two of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics (Minimum ABB with the same subjects); IB Standard 36 points (HL 6,6,5) including HL5 in two of those subjects; Highers Standard AAAB including a B in two of them (Minimum AABB).
• Gateway: applicants who have narrowly missed the Minimum grades but meet the university’s contextual criteria may be interested in the Gateway to Science or FE-HE Pathway to Science programmes (listed on the biology subject page as supported pathways).
• General entry requirements (all applicants): GCSE (grade 5) in English language or English literature plus one GCSE (grade 5) from Biology, Chemistry, Computing Science, Geography, Mathematics, Physics or Psychology; the SQA equivalent is National 5 (B) in English plus one listed subject. The pages say you must have studied Biology (or Human Biology) (Biology and Chemistry for Biochemistry) at SQA Higher, A Level or equivalent, with preference given to candidates with strong science qualifications.
• The pages say a wide range of other qualifications is accepted; see the university’s entry requirements pages for your country.
• Admissions tests or interviews: the application page says most applicants are not interviewed; the exceptions are Medicine, supported pathway programmes and part-time study. The biology degrees are not among them.

4. Course structure, laboratory work and placements

• Teaching: the Biology BSc page lists lectures, seminars, tutorials, practical classes, field work and research projects; typical class sizes are 250 to 300 in first-year lectures and 80 to 100 in practicals, 80 to 175 in second-year lectures, 20 to 140 in third-year lectures, and 5 to 25 students per module in year four.
• Assessment: first-year biology modules are entirely assessed by coursework; in years two and three most modules combine coursework and written exams equally; in year four most modules are entirely coursework, with some also having exams. The pass mark for a module is 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point scale, and the School aims to give feedback within three weeks.
• Example modules: Biology year one has Biology 1 (introduction to molecular and cellular biology) and Biology 2 (diversity of life, organisms, behaviour and ecology); year two includes Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology, Molecular Biology and Research Methods in Biology; year three includes Advanced Biochemistry, Evolution, Genes, Cells and Development, Protein Structure and Function and Quantitative Ecology; year four includes a major research project occupying half the year, which the page says can lead to a first publication in a scientific journal. Biochemistry year one combines Biology 1 and 2 with chemistry modules; year two includes Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Organic Chemistry 2 and Research Methods in Biology; year three includes Advanced Biochemistry, Gene Regulation and Membranes and Cell Communication.
• Research centres and projects: the School of Biology has the Scottish Oceans Institute (with an aquarium and laboratories for molecular, developmental and physiological studies of marine systems), the Centre for Biological Diversity and the Biomedical Sciences Research Complex; students can apply for Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) modules, in which a team of students from all years works on research led by an academic.
• Field trips: the Biology page says recent Honours courses have visited the Red Sea and Antarctica; the Marine Biology page says recent Honours courses have visited places such as Egypt and Antarctica, and that a residential field course at the start of year three has students design and carry out a field data collection project. The pages note that students may be asked to contribute to the cost of optional residential field trips.
• Research placement year in the five-year MBiol and MBiochem: year four is typically an independent research placement of 7 to 12 months hosted by an external institute or company; for biology students the Biology page describes a 12-month research project within a St Andrews research group or an external organisation (an environmental company, a conservation non-governmental organisation or a research institute), and says a placement in an external organisation depends on being arranged and funded successfully by the student, with help from the School. In the placement year you are charged your normal tuition fee for a full academic year; students funded by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) can get a half tuition fee grant and students funded by the Student Loans Company (SLC) a half tuition fee loan. How the overseas fee is treated in the placement year is not stated on the page; ask the university.
• Time abroad: biology students may apply for the university-wide St Andrews Abroad programme and may be able to apply for the School Abroad exchange programme; places and conditions are not given on these course pages.
• Extra costs: students provide their own laboratory coat and dissection kit, and may be asked to contribute to optional residential field trips.

5. Fees and funding

• The biology course pages list annual fees of: Scotland: to be confirmed by the Scottish Government; England, Wales, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man: £10,050 (to be confirmed by the UK Government); EU and overseas: £34,910.
• The university’s international fees page also says tuition fees for 2026-2027 in the Faculties of Arts, Divinity and Science are £33,250 for overseas students, and that fees are adjusted each year, typically by 3% to 5%. That figure is for the earlier year and sits alongside the £34,910 on the 2027-entry course pages; follow the course page and your offer.
• Scholarships: the university offers scholarships and bursaries, which you can view after applying under “My Scholarships and Funding” in My Application; it advises not to wait for an offer before applying for a scholarship. Biology-specific scholarships are not listed on the pages used for this guide; use the scholarship search by subject.

6. How and when to apply

• Route: UCAS (the university’s UCAS name is STA and its institution number is S36). Overseas students may also apply through the Common Application or the university’s Direct Application; either counts as one of your five UK choices, and the transfer page says overseas students can use the direct application only if St Andrews is their only UK choice.
• Deadline: the UCAS page gives the date for full and equal consideration for all undergraduate courses other than Medicine as 6pm (GMT) on Wednesday 13 January 2027; it adds that international applications may still be considered after that date where places remain, and later applications are assessed according to subject and course availability.
• Personal statement and reference: the UCAS personal statement answers three questions; a reference is required and applications without one are incomplete. The university may request supporting documents at any stage, to be submitted directly through My Application or myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk; for the 2027 cycle the page says documents uploaded to UCAS are not an official submission route.
• Decision timing: applications received by the equal consideration deadline receive a decision by May of the application year.
• The UCAS application fee is not stated on these pages; check UCAS.

7. UK applicants

• Fee status: the university classes applicants as Home (Scotland), RUK (rest of the UK) or Overseas for fee purposes, with guidance from UKCISA. Scottish students normally living in Scotland can have tuition fees paid by the Scottish Government through SAAS if they are full time and taking a first degree; the Scottish fee for 2025-2026 was £1,820 and the 2026-2027 figure is to be confirmed. Scottish students can also apply for student loans and government bursaries, depending on family income.
• England, Wales and Northern Ireland: the course pages list £10,050 (to be confirmed by the UK Government); scholarships and bursaries are in the scholarship search.
• Qualifications: A Level, IB and Highers requirements are in section 3; UK applicants use the qualification indicator to see whether Standard or Minimum applies. The biology pages say a wide range of other qualifications is accepted; whether BTEC or T Levels are accepted is not stated on the course pages, so see the university’s entry requirements pages.
• Contextual data: the application page says that for Home and RUK fee status the university considers context such as location, resits and extenuating circumstances; the Minimum and Gateway routes relate to this. See the university’s “Academic entry explained” page for the criteria.

8. International applicants

• Grades: Standard applies: for biology A Level AAB including Biology and one specified further science, or IB 36 points (HL 6,6,5) including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in one specified further science (Biology and Chemistry for Biochemistry; Neuroscience is different, see above). For other countries’ qualifications, see the university’s entry requirements pages by country.
• English: the university says whether you need a test score depends on your background: UK nationals and nationals of UKVI majority English-speaking countries, applicants with a qualifying English-medium school-leaving qualification (including at least one subject with a substantial component of writing in English), and those who complete a St Andrews International Foundation programme at the required score do not normally need one; others must submit a valid score. The profile for the Faculty of Science is Profile 7-D; the accepted tests and scores are on that profile page, which is not covered here, so check the university’s English language pages. Scores are normally accepted if obtained within two years of the start. You can apply before you have a score; it becomes part of a conditional offer, and the university may recommend or require a 10-week or 4-week pre-sessional course.
• Visa English: the university says UKVI requires a Secure English Language Test (SELT), and the English evidence the university accepts may not be accepted by UKVI, so a visa needs an approved SELT.
• Proof of funds: the international students page says you must show sufficient funds to complete your studies when you apply for a student visa; fees can be paid online in advance or at matriculation, with instalments possible.
• International Foundation programmes: these are for international students who do not yet meet direct-entry requirements; which biology degrees they lead to, and their requirements and fees, are not given on the pages used for this guide, so check the university’s foundation pages.
• The university says its funding includes international scholarships covering full or partial tuition fees; the names, amounts and eligibility are not given on the pages used for this guide, so use the scholarship search (filterable by country and subject).

