How to Apply to Biology at Mississippi State University: A B.S. in Biological Sciences with Botany, Zoology and Pre-Health Concentrations, Plus a B.S. in Biochemistry in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Mississippi State University (MSU) is a public university in Starkville, Mississippi. This guide covers two biology-type undergraduate degrees: the Biological Sciences B.S. in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Biochemistry B.S. in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (as indicated by the college in the major-map address). The major-map pages also list other science majors such as Microbiology, which are not covered here. Medical, nursing, pharmacy, veterinary and other professional degrees are outside this guide; please check the website.

1. Degrees and directions in biology

• B.S. in Biological Sciences (major-map page): the concentrations are listed as Prehealth Records Administration, Nursing, Optometry, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Botany, Zoology, Pre-Dental, Pre-Medicine and Pre-Veterinary. The professional degrees behind the nursing, optometry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, dental, medicine and veterinary tracks are outside this guide. The department links one degree-requirements PDF, shown as the Fall 2023 version, which is not among the pages read.
• B.S. in Biochemistry (major-map page): concentrations are Bioinformatics, Entomology, Food Science, Forensic Sciences, Plant Pathology, Pre-Dental, Pre-MBA, Pre-Medicine, Pre-Optometry, Pre-Pharmacy, Pre-Veterinary Medicine, Public Policy and Science. The page says the program is accredited by the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) and prepares students for the ASBMB certification exam; there is also a “Thrive in Five” accelerated M.S. in which bachelor’s and master’s coursework is completed in five years.
• Biological Sciences in practice: the map says courses include laboratories, with faculty-mentored research, work in faculty laboratories, internships and pre-health shadowing. Credit-hour totals and any thesis requirement are not published in the pages read.
• Biochemistry in practice: the page says seniors complete upper-level and capstone laboratories (Protein Methods and Molecular Biology Methods), and the second and third summers can be used for internships, study abroad or undergraduate research.
• The pages read do not mention a placement year for biology degrees.

2. Admission route: apply to the university; how the major is chosen is not published

• Application and major: first-year students apply through the university online application (apply.msstate.edu). The freshman page says the application asks for general, parent/guardian and academic information. The admissions pages read do not say whether applicants must choose Biological Sciences or Biochemistry when applying, whether the major has its own admission line, or what it takes to move into it after enrolling. The major map pages say the maps are general planning guides and that the Academic Catalog for the student’s catalog year is the official source of degree requirements; the catalog is not among the pages read, so please check it on the website.
• General standard (freshman page): high school graduation with the College Preparatory Curriculum (CPC), 18 Carnegie units in all: English 4; mathematics 4 (Algebra I or equivalent and higher mathematics); science 3 (Biology I or equivalent plus two units of higher science); social studies 3; arts 1; advanced electives 2; technology 1. In addition one of: a minimum 2.0 GPA on the CPC, or meeting NCAA Division I standards for student-athletes. AP, IB, dual credit and AICE courses may be substituted for the CPC requirements, and one course cannot satisfy more than one requirement.
• Mississippi residents: admissible with the CPC and an overall GPA of 3.20, or NCAA standards, or one of the other standards listed by the state Institutions of Higher Learning. The FAQ on the same page instead says Mississippi residents who complete the CPC with a 2.0 GPA are admissible; the two statements differ, so please rely on the website and the admissions office.
• Non-residents: in addition to the Mississippi criteria, a minimum 2.50 GPA, or an ACT or SAT score of 20 or above if the GPA is not met (the page says “ACT or SAT score of 20 or above” without giving an SAT equivalent). The FAQ says non-resident applicants are reviewed holistically on course rigor and academic performance.
• Testing: test-optional for admission, but scores are encouraged for scholarships and placement. MSU superscores within one test type: the ACT superscore excludes the Science section, and ACT and SAT subscores cannot be combined. The ACT and SAT writing tests are not considered for admission or scholarships. College codes: ACT 2220, SAT 1480. Applicants without scores are reviewed on high school performance, placement testing, special interests and skills, and non-cognitive factors.
• Materials and timing: $50 application fee (the page is marked “updated 2027”), with waivers for eligible applicants (ACT/SAT or NACAC fee waiver form); an official high school transcript (grades 9–11 with the senior schedule) uploaded to the applicant portal. The online application can be submitted first and the fee, transcript and scores sent later, but all items are needed before admission and scholarship review. Admission is rolling: the application for summer/fall opens 1 August and for spring 5 August, each term’s application stays open until the 10th day of classes, and most applicants receive a decision within 2–3 weeks of completing the file (marked “updated 2027”). The page does not print an intake year, so please confirm the dates apply to fall 2027.
• Essays and recommendations: the admissions pages read do not say that first-year applicants need an essay or recommendation letters; not published there, please check the website.

