General Biology I & II with Lab for Vet School: Online Options That Count- can you take General Biology with the lab online and have it count toward your veterinary school prerequisites? Here is the honest, school-by-school answer — and how to plan the two-semester sequence so your credits transfer.
Target keyword: general biology for vet school online • Last verified May 2026 against each program’s current admissions page
| The short answerYes — you can take General Biology I and II with lab online and have it count toward veterinary school, but only at programs that explicitly accept online laboratory coursework. Kansas State University states that prerequisites “can be fulfilled by courses from any accredited institution, including online courses and labs.” Colorado State, Iowa State, and LSU similarly accept online biology with lab. Cornell, Tufts, and Purdue require laboratories to be completed on campus and will not accept online or at-home labs. Before enrolling in any online course, confirm acceptance with each target program in writing, because policies differ sharply from school to school and change yearly. |
General Biology with lab is the single highest-volume prerequisite in the entire pre-veterinary course landscape — and it is also one of the most misunderstood when it comes to online delivery. Nearly every veterinary school in the United States requires a full year of general biology with a laboratory component, usually 6 to 8 semester credit hours. The question almost every nontraditional applicant arrives with is the same: “Can I do the lab online, and will it actually count?”
The answer is genuinely school-dependent, and this guide gives you the real picture rather than a marketing version of it. We will cover which programs accept online biology labs and which flatly refuse them, how many credit hours you need, what grade and recency rules apply, how online labs are actually delivered, and why regional accreditation is the factor that determines whether your credit transfers. Where PrereqCourses.com genuinely fits your situation, we will say so. Where it does not — for example, if your only target school requires onsite labs — we will tell you that just as plainly and point you toward a community college or four-year institution instead. You can compare programs through the American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC).
Yes, at many programs — but acceptance turns entirely on one distinction that applicants routinely miss: the difference between an online lecture and an online laboratory. Almost every veterinary program now accepts online lecture instruction for biology without hesitation. The laboratory is where programs diverge. Some accept fully online or at-home labs; others require the lab to be completed in person on a college campus, full stop.
This means the correct first step for any applicant is not “Is this course online?” but “Does my target school accept an online lab?” The two-semester biology sequence you complete online will count at one school and be rejected at another, even though the course itself is identical. Your job is to match the course to the schools that accept it — and to build your school list with online-lab acceptance as a screening criterion from the start.
| The distinction that decides everythingOnline lecture ≠ online lab. Most vet programs accept online biology lectures. The dividing line is whether the program accepts an online or at-home laboratory. Screen every target school on this one question before you enroll in anything. |
The following programs accept online laboratory coursework, with the specifics drawn from each program’s current admissions materials. These are the schools where completing General Biology I and II with lab online makes the most strategic sense.
Kansas State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine states on its prerequisite page that requirements “can be fulfilled by courses from any accredited institution, including online courses and labs.” This is one of the most explicit online-lab acceptance statements in the U.S. veterinary system, and it applies to biology, chemistry, microbiology, and physics labs equally. K-State’s biology requirement can be satisfied by introductory biology, introductory zoology, or any higher-level biology course — the K-State equivalent is BIOL 198 or higher. For applicants completing prerequisites online, K-State is the highest-confidence target school in the country.
K-State also no longer requires the GRE as of the current admissions cycle, which removes a meaningful obstacle for nontraditional applicants. Always verify current GRE status and prerequisite language with K-State admissions before each cycle, as requirements can change. See our Kansas State vet school prerequisites guide for the full breakdown.
Colorado State University accepts online coursework for its DVM prerequisites, stating that online courses are accepted when they are taken for credit with a grade and appear as completed on an official transcript. CSU was an early mover in online pre-health education, having launched a post-baccalaureate pre-health program specifically to let applicants fulfill prerequisites online. Note that CSU also restricts certain upper-division requirements (biochemistry, genetics, systems physiology) to a 10-year recency window, so plan the sequence with timing in mind. See our Colorado State vet school prerequisites guide for the full list.
Iowa State University requires general biology with lab (the ISU equivalent is BIOL 211/211L and 212/212L) and accepts prerequisites completed at any regionally accredited college or university, including online. ISU’s published early-entry pathway notes that most prerequisite courses can be taken at a community college, with the usual exceptions of biochemistry and genetics, which are best completed at a four-year institution. For general biology specifically, online completion is workable. See our Iowa State vet school prerequisites guide for details.
