A young female university student in a lab coat and safety goggles using a pipette during a strawberry DNA extraction practical at a teaching laboratory bench, with test tubes, a protocol sheet and a beaker of strawberry pulp solution, aquarium tanks with fish and aquatic plants along the back wall and other students in lab coats working nearby, representing the practical scientific skills developed in Biology degrees

DEGREE GUIDE

Biology

What do Biology degrees involve?

Biology degrees teach you how living organisms function, evolve, and interact with their environments, covering a broad range of life sciences. You will explore key areas such as genetics, ecology, microbiology, biotechnology, and physiology. These courses help you develop strong analytical, research, and laboratory skills while understanding the complexities of the natural world, from molecular biology to ecosystems. You will also gain hands-on experience through lab experiments, fieldwork, and independent research projects. With a combination of theoretical knowledge and practical application, you’ll be prepared for careers in healthcare, environmental science, biotechnology, and research.

Example
Modules

Molecular Biology: Learn how DNA is copied, transcribed and translated into proteins, and how cells control gene expression in different conditions.

Cell Biology: Explore how cells are structured, how they divide and communicate, and how organelles work together to carry out vital life processes.

Genetics: Understand inheritance, genetic variation and mutation, and how genes influence traits in individuals, populations and species.

Common Degree Names

💼 Most Biology courses offer placement years in labs, conservation organisations, or industry.
🌍 Study abroad is commonly available.

BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences
BSc (Hons) Biology
BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences with Zoology
BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences and Genetics
MSci Biological Sciences

MSci is an integrated Master’s degree that includes advanced study and research.

A microscope alongside preserved specimens, a British wildlife field guide, dissection tools, pressed botanical samples, evolutionary diagrams and ecological data sheets, illustrating the diverse laboratory and field skills developed in Biology degrees

Level 3 (A-level / IB Diploma (HL) / Scottish Highers)

Biology degrees explore life at every scale – from molecules to ecosystems. Most universities expect a solid science foundation, especially in Biology, and many also look for Chemistry.

You'll need:

Biology – essential for almost all Biology degrees

Subjects that strengthen your application:

Chemistry – often required or preferred, especially for molecular or biomedical pathways
Maths or Physics – useful for courses with strong data or lab elements

✨ Biology and Chemistry together keep the widest range of options open. Many courses also accept Biology plus another science or Maths.

Universities may also accept:

BTEC Extended Diplomas in Applied Science (being phased out), usually alongside A-level Biology
BTEC National Extended Certificates or National Diplomas alongside A-levels that meet the subject requirements above
T-Level in Science (Laboratory Sciences pathway), limited acceptance, may require an A-Level Biology alongside it
IB Career-related Programme (IBCP) with Biology at Higher Level among your IB subjects (minimum two, ideally three), alongside your Career-Related Study; an Applied Science pathway would be directly relevant

Some universities are flexible, but others have firm subject requirements. Always check each university’s course page for the most accurate information.

Level 2 Qualifications (GCSE / MYP / National 5)

You’ll usually need:

GCSE English Language, Maths, and Science at grade 4/C or above, or National 5 passes or MYP equivalents

📘 Separate Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) are ideal—but Combined Science is also widely accepted.

Some competitive universities may ask for higher grades in Science and Maths (e.g. grade 6/B or above).

💬 Interviews

Formal interviews aren't usually part of the application process. However, some universities may invite you for a short conversation, either online or in person, to learn more about your interest in the subject.

✨ Personal Statement Tips

What aspect of biology fascinates you most? Whether it's genetics, ecology, microbiology, cell biology, or something else entirely, being specific about what draws you in helps. Admissions tutors want to see you've explored beyond the classroom - perhaps you've read about a recent discovery, followed a science podcast, done some fieldwork, or simply noticed something in nature that made you curious. You don't need lab experience or impressive extracurriculars, but show you're the kind of person who asks "why?" and wants to find out.

