Top 10 Best Universities in Europe to Study Biology in 2025

Author: Dee Lawlor — Last update: 7 February 2025

Biology is the study of living things. If you love life - whether it’s plants, animals, or the microscopic world - then this might be the right subject for you. With a degree in biology, you can work in a range of careers – from being on the cutting edge of medicine to exploring the deep ocean.

There are many universities across Europe that offer biology and biology-related courses, it’s a very broad topic and there is something for everyone.

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🌍 Where can you study Biology in Europe?

Choosing a university in another country can be a daunting task – especially if you have never been there before. This is why it is important to do your research! Looking at the ranking of the university is a good place to start. You should think carefully about what is important to you.

Do you want your course to include internships or fieldwork? Do you want to be near famous zoos or botanic gardens? You should also consider your life outside of university too. Are you a city explorer or an outdoor adventurer? Can you live in a cold, wet place or do you need sun? There are many things to consider, so we thought we could get you started by ranking the best universities.

The top universities are often in or near large cities. This can make finding internships and jobs easier since it is likely that you will also have better access to museums and other educational resources.

🏆 Top Universities to Study Biology in Europe in 2025:

If you would like a global opinion on universities in Europe, here are the Shanghai Rankings, the QS World University Rankings, and the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for comparison.

There are many different things to consider when choosing a university for your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, so you should always explore different sources and opinions. Think about the things that matter most to you in your education and career and see what relevant information you can find.

University	Country	ARWU	QS	THE
University of Cambridge	United Kingdom	5	5	2
University of Oxford	United Kingdom	6	4	4
University College London	United Kingdom	9	6	-
University of Copenhagen	Denmark	22	22	-
Imperial College London	United Kingdom	32	8	12
Heidelberg University	Germany	38	27	36
The University of Edinburgh	United Kingdom	49	21	29
Karolinska Institutet	Sweden	51-75	17	31
University of Helsinki	Finland	51-75	-	71
Radboud University	Netherlands	51-75	-	126-150

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🤔 The REF (Research Excellence Framework):

If a career in academics and research in the United Kingdom is your goal, then you may be interested in checking out the Research Excellence Framework (REF). This is an assessment of the quality of research that the university does.

The 5 universities with the highest share of “four star” rated biological research are:

University of Dundee
University of Cambridge
University of Edinburgh
The University of Manchester
University of Oxford

🏛️ What will I study? Modules & Topics:

It’s not always just called “Biology”. Biology is a very wide-ranging topic. It can be broken down into lots of different areas, depending on what your interest is. Most universities that offer biology will also offer a range of different biology courses. It can be hard to choose, but remember that most of the courses share the same first-year curriculum, and therefore you can usually move from one to another if you change your mind.

Biology is broken down into many fields including:

Botany – the study of plant life.
Zoology – the study of animal life.
Marine biology – the study of life in the ocean.
Genetics – the study of DNA.
Microbiology – the study of the cell and microscopic organisms.
Ecology – the study of all life in a habitat.
Chemistry – a broad topic that covers all life.

Biology can also be combined with other subjects.

Biochemistry – combines biology and chemistry.
Bioinformatics – biology with a heavy dose of data analysis.
Bioengineering – using biology to solve real-world issues.

💸 Typical tuition fees for international students:

Fees for Biology degrees at public universities in Europe range from €0 to €4,000 for EU/EEA or Swiss students, while non-EU students typically pay between €4,000 and €17,000.

Tuition costs vary widely depending on the country. Switzerland and the UK tend to have higher fees and fewer scholarship opportunities, making them more expensive for international students. In contrast, cheaper countries like Germany and Austria allow non-EU students to study for little to no cost. However, places in these tuition-free programmes are highly competitive, so be prepared for a demanding application process.

📝 Admissions requirements for a Biology degree:

Some universities may require you to have studied biology and at least one other science subject, such as chemistry, physics, or mathematics, during your school education. However, these requirements can vary significantly depending on the university and the specific programme.

To avoid any surprises, it’s essential to carefully review the entry requirements for the course you’re interested in. This will help ensure that you meet the necessary qualifications before applying.

English language requirements differ from one university to another. Since all your lectures, seminars, and practical sessions will be conducted in English, it’s important to have a strong command of the language. In most cases, you’ll need an IELTS score of around 6.5 to meet the admission criteria for studying biology.

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701 Biology Programmes in Europe

Dee is an expert on all things living and breathing and has spent many years studying and working abroad. She has a BSc in Zoology from the University of Aberdeen (UK) and an MSc in Imaging & Microscopy from University College Dublin (Ireland), as well as a Diploma in Counselling Studies from Dublin Business School. She is the author of “Introduction to Light Microscopy” (Springer).