How to Apply to Biology at Sacramento State: Department of Biological Sciences With No Pre-Major, Course-Based Undergraduate Research, Admission by A–G Index, and Conflicting Impaction Information to Confirm, for Domestic and International (Including Chinese) Applicants and Transfer Students

Undergraduate biology at California State University, Sacramento (Sacramento State, or Sac State) is offered by the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics (NSM). This guide follows Sacramento State’s website and is organised for U.S. domestic applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. Chemistry is taught by the Department of Chemistry and is not covered here; medicine, nursing, pharmacy, public health and similar programs are also outside this guide, so see the university’s website for them. The names of the biology degrees, their options and course lists are in the university catalog and are not published on the pages read here; check the website.

1. Degrees and options

• The department home page describes biology as the study of life, including microbiology, molecular biology, cellular biology, genetics, anatomy, physiology, ecology and evolution, many of whose topics address pressing social problems such as public health, natural resource management and the environment. The mission statement is to “provide an evolving curriculum covering a breadth of biological disciplines with an emphasis on participation in research, mentorship, and community service activities.”
• Degree names and options: the department pages say only that it provides many undergraduate and graduate degrees; the undergraduate degree names, options and units are not published on the pages read here (the home page points to the catalog under “Explore Our Degree Opportunities”), so check the website. The department also lists an MS in Biotechnology (Stem Cell Program), a graduate program not covered here.
• Pre-major: the Department Details page says the department no longer has a pre-major.
• Research opportunities: the page says faculty interests include bacterial diversity, genetics, neurodevelopment, functional morphology, marine biology, wetland ecology, evolutionary biology and tropical fish biology, supported by agencies including CSU Biotechnology (CSUBIOTECH), the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health; the department is also affiliated with Moss Landing Marine Laboratories near Monterey. Research includes undergraduate and graduate students, who regularly present at conferences and co-author articles.
• Course-based undergraduate research (CURE): besides independent research in faculty labs, biological sciences majors can take part in authentic research experiences embedded in laboratory courses as part of the NSF-supported SIRIUS Project. Its first phase redesigned 12 department laboratory courses around the human impacts on the American River ecosystem, and it has since expanded to 67 courses in biology, chemistry, geology and environmental studies at five institutions in the Sacramento region.

2. How admission works: you apply to the university, and the pages disagree about impaction, so confirm with the university

• You apply to the university: first-year applications go through Cal State Apply. The pages read do not describe a separate biology application, portfolio or interview, and do not describe a separate college admission line.
• Impacted programs: the impaction page explains that an impacted program or campus may use extra criteria when qualified applications exceed spaces. The programs it links are Business Administration, Graphic Design and Nursing; biological sciences is not listed. It also says campus-wide impaction was lifted for the fall 2024 application period, so all local and non-local applicants who meet the minimum requirements are considered. The site says two things: the international undergraduate page says impacted majors may require a GPA higher than 2.4 and, in its transfer section, names Biological Sciences, Business Administration, Health Science and Psychology, so that page treats biological sciences as impacted, while the Admissions impaction page links only the three programs above. Ask Admissions and the department whether biological sciences is treated as impacted for domestic and international applicants.
• Pre-major and expressed interest: the impaction page defines “pre-major” as a designation for undergraduates pursuing a non-impacted major, who may declare or be assigned the major on admission or after completing the prerequisites set by the department, and “expressed interest” as the same as undeclared, for students interested in an impacted major who may not be assigned it on admission. The Department of Biological Sciences says it no longer has a pre-major.
• Admission index (first-year page): index = A–G GPA × 1,000. Category 1 (California applicants) needs 2,500 and category 2 (out-of-state applicants) needs 3,000. Applicants below the initial index may be considered for available space on multi-factor criteria; the page gives a minimum index of 2,000 (categories 1 and 2) or 2,500 (“Category 3”), and the factors are A–G courses beyond the minimum, low-income background, first-generation status, work experience, participation in college advocacy programs and extracurricular and leadership participation. The page is unclear here: it mentions a category 3 although it lists only two categories, and does not say who category 3 is; ask Admissions.
• A–G pattern (C or better): history and social science 2 (including one year of U.S. history or one semester of U.S. history and one of civics or government, plus one year of social science); English 4; mathematics 3 (4 recommended; algebra I, geometry, algebra II or higher); laboratory science 2 (one biological, one physical); one language other than English 2; visual and performing arts 1; college-preparatory elective 1.
• Local area: graduates of high schools in Sacramento, El Dorado, Nevada, Placer, San Joaquin, Sierra, Solano or Yolo counties are in the local admission area.
• Testing: the CSU no longer uses the SAT or ACT to determine admission eligibility; after admission, scores can help place students in math and written communication courses.
• Whether biology sets its own admission cut-off is not stated on the pages read.

