How to apply for biology at the University of Sheffield: BSc (3 years) and MBiolSci (4 years) in Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Zoology, BSc at AAB (Biology or Chemistry plus a second science) and MBiolSci at AAA, gaokao accepted – how UK, international (including Chinese) and transfer applicants are admitted and what you need to have studied

The University of Sheffield is in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Biology degrees are taught in the School of Biosciences. The School’s undergraduate page says its courses cover Biochemistry, Biomedical Science, Biological Sciences and Zoology. This guide covers Biological Sciences, Biochemistry and Zoology; Biomedical Science (BSc and MBiomedSci) and medicine, nursing and pharmacy are not covered here, so check the website. It sets out what you need to know for September 2027 entry (2027-28) from Sheffield’s own pages, for UK applicants, international applicants (including students from China) and students who want to transfer in.

1. The degrees and how you are admitted

The School’s undergraduate courses page lists these relevant degrees (2027-28 entry):

• You apply directly to a specific course with its own UCAS code. The Biological Sciences BSc page says you start with a broad foundation in the first year and then choose from pathways, which can include molecular genetics and genomics, cell biology, neuroscience and animal behaviour, microbiology and infectious disease, ecology, biodiversity and conservation, and evolution; Biochemistry and Zoology have their own focus. The Biological Sciences subject page also lists a version with a foundation year for mature students with non-standard entry qualifications; it does not say whether international applicants can take it and that page was not read, so check the website.
• MBiolSci (integrated masters): the integrated masters page says the first three years have the same structure as the BSc and most of the fourth year is a major research project. To continue on the MBiolSci you need 60% overall in year two and 65% in the year-two skills module; BSc students who want to transfer onto the MBiolSci need the same scores.
• Accreditation: the course pages say the BSc degrees in all three subjects are accredited by the Royal Society of Biology, and the MBiolSci degrees carry its advanced accreditation.
• First year (module names on the course pages, which say modules may change): Biological Sciences includes Experimental Skills for Bioscientists, Professional Skills for Bioscientists and Building Blocks of Life, plus 40 credits chosen from groupings (for example Biodiversity, Climate and Conservation; Introduction to Neuroscience; Introduction to Biochemistry; Introduction to Physiology); Biochemistry includes Building Blocks of Life, Introduction to Biochemistry, the two skills modules, Introduction to Physiology and Introduction to Neuroscience; Zoology includes the two skills modules, Building Blocks of Life, Biodiversity, Climate and Conservation, and Introduction to Neuroscience.
• Third-year research project and fieldwork: the BSc in all three subjects has a 40-credit Capstone Project in year three, which can be laboratory-based, field-based, computer modelling, science education or science communication. The Biological Sciences and Zoology pages mention fieldwork in the Peak District near Sheffield and optional field courses in the UK or abroad; the Biochemistry page does not mention field courses.
• Placement year and time abroad: the placements page says you can add a placement year as a recognised part of the degree and earn a salary; placements are not guaranteed, you must find one yourself, and the School has tutors and the Careers Service to help; you join the placement programme after you arrive, not through UCAS. The course pages say a placement year turns a BSc into four years and an MBiolSci into five, and tends to come after year two. You can also apply to add a year abroad, usually between years two and three, with over 250 partner universities.

2. What you need to have studied

• A-levels: AAB for the BSc and AAA for the MBiolSci. Biological Sciences and Zoology need Biology and a “second science”; Biochemistry needs Chemistry and a second science. The Biological Sciences and Zoology pages list Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Psychology, Environmental Science, Geology or Geography as second sciences (Human Biology is accepted in place of Biology, but Biology and Human Biology cannot count as the two sciences); the Biochemistry page lists Biology or Human Biology, Maths, Further Maths, Physics, Psychology or Geography. With a fourth Level 3 qualification, the BSc offer can be ABB (with the named subjects) plus a B in the EPQ or in Core Maths; for Biochemistry the EPQ must be relevant.
• GCSE: Mathematics grade 4/C (English: see the English language requirement below).
• IB: for the BSc, 34 points with 6 and 5 (in any order) in the two named Higher Level subjects; or 33 points with 5 and 5 and a B in the Extended Essay (a science-based essay for Biochemistry). For the MBiolSci, 36 points with 6 in both; or 34 points with 6 and 5 and a B in the Extended Essay.
• BTEC: the Biological Sciences page accepts an Extended Diploma at DDD in Applied Science (Basic, Biomedical Science or Analytical and Forensic Science streams) or Health and Social Care, with specified units, and a Diploma at DD in Applied Science plus an A at A-level; Biochemistry accepts DDD in Applied Science (specified streams); the Zoology pages say BTEC is not accepted. All the pages say T Level is not accepted. For the MBiolSci the Extended Diploma requirement is D*DD.
• Scottish, Welsh and Access to HE: Scottish Highers plus Advanced Higher(s) AABBB with AB in the named subjects for the BSc; Welsh Baccalaureate plus two A-levels B + AA including the named subjects; Access to HE Diploma in Science with 45 Level 3 credits, 36 at Distinction and 9 at Merit, including the named subject content.
• Entrance tests and interviews: not mentioned on the course pages read.
• Access Sheffield offer: the course pages list lower conditions for applicants with Home fee status; see below.

