How to Apply to Biology at Lehigh University: The College of Arts and Sciences Offers Biology, Molecular Biology and Behavioral Neuroscience (BA or BS) and a Biochemistry BS, with Early Decision on 1 November, No Early Action and Optional Testing, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Lehigh University is in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Undergraduate biology is offered by the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences. Here is what you need to know for fall 2027 entry, based on the University’s admissions site, the College of Arts and Sciences and the biological sciences department’s websites, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Chemistry, bioengineering, medicine, dentistry and pharmacy are not covered in this article.

1. Degrees and how to apply

• Degrees (biological sciences “Undergraduate” and “Majors” pages): undergraduates can pursue B.A. or B.S. degrees in biology, molecular biology and behavioral neuroscience, or a B.S. in biochemistry. The majors page says the department offers four routes: the B.A. and B.S. in Biology give a broad introduction with room to build a programme around your interests; the B.A. and B.S. in Behavioral Neuroscience and Molecular Biology focus on particular aspects of biology; and biochemistry is a B.S. The College of Arts and Sciences majors page lists the latter two as “Neuroscience” and “Molecular and Cellular Biology” and marks minors; the department also has declaration forms for a biology minor and a molecular biology minor.
• The B.S. in Biochemistry: an interdepartmental College of Arts and Sciences degree run by a committee of faculty from the Departments of Chemistry and Biological Sciences; the program page says “Biochemistry majors should be declared in Biological Sciences”, and faculty from both departments advise; Lehigh currently has no biochemistry minor. Chemistry itself is covered in the chemistry article, not here.
• Affiliated programs: the department page says it is affiliated with premedical and predental sciences programs and with bioengineering. The admissions requirements page also describes a seven-year BA/DMD program with Penn’s dental school (a Penn supplement is required, due 1 January, and applicants to it cannot apply Early Decision); dentistry, medicine and bioengineering are outside this article.
• Department overview: the page says its curricula offer “exceptional preparation for graduate school, professional training, and careers in health-related industries” and that students are actively encouraged to become involved in independent study and honors research. Students can gain experience outside the department, but to earn academic credit for it they must first have completed the department’s core requirements and have the approval of a department faculty member willing to oversee the academic elements.
• How to apply: through the Common Application or Coalition Application with Scoir. The admissions FAQ refers to “the four undergraduate colleges”, and the requirements page mentions an “Intended College or Program” drop-down in the application (in the note on the seven-year dental program). Biology belongs to the College of Arts and Sciences, but whether you must choose that college when applying for biology, whether admission is by major and whether there is a major-specific cut-off are not stated in the pages read; ask Admissions.
• When and how to declare the major: the department page links a form to declare a major or minor but does not state the timing, any grade requirement or any cap on places; the University’s course catalog is hosted on a third-party (CourseLeaf) platform and is not covered here, and the major’s course requirements are there, so they are not published in the pages read; check the catalog or contact the department office (inbios@lehigh.edu).

2. Prerequisites and course planning

• Minimum high school courses for all applicants (admissions FAQ): English 4; foreign language 2 (waived only in exceptional cases for otherwise well-qualified candidates, for any of the four undergraduate colleges); social science 2; laboratory science 2; college-preparatory mathematics 3; elective subjects 3; 16 credits in total. The office says most admitted students exceed these minimums.
• High school biology, chemistry and mathematics: neither the admissions pages nor the biological sciences pages state how many years of high school biology or chemistry, or whether calculus, the major needs; this is not published there, so ask Admissions or the department office. Only the University-wide minimum of 2 years of lab science and 3 years of college-preparatory mathematics is given.
• Major course requirements: the department’s majors page only says to see the course catalog, which is not covered here; the requirements are not published in the pages read.
• AP/IB and credit: the admissions FAQ says the Registrar reviews college-level credits earned in high school after admission; the international page says students with IB higher-level scores of 5 or better, or A or B at A Level, may be granted credit, with credentials evaluated individually for course equivalency. Which Lehigh courses AP Biology, AP Chemistry or IB biology correspond to is not published. The transfer page tells admitted transfer students that AP Chemistry needs a 5 and IB higher-level scores of 6 and 7 (section 8), which differs from the international page’s IB 5; rely on the credit evaluation after admission.
• Undergraduate research: the department page says research comes at several levels: most introductory courses have laboratory experiences designed as research activities; upper-level laboratories use more sophisticated techniques and research projects; and students can work in a faculty member’s laboratory alongside graduate students and sometimes other undergraduates. Students seeking independent research must contact faculty; the department advises seeing faculty before preregistration and preferably in the second semester of the sophomore year for the best chance of working with the mentor of choice, and says students usually start with a writing-intensive project with the research adviser or by assisting and observing another student. An undergraduate research agreement form with an adviser-approved proposal is required.
• Departmental honors: apply through a potential thesis adviser; requirements are a major GPA of 3.25 and at least two semesters of 300-level research for a minimum of 6 credits, a research proposal, a thesis and a symposium presentation; students meet regularly with their adviser and group in BioS 387 and 388. Financial support for honors and independent study is available through a competitive application in the department.
• Biology competitions: the admissions pages read do not say how biology olympiads or similar competitions are viewed.

3. Application rounds, deadlines and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Rounds (admissions “How to Apply” and “Admissions Requirements” pages): Early Decision I is due 1 November with a decision in mid-December; Early Decision II is due 1 January with a decision in mid-February; Regular Decision is due 1 January with a decision in late March. Both Early Decision rounds are binding. Lehigh has no Early Action. The pages show no year, so check that the dates apply to fall 2027 entry.
• How to apply and the fee: the Common Application or the Coalition Application with Scoir, with Lehigh’s questions and writing supplement; the application fee is $75. An interview is not required; the office says interviews are for students with specific questions or who want to add context, and that every interview is evaluative and goes into the file.
• Materials: a School Report (including the counselor recommendation) and official high school transcript, one teacher recommendation, a mid-year report and transcript, and a final transcript after graduation (from a high school with a CEEB code). The website does not say the teacher must teach a science subject; this is not published.
• Testing: SAT/ACT submission is optional indefinitely; scores from several dates are superscored; an ACT taken with the science section must be reported in full. Applicants who report scores must have official scores sent by the College Board or ACT before classes start, and any discrepancy can lead to admission being reversed.
• How applications are read: the office says every application is reviewed holistically and lists factors including class rank, grades in the context of the school, grade trends (especially senior-year courses), performance in courses related to the intended area of study, course difficulty, recommendations, extracurricular or work experience (with emphasis on leadership) and demonstrated interest in Lehigh.

4. US domestic applicants

• Costs (2026-27, admissions “Tuition, Aid & Affording College” page): tuition $69,420; typical first-year housing $11,470; full meal plan $7,760; technology fee $630, activity fee $290, wellness fee $250; the page lists a total of $89,820. Students in certain programs and majors pay an additional $910 (the page names an Engineering and Science fee, an Arts and Sciences fee or a Health fee). Lehigh is a private university and the page does not distinguish in-state from out-of-state tuition.
• Aid and scholarships: the page says undergraduates from families with total income below $75,000 are eligible for a full tuition grant through the Lehigh Commitment; 26% of students admitted for 2025-26 received a merit scholarship of $15,000 or more a year; and $175 million is available in grants and scholarships. Aid application deadlines (financial aid table): ED I 1 November, ED II 1 January, Regular Decision 15 January. The admissions office’s Early Decision note says ED I applicants send the CSS Profile and tax documents by 1 November and ED II applicants by 15 January, and all aid applicants must submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile by 1 February; the two pages give different ED II aid dates (1 January and 15 January), so check them.
• Priority or guaranteed admission for Pennsylvania residents: not stated in the pages read.
• Testing policy: see section 3.

5. International applicants

• Who counts as international: anyone who is not a US citizen, wherever they attend high school; “eligible non-citizens” for federal aid (such as permanent residents and refugees) are treated as domestic, and US citizens living abroad apply as domestic students. Applicants must be completing or have completed the equivalent of 12 years of primary and secondary education, or the programme that leaves them eligible for university study in their own system; students who have only completed O level or GCSE/IGCSE study are not eligible and should apply in the final year of A level study or the equivalent.
• English proficiency: required unless English is your first language or your last two full years of formal instruction (not counting the current year) were in English. TOEFL and IELTS are preferred; the TOEFL iBT Home Edition and the Duolingo English Test are considered if those exams are not available; scores must come directly from the testing agency; the most competitive candidates score above 90 on the TOEFL, 7.0 on the IELTS or 120 on Duolingo. The international page also gives guidance bands: scores that generally indicate strong readiness are TOEFL iBT 95+ (tests before 21 January 2026) or 5.5+ (new format from 21 January 2026), IELTS 7.5+ and Duolingo 120+; scores that may suggest a need for additional support are TOEFL iBT 86–94 (new format 4.0–5.0), IELTS 6.5–7.0 and Duolingo 110–119; scores below those ranges raise considerable concern. The first-year section of the requirements page mentions only the TOEFL 90 and Duolingo 120 lines, not an IELTS line. SAT and ACT scores cannot meet the English requirement.
• Proof of funds: the international page says no bank statement or certificate is needed at the time of application; it is requested if you are admitted and decide to enrol.
• Financial aid: admission of non-US citizens is need-aware. Non-citizens who need aid must submit the CSS Profile ($25 fee); if that fee is a significant hardship, the ISAFA may be submitted instead, but places are limited and the CSS Profile is strongly preferred. The CSS Profile or ISAFA is due by the application deadline: ED I 1 November, ED II and Regular Decision 15 January. The first aid offer is final apart from adjustments for increases in the cost of attendance, and aid is not adjusted for changes in your home currency. The international page says tuition, room and board can exceed $98,900 a year; its FAQ and the requirements page say $93,400; both figures are on the website. The page says merit scholarships range from $5,000 to full tuition with no separate application.
• Application fee waiver: a non-US citizen whose family can contribute no more than $10,000 a year and for whom the fee is a hardship can request a waiver in the Common Application or Coalition Application using the code printed on the international page.
• International students on campus: the international page says that in 2024–2025 Lehigh hosted 967 international students from 87 countries, 352 of them undergraduates; the Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) provides visa documents.

