How to Apply to Biology at the University of Miami: B.S. and B.A. Degrees in the Department of Biology, Honors in Biology and a Five-Year B.S./M.S., Standardized Tests Currently Required (Optional for Students from Schools Outside the US), and Admission and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida, teaches undergraduate biology through the Department of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences; biology courses appear as BIL in the admissions credit tables (and BIO in the GCE table). The college says it offers 40 majors and 46 minors. Below is what the university’s official pages say, organized for US domestic applicants, international applicants (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students. Medical degrees (the Miller School of Medicine) and other majors such as chemistry, physics and engineering are outside this guide; see the university website.

1. Degrees, options and how admission works

• Degrees: the department’s undergraduate page says it offers a Bachelor of Science (B.S.), a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), a Biology minor and a five-year B.S./M.S. The page refers readers to the university’s online bulletin for degree requirements and coursework; the bulletin was not read for this guide, so the credit totals and required courses for the B.S. and B.A. are not published on the pages read. Check the bulletin.
• Tracks: the department pages read do not list tracks within the major (for example molecular, ecology or marine biology) or separate majors such as biochemistry or neuroscience; check the bulletin. The college’s accelerated-program page does list a six-year Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B.S./Ph.D. (section 7).
• Five-year B.S./M.S.: the college’s accelerated-program page describes the Biology program as research-based: during the senior year plus one additional year of graduate study, students take graduate-level courses, conduct independent research and write a Master of Science thesis; faculty director Dr. James Baker. Entry conditions and when to apply are not stated on the pages read.
• Honors in Biology: honors students design and carry out a research project for at least two semesters, centered on a written thesis submitted to the department and a public presentation. Conditions: be a biology major (B.S. or B.A.), complete the required courses and the public presentation, have a final GPA of 3.5 in biology and 3.3 overall, and have the senior thesis accepted by a faculty committee. In at least one semester students take Projects in Biology (BIL 495, 496 or 497, two credits, equivalent to a 2-credit lab of about six hours a week); in the spring of senior year they take BIL 498 Senior Thesis (two credits) and BIL 499 Research Colloquium. The application goes to Cox 233 in the fall of senior year, with deadlines available from the honors director, Dr. Nat Clarke; applications are due in the fall for graduation the following spring.
• Accreditation, thesis and placement years: the pages read mention no professional accreditation. Apart from the honors thesis, the department pages read do not say whether all biology majors must write a thesis or do research; not published. No placement-year program is described. Related programs the department page lists as contacts are HHMI labs, PRISM and the UGalapagos semester abroad program (contact Dr. Neil Rosser); details were not read.
• Pre-health advising: the department page says students are prepared for advanced work in the sciences and for careers in health, law and policy, and links to the university’s Office of Pre-Health Advising, whose website was not read.
• How you are admitted: the admissions pages describe applying to the university through the Common App and say the final credentials deadline is also the last date to change to a major in another school or college. They do not say whether the College of Arts and Sciences or the biology major has its own admission standard or capacity limit, when and how students declare biology, what prerequisite grades are required, or what applies to moving into biology from elsewhere; ask the department (305-284-4647; the director of undergraduate studies is Dr. Winter Beckles) or admissions.

2. Prerequisites and AP/IB/A-level credit

• High school preparation: the admissions and department pages read do not list minimum years of high school subjects or say that biology majors need high school biology, chemistry or mathematics. Ask admissions (305-284-6000).
• AP (admissions credit table; official scores from the College Board by the end of the first semester): Biology 3 or 4 gives BIL 101 (3 credits); a 5 gives BIL 150, 151, 160 and 161 (10 credits total); Chemistry requires a 5 and gives CHM 121 and 113 (5 credits). Calculus AB 5 gives MTH 171 (4 credits); Calculus BC 4 gives MTH 171 and 5 gives MTH 172 (4 credits each). Whether these courses fall in the biology major’s required sequence is not stated; ask the department. The AP page also tells students entering in fall 2026 or spring 2027 to use a separate chart on the Center for Academic Success website, and does not say which entering class this table is for.
• IB (Higher Level only): Biology 5 or 6 gives BIL 101 (3 credits) and 7 gives BIL 150/151 and 160/161 (10 credits); Chemistry earns credit only at a 7, giving CHM 121 and 113 (5 credits); Mathematics Analysis and Approaches 5 or 6 gives MTH 171 and 7 gives MTH 172 (4 credits each). The page adds that students entering in fall 2026 or spring 2027 should use a chart on the Center for Academic Success website, which was not read.
• A-level (GCE table; official certificates required; minimum grade C for AS and A-level): AS Biology gives BIO 150 and 151 (5 credits) and A-level Biology gives BIO 150, 151, 160 and 161 (10 credits); A-level Chemistry gives CHM 121 and 113 (5 credits) while AS Chemistry gives no credit; A-level Mathematics (Pure and Probability and Statistics) gives MTH 171 and 172 (8 credits) with an A or B, or MTH 171 (4 credits) with a C. Duplicate credit is not given for the same subject across different exams. The table notes that students needing specific course equivalents for a major should ask the department after arrival to evaluate the syllabus.
• Math placement: the testing policy page says AP/IB scores can be used to earn a higher math placement, and that applicants who apply without test scores must take ALEKS for math placement.
• Undergraduate research: the department page lists the Office of Undergraduate Research and Community Outreach as a contact. The college page says students can approach professors about research, apply for research placements through that office, or apply for summer research grants; “Beyond the Book” scholarships for first- to third-year College students can fund summer lab research, fieldwork, internships and similar activity, with a USD 4,000 stipend; and there is an annual Undergraduate Research, Creativity and Innovation Forum every April.
• Transfer credit evaluation: the department advising page says Dr. Charles Mallery evaluates transfer coursework in biology.