3. How and when to apply

• How to apply: the application page says undergraduate applications go through UCAS; Sheffield’s UCAS code is S18 SHEFD and there is no campus code. For the UCAS fee, check the UCAS website; the amount is not given on the pages used for this guide. All undergraduate degrees start in September; there is no January or February intake.
• Timeline for September 2027 entry: applications submitted between 1 September 2026 and 13 January 2027 are guaranteed equal consideration; those submitted between 14 January and 30 June 2027 get further consideration, but Sheffield may not be able to consider them if the course is full (Medicine and Dentistry have different dates and are not covered here).
• How applications are assessed: the assessment page says applications are judged mainly on completed and predicted results, together with the personal statement, reference and contextual data. For most courses interviews are not required; the courses that interview include Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing, Orthoptics, Pharmacy and Speech and Language Therapy, and other schools may also interview. The biosciences course pages read for this guide do not mention an interview. Some schools do not begin considering applications until after the 15 January deadline.
• Decisions: Sheffield says it processes decisions as quickly as it can, with possible delays around the January deadline; decisions go to UCAS (see the UCAS Hub) and you also get an email. Unconditional offers are made only to applicants who have already met all academic requirements; conditional offers are normally based on three A-levels or equivalent.
• Deferred entry: Sheffield welcomes applications for deferred entry, considered under the conditions of the UCAS year in which you apply.

4. Fees and scholarships (2027/28)

• Home students: the undergraduate fees page says the standard annual full-time fee for Home students starting in 2027 is £10,050; it may rise each year in line with inflation (RPIX).
• International (Overseas) students: the overseas undergraduate fees page says that for 2027/28 new full-time overseas undergraduates pay between £27,650 and £34,670 a year (Medicine and Dentistry excepted). The fee for a particular course comes from Sheffield’s fee look-up tool, which was not used for this guide; check the website. The international tuition fees page describes a fixed-fee guarantee for courses longer than one year: you pay the same annual fee as in your first year as long as you stay on the same course; if you change course the fee may differ.
• Placement and year-abroad fees: the overseas fees page says students starting in 2027/28 pay 20% of the full-time fee in an industrial placement year and 15% in a year abroad.
• International scholarship: the international undergraduate scholarship page describes £2,500 for each year of the degree (subject to an average of 60% or above and at least 120 credits in the previous year), up to £10,000 for four-year programmes, awarded automatically as a fee discount with no separate application, to self-funded students paying overseas fees. That page is written for September 2026 entry: it required you to choose Sheffield as your firm or insurance choice by 4pm UK time on 3 June 2026, and says the application deadline has passed. Whether the same scholarship exists for 2027 entry, and on what terms, is not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website. It cannot be combined with other University scholarships or discounts, or with external sponsor funding (other than a loan that must be repaid in full).

International applicants

• English: the biosciences course pages ask for GCSE English Language at grade 4/C, or IELTS 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each component, or another acceptable English language qualification. The English language page gives matching scores for its “Standard” level: PTE Academic (including UKVI) 61 overall with 56 in each component; LanguageCert Academic 70 overall with 65 in each; TOEFL iBT 88 overall with minimum section scores; Cambridge, Oxford and Trinity tests are also listed. Tests should have been taken no more than two years before the start date; the page says IELTS General Training and PTE Academic Online are not accepted. If your English is not yet at the level, the University’s English Language Teaching Centre offers pre-sessional courses.
• Grades and credentials: the international qualifications page gives tables converting overseas qualifications to A-level grades, and says courses differ in which qualifications they accept and that meeting the requirements does not guarantee an offer. Chinese qualifications are covered in the next section.
• Funds and visa: not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website and the UK government Student visa pages.
• Pathway programmes: the course pages say international applicants who do not meet the entry requirements can apply for the International Foundation Year in Science and Engineering at the University of Sheffield International College, and progress to degree study on successful completion. Its entry requirements, fees and linked degrees are on the International College’s own website, which was not read for this guide; check the website. The foundation page also lists a foundation year in Business, Social Sciences and Humanities.
• Contextual offers: the Access Sheffield page says you must have Home fee status to benefit from a contextual offer (one to three grades below the standard requirement).

