Biochemistry (Study Abroad)

BSc Hons

  • UCAS code C710
  • Entry year 2026 or 2025
  • A level requirements AAB
  • Duration Full time 4 years
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We welcome applications from the United States of America

We've put together information and resources to guide your application journey as a student from the United States of America.

Overview

Top reasons to study with us

  • Apply your learning to real-world challenges through your own research project

  • Learn from experts in two highly-respected Lancaster University departments – Biomedical and Life Sciences and Chemistry

  • Develop your practical skills in our modern, research-grade labs

With a degree in biochemistry, you’ll study small things that make a big impact.

By understanding life at the molecular level you can play a role in addressing major global challenges, like developing treatments for disease, improving forensics in police investigations, or tackling hunger through improving crop yields.

Unlock the secrets of life

Biochemistry unites biology and chemistry to understand the cellular, molecular and chemical interactions within living systems.

This knowledge of living organisms will provide you with a deep understanding of how life works. Indeed, biochemists have been at the forefront of making breakthrough discoveries across medicine, agriculture and biotechnology that have changed our world.

This four-year Biochemistry BSc (Study Abroad) is taught by experts from our Biomedical and Life Sciences and Chemistry departments.

You will delve into biochemistry in the context of health and disease and study topics in biochemistry, cell biology and molecular genetics, which are at the heart of modern medical and health research. You will also study fundamental themes in chemistry.

You will be taught by our academics whose vast biochemistry research experience includes the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of various cancers; the biochemistry of organisms that thrive in extreme environments; and biomedical imaging agents to probe drug activity in cells.

This research-led biochemistry degree is an ideal basis for a host of careers across the biomedical, research, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals sectors, offering you the scientific knowledge, practical lab skills and career-ready mindset to succeed.

By spending your third year abroad, you will have an opportunity to explore new and different perspectives on your course, while gaining experience of what it is like to live and study in a different country. During your year abroad you are only required to pay 15 per cent of the standard tuition fees.

And, because you will build your skills and competence in experimental design, data recording, analysis and presentation, effective project management, teamwork and communication, you will have the highly transferable skills valued by employers both within the sciences and in broader fields such as marketing, finance and management.

Your journey through biochemistry

Our academics have carefully designed this course to provide you with a structured, progressive training in biochemistry.

  • In Year 1, you will study a range of core topics designed to provide you with a broad overview of biology and chemistry, including molecules of life, cell biology and organic chemistry that will build on your pre-university knowledge.
  • In Year 2, you may choose to continue to study chemistry options or complement y our biochemistry studies by focussing on bioscience-related topics, such as pharmacology or drug design and development.
  • You will spend Year 3 with one of our trusted overseas partner universities, immersing yourself in a different culture, meeting new people with diverse perspectives and developing a confident and well-rounded outlook for your final year back in Lancaster. By studying abroad you will be able to experience living in another country and exploring different and diverse sides of your degree subject.
  • In Year 4, you will have greater choice in the modules you study and may explore themes such as molecular medicine or cell signalling.

You will also put your learning into practice with your own independent research project. This is your opportunity to make a unique contribution to increasing scientific knowledge in an area of biochemistry that fascinates you.

A hands-on degree

Our state-of-the-art life science teaching laboratories will be at the heart of your degree. They are where you will put the knowledge you have acquired from lectures and tutorials into practice and get to know your course-mates and academics.

You will gain hands-on experience (depending upon your specialisation) of using equipment and facilities such as:

  • our bioimaging facility
  • protein purification and characterisation facilities
  • cell sorters
  • confocal microscopes
  • flow cytometers
  • PCR thermocyclers
  • cell culture facilities

In addition to laboratory practical classes and workshops, you will learn through lectures, workshops, tutorials, laboratory reports, essays and case studies, presentations, tests and exams. You will also benefit from digital resources through our online learning environment which will support your independent learning.

Altogether your classroom learning and practical experience means you will graduate well-prepared for a successful career as a biochemist or in other scientific and non-scientific fields.

Welcome to Biochemistry at Lancaster University

Biochemistry is an exciting and rapidly developing subject and the primary investigative science within biology and medicine. You will examine the structure and function of living organisms at the molecular and cellular level, studying core modules in biochemistry and chemistry.

Expand your horizons with a year abroad

Our four-year study abroad degree is an amazing opportunity to broaden your academic horizons, whilst experiencing a different culture and society.

You’ll spend your third year studying at one of our trusted international partner universities.

Living in another country and studying your subjects from a different perspective offers considerable benefit both in terms of your understanding of the subject and your preparation for life after university.

If you apply for a study abroad programme, we will also consider you for the standard degree programme.

If, during your first or second year, you decide you no longer wish to study abroad, you can simply switch to the standard degree programme. Destinations are given as a guide only as the availability of places at overseas partners may vary from year to year.

Lancaster University will make reasonable endeavours to place students at an approved overseas partner university that offers appropriate modules which contribute credits to your Lancaster degree. Occasionally places overseas may not be available for all students who want to study abroad or the place at the partner university may be withdrawn if suitable modules are unavailable. If you are not offered a place to study overseas, you will be able to transfer to the equivalent standard degree scheme and would complete your studies at Lancaster.

