Biology BSc (Honours)

Biology involves the study of life at all levels of organisation, from the molecular biology of virus replication to the study of animals and plants in their natural habitats. Biology also touches on many aspects of contemporary life, from drug design and investigating the molecular basis of Alzheimer’s disease, to the migration and conservation of marine mammals.

Students interested in this course may also be interested in the Biology Integrated Masters course, which allows you to graduate with a Master in Biology.

Entry requirements

The University offers different entry requirements, depending on your background. Find out more about Standard, Minimum and Gateway entry requirements using academic entry explained and see which entry requirements you need to look at using the entry requirements indicator.

For the following degrees, the entry requirements are slightly different than those listed below:

• Biology and Chemistry BSc
• Biology and Computer Science BSc
• Biology and Mathematics BSc
• Biology and Statistics BSc
• Biology and Earth Sciences BSc

• Standard entry grades:

  AAAB, including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

  Minimum entry grades:

  AABB, including Biology (or Human Biology) and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

  Gateway entry grades:

  Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades, but meet the University's contextual criteria, may be interested in one of the University’s Gateway programmes.

• Standard entry grades:

  AAB, including Biology and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

  Minimum entry grades:

  ABB, including Biology and one other science from the following: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

• Standard entry grades:

  36 (HL 6,6,5), including HL6 in Biology and HL6 in one of the following subjects: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

  Minimum entry grades:

  36 (HL 6,5,5), including HL6 in Biology and HL5 in one of the following subjects: Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics.

General entry requirements

All applicants must have attained the following qualifications, or equivalent, in addition to the specific entry requirements for individual programmes.

• SQA National 5 (B) in English and one SQA National 5 (B) from the following:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing science
  • Geography
  • Applications of Mathematics
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.

• GCSE (5) in English language or English literature, and one GCSE (5) from the following:

  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Computing Science
  • Geography
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Psychology.

Other qualifications

We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry on to our programmes. Please see our entry requirements for more information.

More information on how to apply via other entry routes or accreditation of prior learning and experience can be found on the University’s entry requirements web page.

Do I need to have studied this subject before?

Students must have studied Biology (or Human Biology) at SQA Higher, GCE A-Level or equivalent. Preference will be given to candidates offering strong science qualifications over and above the stated minimum requirements.

Alternative study options

Direct entry to second year

Well-qualified school leavers may be able to apply for admission directly into the second year of this course.

Integrated Masters

It is possible to take Biology as a five-year Integrated Masters course, allowing you to graduate with a Master of Science.

Gateway programmes

Applicants who have narrowly missed the minimum entry grades but meet the University's contextual criteria may be interested in the Gateway to Science programme.

Study abroad

Biology students can apply to participate in the University-wide St Andrews Abroad programme. You may also have the opportunity to apply to participate in the School Abroad exchange programme. For information about study abroad options, please see the study abroad website.

International applicants

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide an English language test score to evidence your English language ability. Find out more about approved English language tests and scores for this course.

Careers

Biology graduates are in high demand and are keenly sought after by institutions including the government, universities, research centres and major companies. 

Biology graduates have gone on to find success in a wide variety of careers including:

• professional biologists in biological research, conservation, higher education, and the pharmaceutical and biomedical industries 
• researchers and advisers in government 
• journalists 
• advisers, researchers and managers in the National Health Service 
• teachers 
• forensic scientists 
• management consultants 
• marketing and advertising experts

The Careers Centre offers one-to-one advice to all students as well as a programme of events to assist students to build their employability skills.