LSU’s veterinary program states plainly that courses may be completed through a four-year institution, community college, or online program, provided the provider is an accredited institution and the work is completed for a grade and appears on an official transcript. LSU adds explicitly that online laboratories are accepted — another clear, applicant-friendly position. LSU accepts prerequisites for up to 10 years from completion to matriculation. See our LSU vet school prerequisites guide.
| Best-fit target schools for online biologyKansas State, Colorado State, Iowa State, and LSU all accept online biology with lab from a regionally accredited institution. If your school list includes these programs, completing General Biology I & II online through a regionally accredited provider is a sound, defensible plan — verify the current language with each one before you enroll. |
Here is where we are direct with you, because getting this wrong wastes months and money. Several well-regarded programs require laboratory coursework to be completed in person and will not accept online or at-home labs under their standard policies. If one of these is your only target, an online biology lab will not solve your problem — you should plan to complete the lab at a community college or four-year institution near you.
| Do not waste a semesterIf Cornell, Tufts, or Purdue is your only target program, an online biology lab will not count toward the lab requirement. Plan to complete that lab in person. This honest disclosure is the point: online prerequisites are a powerful tool for the right schools and the wrong tool for these. Match the course to the school list, not the other way around. |
Most veterinary programs require a full year of general biology with lab — typically 6 to 8 semester credit hours across two courses. The two-semester structure exists because the content is genuinely sequential: the first course builds cellular and molecular foundations, and the second extends into organismal diversity, physiology, and development. A few programs frame the requirement as “introductory biology or zoology, or higher,” which gives applicants flexibility in how they satisfy it.
| Program | Biology requirement | Online lab? |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas State | Intro biology/zoology or higher (BIOL 198 equiv.) | Accepted |
| Colorado State | Cell biology + lab-associated biological science | Accepted |
| Iowa State | Two semesters w/ lab (BIOL 211/212 + labs) | Accepted |
| LSU | General biology with lab | Accepted |
| Cornell | Full year biology with lab | On campus |
| Tufts | One year general biology with lab | Not allowed |
| Purdue | Two semesters general biology with lab | Onsite only |
Always verify each figure against the program’s own current admissions page before relying on it — credit-hour counts and course equivalencies are revised yearly.
General Biology is split into two courses for a reason that matters to how you plan it. The first semester typically establishes the molecular and cellular foundation — cell structure and function, membrane transport, metabolism and energetics, the molecular basis of inheritance, and the mechanics of cell division. The second semester builds outward from that foundation into organismal biology: genetics, evolution, the diversity of life, and an introduction to anatomy and physiology across organ systems. Veterinary programs require the full year because the second-semester material assumes mastery of the first, and because the physiology and genetics that anchor the DVM curriculum cannot be understood without both halves.
This is also why a single-semester “survey of biology” course usually will not satisfy the requirement on its own. When a program writes “one year of general biology with lab,” it means two sequential semesters — or three quarters — with the lab component attached. UC Davis, for example, specifies “two semesters or three quarters with lab” for its general biology requirement. If you complete the sequence online, make sure both semesters carry the lab designation and that the pair reads clearly as a year-long sequence on your transcript.
The clinical payoff is concrete. The cellular biology from the first semester underpins how veterinarians reason about disease at the tissue level, how drugs cross membranes, and how cancers and infections progress. The genetics and physiology from the second semester underpin everything from hereditary disease in breeding lines to the organ-system thinking that defines clinical diagnosis. Admissions committees require the full year because they are screening for a foundation the DVM curriculum will immediately build on — not merely checking a box.
Grade minimums. Most veterinary programs require a grade of C or higher in every prerequisite, and many will not accept a C-minus. Kansas State disqualifies an applicant for a D or F in any prerequisite at the time of application. Colorado State requires a C-minus or better. Cornell requires a C or higher. The practical takeaway: treat a B as your floor in biology, because a weak grade in a core science prerequisite both fails some programs outright and drags down the science GPA that drives admissions cutoffs.