Applicants from China

• Gaokao is accepted for direct entry: the China qualifications page says “We accept the Gaokao for direct entry to our undergraduate programmes”. Its rule: for courses with A-level grades of AAA or above you need an overall score equivalent to at least 75% of the total marks available; for AAB to ABB, at least 70%; for BBB to BBC, at least 65%. Where a course has individual subject requirements, you must reach the required score in that subject taken as part of the Gaokao (typically Maths and/or a science subject): A-level grade A means 75% of the total marks in the Gaokao subject, B means 70% and C means 65%. On that table the BSc degrees (headline level AAB) fall in the 70% band and the MBiolSci degrees (AAA) in the 75% band; the course pages name the required subjects without grades, and the China page does not say how the subject scores apply, so confirm with the China Team.
• Chinese Senior High School Certificate (高中毕业证): the page says applicants who hold only the 3-year certificate need to complete a recognised foundation programme (预科) to be considered for first-year entry; contact the China Team to check whether your foundation programme is acceptable.
• Pathway programmes: the page lists the International Foundation Year and International Year One at the University of Sheffield International College, and the NCUK International Foundation Year and International Year One offered across China; NCUK IFY graduates with the required grades are considered for first-year entry.
• Other Chinese qualifications: applicants who have completed the first year of a four-year Chinese bachelor’s degree are considered for first-year entry; holders of a three-year university diploma (大专) are considered for direct entry to the second year of Sheffield undergraduate courses (a general statement; see the transfer section for whether it applies to biosciences); applicants with three A-levels or the IB Diploma are considered for direct admission.
• English: the China page gives a general undergraduate minimum of IELTS 6.0 or equivalent and says some departments require more; the biosciences course pages ask for 6.5 (6.0 in each component), so go by the course page.

Transfer students

• Direct entry to Year 2: the application page says Sheffield is happy to consider applications for the second year; you should normally meet the course’s standard A-level requirements (or equivalent) and show you have successfully completed a programme of study it deems equivalent to the first year, and it may ask for syllabuses. It also says some academic schools do not accept any transfers into Year 2. The biosciences course pages read do not say whether the School accepts transfers into Year 2; ask the School. The conditions for moving from a BSc to an MBiolSci are set out above.
• Chinese three-year diploma: the China page says holders of a three-year diploma (大专) are considered for direct entry to the second year; the course pages read do not say whether that applies to biosciences, so ask the School.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• BSc: A-level AAB including Biology (Chemistry for Biochemistry) and a second science; MBiolSci: AAA; GCSE Mathematics and English at 4/C; T Level not accepted
• Apply through UCAS with code S18 SHEFD and course code C100/C109, C700/C709 or C300/C309; applications by 13 January 2027 get equal consideration
• Home fee £10,050 a year for 2027 entry; check the lower Access Sheffield conditions if you are eligible

International applicants (including China):

• Apply through UCAS; IELTS 6.5 with 6.0 in each component (the China page’s general minimum is 6.0; go by the course page)
• The gaokao is accepted for direct entry: 70% of total marks for the BSc (AAB band) and 75% for the MBiolSci (AAA band); confirm the score needed in the named subjects with the China Team
• Fees for 2027/28 are between £27,650 and £34,670 a year, with the figure for this course from Sheffield’s fee look-up tool; the international scholarship page is written for 2026 entry
• If you hold only the senior high school certificate you need a foundation programme first; the International College’s Science and Engineering International Foundation Year is the route named for those who miss the requirements

Transfer students:

• Year 2 entry needs the standard A-level requirements and a first year judged equivalent; whether the School accepts transfers is not published, so contact it first; BSc to MBiolSci needs 60% in year two and 65% in the skills module

Sources: University of Sheffield, School of Biosciences undergraduate study; Undergraduate courses; Biological Sciences BSc; Biological Sciences MBiolSci; Biochemistry BSc; Biochemistry MBiolSci; Zoology BSc; Zoology MBiolSci; Integrated masters; Placements; Application; Assessment; English language; International qualifications; Undergraduate fees; Overseas fees; International tuition fees; International undergraduate scholarship; Foundation programmes; China qualifications; Access Sheffield. Information is for September 2027 entry (2027-28). Check Sheffield and UCAS for the latest details.