3. First-year deadlines and materials (fall 2027)

• Early Decision I (binding): application 1 November, final credentials 13 November, financial aid 15 November, decisions mid-December.
• Early Action: application 1 November, final credentials 20 November, financial aid 15 November, decisions late January.
• Early Decision II (binding): application 5 January, final credentials 25 January, financial aid 5 January, decisions late February.
• Regular Decision: application 5 January, final credentials 5 February, financial aid 5 January, decisions 1 April.
• ED and EA applications still incomplete on the final credentials date roll into Regular Decision, and the page adds that first-year applications incomplete by the final deadlines may, under current practice, not be admitted.
• Application fee: USD 75 on the Common App. Essay: the Common App personal statement of up to 650 words; no supplemental essay. Recommendation: one letter, from a counselor or a teacher; a science teacher is not specifically required. The School Report and official transcripts are also required; non-English transcripts need an English translation from a school official or an accredited translation agency, sent directly to Miami.
• Testing: the first-year page says UM requires standardized test scores, which can be self-reported on the Common App or in the applicant portal, with official scores needed only after admission and enrollment. Only the SAT or ACT satisfies the requirement; AP and IB results are not accepted in their place. The testing policy page is headed “Test Scores Required for Fall 2026”, so confirm with admissions that it carries over to fall 2027. These applicants may choose whether to submit scores: students graduating from a high school outside the US, and applicants to Frost School of Music performance programs, College of Arts and Sciences BFA programs and the School of Architecture.
• Changing major: the final credentials deadline is also the last date to change to a major in another school or college; after admission, a change of major within the same school or college can be requested at any time and is reviewed by the admission office until mid-May.

4. US domestic applicants

• Costs (2026-27 estimate): tuition USD 66,312, fees USD 2,030, on-campus housing USD 16,958 and meals USD 9,400, for direct costs of USD 94,700 on campus. The estimated total cost of attendance, including books and personal expenses, is USD 98,872 on campus. The cost page lists a single undergraduate tuition rate, with no in-state or out-of-state split, and says the figures are preliminary until the Board of Trustees finalizes them each spring.
• Testing: students graduating from US high schools are in the group asked to submit scores (section 3).
• Aid: US citizens and eligible non-residents submit the FAFSA, the CSS Profile and tax documents; aid offers come with the admission decision. The pages read do not describe any in-state priority or guaranteed admission.
• Scholarships: all applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships with no separate application. ED I and EA applicants (1 November) are also considered for Premier Scholarships: the Stamps Scholarship covers the full cost of attendance plus a USD 12,000 enrichment fund, the Singer Scholarship covers full tuition, and the Hammond Scholarship (full tuition) is limited to US citizens and permanent residents.
• Housing: non-local first-year students must live in university housing for two semesters if space is available; students living with parents or guardians in Miami-Dade or Broward counties are exempt.

