Overview

Marine Biology from University of California, Santa Cruz is based on basic principles that help us to understand the processes that shape life in marine environments.

Students with bachelor’s degrees in marine biology find employment opportunities in a variety of fields. In conjunction with a teaching credential or graduate degree in teaching, students often use their marine biology background to teach science at the K–12 level.

Careers

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Department degrees are designed to prepare students to go on to:

Graduate and professional programs

Positions in industry, government, or NGO’s

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Marine Ecology

Marine Botany

Invertebrate Zoology

Ichthyology

Large Marine Vertebrates Field Course

Biology of Marine Mammals

Freshwater Ecology

Marine Ecology Field Quarter: Marine Ecology with Laboratory

Marine Ecology Field Quarter: Ichthyology with Laboratory

Marine Ecology Field Quarter: Methods in Field Ecology

Ecology of Reefs, Mangroves, and Seagrasses

Ecology of Reefs, Mangroves, and Seagrasses Laboratory

Marine Conservation Biology

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-01-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-07-31 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2026-03-31 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-10-31 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2026-09-21 00:00:00
- Apply before 2025-11-30 00:00:00

Language

English

IELTS

6.5

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TOEFL^® IBT

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Duolingo English Test

115

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Disciplines

Marine Science View 231 other Bachelors in Marine Science in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

3.4

3.0 GPA For California residents

English requirements

IELTS

6.5

Free IELTS Mock Tests!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

Duolingo English Test

115

Take A Free Practice Test!

Check IELTS test dates and locations. Book an IELTS test now!

Other requirements

General requirements

You must achieve a minimum GPA of 3.00 in the "a–g" courses.

Non-residents must earn a minimum GPA of 3.40.

Take the ACT Plus Writing or the SAT with Essay

The ACT Assessment plus the ACT Writing Test or the SAT with critical reading, mathematics, and writing scores from the same sitting.

Proof of English Proficiency

Student insurance

Make sure to cover your health, travel, and stay while studying abroad. Even global coverages can miss important items, so make sure your student insurance ticks all the following:

Additional medical costs (i.e. dental)
Repatriation, if something happens to you or your family
Liability
Home contents and baggage
Accidents
Legal aid

We partnered with Aon to provide you with the best affordable student insurance, for a carefree experience away from home.

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Starting from €0.53/day, free cancellation any time.

Remember, countries and universities may have specific insurance requirements. To learn more about how student insurance work at University of California, Santa Cruz and/or in United States, please visit Student Insurance Portal.

Tuition Fee

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International

50244 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 50244 USD per year during 48 months.
National

50244 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 50244 USD per year during 48 months.
In-State

16044 USD/year

Tuition Fee

Based on the tuition of 16044 USD per year during 48 months.

Living costs for Santa Cruz

1710 - 2560 USD /month

Living costs

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Marine Biology.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

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