How to Apply to Biology at Florida Gulf Coast University: A Department of Biological Sciences Offering Biology B.A., Biology B.S. (Microbiology, Organismal Biology & Ecology, Pre-Professional) and Biotechnology B.S., SAT/ACT Required for First-Year Applicants, 1 November Early Action, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in Fort Myers, Florida is a public university. Biology is offered by the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts & Sciences. Here is what you need to know, based on the College of Arts & Sciences and department websites and the admission office’s websites, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Admissions information, program requirements and semester-by-semester degree maps for the biology programs sit in the University’s course catalog, which this article did not read, so wherever course content would appear this article says it is not stated in the pages read. Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary and other health-professions degrees are outside the scope of this article; the department’s One Health Pre-Professional Programs office is mentioned in one line below.

1. Degrees and tracks

• Undergraduate degrees in the Department of Biological Sciences: Biology B.A., Biology B.S. and Biotechnology B.S.; the College’s programme list also shows Biology Accelerated (B.S.); there is a biology minor. Biochemistry B.S. sits in the Department of Chemistry & Physics and is not covered here.
• Department mission (department page): the department is committed to discovery, development and dissemination of knowledge, studying life in all its forms from the molecular and cellular to organisms and ecosystems, and aims to provide a strong foundation in the biological sciences through classroom instruction, experiential learning and hands-on research.
• Biology B.A.: the page says the B.A. gives students a broad knowledge of biology with emphasis on interactions between organisms and their environments, incorporating biomedical and evolutionary perspectives, in a student-centered, hands-on collaboration between students and faculty.
• Biology B.S.: the page says it provides a strong foundation in the biological sciences with a solid background in chemistry, math and physics, preparing graduates for immediate entry into the job market or continuing education in professional and graduate programmes. It has three concentrations: Microbiology, Organismal Biology & Ecology, and Pre-Professional Biology, which share a common core of biology courses with additional specific requirements for each; every concentration requires an individualized research and presentation experience that emphasizes communication and critical thinking.
• Biotechnology B.S.: listed as a separate degree on the department page; its requirements were not read for this article.
• One Health Pre-Professional Programs: the department page says this office gives information to students interested in human or animal health, with pages on medicine, dental, pharmacy, physician assistant, veterinary medicine and optometry; the professional degrees themselves are outside the scope of this article.

2. How admission works: admitted to the University first, then choose a major

• At application: the admission pages say most majors follow the University’s standard first-year requirements; only music, nursing, athletic training and PGA Golf Management are specialized admissions programmes that need a supplemental application, and biology is not among them. The pages read do not say whether the major entered on the application affects the decision, and do not give biology-specific admission requirements; the admission office adds that programme admission information is in the course catalog. Please ask the admission office or the Department of Biological Sciences.
• Conditions to switch into or declare biology later: not stated on the department pages and not published there; please contact the Department of Biological Sciences (the page lists department contacts).

3. Prerequisites, laboratories and research

• High school preparation: the admission and department pages read do not state specific high school biology, chemistry or mathematics requirements for the biology major; please ask the admission office or the department. The University-level requirement is the 18 high school units in section 4 (including 4 mathematics and 3 natural science units with 2 labs). The One Health Pre-Professional Programs page says requirements vary by professional school but generally include two semesters of general chemistry with lab and two of organic chemistry (CHM 1045/1046 and 2210/2211 with labs), and because these four courses are sequential it recommends starting in the first year.
• AP/IB credit: the transfer page says credit from exams such as AP, CLEP, AICE and IB can be evaluated under University policy, with official scores sent by the testing agency to Undergraduate Admissions; which biology major courses they map to is not stated in the pages read, so please check the website.
• Research: the department’s research page says getting involved in research is a key part of a biology education at FGCU and helps prepare students for graduate programmes, professional schools and science careers; faculty and students collaborate in real scientific research and scholarship, and the recent publications listed include work on microplastics on marine turtle nesting beaches, a new sunflower species and species limits in North American birds.
• Internships and clubs: students can develop knowledge and skills through internships with community partners, and the department has more than 15 clubs and organizations.
• Thesis or honors requirements: each B.S. concentration requires an individualized research and presentation experience; other thesis or honors requirements are not stated in the pages read and are not published there, so please check the course catalog or ask the department. The University also has an Honors College, which is not covered here.