3. Prerequisites, course choices and the four-year plans

• High school preparation: the university’s freshman requirement is the CPC (above), which includes 4 mathematics units and 3 science units (Biology I plus two higher science units). The pages read do not state biology- or biochemistry-specific requirements for high school biology, chemistry or mathematics, nor A-Level, AP or IB credit toward required courses; please check the website and the catalog.
• Biological Sciences plan (major map): year 1 Biology I and II, General Chemistry I and II, Calculus and core communication courses; year 2 Cell Biology, General Microbiology, Organic Chemistry I and II, General Physics I and II; year 3 Plant Biology, Animal Diversity, Human Genetics and upper-level science electives; year 4 Ecology, Evolution and science electives chosen for career goals. The map also lists laboratories by year: biology and chemistry in year 1; microbiology, organic chemistry and physics in year 2; genetics and organismal biology in year 3.
• Biochemistry plan: year 1 begins with core courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics, placed by prerequisites, and every student takes Introduction to Biochemistry in the first semester; year 2 finishes general education and foundational biology and chemistry prerequisites and starts concentration electives; year 3 takes upper-level core and concentration electives; year 4 takes Protein Methods and Molecular Biology Methods and the ASBMB exam.
• Research and activities: the Biological Sciences page suggests joining research labs and pre-health organizations in year 2; the Biochemistry page mentions the university’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Discovery program, internships and study abroad. Places and funding are not published in the pages read.
• Competitions: the website does not say how biology olympiads are viewed in admission.
• These plans come from the major maps, which the pages describe as general planning guides; the catalog governs the exact requirements.

4. US domestic applicants: costs and aid

• 2026–2027 costs (admissions tuition page, subject to change): in-state tuition and fees $11,095 per year, out-of-state $30,086; plus housing (median) $9,990 and a Weekly 21 meal plan $5,210; the page’s totals are $26,295 in-state and $45,286 out-of-state. Tuition is a flat rate for 12–16 credit hours per semester, per-credit below 12, with overload tuition above 16. Books, transport and personal expenses are not included. The figures for 2027–2028 are not published in the pages read; please check the website.
• Automatic freshman academic scholarships (scholarship details page, stated for 2026–2027 and reviewed each year): Mississippi residents, a 9th–11th grade GPA of 3.0 or higher and an ACT score of 21 or higher (or equivalent SAT); non-residents, a 9th–11th grade GPA of 3.30 or higher. Renewable for up to four years (8 semesters) subject to the college GPA and continuous full-time enrolment (12 credit hours a semester). Amounts are not stated in the pages read; see the scholarship offer or the website.
• Competitive scholarships (private, departmental, leadership and service): require the General Scholarship Application (GSA), which opens 1 October, with a priority date of 1 December for entering freshmen and 1 March for entering transfers and current students; applicants must be admitted first. Scholarships with an ACT/SAT minimum use scores on file by 1 December.
• Non-resident awards and military waiver: the tuition page says there are automatic non-resident tuition scholarships (details on the scholarship pages) and that the non-resident portion of tuition is waived for veterans, active-duty service members and dependents, currently valued at $18,132.

