“A big motivation of mine for studying at St Andrews was the excellent research that is being carried out. As a biologist with the aim of going into research, it was important to me that the university had the facilities and people that would drive me in that direction. I love how personal the teaching style is here – students are welcome to chat to the lecturers and they are always happy to help.”
- Vienna, Austria
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 degrees combining more than one subject, the subject with the higher entry requirements determines the grades you need. You will also need to meet any further subject-specific entry requirements as outlined on their pages.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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- 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.
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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.
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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.
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 site.
Work abroad
Completing a work placement abroad is a good opportunity to gain work experience in another culture or language and to enhance valuable skill sets. As part of specific degree programmes in biology, you may apply to undertake a work placement abroad for credit.
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.
Course details
The MBiol in Biology is a five-year Integrated Masters course run by the School of Biology. Biology at St Andrews provides students with high-tech equipment, laboratories and expertise to facilitate learning and to develop the skillset of a modern biologist.
Alongside biology, in the first year of your studies you will be required to study an additional two subjects. In the second year, you will usually carry on at least one of these subjects, sometimes two. Find out more about how academic years are organised.
In the first three years of your degree, you will cover the fundamental aspects of biology and begin to focus on advanced core material in your chosen area. In third year, there is a shift from core, broad-themed modules to more specialised modules that allow students to prepare for their Honours degree.
In your fourth year, students typically undertake a year-long research placement, often away from St Andrews, in a research institute or in industry, along with an experimental design online module.
The fifth and final year of the Masters degree involves highly specialised taught courses in your chosen speciality.
Field trips
Throughout the course, students studying biology will also have the opportunity to go on field trips to gather data. Those who have a particular interest in ecology or marine biology will be perfectly located in St Andrews on the shores of the east coast. In Honours years, students can explore further afield, where recent courses have visited places such as the Red Sea and Antarctica.
The University of St Andrews operates on a flexible modular degree system by which degrees are obtained through the accumulation of credits. More information on the structure of the modules system can be found on the flexible degree structure web page.
Modules
In the first three years of your degree, you will take the required modules in biology alongside modules in at least one other subject.
In first year, modules introduce you to core subject material relevant to all degree programmes in areas such as animal and plant biology, molecular biology, cell biology and genetics. Both of the following modules are compulsory.
- Biology 1: provides an introduction to molecular and cellular biology. It covers cell diversity and the origins of life, evolution, cellular structures and fundamental processes.
- Biology 2: provides an introduction to the diversity of life on Earth and addresses key elements of organismal, behavioural and ecological aspects of life.
In second year, modules are chosen which will best prepare you for your intended degree (or group of possible degrees) and new topics are introduced in some second-year modules such as evolutionary biology and ecology.
Compulsory
- Research Methods in Biology: develops essential academic and transferable skills, with major emphasis on problem solving. This is achieved through a combination of interactive lectures, independent data-handling workshops and group work on a mini research project.
You also take at least three of the modules listed below:
- Applied Molecular Biology: examines case studies to provide examples of how molecular biology techniques are applied in research to address real-life questions and problems.
- Biochemistry: a number of central metabolic pathways and their control are studied in detail, alongside examples of their importance in disease and recent metabolomic studies.
- Cell Biology: introduces the concept of ‘a cell’, moving on to discuss different types of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cell.
- Cell Systems: explores how cells interact with one another to form complex tissues and organisms.
- Animal Behaviour: covers the four ways in which we explain behaviour in a range of animals, including examples from all major taxa and from all habitats.
- Ecology: introduces essential concepts in population and community ecology and how they relate to biodiversity.
- Evolutionary Biology: gives an overview of the history and major principles of modern evolutionary biology.
- Invertebrate Zoology: surveys the major invertebrate groups, emphasising the diversity of body plans while demonstrating how the common functional requirements such as feeding, reproduction, respiration and excretion are achieved.
- Molecular Biology: provides an introduction to modern molecular biology, covering fundamental biological processes such as transcription, translation, and DNA replication and repair.
- The Oceans: introduces basic concepts in biological and physical oceanography, and provides an understanding of how physical processes such as circulation patterns, waves and tides affect plants and animals living in the different ocean biomes.
- Vertebrate Zoology: explores the diversity of vertebrate animals, providing a detailed look at the defining characteristics of the body plans and lifestyles of the key vertebrate groups.
In third year, you will continue to specialise in biology via a wide range of modules covering core topics. Modules that have been offered in previous years include:
- Animal Behaviour: A Quantitative Approach
- Ecosystems and Conservation
- Evolution
- Genes, Cells and Development
- Quantitative Ecology
In fourth year, students typically undertake an independent 7 to 12-month research placement hosted by an external institute or company.
The external placement gives students the opportunity to practice and learn a range of scientific and generic skills, including experience in a working environment outside of St Andrews.
For biology students, this will be a 12-month research project, collecting data within a research group at St Andrews or in an external organisation (environmental company, conservation non-governmental organization or research institute). A research placement in an external organisation is subject to this being arranged and funded successfully by the student, facilitated by expertise in the School of Biology.
