Course options
Key information
Duration: 4 years full time
UCAS code: C10F
Institution code: R72
Campus: Egham
The course
BSc Biology with Integrated Foundation Year
Our Integrated Foundation Year for science is a thorough, skills-building course that will give you everything you need to start your study of BSc Biology with confidence.
Science underpins society and can help us provide answers to fundamental questions. Our Foundation Year sets you up so that you’re ready to take on those questions - providing you with opportunities to gain knowledge and understanding of how to get started in studying the sciences at university, including Biology.
Once you have completed your Foundation year, you will normally progress onto the full degree course, BSc Biology. There may also be flexibility to move onto a degree in another department (see end of section, below).
Biology helps us to understand the world around us – the way that plants and animals interact, the way that different living things evolve and adapt and our own role in the wider natural world. Biology at Royal Holloway, University of London gives you a sound understanding of the structure, function, evolution and diversity of living organisms and the interactions between them.
On BSc Biology you will study a diverse range of biology modules, from molecular biology to learning the science to help overcome the challenges of climate change. You can choose a pathway to tailor your degree to your own biological interests from a huge range of options taught by experts in their fields, across the spectrum of ecology or molecular sciences.
You will learn on a biodiverse campus in reach of sites of special scientific interest and put your learning into practice through fieldwork opportunities. You will develop an understanding of how to design and analyse experiments and gain invaluable laboratory experience and data handling skills.
On successful completion, you’ll be equipped with:
- a broad understanding of the fundamental knowledge base and the terminology of Biological Sciences
- an awareness of current areas of debate and discovery in Biological Sciences and how scientific knowledge and methods can be applied to investigate them.
- the skills needed to work in a wide range of sectors.
From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
Teaching & assessment
In your Foundation Year, teaching methods include a mixture of lectures, practical classes and workshops, laboratory classes, individual tutorials, and supervisory sessions. Outside of the classroom you’ll undertake guided and independent practice. You will be assigned a Personal Tutor in the Department of Biological Sciences and will have regular scheduled sessions. In the Foundation Year, you’ll also be assigned a Personal Tutor in the Centre for the Development of Academic Skills (CeDAS). Assessments are varied; practical exercises, weekly problem sheets, set exercises, written examinations, laboratory reports. In addition the Foundation Year offers a full range of skills-based training.
For your degree course, teaching methods will include a mixture of lectures, seminars, individual tutorials, and practical field and laboratory work. Outside the classroom, students will be expected to undertake study to understand the taught material, and to carry out the assessed coursework. Assessment will be through a combination of examinations, project(s) and practical work.
Entry requirements
A Levels: CCC
This course is suitable for non-standard entrants, including mature returners to study, those without Science qualifications or with Science qualifications below the standard required for entry to a degree.
T-levels
We accept T-levels for admission to our undergraduate courses, with the following grades regarded as equivalent to our standard A-level requirements:
- AAA* – Distinction (A* on the core and distinction in the occupational specialism)
- AAA – Distinction
- BBB – Merit
- CCC – Pass (C or above on the core)
- DDD – Pass (D or E on the core)
Where a course specifies subject-specific requirements at A-level, T-level applicants are likely to be asked to offer this A-level alongside their T-level studies.
Other UK and Ireland Qualifications
EU requirements
English language requirements
All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.
The scores we require
- IELTS: 6.5 overall, with no subscore lower than 5.5.
- Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. No subscore lower than 51.
- Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
- Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
Country-specific requirements
For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please visit here.
Undergraduate preparation programme
For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements, for this undergraduate degree, the Royal Holloway International Study Centre offers an International Foundation Year programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills.
Upon successful completion, you can progress to this degree at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Your future career
Study Biology at Royal Holloway, University of London and take invaluable skills and experience into your future career. Our alumni are building careers in fields including biotechnology, environmental monitoring and medical research. A close-knit graduate network means you’ll benefit from the knowledge and connections of Royal Holloway alumni, who regularly visit to share their experiences with current students.
Fees, funding & scholarships
Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £9,250
Eligible EU students tuition fee per year**: £25,200
Foundation year essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course.
How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, scholarships and bursaries. UK students who have already taken out a tuition fee loan for undergraduate study should check their eligibility for additional funding directly with the relevant awards body.
*The tuition fee for UK undergraduates is controlled by Government regulations. For students starting a degree in the academic year 2022/23, the fee is £9,250 for that year, and is provided here as a guide. The fee for UK undergraduates starting in 2023/24 has not yet been confirmed.
**The UK Government has confirmed that EU nationals are no longer eligible to pay the same fees as UK students, nor be eligible for funding from the Student Loans Company. This means you are classified as an international student. At Royal Holloway, we wish to support a transition for those students affected by this change in status. Please see the fees and funding page for more information.
Fees for international students may increase year-on-year in line with the rate of inflation. The policy at Royal Holloway is that any increases in fees will not exceed 5% for continuing students. For further information see fees and funding and our terms and conditions.
***These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2021/22 academic year, and are included as a guide. Costs such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing etc., have not been included.
Year 1 discount for Foundation Year students: Your Foundation Year counts as Year 0. In Year 1, Home (UK) students taking an Integrated Foundation Year degree benefit from a 10% discount off the standard Home (UK) tuition fee for that year. Find out more