5. International applicants

• English: non-native speakers submit official TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores; TOEFL Essentials is not accepted. UM says competitive applicants generally score above: TOEFL iBT 80 (0–120 scale, before 21 January 2026) or 4.5 (1–6 scale, after that date), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 120. Scores are valid for two years.
• Waivers: several routes, including an A or B in AP or IB HL English, three years at a US high school, three years at an English-medium high school outside the US, SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing 650+ or ACT English 27+ (official scores), a C or better in IGCSE/GCE first-language English, or completing Level 5 of the university’s Intensive English Program.
• Testing: students graduating from a secondary school outside the US may choose whether to submit the SAT or ACT.
• Transcripts: sent by the school; non-English transcripts need an English translation from a school official or accredited agency (self-translations and photocopies do not count).
• Costs: the 2026-27 total estimate for international students is USD 104,091, which includes mandatory university health insurance (USD 4,483) and a higher transportation allowance. The cost page does not state a proof-of-funds amount.
• Aid: international students must submit the CSS Profile to be considered for need-based aid; all applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships, though the Hammond Scholarship is limited to US citizens and permanent residents.

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao and transcripts: the “eligibility requirements by country” page lists common curricula (British, IB, French Baccalaureate, West Africa, India, Caribbean) and also has a country-by-country list that showed only “Loading” in the static page read, so there is no entry for China here. How the Gaokao is used and what Chinese transcripts or Huikao records are needed are not published on the pages read. Email intladmission@miami.edu, which the page names for countries or curricula not listed.
• International curricula: A-level applicants are expected to complete at least one year of A-levels and provide (I)GCSE or O-level results, AS results and predicted A-level marks; competitive applicants typically take 3–4 A-level subjects with predicted Bs or higher. IB has no minimum score; competitive students typically score 5–7 in all subjects, and IB year 1 final grades go with the transcript. AP, IB and A-level credit is in section 2.
• English and testing: as in section 5; graduates of Chinese high schools fall under “students graduating from a high school outside the United States”, who may choose whether to submit the SAT or ACT.
• Other China-specific guidance: none on the pages read.

7. Department programs and outcomes

• Accelerated programs: see the five-year B.S./M.S. in section 1. The college’s accelerated-program page also lists a six-year Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B.S./Ph.D. for current students with strong academic records; students may apply after completing their first year, applications are due 1 June, and the program director is Dr. Thomas K. Harris.
• Department scholarships: the pages read describe no scholarships specific to biology majors; research funding is in section 2.
• Outcomes: the biology pages read publish no graduate employment or graduate-school data.

8. Transfer students

• Deadlines: fall transfer applications are due 1 April with financial aid materials by 15 April, reviewed on a rolling basis; spring transfer is due 1 November. The transfer table shows no year, so check that the dates apply to fall 2027.
• Materials: Common App transfer application, USD 75 fee, a 250-word essay on why you are transferring, official transcripts from every college attended (dual or concurrent enrollment transcripts are not required), and a College Report from each US institution attended as a degree-seeking student. Applicants who will have fewer than 24 college credits (not counting dual enrollment) by their first semester also send high school transcripts. A recommendation letter is optional.
• Testing: not required for those with more than 24 postsecondary credits by the start of their first semester; those with fewer submit SAT/ACT if they completed US high school, and it is optional for graduates of secondary schools outside the US.
• biology major: the transfer page gives no GPA threshold for the College of Arts and Sciences or the biology major and no calculus, chemistry or biology sequence requirement (the only specific GPA and calculus condition on the page is for the Business School); not published. The department advising page says Dr. Charles Mallery evaluates transfer coursework in biology; contact him about how transfer credit counts toward the major.
• Credit: after admission, coursework is evaluated course by course.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Apply by 1 November (ED I or EA) or 5 January (ED II or RD) through the Common App and choose biology; prepare SAT or ACT scores; submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile by the financial aid deadline; check the bulletin for current B.S./B.A. requirements

International applicants:

• Same deadlines; TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores (or a waiver); translated transcripts; CSS Profile on time; SAT/ACT optional

Applicants from China:

• Confirm with intladmission@miami.edu how the Gaokao is used; translated transcripts; SAT/ACT optional

Transfer students:

• Apply by 1 April (fall) and check that the date applies to 2027; biology transfer coursework is evaluated by Dr. Charles Mallery in the department

Sources: University of Miami, Department of Biology: undergraduate; Department: Honors in Biology; Department: advising; College of Arts and Sciences: undergraduate studies; College: departments and programs; College: accelerated bachelor’s/master’s programs; College: undergraduate research; Admission plans and deadlines; First-year requirements; Testing policy; English proficiency; Requirements by country; Transfer requirements; AP credit; IB credit; GCE credit; Cost of attendance 2026-27; First-year scholarships. Deadlines are for fall 2027 entry; costs are 2026-27 figures; the testing policy page is headed fall 2026; department pages that print no year should be checked against the latest posting. The online bulletin was not read for this guide, so confirm the current full biology major requirements there.