Lancaster University cannot accept responsibility for any financial aspects of the year or term abroad.

Find out more about spending a year abroad
A study abroad student stands amongst the Canadian mountains and wilderness.

Careers

A degree in biochemistry will unlock a host of careers in biomedicine, research, biotechnology, and pharmaceuticals.

Many biochemistry graduates work in scientific research and development in pharmaceutical and bioscience companies and institutes. Others go on to careers in diagnostics, molecular biology or food biotechnology.

You may consider roles such as:

  • Analytical Chemist
  • Biotechnologist
  • Clinical Research Associate
  • Clinical Scientist
  • Forensic Scientist
  • Medicinal Chemist
  • Nanotechnologist
  • Research Scientist
  • Scientific Laboratory Technician

You may also consider the following careers after further training

  • Pharmacologist
  • Physician Associate
  • NHS Scientist

A degree in biochemistry provides a good foundation if you aspire to further postgraduate study and a career in research, or a graduate-entry degree in medicine.

It is also an ideal basis for applying for a highly-sought-after place on the NHS Scientist Training Programme. For more details on entry requirements, please visit the NHS website.

Your transferable skills and analytical training will open up potential careers in other fields such as management, teaching, marketing and finance and studying abroad will help you stand out in a competitive employment world by evidencing your independence and global outlook.

Altogether, you will graduate with a scientific understanding of biochemistry, as well as the mindset, confidence and workplace experience to excel in the competitive world of employment.

Graduate destinations
Our recent biochemistry graduates have gone on to exciting roles which include:
• Analytical Technician
• Molecular Laboratory Scientist
• Operations Analyst
• Product Delivery Scientist
• Research and Development Scientist
• Science Technician
• Healthcare Scientist

You can also apply for a paid summer internship in our department, helping you to gain additional research experience. Past interns have worked on research topics including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer biology, immunology, microbiology and tropical infectious diseases.

Employability at Lancaster: preparing you for the world of work
Lancaster University is dedicated to ensuring that you gain a highly reputable degree. We are also committed to ensuring that you graduate with relevant life and work-based skills.

Because professional skills are embedded throughout our curriculum, you will develop wider expertise valued by employers including communication, teamworking and negotiation skills, project management and problem-solving skills, ethical and environmental awareness.

We are unique in that every student is eligible to participate in The Lancaster Award, which offers you the opportunity to complete activities such as work experience, employability/career development, campus community and social development.

Visit our employability section for full details.

Entry requirements

These are the typical grades that you will need to study this course. You may need to have qualifications in relevant subjects. In some cases we may also ask you to attend an interview or submit a portfolio. You must also meet our English language requirements.

Find more about these qualifications and others not shown here

Learn about how we will assess your application

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Contact Admissions

If you are thinking of applying to Lancaster and you would like to ask us a question, please complete our enquiry form and one of our team will get back to you.

International foundation programmes

Delivered in partnership with INTO Lancaster University, our one-year tailored foundation pathways are designed to improve your subject knowledge and English language skills to the level required by a range of Lancaster University degrees. Visit the INTO Lancaster University website for more details and a list of eligible degrees you can progress onto.

Contextual admissions

Contextual admissions could help you gain a place at university if you have faced additional challenges during your education which might have impacted your results. Visit our contextual admissions page to find out about how this works and whether you could be eligible.

Course structure

Enhancing our curriculum

We continually review and enhance our curriculum to ensure we are delivering the best possible learning experience, and to make sure that the subject knowledge and transferable skills you develop will prepare you for your future.

We will publish more detailed information about the structure of this degree course for 2026-entry in June 2025, ahead of our summer undergraduate open days. This will include overviews of the core modules you will take and examples of optional modules which may be available to you.

Fees and funding

We set our fees on an annual basis and the 2026/27 entry fees have not yet been set.

As a guide, our fees in 2025/26 were:

Home International
£9,535 £29,820

Fees and funding information

Additional fees and funding information accordion

Scholarships and bursaries

Details of our scholarships and bursaries for students starting in 2026 are not yet available.

You can use our scholarships for 2025-entry applicants as guidance.

Important information

The information on this site relates primarily to 2026/2027 entry to the University and every effort has been taken to ensure the information is correct at the time of publication.

The University will use all reasonable effort to deliver the courses as described, but the University reserves the right to make changes to advertised courses. In exceptional circumstances that are beyond the University’s reasonable control (Force Majeure Events), we may need to amend the programmes and provision advertised. In this event, the University will take reasonable steps to minimise the disruption to your studies. If a course is withdrawn or if there are any fundamental changes to your course, we will give you reasonable notice and you will be entitled to request that you are considered for an alternative course or withdraw your application. You are advised to revisit our website for up-to-date course information before you submit your application.

More information on limits to the University’s liability can be found in our legal information.

Our Students’ Charter

We believe in the importance of a strong and productive partnership between our students and staff. In order to ensure your time at Lancaster is a positive experience we have worked with the Students’ Union to articulate this relationship and the standards to which the University and its students aspire. View our Charter and other policies.

Undergraduate open days 2025

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