Biology with Foundation Year

Foundation Year

Our Foundation Year provides an excellent alternative route to Keele, providing a unique opportunity to better prepare for your chosen degree, and with guaranteed entry onto your undergraduate course once you successfully complete your Foundation Year. This extra year of study can improve your academic skills, expand your subject knowledge, give you a better understanding of higher education and, perhaps most importantly of all, build your confidence. On the Keele Foundation Year, you'll study on campus, joining our undergraduate community from the outset, with access to all the facilities and support that you'd get as an undergraduate student at Keele.

International Students

For International Students, Foundation Years are delivered through our dedicated on-campus provider, Keele University International College. Applications for International Foundation Years are also handled by KUIC; please do not apply via UCAS as the University will not be able to process your application and you may still be charged the UCAS application fee. To find out more and to apply for an International Foundation Year, visit https://kuic.keele.ac.uk/

Biology

From genes to ecosystems, Biology BSc at Keele explores the fascinating intricacies of life in its broadest sense, whilst offering opportunities to specialise in topics aligned to your interests, from animal behaviour to human genetics. With access to our 600-acre diverse campus, state-of-the-art David Attenborough Laboratories, and integrated employability modules, you will graduate with the academic, practical and professional skills required for careers as varied as ecological consultancy to pharmaceutical sales.

Why choose this course?

• This programme is accredited by the Royal Society of Biology

• Top 5 in England for Biology (NSS 2025, broad-based universities)*

• Biology ranked 3rd for Career Prospects (Guardian University Guide, 2026)

• Our innovative and authentic assessments are designed to foster creativity and develop a diverse range of key employability skills and attributes

• Develop your practical bioscience skills in our state-of-the-art laboratories and Keele's 600-acre campus

During the first year of your biology course, you will gain a solid grounding in key biological concepts such as cells, genetics, evolution, physiology of humans and other animals, ecology and plant biology. From year two of your biology course, you can choose to study topics across the biosciences or focus on key specialisms aligned to your career goals.
In your final year, you will have the opportunity to unleash your creativity by undertaking a substantial piece of meaningful research on a topic that excites and challenges you.

*We have compared the positivity ratings of all participating UK institutions using the NSS 2025 sector data to determine Keele's position relative to other broad-based universities (i.e. excluding specialist institutions and further education colleges).

About Keele*

Keele University was established in 1949 by the former Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University. Founded to meet the needs of a changing world, Keele has always had a pioneering vision to be a different kind of university.

We excel in both teaching and research, with some of the most satisfied students in England, and research that is changing lives for the better at a regional, national and global level.

Our beautiful 600-acre campus is one of the biggest in Britain – but all the most important services and facilities are on your doorstep, with accommodation, teaching spaces, facilities including a medical centre, sports centre and pharmacy, and a range of shops, eateries and entertainment venues – including the Students’ Union – clustered around the centre.

Course Modules

For a list of indicative modules please visit the course page on the Keele University website.