If your qualifications don't match the usual entry requirements, there are some other possibilities.

🌱 Foundation Year in Science or Biological Sciences

Many universities offer a science foundation year if you don't have the required subjects or grades. This adds an extra year but leads directly into the full degree.

🎓 Access to HE Diploma (Science)

Accepted by many universities. Make sure your course includes strong biology and chemistry content, and aim for Distinctions in your science units.

💼 Level 3 Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships such as Laboratory Technician or Ecologist carry UCAS tariff points from 2026 and can support a university application, particularly when combined with a foundation year.

Is this degree right for you?

Members can explore whether this degree fits who they are:

Skills you'd develop and whether they match your strengths
How this aligns with your interests, motivators and values
Career paths and where graduates end up

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Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Use the tabs to explore the kind of person that this would be a good fit for. Do you share the Interests, Motivations, Values, Work identity and skills that people who thrive in this course tend to have?

Not sure what these things are? Explore your Identity Tree with us first.

Interests that connect well with a Biology degree

Students who enjoy this degree often share these interests. You don't need to feel strongly about all of them, and interests develop over time. If one or two catch your curiosity, or sound like something you'd like to know more about, that's a good sign.

Living Things & the Natural World: This is what the degree is about. You'll study how organisms function, evolve, and interact, from molecular biology and genetics through to ecology and whole ecosystems.

The Environment & Sustainability: Ecology and conservation are significant strands. You'll study how organisms interact with their environments, how ecosystems are threatened, and how science informs efforts to protect biodiversity.

The Human Body & How It Works: Human physiology is one of several strands within the degree. You'll study how body systems function alongside the biology of plants, animals, and microorganisms.

Students who thrive in a Biology degree are often motivated by

Precision and Thoroughness

You feel satisfied when work is done accurately and completely. Whether it's getting calculations exactly right, spotting errors others miss, or making sure every detail is correct, the pursuit of precision gives you a sense of accomplishment. Sloppy or "good enough" work frustrates you, and you take pride in getting things right first time.

Research and Discovery

You're excited by the idea of uncovering something genuinely new: being at the cutting edge, running experiments, and contributing knowledge that didn't exist before. You want to discover, not just learn what others have found. The prospect of adding something original to human understanding is what drives you, and you're willing to spend long periods on uncertain work for that possibility.

Analysing and Investigating

You're energised by making sense of information, looking for evidence, spotting patterns, and piecing together how things connect. Whether it's pulling apart data, questioning assumptions, or tracing a problem back to its source, you find energy in the process of understanding what's really going on. You'd rather dig into the details than accept things at face value.

Curiosity and Learning

You're energised by the activity of learning itself: diving into a subject you've never explored, watching documentaries, taking apart how something works, or constantly asking "why?" The process of learning gives you energy, not just the outcome. You don't just want the answer; you want to understand how things connect, why they matter, and what's underneath the surface explanation.

What makes Biology click for the students who love it?

From a single cell to a whole rainforest, it is all alive and all connected, and they want the whole of it rather than one corner. The student gripped by cell biology this term is the one itching to get into the field next. They piece observations together to see how living things tick, and they do the careful lab and field work that good answers depend on, where one sloppy measurement can mislead them. Many are driven by the discovery of something new in the field.

These are the skills that students who love this degree tend to enjoy using. You don't need to be great at them already, but if they sound like you, that's a good sign.

Skill Name

Skills that suit this degree

You don't need to be great at these already, but if you enjoy using them or want to get better at them, that's a good sign.

Do you prefer testing things out for yourself rather than just reading about them?
Do you enjoy looking at data or results and trying to figure out what they mean?
Do you care about how science affects the natural world and whether it's done responsibly?

Careers a Biology degree could lead you to

Biology

What do Biology degrees involve?

Example Modules

Common Degree Names

Is this degree right for you?

Skills you would develop in X degree

Skill Name

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Is this a good fit for you?

Careers a Biology degree could lead you to

Example
Modules