Program Overview

Introduction to the Biological, Chemical, Biomedical & Environmental Sciences (BCBES) Pathway

The BCBES International Foundation Programme (IFP) is a one-year, full-time course designed for international students who wish to study science at the University of Edinburgh but do not yet meet the entry requirements for direct undergraduate entry. This programme helps students build the academic, scientific, and language skills necessary for success at one of the world's top universities.

What is BCBES?

BCBES stands for Biological, Chemical, Biomedical & Environmental Sciences. This Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) programme prepares international students for science-based degrees in areas like Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences.

One Programme, Two Streams

When joining the BCBES pathway, students choose one of two specialist science streams: a biology stream or a chemistry stream. In Teaching Block 2, students study on either the Biological, Biomedical & Environmental Sciences stream or the Chemical & Biochemical Sciences stream.

BCBES IFP Biological, Biomedical & Environmental Sciences Stream

This stream is for students who want to study life and health sciences. Students explore the biology of living systems from cells to ecosystems and develop the scientific and mathematical skills needed for degrees like Biological Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, or Environmental Sciences.

Teaching Block 1 | Sept - Dec

During Teaching Block 1, all students study the same courses, including:

• Molecules & Cells: Exploring how life works at the smallest scales, focusing on biological molecules, cell structure, and processes that keep living things alive.
• Organic & Biological Chemistry: Building a strong foundation in chemistry for life sciences, studying the structure of matter, bonding, and carbon-based compounds.
• Scientific English Academic Language and Literacies 1 (SEALL 1): Supporting academic success across all subjects, practicing and developing academic communication skills, and building effective strategies for reading and engaging with different types of scientific academic texts.

Teaching Block 2 | Jan - May

In Teaching Block 2, students begin to specialise, depending on their chosen undergraduate destination and interests. They study subjects that deepen their knowledge and skills in either life and environmental sciences or chemical and physical sciences, preparing them for the specific degree programme they hope to join.

• Comparative Biology & Healthy Ecosystems: Exploring how humans, animals, and the environment are connected through a One Health lens, studying organ systems, ecosystems, and biodiversity.
• Maths, Data & Research Skills for Life Sciences: Developing the mathematical skills needed for biological, biomedical, and environmental sciences, practising unit conversions, statistics, and data analysis using real scientific data.
• Scientific English Academic Language and Literacies 2 (SEALL 2): Building on the skills developed in Teaching Block 1, continuing to grow confidence in academic English, and practising writing, reading, and speaking about scientific topics.

BCBES IFP Chemical & Biochemical Sciences Stream

This stream is for students who want to study chemical and physical sciences. Students deepen their knowledge of chemistry across three subfields: physical, organic, and inorganic chemistry.

Teaching Block 1 | Sept - Dec

Similar to the Biological, Biomedical & Environmental Sciences stream, students in the Chemical & Biochemical Sciences stream study:

• Molecules & Cells
• Organic & Biological Chemistry
• Scientific English Academic Language and Literacies 1 (SEALL 1)

Teaching Block 2 | Jan - May

In Teaching Block 2, students specialise in:

• Integrated Physical, Organic & Inorganic Chemistry: Deepening their knowledge of chemistry, studying how reactions work, how elements behave, and how chemists design new compounds.
• Maths, Data & Research Skills for Physical Sciences: Building the quantitative skills needed for chemistry, physics, and related degrees, studying algebra, calculus, modelling, and statistics.
• Scientific English Academic Language and Literacies 2 (SEALL 2): Continuing to develop academic English skills, practising writing, reading, and speaking about scientific topics.

STEM Research Collaborator 2026 Open Digital Badge

Students who complete the group research project within the BCBES International Foundation Programme receive a University of Edinburgh Open Digital Badge: STEM Research Collaborator 2026. This badge formally recognises their achievement in collaborative scientific research, including lab skills, data analysis, and academic communication.