Click HERE to apply to the Biology major. 
 

Autumn applications are due Friday, October 6th, by 11:59pm. If there are technical difficulties, please inform the advising office. 

Admission to the BA and BS Degrees offered by the Department of Biology will be by competitive application process. This process is designed not to limit access to the major but to assist students in careful planning and preparation for success in the Biology major. Students are encouraged to visit Biology advising early in their academic career or prior to transfer to begin planning for the major.

Applications for the undergraduate degree programs in Biology will be accepted quarterly. A completed electronic application will be due the second Friday of Autumn, Winter, Spring, & Summer quarters by 11:59pm. Applications received by the system after the quarterly cut off will be considered for the subsequent quarter.

Minimum application requirements for a Biology Major:

1. Be a matriculated student at the UW Seattle Campus and in good academic standing.

2. Complete the Introductory Biology series or equivalent courses to UW BIOL 180, 200, 220 and have a minimum grade of 2.0 in EACH course.

3. Have a minimum 2.5 Cumulative GPA for any supporting course work in Chemistry*, Physics, Math, Biology or other courses intended for use in the Biology major that are complete at the time of application.

*Please note: Starting Autumn 2017, UW Chemistry requires that students take an online Chemistry placement test in order to register for CHEM 110 (prep Chem), 120, 142, & 143 (Accelerated Chem). Contact the Chemistry Department for details.

Meeting these minimum requirements will not guarantee admission to the Biology major. Other factors in admission include review of application questions, space availability in the major, and time to degree set by UW Satisfactory Progress Policy. 

Application Deadlines:

Autumn 2023: Open July 1 to October 6th

Winter 2024: Open October 7th to January 12th

Spring 2024 Open January 13th to April 5th

Summer 2024 Open April 6th to June 28th

APPLY TO THE BIOLOGY MAJOR   

The Admissions Process: 

• Applications close the 2nd Friday of the quarter.
• Application review is completed and offer emails are sent by end of day on the 3rd Friday of the quarter to the UW address of the applicant. 
• Once offer emails are sent, the student has 7 days to click the survey link and accept the offer. Please check that the offer email did not land in your spam/junk folder. Students who do not accept the offer by the deadline indicated in the offer email will need to reapply in a subsequent quarter (if eligible). 
• Students who are not offerred admission will receive a notification email and are welcome to reapply in the following application cycle, if eligible. 
• Students who are not already declared in another major will be declared in the system in time to remove major-related holds for the next quarter's registration as pending for the following quarter. 

NOTE: If you are in another major when you apply,  you will receive an admission follow up email that are sent after the offer deadline. Students will to submit a completed Change of Major form and a MyPlan to graduation for both majors to the Biology Department by the end of the quarter in which they apply or they will have their offer rescinded and may have an opportunity to apply in subsequent quarter. 

*Please note: The system will not allow you to apply to the major if you do not meet the minimum requirements*

We strongly encourage students who do not meet the minimum application requirements to meet with a Department of Biology Academic Adviser to discuss their options. You can make an individual appointment by contacting one of the Biology Advisers directly. NOTE: We offer Zoom drop-in advising weekly, or students can contact bioladv@uw.edu to ask general questions. 

• For information about applying to the University of Washington, contact the Office of Admissions
• If you are transferring to UW from a Washington State community college and you want to know what courses will transfer, please take a look at the UW Course Equivalencies for Community Colleges in Washington
• To have your introductory biology courses from another school evaluated, please email an adviser and attach a syllabus that includes course content and a lecture schedule.

The Department of Biology is currently the largest undergraduate major on the UW Seattle campus. The majors below provide training in biology at all levels, from introductory to highly advanced, and give students the opportunity to choose a curriculum that best suits their needs. Specific requirements for each curricular track can be viewed on the main undergrad page.

Non-Discrimation Policy

All qualified applicants to the Biology graduate program, for the Biology undergraduate major, or for employment as a UW employee in Biology (faculty, staff, postdoc, ASE, or hourly/student hourly position) will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.

The Graduate and Postdoc Program Committee, the Undergraduate Admissions Committee, and all search committees will review this policy before beginning deliberations and reviewing applications for admissions or employment.