5. International applicants

• Fee and materials (international page): the online application plus a $60 non-refundable fee (marked “updated 2027”); certified, translated copies of transcripts, mark sheets and diplomas sent officially by the school. MSU recommends that non-US credentials be evaluated course by course, with a GPA calculation, by a NACES member agency; the preferred services are TEC and MyIEE.
• Test scores: an ACT of 20 or higher or an SAT of 1030, required only if the GPA from MSU’s evaluation is below 3.0 or if you are applying for scholarships.
• English proficiency: TOEFL 71 (some departments require more); IELTS 6.0 (some departments require more); ACT English 19; SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 510; Duolingo English Test 105. The admissions site also links a PDF of departmental English requirements, which is not among the pages read, so whether the Biological Sciences or Biochemistry department sets a higher score should be checked on the website.
• Exemptions: only citizens of the listed English-speaking countries and territories (including the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland; see the page for the full list) are automatically exempt; degree-seeking freshmen with at least two years at an accredited US high school and at least a C in English are also exempt but must meet the domestic standards; intensive English training does not replace TOEFL or IELTS. Applicants without scores can apply to the English Language Institute (ELI), which is a separate process.
• After admission: the I-20 portal link is sent to the student email; further requirements are on the International Institute website.
• Proof of funds and international costs: the admissions page points to the International Institute’s cost page, which is not among the pages read; not published in the pages read, please check the website.
• International scholarships: the scholarship page says international students may be eligible for academic scholarships, but students with active agent contracts are ineligible.

6. Applicants from China

• Whether the Gaokao is considered and how: the pages read do not mention the Gaokao; not published there, please contact the admissions office or check the international page.
• What the page does state (for all international applicants): certified, translated credentials sent by the school; a course-by-course evaluation through a NACES member agency is recommended; English can be shown with TOEFL 71, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 105 and other listed options. Whether Chinese transcripts or school-leaving examination materials have specific requirements is not stated.
• The page also warns that students with active agent contracts are ineligible for scholarships.

7. Transfer students

• Admission (transfer page): from a regionally accredited community, junior or senior college, with a 2.0 cumulative GPA on all college courses attempted as computed by MSU, and in good standing at the last school attended. With fewer than 15 transferable hours, a high school transcript and ACT or SAT scores are also required. All colleges attended must be listed on the application.
• Credit: the page says MSU accepts up to 63 transferable credit hours from community colleges; the “Do your classes transfer?” page and the Mississippi Articulation and Transfer Tool (MATT) show course equivalencies, and courses from most out-of-state institutions can be sent to the Registrar for review. The pages read do not state what Biological Sciences or Biochemistry requires of transferred courses; please ask the department and admissions office.
• Dates and fees: as for freshmen, applications for summer/fall open 1 August and for spring 5 August, with rolling review; $50 application fee, $60 for international students (both marked “updated 2027”).
• Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG): students admitted as high school seniors who start at a community college can hold their admitted status for up to 3 years if they keep a 2.0 GPA and transfer within 3 years. The university also has academic pathway programs with several Mississippi community colleges.
• Transfer scholarships: automatic academic scholarships need an overall transferable GPA of 3.25 or higher and are renewable for up to 5 semesters; the GSA priority date for transfers is 1 March (all stated for 2026–2027).
• International transfer students (international page) qualify by one of three options: A, one year of successful study at a foreign university plus English proficiency; B, meet the freshman requirements with a 2.0 or higher GPA on all college courses attempted, plus English proficiency; C, 30 transferable hours from a regionally accredited US college with a 2.0 GPA or higher.

8. Career outcomes

• Biological Sciences (as printed on the map page): pre-med students meet or exceed national medical school acceptance averages and pre-dental students remain competitive with national acceptance rates; the page gives no figures. Sample jobs include medical or professional school student, research assistant, environmental scientist or conservation biologist, clinical research coordinator and public health specialist.
• Biochemistry (map page): the page states a 96% job placement rate for graduates and a 63% medical school acceptance rate (the page gives about 41% as the national average). It does not explain how these were measured or for which years, so please rely on the website. Leading industries listed are pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare systems, government and regulatory agencies, and academic and research institutions.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Online application (opens 1 August; rolling), $50 fee; 18 CPC units; ACT/SAT optional; General Scholarship Application priority 1 December

International applicants (including China):

• $60 fee; certified translated transcripts, NACES evaluation recommended; English score (TOEFL 71, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 105, etc.); whether the Gaokao is considered is not published

Transfer students:

• 2.0 cumulative GPA; high school transcript and test scores if under 15 transferable hours; up to 63 community-college credit hours

Sources: Mississippi State University, Major map: Biological Sciences; Biological Sciences degree requirements (PDF linked from the map; contents not among the pages read); Major map: Biochemistry; Freshman admissions; International admissions; Transfer admissions; Scholarship details; Tuition and costs. Anything not stated on these pages should be checked with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions; where a date carries no year, please confirm it applies to fall 2027 entry.