How to Apply to Biology at James Madison University: Biology B.A. and B.S. with ecology, microbiology and neuroscience concentrations and a Biotechnology B.S. in the College of Science and Mathematics, with admission and prerequisites for domestic, international (including Chinese) and transfer applicants

James Madison University (JMU), in Harrisonburg, Virginia, teaches biology in the Department of Biology in the College of Science and Mathematics. Here is what you need to know, based on the university’s website, for domestic applicants, international applicants (including students at high schools in China) and transfer students. Chemistry and biochemistry have their own pages on the website; JMU also offers nursing, health sciences and other degrees that are outside the scope of this article, so see the website.

1. Degrees and options

• Biology B.A. and B.S.: the major page says the department offers four-year B.A. and B.S. programs; the B.A. is met by adding an intermediate-level foreign language and three credit hours of philosophy. The department says the major is flexible and can be tailored: a four-semester core, then your own choice of upper-division courses.
• Concentrations (optional): Ecology and Environmental Biology, Microbiology, and Neuroscience (the major page also lists a Forest Biology dual degree; the department site has an anatomy concentration page that was not read).
• Forest Biology dual degree: a B.S. in biology from JMU and a Master of Forestry from Virginia Tech in five years.
• Biotechnology B.S.: a four-year interdisciplinary major shared among the Departments of Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Integrated Science and Technology (ISAT); the major page says students do extensive laboratory work and analyze both the how and the why of biotechnological solutions.
• Minors: biology (BIO 114, 124, 214 and nine more credits of biology) and biochemistry and molecular biology.
• The department FAQ says it offers only the biology and biotechnology majors, not separate majors in zoology, botany, microbiology and so on, arguing that over-specialization narrows career options; microbiology and similar areas are concentrations within biology.
• Required-course lists are in the university catalog, which was not among the pages read; not published in the pages read. See the website or contact the department (540-568-6225, biodept@jmu.edu).

2. How admission works: applying to the university, and when you declare

• The Admission and Progression Standards page lists biology, biotechnology, biophysical chemistry and chemistry among “programs open to any student in good academic standing” (cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher), and shows no separate admission standard, audition or portfolio for biology.
• When to declare: the department FAQ says to declare biology as soon as possible because priority for enrollment in the core biology classes goes to biology majors. You fill out a “Change or Declaration of Major” form; a first-semester freshman has it signed by the freshman advisor, then the biology department head, then takes it to the registrar.
• Whether you must name a major on the application is not stated in the pages read; ask admissions.

3. Prerequisites and first-year courses

• High school preparation: the university asks all first-year applicants for core academic courses (including lab science) and mathematics (one year beyond Algebra II). The biology pages state no separate high school biology, chemistry or calculus prerequisite.
• Core courses: the FAQ says majors take four required core courses in the first two years, each 4 credits with a laboratory: Organisms (BIO 114), Ecology and Evolution (BIO 124), Cell and Molecular Biology (BIO 214) and Genetics and Development (BIO 224); the last two come in the second year because they need college chemistry. The department’s transfer FAQ names the core courses as BIO 140, 150, 240 and 250, which does not match; these may be numbers from another year, so rely on the catalog.
• Chemistry and mathematics: CHEM 131 is a required prerequisite for BIO 214; if placement scores allow, the FAQ recommends starting CHEM 131 with lab and calculus in the fall of the first year. Biology and Biotechnology majors must take calculus and one statistics course; most students take Calculus with Functions I and II (MATH 231-232), while those with a strong background can take Calculus I (MATH 235). A grade of C- or better in chemistry and core biology courses is needed for them to serve as prerequisites.
• First semester: most first-year biology students take BIO 114, CHEM 131 and lab, MATH 231 and a general education class; full-time students are advised to start with 12–15 credits per semester.
• Class size: core classes usually have 100 students or fewer, introductory lab sections are capped at 24 and often have an undergraduate teaching assistant, and upper-division classes usually have 12–24. Faculty teach most lab sections; trained graduate students teach some.
• AP / IB biology: the FAQ says a 5 on AP Biology or a 7 on the IB test will substitute for the first two core courses, but the department recommends taking them anyway because they cover more laboratory and writing skills; if you take them, your scores still give graduation credit (GBIO 103, GSCI 104 and BIO 000). The credit for other scores is in the catalog (not read).
• Undergraduate research: the department encourages it; the research-credit courses are BIO 495 Biotechniques (1 credit), BIO 496 Research Literature (1 credit), BIO 497 Biological Research (1 credit, repeatable) and BIO 499 Honors in Biology (6 credits over three semesters); the first three need a GPA of 2.5 or greater, and a maximum of 8 hours of these courses counts toward the major. The department suggests starting in the sophomore or junior year and says the time commitment is typically not less than 3 hours per credit hour.
• Honors: BIO 499 requires a minimum GPA of 3.25; a research proposal is submitted to the University Honors College Office in the junior year and the honors thesis is due in the spring of the senior year.