During fifth year, you will take advanced research-led modules in your chosen speciality subject to availability. Advanced modules offered in the past include:
- Advanced Microscopy and Image Analysis – Seeing is Believing
- Animal Cognition
- Chromatin and Genome Stability
- Complex Systems in Animal Behaviour
- Evolutionary Developmental Biology
- Marine Mammals and Man
- Molecular Virology
- Science Communication of Biodiversity and Conservation
- The CRISPR system for Antiviral Defence and Genome Engineering
The modules above are examples of what has been taught in previous academic years and may be subject to change before you start your course. Please see the module catalogue for more details of each module, including weekly contact hours, teaching methods and assessment.
Teaching
The MBiol in Biology is taught through a combination of:
- lectures
- seminars
- tutorials
- practical classes
- field work
- research projects
Typical class sizes include:
- First year: lectures 250 to 300 students, practicals 80 to 100 students
- Second year: lectures 80 to 175 students, practicals 40 to 60 students
- Third year: lectures 20 to 140 students, practicals 20 to 60 students
- Fourth and fifth year: 5 to 25 students per module
The practical elements of the course taught in the laboratory and in the field enable you to learn the wide range of skills required of a modern biologist. Students are taught in state-of-the-art teaching laboratories. Alongside the development of practical biological skills, students are also given the opportunity to expand on their presentation and IT skills.
First-year Biology modules are entirely assessed by coursework.
During second and third year, most Biology modules are assessed by an equal weighting of coursework and written examinations.
In fourth and fifth year, most Biology modules are entirely assessed by coursework, while some include written examinations in addition to coursework.
During the external placement in fourth year, you will be assessed jointly by the immediate supervisor in your host institute or company and a member of staff in the School of Biology.
Most examinations are held at the end of the semester during a dedicated exam diet and revision time is provided beforehand.
The School aims to provide feedback on assessments and coursework within three weeks to help you improve on future assessments.
Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.
Undergraduates at the University of St Andrews must achieve at least 7.0 on the St Andrews 20-point grade scale to pass a module. To gain access to Honours-level modules, students must achieve the relevant requisites as specified in the policy on entry to Honours and in the relevant programme requirements. To find out the classification equivalent of points, please see the common reporting scale.
You will be taught by a research-led teaching team with expertise and knowledge of biology and animal behaviour. Postgraduate research students who have undertaken appropriate training may also contribute to the teaching of tutorials under the supervision of the module leader.
You can find contact information for all biology staff on the School of Biology website.
The University’s Student Services team can help students with additional needs resulting from disabilities, long-term medical conditions or learning disabilities. More information can be found on the students with disabilities web page.
Fees
Scotland
£1,820
England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man
Following the decision of the UK Government to raise undergraduate tuition fees and maintenance loans in line with inflation from April 2025, we are reviewing the consequences of that decision for fees payable by students from the rest of the UK who have chosen to study in Scotland. We will update the information on this page as soon as possible.
EU and overseas
£31,670
More information on tuition fees can be found on the undergraduate fees and funding page.
Additional costs
All students need to cover the costs of a laboratory coat and dissection kit.
Accommodation fees
Find out about accommodation fees for University accommodation.
Funding and scholarships
The University of St Andrews offers a number of scholarships and support packages to undergraduate students each year.
In the fourth year of your programme, when you are on research placement, you will be charged your normal tuition fee for a full academic year.
For Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) funded students, a half tuition fee grant is available from SAAS.
For Student Loans Company (SLC) funded students, a half tuition fee loan is available from SLC.
Joint Honours degrees
You can also take Biology as part of a joint Honours degree in which you will take core modules of your chosen subjects.
- UCAS code C761: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Chemistry
- UCAS code F899: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Computer Science
- UCAS code CFC6: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Earth Sciences
- UCAS code CL11: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Economics
- UCAS code CF18: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Geography
- UCAS code CG11: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Mathematics
- UCAS code CV16: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Philosophy
- UCAS code CC18: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Psychology
- UCAS code CG13: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Statistics
- UCAS code F896: Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology and Sustainable Development
"With" degrees
You can take Biology as part of a "with" Honours degree in which the majority of the course deals with the first name subject. St Andrews offers the following "with" degrees in Biology:
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology with Arabic - UCAS code CT16
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology with French (With Integrated Year Abroad) - UCAS code C1R1
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) Biology with French - UCAS code CCR1
- Bachelor of Science (Honours) Psychology with Biology - UCAS code C8C1
"With" degrees taken with French are also available 'With Integrated Year Abroad'.
Careers
Biology graduates are in high demand and are keenly sought after by institutions including the government, universities, research centres and major companies. Those who take an Integrated Masters degree receive advanced research training and are prepared for a career within the scientific sector.
Biology graduates have found success in a wide variety of careers including:
- professional biologists in biological research, conservation, higher education and the pharmaceutical, 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.
What to do next
Online information events
Join us for one of our information events where you can find out about different levels of study and specific courses we run. There are also sessions available for parents and college counsellors.
Undergraduate visiting days
We encourage all students who are thinking of applying to the University to attend one of our online or in-person visiting days.
Contact us
- Phone
- +44 (0)1334 46 3401
- bioadmissions@st-andrews.ac.uk
- Address
- School of Biology
Biomedical Sciences Research Complex
North Haugh
St Andrews
KY16 9ST
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