9. Applicants from China

• St Andrews has a page for applicants from China (China entry requirements). For applicants with a Chinese national school leaving certificate, the university also expects one of the following: an International Foundation programme certificate; the US curriculum (school transcript with A to B+ grades plus, for example, three AP subjects at 4 or above with 5 in required subjects, SAT 1320 or ACT 28+); IB 36 points (HL 6,6,5) to 38 (HL 6,6,6 plus SL 6,6,6); A Levels AAB to A*A*A; or SQA Highers AAAB to AAAAB. You must also meet the general and subject requirements on the course page.
• Gaokao: that page does not mention using Gaokao results on their own for undergraduate applications and gives no Gaokao conversion; whether it is accepted and how it is converted is not published, so ask the admissions team in writing (china@st-andrews.ac.uk). The biology subject requirement (Biology plus one further science) is on the course pages.
• Interviews, transcripts and school-leaving (huikao) documents: the application page says most students are not interviewed; the document lists for transcripts and school-leaving certificates are not published on the pages used for this guide, so contact the admissions team.
• Agents and contacts: the university says it works with agents in mainland China including IDP, ISA, JESIE, Liu Cheng and UKEC, and has a representative for China (china@st-andrews.ac.uk). Using an agent is your own decision.
• The China Scholarship Council collaboration funds PhD students and does not apply to undergraduates.

10. Transfers and direct entry to year two

• Direct entry to year two: well-qualified school leavers may apply for direct entry into the second year of some Faculty of Science degrees, earning a BSc Honours in three years instead of four, or an integrated masters such as the MChem in four years instead of five. The page says this route is particularly popular with Physics and Chemistry applicants and is also possible in Biological Science, but reduces the flexibility of course and module choice usually found in the St Andrews Honours programme; the School of Biology’s Animal Behaviour, Biochemistry (BSc and MBiochem), Biology (BSc and MBiol), Cell Biology, Ecology and Conservation, Evolutionary Biology, Marine Biology (BSc and MMarBiol), Molecular Biology and Zoology are all on the list; Neuroscience and Sustainable Development are not. The page says the additional entry requirements are on the course pages, but the biology course pages used here only say that well-qualified school leavers may be able to apply, so the extra grades are not published there; ask the School of Biology (bioadmissions@st-andrews.ac.uk).
• Transfer from another university: the university accepts a small number of transfer students each year; places are limited and competitive, and applicants usually need an exceptional academic record and a valid reason for transferring. You must already meet the minimum grades and subject requirements of the course, and you cannot transfer into the final year of a four-year degree or into Medicine. Your personal statement must explain why you want to transfer, and you must send directly to myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk a second academic reference, a detailed transcript from your current university (with an explanation of any non-standard grading), a high school transcript with final-year grades if you are an international student, and your syllabus so the university can work out which courses match its degree and transfer credits where possible. The deadline is the same, 13 January 2027; places are rarely available after it, and international applications after that date may be waitlisted.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• Standard: A Level AAB including Biology and one specified further science (Minimum ABB); Highers AAAB; Biochemistry needs Biology and Chemistry; use the qualification indicator to see which level applies
• UCAS code S36 and course codes such as C100, C700, C300 and B140; submit by 6pm UK time on 13 January 2027

International applicants:

• Standard: A Level AAB including Biology and one specified further science, or IB 36 points (HL 6,6,5) including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in one specified further science; English Profile 7-D, and a SELT for the visa
• Overseas fee on the course pages £34,910 a year; send supplementary documents directly to myapplication@st-andrews.ac.uk

Applicants from China:

• Alongside the school leaving certificate, have one of IB, A Levels, an International Foundation certificate or US curriculum results; ask china@st-andrews.ac.uk in writing whether the Gaokao can be used

Transfer and year-two entry:

• Transfer: transcripts, syllabus and a second reference; no transfer into the final year; ask the School of Biology about the extra grades for direct entry to year two

Sources: University of St Andrews, Biology subject page; Biology BSc; Biology MBiol; Biochemistry BSc; Biochemistry MBiochem; Molecular Biology BSc; Cell Biology BSc; Zoology BSc; Evolutionary Biology BSc; Ecology and Conservation BSc; Animal Behaviour BSc; Marine Biology BSc; Neuroscience BSc; Undergraduate application page; Applying through UCAS; Transfer students; Direct entry into second year; China entry requirements; Undergraduate English language requirements; Fees for international students. The course pages are marked 2027 entry; check that any other undated information applies to 2027 entry. Check St Andrews and UCAS for the latest details.