4. Dates, fee and materials

• Application: submitted online (or by mail), with a USD 70 application fee; applications cannot be processed without it. The pages read do not say which application platform is used; check the application page.
• Deadlines (the dates page gives postmark deadlines with no year; verify for fall 2027 entry):
  • Early Action (non-binding) November 1, all pieces (application and transcripts) in; decisions posted mid-to-late January in the Applicant Center of MyMadison; enrollment deposit due May 1.
  • Regular Decision January 15, all pieces in; decisions mid-to-late March; deposit due May 1.
  • If you miss the deadline you will not be considered.
• Transcript: an official high school transcript including your senior-year schedule, with all completed and in-progress courses, dual enrollment and online coursework, and second-semester courses if they differ; sent through a secure provider such as Naviance/Parchment or e-Scrip Safe, or by post. Transcripts sent as email attachments or faxes are unofficial and will not be reviewed.
• Testing: JMU no longer requires SAT/ACT; if you submit scores, they must arrive electronically from the testing agency by the deadline.
• Recommendation and essay: one letter of recommendation is optional for first-year applicants; a personal essay (up to 650 words) is optional. The pages read do not ask for a science teacher’s letter.
• What is weighed: core academic courses (English, social science, foreign language, lab science and mathematics), grades (mostly A’s and B’s in core courses), rigor (AP, IB, dual enrollment, Cambridge International and honors courses), then activities and the letter and essay. Mathematics: one full year beyond Algebra II in a course for which Algebra II is the prerequisite; Algebra Functions and Data Analysis, computer science and consumer mathematics do not count.
• Honors College: first-year applicants to the Honors College submit two short essays with the application, by the same deadline; evaluation for admission to JMU is separate.
• Not read: pages on spring entry for freshmen and the gap-year policy.

5. Domestic applicants

• Virginia residents: the pages read do not state a priority or guarantee for Virginia residents applying as first-year students; not published in the pages read. Transfer applicants have a Guaranteed Admissions Agreements page, which was not read.
• Majors: the Admission and Progression Standards page lists biology, biophysical chemistry, biotechnology and chemistry among “programs open to any student in good academic standing” (cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher); the programs with absolute size limits are nursing and media arts and design.
• Cost (2026-27, per year): tuition and fees USD 14,768 in-state and USD 32,576 out-of-state; housing and food USD 15,220; total USD 29,988 / 47,796. By semester, full-time (12+ credit hours): Virginia residents USD 7,384 (tuition USD 4,273 plus comprehensive fee USD 3,111) and non-residents USD 16,288 (tuition USD 13,177 plus comprehensive fee USD 3,111). Incoming students also pay a one-time USD 200 orientation fee; departments set their own course fees.
• Scholarships: JMU provides more than 400 scholarships to incoming students. Complete the General Application in the Madison Scholarships Hub (through MyMadison); most scholarships are matched on it plus your admissions application. Colleges and departments give Madison Awards for Academic Excellence worth 75% of in-state tuition and comprehensive fees, with no extra application. The Second Century Scholarship goes to first-year students in designated STEM majors (including Biology, Biophysical Chemistry, Biotechnology and Chemistry): 100% of in-state tuition and comprehensive fees for up to four consecutive years, with a GPA of 3.75 or higher and demonstrated STEM interest; the application is due January 1 for Early Action admits and March 1 for Regular Decision. The Jones Scholarship is for one incoming student a year with a declared STEM major who is a Virginia resident, a first-generation student and has applied to the Honors College.
• Federal aid: the scholarships page says to receive consideration for all need-based scholarships the FAFSA should be submitted no later than January 1, while the same page gives March 1 as the priority filing date; the two differ, so check with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. JMU does not base admission decisions on financial aid.

6. International applicants

• Deadlines (all pieces): fall term June 1, spring term October 1, summer term February 15. Whether international first-year applicants also follow the Early Action / Regular Decision rounds is not stated in the pages read; ask international@jmu.edu.
• Checklist: online application; official transcripts (complete, original copy, in English); proof of English proficiency (non-native speakers); one letter of recommendation (listed in the international checklist, while the first-year page calls the letter optional); copies of temporary visa documents; financial certification form; USD 70 application fee. SAT/ACT optional. The China page asks for transcripts or statements of marks, complete and certified by the issuing institution.
• English (any one): IELTS overall 6.5 (three sub-scores at 6.5 or above and one at 6.0 or above); GTEC CBT 1210; Duolingo overall 120 (three sub-scores at 100 or above, production above 95); PTE Academic overall 58 (all sub-scores above 56); TOEFL iBT 81, or 4.5 on the new TOEFL scale for exams taken after January 21, 2026 (JMU describes a two-year transition); SAT EBRW 500; Cambridge CAE 176; GCSE or O-Level English; an American associate’s degree or two years of continuous full-time college work in an English-speaking country; or graduation from an accredited high school in a native English-speaking country with at least four years of residence. Scores go directly from the testing agency (JMU CEEB code 005392). Applicants who meet everything but English may apply to the International Year Program at the JMU International Study Center.
• 2026-27 cost estimate (international page): tuition and insurance USD 33,862 per year; living expenses (housing, food and incidentals) USD 15,088; books and personal expenses USD 4,300; internet fee USD 276 (USD 138 per semester); financial certification amount required for the I-20 USD 53,250.
• Scholarships: the scholarships page does not say which awards international students can apply for; not published in the pages read, so ask International Admissions.