3. Prerequisites

• No biology-specific high school prerequisite: the college and department pages state no high school biology, chemistry or calculus requirement; only the CSU-wide A–G pattern above applies.
• General Chemistry: the Department of Chemistry’s General Chemistry Requirements page says CHEM 1A is the introductory chemistry course for science majors in the college, and entering it requires both a math and a chemistry condition (the chemistry condition includes 85% on the ALEKS-based CARA, a C in CHEM 4, or a 2 on AP Chemistry; the math condition includes ALEKS PPL 61, MATH 12 with a C-, or a 3 on AP Calculus). Which chemistry and math courses the biology degrees require is not stated on the pages read; check the catalog and the department’s advisors. These conditions are the chemistry department’s conditions for CHEM 1A and are given for reference.
• ALEKS PPL and writing placement: the first-year page says to complete ALEKS PPL if your chosen major requires it (the list is in a PDF) and to complete Directed Self-Placement for writing. Whether biological sciences is on the ALEKS PPL list is not stated on the pages read.
• AP and IB credit: how AP or IB scores earn credit toward biology courses is not stated on the pages read (the credit tables are in the catalog).
• Competitions: how biology olympiads or similar contests are viewed in admissions is not stated on the pages read.

4. Advising, support and research after admission

• NSM Advising Center: it advises first-year, second-year and new transfer students in the college on major and general education; this fall first- and second-year NSM students and first-semester Biological Sciences transfer students are required to visit. Biological Sciences majors in their third year and above, or in their second semester after transferring, contact their assigned faculty advisor (shown in the “Advisor” module of the student center; students without an advisor can contact the department).
• Department help: the department website has a faculty office hours page and links the college’s Center for Science and Math Success and pre-health professional information.
• Research: see above; undergraduates can join faculty research and course-based research. A thesis requirement is not stated on the pages read.

5. Rounds, materials and costs

• U.S. first-year filing period: the page says to apply for fall 2027 between August 1 and December 15, 2026, and for spring 2027 between July 1 and December 1, 2026. The application fee waiver form is due August 30.
• Before applying: unofficial transcripts (you enter every completed, in-progress and planned course), test scores if any, hours per week spent on work, activities and leadership, a Social Security number if applicable, citizenship status (it does not affect admission), a method of payment (a credit card works) and annual income; EOP applicants also need their parents’ employment background and two recommendation letters.
• After admission: decisions are conditional until final transcripts are certified; you must complete the Intent to Enroll (ITE) in My Sac State by the deadline or the application is cancelled; complete ALEKS PPL if required, attend the mandatory New Student Orientation (registration and advising take place there) and submit immunization requirements. A denial can be appealed within 15 days.
• Application fee amount, essays, recommendations: the pages read give no domestic application fee amount and no essay or recommendation requirement specific to biology; check Cal State Apply and Admissions.

6. U.S. domestic applicants

• Testing: not used to determine admission eligibility.
• Cost (tuition page, 2026–2027; check the 2027–2028 figures): per semester for undergraduates, 6 units or fewer: tuition $1,981 plus mandatory campus fees $1,409, total $3,390; 6.1 units or more: tuition $3,419 plus $1,409, total $4,828. Non-residents pay an extra $471 per unit. The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) is $5,129 tuition plus $1,409, total $6,538 per semester (0–21 units). Some courses carry extra course fees; whether biology labs do is not stated on the pages read.
• College and department funding: the NSM scholarships page says the college offers tens of thousands of dollars in scholarships every year, some open to any student in the college and most for particular programs, and points to the university’s scholarship system. The department’s scholarship sheet (revised November 2024) says there are roughly 70 active scholarships for biological sciences majors, that students can apply through the university’s online scholarship application with a general application, and that those meeting particular criteria are asked for more information; the deadline shown is March 2 (no year, so check the 2027 date). The undergraduate list is Albert L. Delisle Family, Biological Conservation, Biology Laureates, JoAnne McDougal Robinson, Julia Maria Camp Memorial, Marda Lee West, Mary Decious Living World, McConnell Family, Sutter Clinical Laboratory and William E. Clark Memorial. These mainly serve continuing majors; scholarships specific to entering biology freshmen are not stated on the pages read.

7. International applicants

• Who it applies to: international undergraduate applicants (first-time freshmen and transfers) for fall and spring intakes.
• Filing periods and document deadlines: fall 2027 intake, apply October 1 to May 15, documents due May 30, 2027; spring 2027 intake, apply July 1 to October 4, documents due October 18, 2026. The page says it can take up to six weeks to issue I-20 documents.
• Application fee: $70, non-refundable, paid by credit/debit card or PayPal before submitting; checks and money orders are not accepted.
• Freshman requirements: a high school transcript with at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or an average of 80%; the high school diploma; an English proficiency test (only one is required; MyBest TOEFL is not accepted); a copy of the passport photo page; a financial affidavit; and a financial statement (the page points to the “Tuition Information” section of the international home page for the minimum amount, which is not stated on the pages read).
• English tests: TOEFL iBT 3.5 for tests after January 21, 2026 and 64 before (ETS code 004671); IELTS 6.0; Duolingo 95; Sacramento State ELI Level 7; PTE Academic 50; GTEC 1125; ELS Language Center Level 112; FLS Language School Level 16; TLC Level 9; UCLA Extension Level 6. The page links a PDF of countries where TOEFL or IELTS is not required, which is not among the pages read here.
• Credential evaluation: the page says the university evaluates all foreign credentials in house and does not require or recommend an agency evaluation; if you submit one it accepts only WES, ACEI and ECE.
• How to submit: upload clearly scanned PDFs; it recommends submitting unofficial copies of transcripts and test scores first, with official documents requested at enrolment. Financial documents are not required for application review but are encouraged to avoid I-20 delays.
• Deferral and appeals: deferrals are not automatic and must be requested by email; appeals for a missed application deadline are accepted through June 15 for fall intake and November 1 for spring intake.
• International scholarships and aid: not stated on the pages read.

8. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: none of the pages read mention China or say whether gaokao results are considered or how; contact International Admissions (intlinfo@csus.edu).
• Transcripts and credential evaluation: a high school transcript (3.0 on a 4.0 scale or 80%) and diploma are required, and the university evaluates foreign credentials itself. Huikao records are not mentioned.
• English: whether China is on the list of countries where TOEFL or IELTS is not required is not stated on the pages read; check that list.
• Math, chemistry and biology: how Chinese courses map to the A–G pattern is not stated.

9. Transfer students

• Filing periods: fall 2027, August 1 to December 15, 2026; spring 2027, July 1 to December 1, 2026.
• Upper-division transfer (60 or more units): at least 60 transferable semester units (90 quarter units); good standing at the last college attended; a GPA of at least 2.0 if you are within the local admission area, while outside it the GPA minimum is set by the academic characteristics of the applicant pool; the four Golden 4 courses each with a C- or better (1A English composition, 1B critical thinking, 1C oral communication and Area 2 mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning); and at least 30 units of CSU GE Breadth or IGETC.
• Lower-division transfer (fewer than 60 units): California-resident applicants need a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0, a C- or better in English composition and in mathematical concepts and quantitative reasoning, good standing, and one of three eligibility routes: meeting the current freshman admission requirements; having been eligible as a freshman at high school graduation with continuous college attendance; or having had a qualifiable index at graduation, made up missing college-preparatory subjects with C- or better and attended continuously.
• Local area: transferring with most units from American River, Cosumnes River, Folsom Lake, Lake Tahoe, Sacramento City, Sierra, San Joaquin Delta, Solano, Woodland or Yuba community colleges puts you in the local admission area.
• Biology requirements for transfers: biology-specific preparation courses or a major GPA are not stated on the pages read; the international undergraduate page described above lists biological sciences among impacted majors, and whether that applies to domestic transfers is something to ask Admissions.
• ADT: applicants with an Associate Degree for Transfer applying to the corresponding major must self-report the ADT and have it confirmed as in progress by March 15 (fall) or October 31 (spring).
• International transfer students: the international undergraduate page asks for a post-secondary GPA of at least 2.4 (impacted majors may require more, and the page lists biological sciences among them); applicants with fewer than 60 semester units also submit a high school transcript (3.0 on a 4.0 scale or 80%); the English requirement is a B or better in a transferable CSU 1A English course or a test such as TOEFL 64; applicants with 60 or more transferable units need not submit a high school transcript and diploma; applicants with more than 90 semester units may not be eligible and should email for a pre-evaluation.

10. Outcomes

• No placement rate or salary data for biology appears on the pages read. The department page links the Career Center, the college page links its alumni and careers pages, and the NSM Advising Center page links pre-professional health resources.

Checklist

U.S. domestic applicants:

• Apply through Cal State Apply from August 1 to December 15, 2026 (the page says fall 2027); California applicants need an index of 2,500 (2.50 GPA), out-of-state applicants 3,000 (3.0 GPA)
• Ask Admissions whether biological sciences is treated as impacted; confirm math and chemistry placement with the NSM Advising Center (General Chemistry CHEM 1A has both a math and a chemistry condition)

International applicants (including China):

• 3.0 GPA (or 80%); TOEFL iBT 3.5 on the new scale, IELTS 6.0 or another accepted test; apply by May 15 and submit documents by May 30 for fall 2027; prepare the financial affidavit and statement
• Ask International Admissions how the gaokao and Chinese courses are treated

Transfer students:

• With 60 or more units: good standing, the four Golden 4 courses at C- or better, 30 units of GE, and a 2.0 GPA if you are in the local area

Sources: Sacramento State website, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics; Department of Biological Sciences; Department details; Office hours and advising; NSM Advising Center; NSM scholarships; Biological Sciences scholarships (PDF); Chemistry department General Chemistry Requirements; First-year admission process; Transfer admission process; Impaction; International undergraduate applicants; Tuition, fees and living costs. The names of the biology degrees and their course lists are in the university catalog and are not published on the pages read here. Check the application periods, scholarship deadlines and fees that apply to fall 2027 entry.