BS Marine Biology at University of Washington

Programme overview

Marine biology involves the study of life processes of organisms inhabiting the ocean's environments, drawing on courses offered by Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Oceanography and Friday Harbor Laboratories. The degree integrates core materials on marine aspects of biodiversity, organismal processes, and ecology and ecosystems, examining their relationship with physical processes and ocean change.

Faculty: College of the Environment | Department: Marine Biology | Duration: 105-113 credits | Location: Seattle, WA, United States

What you will study

105-113 credits; Core STEM (43-50 credits); Biology(10 credits): BIOL 180, BIOL 200; Chemistry (10-15 credits): one of the following options: (1) CHEM 120, OCEAN 295; (2) CHEM 120, CHEM 220; (3) CHEM 142, CHEM 152, OCEAN 295; (4) CHEM 142, CHEM 152, CHEM 223; Physics (8-10 credits): one of the following options:(1) PHYS 114 or PHYS 121; OCEAN 285 and OCEAN 286; (2) PHYS 114 and PHYS 115; (3) PHYS 121 and PHYS 122; Calculus (10 credits): Q SCI 291 or MATH 124; Q SCI 292 or MATH 125

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Students in good academic standing may declare this major at any time, including on the application for admission to the UW. After notification of admission and before registration, new students should contact the Student Services Office for help in program planning. Continuation Policy All students must make satisfactory academic progress in the major. Failure to do so results in major-level academic notification, major-level warning, and major-level alerts, which can lead to dismissal from the major and being precluded from subsequently declaring the major in a future quarter. For the complete continuation policy, contact the departmental adviser or refer to the department website.

Domestic applicants: USD 12,664 a year (2026-27). Resident rate. Seattle campus, full-time, Autumn+Winter+Spring quarters, rate band "Undergraduate" Undergraduate rate for tuition-based programs. Tuition only (operating + building fee); excludes technology fee, services & activities fee, IMA bond and fac Source

International applicants: USD 44,580 a year (2026-27). Non-Resident rate. Seattle campus, full-time, Autumn+Winter+Spring quarters, rate band "Undergraduate" Undergraduate rate for tuition-based programs. Tuition only (operating + building fee); excludes technology fee, services & activities fee, IMA bond and Source

First-year entry quarters: Autumn (begins late September), Winter (begins early January; not open to international first-year applicants), Summer (begins mid-June; most degree-seeking students apply for Autumn). Spring quarter is not open to first-year applicants.

Transfer entry: Autumn and Summer quarters; Spring quarter transfer admission is open only to applicants to specific departments in engineering and computer science.

First-year applications for Autumn (and Summer) open August 15 and close November 15; notification March 1-15. Winter applications open August 1 and close September 1, with notification in November and December. The UW does not offer early decision or early action. Apply through the Common App.

First-year application fee is $85 for U.S. students (fee waivers available) and $95 for international students (no fee waivers). Application requires a Common App essay and a self-reported academic record in STARS. SAT/ACT scores are not required for most applicants; homeschooled applicants and applicants from schools without letter or numeric grades must submit SAT or ACT scores. International applicants submit TOEFL or IELTS scores meeting the minimum English proficiency requirement.

Transfer applications for Autumn and Summer open December 15 and close February 28; notification May 1 to June 30. Transfer application fee is $85 (U.S., fee waivers available) or $95 (international, no fee waivers). SAT/ACT scores are not required for transfer applicants.

Apply through the official page: https://admit.washington.edu/apply/

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