4. Deadlines and application materials

• How to apply and fee: first-year students may use the Common Application or the FGCU online application, with a non-refundable $30 fee (SAT/ACT, NACAC and Common App fee waivers are accepted). International applicants use the FGCU online application, also $30.
• First-year deadlines: for fall entry, Early Action 1 November (decisions in December; supplemental items due 15 November) and Regular Decision 1 March; spring entry closes 1 December; summer 1 March. The website says applications received after these deadlines are processed on a space-available basis, and freshman merit scholarships give preference to students who apply by 1 November. Deposit deadlines: 1 May for fall, 15 December for spring, 1 May for summer. The pages show no year, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry.
• Materials: an official high school transcript (courses from grades 9 through 11, with a final transcript showing the graduation date to follow); ACT or SAT scores (FGCU’s ACT code is 0733 and SAT code 5221; all sub-scores must be sent; applicants whose scores arrive after February are not guaranteed admission and may have to defer to a later term). The pages read do not mention recommendation letters or essays; please check the website.
• Testing: first-time-in-college applicants must submit test scores; those applying as “Freshman earning an AA degree” (high school students completing an A.A. from a Florida public college or university) may submit them optionally. The website says the choice of application type cannot be changed afterwards, and the second group is considered for transfer scholarships rather than freshman merit awards.
• Admissions reference points: the website prints “freshman admissions averages” of GPA 4.16, SAT 1140, ACT 23 and CLT 76 (the page shows no year). The weighted GPA on the transcript is used; 1 point is added for AP, IB, dual enrollment and AICE courses with a grade of C or higher and 0.5 point for honors, pre-IB and pre-AICE courses.
• Minimum high school units (18 in total): English 4 (3 with substantial writing), mathematics 4 (Algebra I level or higher), natural science 3 (2 with lab), social science 3, foreign language 2 (the same language; American Sign Language is accepted), electives 2.
• Specialized admissions programmes: music, nursing, athletic training and PGA Golf Management are specialized admissions programmes: first-year students are admitted as pre-majors and apply to the programme later. Biology is not among them.

5. US domestic applicants

• Tuition: the tuition page lists undergraduate tuition and fees per credit hour of $203.94 for Florida residents and $933.95 for non-Florida residents (the page does not print the academic year; it also prints a 2026-27 repeat surcharge, so please check). It adds that a tuition differential fee applies to undergraduate courses, with exemptions. Housing and meal costs are not listed in the pages read; please check the website.
• First-year merit scholarships: no separate application is needed, and applicants who apply by 1 November are considered automatically; students may retest for consideration by March (higher scores submitted by 31 March may be considered, subject to funding). Florida residents: President’s Gold $5,000 a year for up to four years (weighted GPA 3.75 with SAT 1300 / ACT 28 / CLT 92), Silver $3,000 (3.5 with 1200/25/83), Bronze $2,000 (3.5 with 1150/23/78). Non-Florida residents: Blue & Green Scholars $15,000 a year for up to four years (3.75 with 1320/28/92) and the Director’s Award $10,000 (3.5 with 1200/25/83). Recipients must be US citizens or eligible non-citizens as defined by the federal student aid programmes, and renewal needs a cumulative FGCU GPA of 3.0 and at least 30 credits each academic year. There are also National Merit, Florida Benacquisto and state Bright Futures scholarships (not covered here). Generally a student can receive only one admissions scholarship or waiver.
• Florida residency: tuition residency follows Florida Statute 1009.21; the website says US citizens, permanent residents and eligible non-citizens must have established legal residence in Florida for at least 12 consecutive months before the first day of the term, and must submit a residency declaration with at least two supporting documents.

6. International applicants

• Application and credentials: international first-year applicants need the equivalent of a US high school diploma and apply through the FGCU online application ($30). Foreign transcripts must be evaluated by a credential evaluation agency (the University suggests NACES members): for high school, generally a document-by-document evaluation, with or without a GPA (the guide calls the GPA “optional”, but the FAQ page adds that if a GPA is on the evaluation the test score must correspond to it); for college work, a course-by-course evaluation with a GPA; reports must be mailed directly by the agency to FGCU. FGCU does not evaluate foreign credentials on campus.
• Test scores: first-year students, or applicants with fewer than 60 transferable credits, submit official ACT or SAT scores (codes ACT 0733, SAT 5221).
• English requirement: applicants whose native language is not English submit official TOEFL or IELTS scores taken within three years of entry (the application-process page says “not more than 3 years old”): TOEFL iBT 79 (213 computer-based, 550 paper-based) or IELTS 6.5. Applicants with a degree from a US institution, or who attended and graduated from a US high school for the whole four years, are exempt, and the website lists English-speaking countries whose applicants are exempt. Duolingo, PTE and other tests are not listed in the pages read.
• Proof of funds and visas: all international applicants submit a Financial Statement Form showing resources equivalent to one academic year at FGCU (an original signed by a bank official or sponsor, dated within six months of the intended enrolment, in US dollars); applicants already at a US institution also submit a Visa Clearance Form. The website says the I-20 is not issued until sufficient funds are verified. A sponsor’s statement must show at least $4,836 of support through housing and meals, and the sponsor must be local; dependents need additional funds. The estimated expenses list is in a PDF file that this article did not read; please check the website.
• Timing: for international applicants (first-year, transfer and second bachelor’s): fall applications open 1 August with a preferred deadline of 1 July and a deposit due 1 August; spring opens 2 January with a preferred deadline of 1 November and a deposit due 1 December; summer is by special permission only. All foreign transcript evaluations must be complete by the application deadline. Proof of MMR (measles, rubella) vaccination is also required.
• Scholarships: the admissions merit scholarships require US citizenship or eligible non-citizen status, so international students are generally not covered. The admissions page lists Florida Linkage Institute tuition waivers for specific countries and regions (for example Canada, Costa Rica, Eastern Europe, France, Israel and West Africa); recipients must return to their home country within three years after finishing, or may have to repay the amount waived. The international scholarships page also mentions the FGCU Global Learning Grant and foundation scholarships, which are not covered here.

