Biochemistry Application Instructions
The Biochemistry BA and BS majors accept applications twice per year. The admission deadlines are:
- April 5th - To be declared for the following autumn quarter.
- October 5th - To be declared for the following winter quarter.
Personal Statement:
To complete the application you will be required to submit a personal statement (500 words, max.) describing your background, your interest in pursuing a degree in biochemistry, and any life experiences that have influenced your academic interests. Your personal statement is an opportunity for you to tell the department about yourself and your goals, and also to vouch for yourself. If you have received any low grades due to hardship please include this information in your personal statement and explain how you plan to find success in the major. The submitted file can be in the form of an Adobe Acrobat (.pdf), Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or plain text (.txt) file.
Currently enrolled UW students:
Once you have the prerequisite coursework complete (it may not be in progress), you will be able to apply via our online portal found below. Once you login with your UW NetID, you will select your major of choice and upload your personal statement.
Note: If you have changed any major prerequisite course grades to S/NS between Spring 2020-Spring 2021, the admissions portal will not recognize your prerequisites as complete. Please follow the instructions to submit your application via the transfer student pathway seen below.
The application portal will reopen in the first week of September.
Transfer students not yet enrolled at UW:
The Biochemistry majors accept transfer students via direct transfer admission. This means that you may submit an application to be admitted into the major for the same quarter that you are applying to join the UW. Please note that this application is separate from the UW transfer application, which must also be submitted.
Please fill out the form at the following link: https://forms.gle/i9Gsw21QU19Qww4j7
You will need the following documents:
- The personal statement referenced above
- Unofficial transcript/s that show your grades for the course requirements:
- CHEM 142, CHEM 152, CHEM 162 (one year of general chemistry)
- BIOL 180 (the first course in a year long biology sequence for majors)
- MATH 124, MATH 125 (calculus one and two in a year long sequence)
Course descriptions may be found in the UW catalog at the following link: https://www.washington.edu/students/crscat/
Washington State Community College students can reference the Transfer Equivalency Guide to see how their courses will transfer at the following link: https://admit.washington.edu/apply/transfer/equivalency-guide/
Applicants will be notified of the departmental admission decision approximately three weeks after the application due date.