7. Applicants from China

• Grades: the China page asks first-year applicants for a minimum average of 80 on a 100-point scale (the equivalent of a B or a 3.00 GPA); those who fall short may still be considered and should contact the university to explain.
• Gaokao: the website does not say how Gaokao results are used, and does not mention huikao materials; not published, so ask International Admissions.
• Documents: transcripts or statements of marks for all secondary and post-secondary education, translated into English and complete (for students still enrolled, including the most recent term), an original copy certified by the issuing institution; one letter of recommendation; the financial certification form completed by your sponsor; a copy of your passport; copies of any current U.S. visa documents; the USD 70 fee; SAT/ACT optional.
• Interview: the university recommends a third-party interview for applicants from China (companies such as InitialView), completed and submitted before the June 1 international deadline.
• English: see above; the China page sets no separate higher requirement.
• Exam credit: credit is given for AP, IB and Cambridge International exams, with the tables in the catalog (not read); whether Gaokao earns credit is not published.

8. Scholarships and outcomes

• Department scholarships and awards: the department website has an awards and scholarships page, which was not read; amounts and conditions are not published in the pages read.
• Outcomes: the department FAQ says there is no pre-med major; students interested in medical or other professional schools are advised to choose the major they enjoy most, and pre-professional health programs are preparation programs, not majors. The department’s careers page was not read.

9. Transfer students

• Who counts: anyone who has taken college coursework after high school is a transfer applicant; the more college work, the less the high school record counts. Students not competitive from high school are advised to have completed or be completing at least 24 credit hours after high school when they apply.
• Competitiveness: at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA and successful college coursework in English, mathematics, social science and lab science. Admission to JMU does not necessarily guarantee admission to your intended major; the Biology programs are in the group open to any student in good academic standing (cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher).
• Deadlines (all pieces): fall March 1 (decisions mid-April, deposit May 5); spring October 15 (decisions mid-November, deposit November 30); summer February 1 (decisions early March, deposit May 5). International transfer applicants follow the international deadlines (fall June 1, spring October 1, summer February 15).
• Materials: the application and USD 70 fee; official transcripts from all colleges attended (including dual enrollment taken in high school); the final official high school transcript or GED certificate, regardless of when you graduated; SAT/ACT not required; a personal statement is optional; a letter of intent to enroll if applying under a Guaranteed Admissions Agreement. Transcripts go through a secure provider such as Parchment or the National Student Clearinghouse, or by post.
• Credit: the Registrar evaluates credit course by course after admission, allowing credit only for equivalent JMU courses with a grade of C or better; a C- will not transfer. A.A., A.S. and A.A.&S. degrees from Virginia community colleges are approved to fulfill JMU’s General Education requirements. Courses from international institutions are evaluated individually by the departments involved. How the biology, chemistry and calculus courses you have completed are placed against the biology requirements is not stated in the pages read; ask the Department of Biology. The department’s transfer FAQ also says a lower-division course cannot count as an upper-division one.
• Credit limits: the Biology department FAQ says there is no limit on transferred credit, but a JMU degree needs at least 60 credits at a four-year institution and at least 30 earned at JMU; a lower-division course cannot count as an upper-division one. Transferring core courses requires prior approval.

Checklist

Domestic applicants:

• Apply by November 1 (EA) or January 15 with the USD 70 fee; official transcript with the senior-year schedule; mathematics one year beyond Algebra II
• Complete the General Application in the Madison Scholarships Hub; apply for the Second Century Scholarship by its deadline; file the FAFSA

International applicants (including China):

• All materials by June 1 for fall entry: English transcripts, English proficiency, recommendation letter, financial certification form, passport copy, fee
• China: average of 80 or above; consider a third-party interview; ask International Admissions how Gaokao and huikao materials are handled

Transfer students:

• Apply by March 1 for fall; cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above; all college transcripts plus the final high school transcript; grades of C or better transfer; How the biology, chemistry and calculus courses you have completed are placed against the biology requirements is not stated in the pages read; ask the Department of Biology. The department’s transfer FAQ also says a lower-division course cannot count as an upper-division one.

Sources: James Madison University, Biology major page; Biotechnology major page; Department of Biology; Department: overview of majors; Department: undergraduate research; FAQ: prospective students; FAQ: major and minor; FAQ: transfer students; College of Science and Mathematics: academics; Admission and progression standards; First-year applicants; Dates and deadlines; Earning college credit; International students; International admissions process and English proficiency; Country-specific requirements; Requirements for China; Transfer applicants; Transfer credit; First-year scholarships; Second Century and Jones scholarships; Tuition and financial aid; 2026-27 undergraduate tuition and fees. Dates shown without a year should be checked for fall 2027 entry; costs are for 2026-27, so check the website for the latest.