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: neither the international page nor the requirements page mentions whether the gaokao is considered or how it is used, and there is no China-specific page; this is not published there. You can ask the international admissions office (luinternational@lehigh.edu).
• Transcripts and school documents: the website gives only the general international requirements (section 5) and the 12-years-of-education requirement; whether there is a specific format for Chinese high school transcripts or school-leaving examinations is not stated.
• English and funds: follow the English bands and aid rules in section 5.

7. Outcomes and contact

• Outcomes (department “Undergraduate” page): the page says the curricula provide exceptional preparation for graduate school, professional training and careers in health-related industries; it prints no employment numbers, further-study rates or salary data specific to biology. At University level the cost page prints “$77K average starting salary of 2025 graduates”, which is University-wide, not biology data.
• Contact: the department’s academic coordinator, inbios@lehigh.edu.
• Biology-specific undergraduate scholarships: not stated in the pages read; financial support for honors and independent study is described in section 2.

8. Transfer students

• Deadlines: fall entry 1 April (decision in mid-May); spring entry 1 November (decision in late December). The pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry. Apply through the Common Application or Coalition Application with Scoir; the fee is $75; there are no transfer interviews; the SAT and ACT are not required.
• GPA: there is no minimum GPA, but competitive applicants typically have 3.25 or above. Applicants must be in good academic standing at their current institution.
• Materials: the final high school transcript, transcripts from every college attended, a Conduct Report Form (sent directly by the previous institution) and the fee. The website says Lehigh does not require course descriptions, but the Registrar will ask if more information is needed, and the transfer page advises supplying course descriptions and syllabi where possible.
• Credit transfer: credit is evaluated by Registration & Academic Services after admission, in consultation with departments on specific equivalencies; only grades of C or better transfer (C- never does); pass/fail courses do not transfer; no more credit than shown on the original transcript is awarded; transfer grades are not counted in the Lehigh GPA. For admitted transfer students, most AP scores of 4 and 5 and most IB higher-level scores of 6 and 7 can count for placement and credit (Calculus AB, Chemistry and both English exams require a 5).
• Biology: the pages read do not state requirements for entering the biology major or whether earlier coursework can replace required biology courses; the department page says experiences outside the department earn credit only after the department’s core requirements are completed and with a faculty member’s approval (see section 1). Transfer students should contact the Department of Biological Sciences (inbios@lehigh.edu).
• International transfer students: applicants from institutions where English is not the main language of instruction must submit a WES evaluation; the English bands are TOEFL 90, IELTS 7.0 and Duolingo 120.
• Scholarships: academic or talent-based scholarships for transfer students are described as limited; admitted transfer students who are Phi Theta Kappa members receive $10,000 a year.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• 1 November (ED I) / 1 January (ED II, Regular); $75 fee; no Early Action; tests optional; one teacher recommendation
• Biology-specific high school requirements are not published; ask Admissions or the department office; the University-wide minimum is 2 years of lab science and 3 of college-preparatory math

International applicants (including China):

• English scores (TOEFL 90+, IELTS 7.0, Duolingo 120, or an exemption); CSS Profile (or ISAFA) if you need aid, 1 November for ED I and 15 January otherwise; proof of funds only after admission
• Gaokao use is not published; ask the international admissions address

After entry:

• Choose among the biology, molecular biology, behavioral neuroscience and biochemistry routes; if you want research, contact faculty around the second semester of the sophomore year; experiences outside the department earn credit only after the core requirements

Transfer students:

• Fall 1 April, spring 1 November; GPA typically 3.25 or above; only C or better transfers

Sources: Biological Sciences: undergraduate; Biological Sciences: majors; Biological Sciences: undergraduate research; Biological Sciences: departmental honors; College of Arts and Sciences: majors and minors; College of Arts and Sciences: biochemistry; Admissions: how to apply; Admissions: requirements; Admissions: international students; Admissions: transfer students; Admissions: tuition, aid and affording college. Most admissions pages show no year, so check that the deadlines apply to fall 2027 entry; the cost page is labelled 2026-27. Detailed course requirements are in the University’s course catalog, which was not read for this article.