Academic requirements for Molecular Biological Sciences (International Year One) - September entry
This page includes a list of approved qualifications and required grades for students applying for the Molecular Biological Sciences – Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology (International Year One) programme starting in September.
The University makes offers on a holistic basis looking at a complete application. We will consider your academic results along with your personal statement, a reference from your school and your English language evidence. Where your academic grades are slightly below our entry requirements, please address this in your personal statement and reference.
To be eligible, your high school qualifications must have been achieved no more than three years ago.
Students who have already studied at college or university are not typically eligible for foundation at St Andrews.
Applicants to the IYO Molecular Biological Sciences programme should have studied at least two sciences, including Biology and one from Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics or Integrated Sciences.
International School Qualifications
We can consider you for this foundation programme at St Andrews if:
-
- you have studied a mixed or dual curriculum, such as a national high school diploma PLUS partial or full completion of A Levels, AP courses or the IB Diploma or Certificate.
- your highest qualification from school is IGCSEs. We typically require a minimum of six IGCSEs, with AAAABB grades to include A in BIology and one other science.
- your highest qualification from school is AS Levels. We typically require a minimum of two AS Levels with grades AB (A in Biology). We only consider applicants with AS Levels where evidence can be provided that continuing to study for full A-levels (which would allow for direct application to BSc Biology) is not possible.
If you have completed, or are in the process of completing, a full A-Level programme, the IB Diploma, certification by an Education Board in India, a US Diploma and APs, or any other qualification which is accepted for application to undergraduate programmes at the University of St Andrews, we cannot consider you for foundation at St Andrews, irrespective of grades achieved.
National School Qualifications
Search the table below by qualification or by country. If your qualification is not listed, please contact us by email at ifp@st-andrews.ac.uk to check your entry requirements.
Please note that the grades below are a guide only.
| Country | Academic qualification | Typical required grades |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan |
Graduation certificate / Baccalauria |
80% overall and 80% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Algeria |
Baccalauréat de l'Enseignement Secondaire |
14 overall and 15 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Angola |
Habilitação Literárias |
16 overall and 17 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Argentina |
Titulo de Bachiller |
8.5/10 overall and 8.5 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Azerbaijan |
Attestat |
5.0in two sciences, including Biology and 4.5/5 overall |
|
Bahrain |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Bangladesh |
High School Certificate or Alim (SSC or Dakhil not accepted) |
3.9 overall and A in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Belarus |
Attestat |
8.0/10 overall and 8.0 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Bolivia |
Diploma de Bachiller en Humanidades |
90/100 overall and 90 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Brazil |
Ensino Medio |
7.5/10 overall and 7.5 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Chile |
Enseñanza Media/Licencia de Educación |
6.5 overall and 6.5 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
China |
High School |
Min 2 years: 80% in 5 subjects, including Biology |
|
Colombia |
Bachillerato |
4.2 or 85% overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Costa Rica |
Titulo de Bachiller (Academic Stream) |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Cyprus |
Apolytírio Lykeíou |
17 overall and 17 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Ecuador |
Titulo de Bachiller Académico |
8.5/10 or 17/20 overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Egypt |
GED/ Thanawiya |
85% overall and 85% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
EU |
With the exception of the Greek Apolytírio (see Greece, below), EU qualifications are not eligible for foundation, irrespective of grades achieved.
|
Apply directly to our undergraduate programmes |
|
Georgia |
Atestati |
6.0/7 or 3.2/4 or 8/10 overall in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Ghana |
WASSCE |
B2 overall and B2 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Greece |
Apolytírio Genikoú Lykeíou |
17 overall and 17 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Hong Kong |
High school |
Form 5 ONLY: 70% overall, 75% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
India |
Qualifications certified by the Education Boards in India are recognised for our undergraduate programmes and are therefore not eligible for foundation, irrespective of grades achieved. |
Apply directly to our undergraduate programmes. |
|
Indonesia |
STTB SMA |
7 or 70 points overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Iran |
High School Diploma - Theoretical Stream 3 years |
16/20 (with at least 16/20 in two sciences, including Biology) |
|
Iraq |
Secondary School Certificate |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Ivory Coast |
WASSCE Diplome de Bachelier de l'enseignement du Second Degre |
B2 overall and in sciences, including Biology 16/20 overall with 17/20 in sciences including Biology |
|
Japan |
Year 2 or Year 3 of Senior High School |
4.0/5 or B+ or 7/10 overall and in two sciences, including Biology (Year 2 considered case by-case) |
|
Jordan |
GED/GSE Tawjihi |
4.0/5 or 80% overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Kazakhstan |
Attestat |
5.0 overall and 5.0 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Korea |
Year 2 or Year 3 of Senior High School |
70% overall and 70% in two sciences, including Biology (Year 2 considered case by-case) |
|
Kuwait |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Lebanon |
Baccalaureate |
15 overall and 15 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Malaysia |
SPM |
SPM A+ in two sciences, including Biology or UEC A2 overall |
|
Mexico |
Bachillerato |
4.5/5 or 8 or 80% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Morocco |
Baccalauréat |
14.5/20 overall and 14.5 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Myanmar |
HS Education Certificate |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Nigeria |
WASSCE |
B2 overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Oman |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Pakistan |
High School Certificate |
75% overall and 80% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Papua New Guinea |
Upper Secondary School Certificate |
A overall and A in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Peru |
Certificate of Secondary Education |
18 overall and 18 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Philippines |
High School Diploma |
From Form 5 or 6 (Grade 11 or 12), 3.2/4 or 80% overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Qatar |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Russia |
Attestat |
5.0 overall and 5.0 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Saudi Arabia |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Senegal |
WASSCE Diplome de Bachelier de l'enseignement du Second Degre |
B2 overall and in sciences, including Biology 16/20 overall with 17/20 in sciences including Biology |
|
Taiwan |
Senior High School Certificate (SHS3) SH2 |
70% overall and in two sciences, including Biology 75% overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Tajikistan |
Certificate of Completed Education |
5 overall and 5 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Thailand |
Matthayom 6 Matthayom 5 |
GPA 3.0 overall with 3.0 in two sciences, including Biology GPA 3.2 overall with 3.2 in two sciences, including Biology (considered case-by-case) |
|
Tunisia |
Examen National du Baccalauréat |
14 overall and 15 in two sciences, including Biology (bien) |
|
Turkey |
Diplomasi |
70% overall and 75% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
United Arab Emirates |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Ukraine |
Certificate of Completed Education |
10 overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
UK |
Students educated in the UK OR those with 3 full A Levels are not typically eligible for foundation, irrespective of grades achieved.
We can consider international students with IGCSEs and AS Levels.
|
Apply directly to our undergraduate programmes.
AAAABB at IGCSE, OR AB at AS Level. Biology must be an A. |
|
Uruguay |
Titulo de Bachillerato |
8 overall and 8 in two sciences, including Biology |
|
USA |
Students educated in the USA OR those with a full US-accredited High School Diploma with APs are not typically eligible for foundation, irrespective of grades achieved.
We can consider international students with a US diploma or dual qualification such as a national diploma and AP courses or SAT. |
Apply directly to our undergraduate programmes.
Email us to confirm our entry requirement. |
|
Uzbekistan |
O'rta Ma'lumot To'g'risida Shahodatnoma |
5.0 or A’lo overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Venezuela |
Titulo de Bachiller |
18 overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Vietnam |
Graduation Diploma |
8 overall and in two sciences, including Biology |
|
Zambia |
Zambia GCE |
3 overall and 2 in two sciences, including Biology |