About Biology in University of California San Diego

The undergraduate curriculum in the Division of Biological Sciences emphasizes biological processes and systems examined at molecular, biochemical, cellular, organismal, and ecosystem scales. With a solid foundation of understanding in these areas, future careers and further training in any area of biology is possible, from genetic counseling to biotechnology, from medicine to epidemiology, from veterinary science to environmental policy. The UC San Diego campus is a world class life science research institution surrounded by others in close vicinity including the Salk Institute of Biological Studies, the La Jolla Institute of Allergy and Immunology, the Scripps Research Institute, and the J. Craig Venter Institute. Together these institutions offer our students opportunities for research participation that are among the very richest in the nation.

The Division of Biological Sciences offers hundreds of undergraduate courses throughout the academic year including core, elective, lab, and research courses. Information on our courses can be found in this section, along with other helpful course-associated information.

• Biology with Specialization in Bioinformatics (B.S.)*
• Ecology, Behavior and Evolution (B.S.)*
• General Biology (B.S.)*
• Human Biology (B.S.)*
• Microbiology (B.S.)*
• Molecular and Cell Biology (B.S.)*
• Neurobiology (B.S.)*

• Available to students admitted to UCSD in Fall 2017 or earlier:
• Biochemistry and Cell Biology (B.S.)*
• Biology with Specialization in Bioinformatics (B.S.)*
• Ecology, Behavior and Evolution (B.S.)*
• General Biology (B.S.)*
• Human Biology (B.S.)*
• Microbiology (B.S.)*
• Molecular Biology (B.S.)*
• Physiology and Neuroscience (B.S.)*

GPA (Grade-Point Average) Requirement

To be eligible for admission to UC San Diego, you must earn the following minimum GPAs:

• California residents must earn a GPA of 3.0 (or better) with no grade lower than "C."
• Non-California residents & International applicants must earn a GPA of 3.4 (or better) with no grade lower than "C."

Your GPA is based on the above college preparatory (A-G) courses taken during 10th and 11th grades. Students admitted to UC San Diego have GPAs that exceed these minimums.

 UC San Diego will not consider SAT or ACT test scores as a factor in admissions decisions through Fall 2024. If you choose to submit test scores as part of your application, they may be used as an alternative method of fulfilling minimum requirements for eligibility or for course placement after you enroll.

International Students

If your native language is not English and your secondary/high school education was in a country where English is not the language of instruction, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination (academic modules) and have your scores reported to the UC San Diego Office of Admissions. A minimum score of 83 is required for the TOEFL, or a minimum score of 7 is required for the IELTS. Learn more on the International Students page.

University of California Cost of Attendance

An expected budget for overseas students wishing to study in the United States is as follows for potential university aspirants enrolling in the forthcoming sessional term:

The cost of attendance for graduate programs varies by program. However, the estimated cost is presented below: