Biology Schools and Programs in The United Kingdom

Biology Studies in The United Kingdom

Biology in the United Kingdom is taught as a single honours degree, usually a BSc, and in many specialised variants such as zoology, marine biology, microbiology or biochemistry. Students choose the subject when they apply. This directory lists 43 schools in the UK that teach biology, 6 of them in London and 4 in Edinburgh.

How the degree is organised

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland the standard bachelor's degree with honours takes three years of full-time study. The Biology BSc at Lancaster University, the University of Southampton and Newcastle University, the Biological Sciences BSc at The University of Sheffield and the BSc Biological Sciences at Imperial College London all last three years and share the UCAS code C100. On the official qualification framework, a bachelor's degree with honours is a level 6 qualification.

In Scotland, degree-level study usually requires four years. The BSc (Honours) in Biology at the University of St Andrews takes four years: the first two cover core material common to all its biology degrees, and the last two are the Honours years with specialised modules and research.

Two variants are common across the country:

• Integrated master's degrees: four-year courses such as the MSci Biology at Lancaster, with an extended independent research project in the fourth year, or the Biological Sciences MBiolSci at Sheffield. An integrated master's degree is a level 7 qualification.
• Placement years: Imperial offers a four-year version of its BSc with a year in industry or research, and Southampton students can apply for a year in employment.

Laboratory classes and fieldwork are a regular part of the degree. Newcastle lists residential field courses among its teaching methods, and Southampton runs a week-long field course on the Andalusian coast of southern Spain as one of its modules.

Accreditation

Biology is not a regulated profession, so a degree needs no professional licence to be valid. The Royal Society of Biology (RSB) runs a voluntary accreditation programme. It defines degree accreditation as acknowledgement by an external body that a programme meets a defined set of overarching criteria, and its programme includes Accreditation, Advanced Accreditation, International Accreditation and Master's Accreditation, among others. Southampton lists the RSB under the accreditations of its BSc Biology, and Sheffield states that its Biological Sciences BSc is accredited by the RSB. Each course page says whether the degree is accredited.

Admission and language

Applications for undergraduate degrees go through UCAS, with a maximum of five choices. For 2027 entry the equal consideration date for most courses is 13 January 2027 at 18:00 UK time; for the universities of Oxford and Cambridge it is 15 October.

Each university sets its own entry requirements. Typical A-level offers for 2027 are ABB at Southampton, AAB at Lancaster and Sheffield, and AAA at Imperial, which also accepts 38 points in the International Baccalaureate. UCAS notes that many course providers accept international qualifications equivalent to UK requirements, and that UK ENIC can issue a statement comparing a foreign qualification with UK ones.

Applicants whose first language is not English need a language certificate. Lancaster asks for IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component for its Biology BSc. For the Student visa, study at degree level requires English equivalent to CEFR level B2.

Fees and visa

Fees depend on fee status. Published international fees for the first year of a biology degree are £31,700 at Lancaster (2027-28), £32,600 at Newcastle (2027 entry), £33,900 at Southampton, £34,910 at St Andrews and £47,800 at Imperial (2027 entry). Home students pay £10,050 at Lancaster, Newcastle and Southampton.

International students normally need a Student visa. According to GOV.UK (checked in October 2026), the applicant needs a place offered by a licensed student sponsor, the application costs £558 from outside the UK, and the applicant must show £1,529 per month for courses in London or £1,171 per month elsewhere, for up to nine months. After the degree, the Graduate visa lasts 2 years if the application is made on or before 31 December 2026, and 18 months from 1 January 2027.

Postgraduate study and careers

A taught master's degree in the UK normally takes one year. One example is the MSc Ecology, Evolution and Conservation at Imperial, a one-year full-time course that asks for a 2:1 degree in a science subject.

Lancaster University reports that its biology graduates have gone on to work as microbiologists, food technologists, environmental consultants, research ecologists and laboratory technicians, among other roles. The university adds that other recent graduates have gone on to postgraduate study.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a biology degree take in the UK?

Three years full time in England, for example at Lancaster, Southampton, Newcastle, Sheffield and Imperial. In Scotland the honours degree takes four years, as at the University of St Andrews. Integrated master's degrees and courses with a placement year add one year.

Does a UK biology degree need to be accredited?

No. Accreditation by the Royal Society of Biology is voluntary. Some degrees have it, such as the BSc Biology at Southampton and the Biological Sciences BSc at Sheffield.

How much does a biology degree cost for international students?

The universities cited here publish first-year international fees between £31,700 (Lancaster) and £47,800 (Imperial) for 2027 entry. Fees are reviewed every year.

What level of English is required?

Each university sets its own score; Lancaster asks for IELTS 6.5 overall for its Biology BSc. The Student visa requires English equivalent to CEFR level B2 for degree-level study.