Biomedical science entry requirements 2027: A-Level offers at UK universities compared
Find typical offers, required subjects, IBMS accreditation and placement years for biomedical science degrees, plus which A-Levels to choose.
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Most UK biomedical science degrees for 2027 entry ask for between AAA and BBC at A-Level (144 to 112 UCAS points, with a few points offers going down to 96), and nearly all of them want A-Level Biology. King's College London asks for AAA with an A in Biology and Chemistry. Reading asks for ABB with a B in Biology, and Bedfordshire asks for 112 UCAS points including a science. If you want to work as a biomedical scientist in an NHS lab, also check whether the course is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). The table below compares nine courses.
Biomedical science A-Level offers for 2027 compared
These are the typical offers each university lists for its main BSc Biomedical Science, starting September 2027. Offers can change during the cycle, so check the course page again before you apply.
| University | Typical offer | Required subjects | IBMS accredited | Placement year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King's College London | AAA | A in Biology and Chemistry | Not mentioned on course page | Optional year in industry |
| Sheffield | AAB | Two sciences | Not mentioned (RSB accredited) | Optional placement year |
| Reading | ABB, or BBB with two sciences | B in Biology | Yes, and RSB | Optional, including NHS training labs |
| UEA | ABB | Biology or Human Biology, plus one of Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Psychology, Geography or Computing Science | Yes | Check course page |
| Sussex | ABB to BBB | B in Biology | No (the course page says it is not IBMS accredited) | Optional placement |
| Bournemouth | 112 to 128 points (BBC to ABB) | Check course page | Yes | Optional placement year |
| Kent | BBC (96 to 112 points) | B in Biology (or BB in Applied Science Double Award) | Yes, and RSB | Year in professional practice option |
| Middlesex | 112 points | 32 points from a science | Yes | Optional, at a London hospital |
| Bedfordshire | 112 points | A science subject | Yes | Professional practice year version |
Source: 2027 course pages for King's, Sheffield, Reading, UEA, Sussex, Bournemouth, Kent and Middlesex, and the UCAS listing for Bedfordshire. RSB is the Royal Society of Biology. Last checked: 13 November 2026.
Universities that make grade offers tend to name the subjects closely. Universities that make points offers usually ask for 112 and at least one science. They also tend to accept a wider mix of qualifications.
Several courses also make lower contextual offers if your school, area or circumstances meet their criteria. For 2027, King's lists AAC, Access Sheffield lists ABB and UEA lists BBC.
What IBMS accreditation means for a biomedical science degree
Biomedical scientists test samples such as blood and tissue in hospital and research labs to help diagnose and monitor disease. To work as a biomedical scientist in the NHS, you need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The usual route is an IBMS accredited degree, plus the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio completed in an IBMS-approved lab. According to the IBMS, 65 UK universities offer accredited biomedical science BSc degrees. They come in four types:
- Standard: three years with no placement. You complete the portfolio after graduating, in a trainee or lab assistant job.
- Sandwich: four years with an optional placement year, which may not include finishing the portfolio.
- Integrated: includes a clinical placement in an IBMS-approved lab, so you can complete the portfolio during the degree and apply for HCPC registration when you graduate.
- Degree apprenticeship: for people already employed in the NHS, who study while they work.
Reading's course page explains the practical side. Graduates meet the academic requirement for HCPC registration, but they also need at least a year of experience in an NHS-approved lab, and the placement year can count towards it. If you're aiming for a hospital lab, the placement column matters as much as the grades.
If you're more interested in research or another science career, accreditation matters less, and you can choose a course for its content and teaching. The IBMS can also assess a non-accredited degree and tell you which top-up modules you need, for graduates who decide on the NHS route later.
Which universities accept a BTEC or a T Level for biomedical science?
Many do, especially universities that make offers in UCAS points. The qualification usually needs to be in applied science, though, and some courses with higher offers don't accept T Levels at all.
- Sheffield accepts a BTEC Extended Diploma at DDD in Applied Science (Basic, Biomedical Science, or Analytical and Forensic Science) or Health and Social Care, with set units. It does not accept T Levels.
