Study area

Study Biological & Life Sciences Abroad

Living systems from molecules and cells to organisms and ecosystems, and the technologies built on them.

Explore specializations

Explore specializations

28 specializations

Why study Biological & Life Sciences?

Biological and life sciences study living things at every scale. Molecular specializations such as Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Genetics and Microbiology explore how cells and genes work; organism-level subjects include Physiology, Zoology and Botany; and Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Conservation Biology examine populations and ecosystems.

Students spend significant time in laboratories and, on some routes, in the field, learning techniques such as microscopy, cell culture, DNA analysis and experimental design. Computational specializations like Bioinformatics and Computational Biology add programming and data analysis for genomic and other biological data.

The subject suits students with a strong interest in the natural world and in careful experimental work. Life science research is highly international, with shared databases, collaborations and funding programmes, so studying abroad can provide access to different research environments, organisms and ecosystems.

Career pathways

Where can this take you?

Depending on the specialization and level of study, career pathways can include:

  • Research Scientist
  • Laboratory Technician
  • Biotechnologist
  • Microbiologist
  • Genomics Scientist
  • Bioinformatician
  • Clinical Research Associate
  • Quality Assurance Scientist
  • Ecologist
  • Conservation Officer
  • Science Communicator
  • Biology Teacher
  • Regulatory Affairs Specialist

Pathways depend on the specialization, qualification, country and experience. No particular outcome is implied.

Industries

Where these skills are used.

  • Biotechnology Companies developing biological products, tools and processes.
  • Pharmaceuticals & Healthcare Organisations researching and testing medicines and diagnostics.
  • Genomics & Life Science Tools Businesses providing sequencing, reagents and laboratory equipment.
  • Research Institutes & Universities Public and charitable research across the life sciences.
  • Environment & Conservation Agencies and NGOs protecting species and habitats.
  • Agriculture & Food Plant and animal science applied to crops, livestock and food production.
  • Science Communication & Education Museums, media and teaching.

Employers

Life scientists work across organisations such as:

  • Roche
  • Illumina
  • Oxford Nanopore Technologies
  • Novonesis
  • Wellcome Sanger Institute
  • EMBL
  • WWF
  • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Organisations are listed in no particular order. This is not a ranking or endorsement, does not imply any partnership with Application Abroad, and is not a guarantee of employment.

Looking ahead

What's changing in this field?

The life sciences are evolving through genomics and data. Faster, cheaper sequencing, single-cell methods and large biological datasets are changing how questions are asked, and students may increasingly combine laboratory skills with bioinformatics, statistics and programming.

Areas receiving growing attention include gene editing, synthetic biology, AI-supported protein design, the microbiome and new approaches to vaccines and therapies. These advances also raise ethical and regulatory questions that biologists increasingly engage with. Laboratory automation and cloud-based analysis are changing the day-to-day work of many research groups.

In ecology and conservation, biodiversity loss and climate change are driving work on monitoring, habitat restoration and environmental DNA. Across the field, interdisciplinary teams that combine biology with chemistry, engineering, computing and policy are becoming more common. Citizen science and remote sensing are also expanding how ecological data is collected.

Where to study Biological & Life Sciences

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Study Abroad Consultants for Biological & Life Sciences

Consultants who list Biological & Life Sciences among the study areas they support.

  • Sample UniPath Advisors

    Rohini, Delhi · +5 more offices

    Sample listingStudy Abroad Consultant

    Study destinations: 🇨🇦 Canada · 🇮🇪 Ireland · 🇦🇺 Australia · 🇳🇱 Netherlands

    Services: University Admissions · Visa · Financial Support · Pre-Departure

    7 partnered universities (sample data) · Bachelor's, Master's, PhD / Doctorate, Diploma

    Sample consultant used to test the directory: supports applications to Canada, Ireland, Australia and Netherlands.

    View Consultant Website Sample UniPath Advisors (opens in a new tab)

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Listings are not rankings or endorsements. Check services and fees directly with each consultant.

Courses in Biological & Life Sciences

  • BSc Biological Sciences

    University of Oxford · Undergraduate

    Sample data

    Duration
    3 years full-time (sample)
    Delivery
    On campus
    Intake
    September
    Tuition fee
    Fee information currently unavailable
    Course code
    DEMO-BIO-001

    Entry requirements

    English requirements not listed yet

    View Course DetailsCheck Eligibility

  • BSc Biological Sciences

    University of Cambridge · Undergraduate

    Sample data

    Duration
    3 years full-time (sample)
    Delivery
    On campus
    Intake
    September
    Tuition fee
    Fee information currently unavailable
    Course code
    DEMO-BIO-003

    Entry requirements

    English requirements not listed yet

    View Course DetailsCheck Eligibility

  • BSc Biological Sciences

    King’s College London · Undergraduate

    Sample data

    Duration
    3 years full-time (sample)
    Delivery
    On campus
    Intake
    September
    Tuition fee
    Fee information currently unavailable
    Course code
    DEMO-BIO-005

    Entry requirements

    English requirements not listed yet

    View Course DetailsCheck Eligibility

  • BSc Biological Sciences

    University of Toronto · Undergraduate

    Sample data

    Duration
    4 years full-time (sample)
    Delivery
    On campus
    Intake
    September
    Tuition fee
    Fee information currently unavailable
    Course code
    DEMO-BIO-007

    Entry requirements

    English requirements not listed yet

    View Course DetailsCheck Eligibility

  • BSc Biological Sciences

    Australian National University · Undergraduate

    Sample data

    Duration
    3 years full-time (sample)
    Delivery
    On campus
    Intake
    September
    Tuition fee
    Fee information currently unavailable
    Course code
    DEMO-BIO-009

    Entry requirements

    English requirements not listed yet

    View Course DetailsCheck Eligibility

  • BSc Biological Sciences

    University of Otago · Undergraduate

    Sample data

    Duration
    3 years full-time (sample)
    Delivery
    On campus
    Intake
    September
    Tuition fee
    Fee information currently unavailable
    Course code
    DEMO-BIO-011

    Entry requirements

    English requirements not listed yet

    View Course DetailsCheck Eligibility

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Scholarships for Biological & Life Sciences

Funding programmes for this subject area. Check each one's eligibility and dates.

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Subjects that share specializations with this one.

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