7. Applicants from China

• Credentials and evaluation: the website has no China-specific entry. The general requirements for all international applicants are in section 6: the equivalent of a US high school diploma, a credential evaluation of foreign transcripts, SAT or ACT for first-year students, and TOEFL or IELTS (or an exemption).
• Gaokao: the pages read do not mention the Gaokao. Whether Gaokao results are accepted and how they would be used is not published there, and first-year applicants must still submit SAT/ACT. Please ask the international admission office (internationaladm@fgcu.edu).
• School-leaving examination certificates and transcripts: no China-specific document requirements are published in the pages read; please check with the admission office.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs and scholarships: see sections 5 and 6. Biology-specific scholarships are not stated in the pages read; the admission office mentions Foundation Scholarships administered by the Office of Financial Aid (priority deadline 1 January, final deadline 1 May).
• Outcomes: the Biology B.S. page says graduates are prepared for immediate entry into the job market or for continuing education in professional and graduate programmes; the department’s research page says research helps prepare students for graduate programmes, professional schools and science careers. The pages print no employment numbers or salary data.

9. Transfer students

• Who counts as a transfer student: an applicant with an accredited high school diploma or GED who has completed at least 12 transferable college credits after high school and has no bachelor’s degree; high school dual-enrollment students apply as freshmen. Transfers are classified as upper-level (a Florida public A.A. graduate, or 60 or more credits), mid-level (30-59 credits) or lower-level (12-29 credits). The website advertises guaranteed admission with an A.A. degree (marked with an asterisk), and says programmes may have additional requirements (supplemental application, minimum GPA, prerequisite courses, test scores) that applicants should verify; meeting the minimums does not guarantee admission.
• Deadlines: for transfer, returning and non-degree students: fall scholarship-consideration deadline 1 April, preferred application deadline 1 June, deposit 7 July; spring 1 October / 1 November / 15 December; summer preferred 1 April, deposit 1 May. Late applications are processed on a space-available basis. International transfers: see section 6.
• Grade requirements: upper-level, Florida A.A. graduates: degree awarded, at least 60 transferable hours and general education complete, an overall 2.0 GPA, and two college-level English and two math courses with a C or higher; non-Florida or private institutions: at least 60 transferable hours, an overall 2.0 GPA, and two English composition and two college math courses with an average of 2.5 or higher; mid-level: an overall 2.5 GPA and at least one English composition and one college-level math course (3 credits each) with a C or higher; lower-level: an overall 2.5 GPA, a high school transcript and ACT/SAT scores meeting freshman admission requirements (a limited number who do not may still be admitted). Test scores are optional with 30 or more transferable credits including college-level math and English. The foreign language requirement must be satisfied.
• Credit transfer: credit is evaluated within a few weeks of admission; Undergraduate Admissions identifies total transferable credits, the student’s college assigns equivalent upper-division courses, and the academic advisor decides how credits apply to the degree; an online transfer equivalency tool gives an unofficial estimate. Whether transfer credits can replace required courses for the biology major, and any biology prerequisite courses for transfers, are not stated in the pages read; please contact the Department of Biological Sciences and an academic advisor.
• Transfer scholarships: the scholarships page lists, for example, Eagle Transfer Gold ($3,000 a year for up to two years for a Florida A.A. graduate with a 3.5 GPA or higher); see the page for details.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Early Action 1 November; Regular Decision 1 March; $30 fee; official high school transcript; ACT or SAT (required for first-year students)
• Resident and non-resident tuition per credit hour differ widely; see section 5

International applicants (including China):

• Credential evaluation (NACES member); SAT or ACT; TOEFL 79 or IELTS 6.5 (or an exemption); Financial Statement Form; apply by the 1 July preferred deadline
• Gaokao use is not published; ask the international admission office

After entry:

• Biology B.A., Biology B.S. (Microbiology, Organismal Biology & Ecology or Pre-Professional) or Biotechnology B.S.; check the course catalog for requirements and degree maps; contact the Department of Biological Sciences

Transfer students:

• Fall 1 April scholarship consideration, 1 June preferred; GPA 2.0 for A.A. graduates, 2.5 for mid- and lower-level transfers

Sources: Florida Gulf Coast University, Department of Biological Sciences; Biology B.S.; Biology B.A.; Biology research; One Health Pre-Professional Programs; College of Arts & Sciences; Freshman admissions; Application deadlines; Admissions scholarships and waivers; International student admission; International application process; International FAQ; Estimated expenses; International transfer; International student scholarships; Tuition and fees; Transfer admissions. Admissions information, program requirements and degree maps are in the University’s course catalog. Most date pages do not print a year; check FGCU’s website for the latest and confirm the entry year is fall 2027.