- Reading accepts a BTEC Extended Diploma at DDD in Applied Science, with units in human body systems, genetics, and diseases and infections. Its page doesn't mention T Levels.
- King's lists A-Levels, the IB and the Access to HE Diploma, but its page doesn't mention BTEC or T Levels. Ask the admissions team before you apply.
- Huddersfield asks for 104 to 112 points and accepts a BTEC Extended Diploma in Applied Science at DMM, or the T Level in Science at Merit.
- Greenwich asks for 112 points and accepts the T Level in Science (Laboratory Sciences) at Merit.
- Bournemouth counts a T Level at Merit as 120 UCAS points towards its offer of 112 to 128 points.
- Middlesex accepts T Levels as part of its 112 point offer, with 32 points from a science.
- Kent accepts a BTEC at DMM in Applied Science, Biomedical Science or Medical Science, or the T Level in Science at Merit with at least a B in the core.
If you're taking a vocational route, Applied Science or the T Level in Science keeps the most doors open. Check which units each course wants, because a few name them.
How biomedical science offers convert to UCAS points
Each A-Level grade has a set UCAS tariff value: A* is 56, A is 48, B is 40, C is 32, D is 24 and E is 16. BBC adds up to 112, which is the most common points offer for biomedical science. Our UCAS points guide has the full table for 2027 entry.
| UCAS points | A-Levels | BTEC Extended Diploma | T Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 168 | A*A*A* | D*D*D* | Distinction* |
| 144 | AAA | DDD | Distinction |
| 128 | ABB | DDM | |
| 120 | BBB | Merit | |
| 112 | BBC | DMM | |
| 96 | CCC | MMM | Pass (C or above on the core) |
Source: UCAS Tariff. Last checked: 13 November 2026.
Points offers often come with a subject condition. Middlesex wants 32 of your points from a science, which equals a C in a science A-Level. So BBC across three non-science subjects adds up to 112 but still wouldn't meet that offer.
Which A-Levels to pick for biomedical science at the end of Year 11
- Take Biology. Every course in the table names Biology or a science, and Reading, Sussex, UEA and Kent name Biology specifically.
- Take Chemistry if you can. King's requires an A in it, and the IBMS says accredited courses typically look for Biology at grade B and Chemistry at grade C or above.
- Pick a third subject you'll do well in. Sheffield and Reading both count Maths, Physics, Psychology and Geography as sciences, so a strong grade in one of those gives you more options.
- Pass the practical endorsement. King's requires a pass in it for every science A-Level.
- Check your GCSEs. The IBMS says most accredited courses want grade 4 or above in English, maths and double award science, and Sheffield asks for GCSE Maths at grade 4. Our guide to GCSE grades explains what universities look for.
If you're in Year 11 now, your GCSE science grades come first. In a randomised controlled trial in GCSE science, students using Medly for 30 minutes a week for four weeks scored 22% higher on the post-test than students revising in their usual way, adjusted for where they started. The students in the comparison group revised with guides, notes, videos and, in most classes, other online platforms.
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Frequently asked questions
What A-Levels do you need for biomedical science?
Biology, plus usually Chemistry or another science. For 2027, offers range from AAA at King's College London to BBC, or 112 UCAS points, at universities such as Kent and Bedfordshire.
Can you study biomedical science without A-Level Chemistry?
Yes, at some universities. Reading accepts BBB with Biology and a second science from a list that includes Maths, Physics and Psychology, and Sheffield accepts any two sciences from its list. King's requires an A in Chemistry.
Do you need an IBMS accredited degree to be a biomedical scientist?
For the usual route, yes. HCPC registration needs an IBMS accredited degree or an HCPC-approved degree, plus the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio completed in an approved lab.
How many UCAS points do you need for biomedical science?
Usually between 96 and 144. The most common points offer is 112, which equals BBC at A-Level, often with a set number of points from a science.
Do universities make lower offers for biomedical science?
Yes, many make contextual offers. For 2027, King's lists AAC, Sheffield lists ABB through Access Sheffield and UEA lists BBC.
Is a placement year worth it for biomedical science?
If you want to work in an NHS lab, it usually helps. At Reading, a placement in an NHS training lab can count towards the year of lab experience that graduates need before they can register with the HCPC.