Recency windows. Many programs require science prerequisites to be completed within a defined window — commonly 6 to 10 years before matriculation. Kansas State requires its science prerequisites to be taken within six years of enrollment. Colorado State and the University of Minnesota apply a 10-year window to math and science prerequisites. LSU accepts prerequisites for up to 10 years, sometimes longer for lower-level courses on a case-by-case basis. If your original biology coursework is older than the window, you will need to retake it — which is one of the most common reasons career-changers turn to online prerequisites in the first place.
| If your old biology credits have expiredRetaking expired biology online through a regionally accredited provider is often faster and cheaper than waiting for a community college semester to open. This is a core scenario where online prerequisites genuinely fit — provided your target schools accept online labs. Confirm both the recency window and the online-lab policy with each program before you enroll. |
Applicants are often skeptical that an online lab can be rigorous enough to count. In practice, accredited online biology labs are delivered through a combination of methods designed to satisfy the same learning outcomes as an on-campus lab:
The key point for transferability is not the delivery method but the accreditation behind the course. A lab delivered virtually at a regionally accredited institution carries the same transcript weight as one delivered in a campus building — which is exactly why the programs above accept it and why the in-person-only programs are making a policy choice, not a quality judgment.
It is worth addressing the underlying worry directly. Applicants often assume an admissions committee will view an online lab as “less real” than a campus lab and quietly hold it against them. At programs that accept online labs, this concern is misplaced: once the course appears on a transcript from a regionally accredited institution with the lab designation, it is the same line item as any other transfer credit. The committee is evaluating whether the requirement is met, not auditing the room the lab was performed in. The genuine risk is not committee disapproval at accepting schools — it is applying to a non-accepting school with an online lab. That is a policy mismatch, and it is entirely avoidable with a few minutes of verification per program.
The factor that makes an online biology course transferable is regional accreditation. Veterinary programs evaluate prerequisite coursework based on the accreditation of the institution that grants the credit, not on whether the course was delivered online. PrereqCourses.com courses are delivered through Upper Iowa University, which is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) — the same regional accreditor that accredits major public universities across the central United States, including several of the veterinary programs discussed above.
Because the credit is granted by an HLC-accredited institution and appears on an official university transcript, it is evaluated the same way any transfer credit would be. This is the structural reason online prerequisites from a regionally accredited provider transfer cleanly into programs that accept online coursework — and it is also why courses from non-accredited or vocational/proprietary providers do not. Colorado State, for instance, explicitly excludes coursework from vocational and proprietary schools.
| The accreditation test, in one sentenceIf the credit is granted by a regionally accredited institution and appears on an official transcript, it is evaluated like any other transfer credit — the online delivery is irrelevant to schools that accept online labs. |
If your target schools accept online labs, the cleanest plan is to complete the full two-semester sequence through a single regionally accredited provider so the credits read consistently on your transcript. PrereqCourses.com offers self-paced biology coursework with virtual lab through Upper Iowa University — Principles of Biology I with Lab (BIO 135) and the second-semester continuation (BIO 140) — designed so applicants can complete the year-long requirement on their own schedule rather than waiting for a fixed academic term.
Treat the two semesters as a single planning decision, not two separate ones. Sequence them back-to-back, confirm both will appear on the transcript with the lab designation, and verify acceptance with each target program in writing before you enroll. The self-paced format is the decisive advantage for working applicants and career-changers: you control the pace, you are not tied to a semester calendar, and you can complete an expired or missing prerequisite in weeks rather than waiting months for a seat to open at a local college.
| When PrereqCourses is the right fit — and when it isn’tRight fit: your target schools (e.g., Kansas State, Colorado State, Iowa State, LSU) accept online biology labs, and you want a fast, self-paced, regionally accredited path to complete or refresh the requirement.Not the fit: your only target programs (e.g., Cornell, Tufts, Purdue) require onsite labs — in that case, complete the lab in person at a local community college or four-year institution. We would rather tell you that now than have your credit rejected later. |
Can I take General Biology lab online and have it count for vet school?
Yes, at programs that explicitly accept online labs — Kansas State, Colorado State, Iowa State, and LSU are clear examples. At programs that require onsite labs, such as Cornell, Tufts, and Purdue, an online lab will not count. Always confirm acceptance with each target school before enrolling.
How many biology credits do I need for vet school?
Most programs require a full year of general biology with lab — typically 6 to 8 semester credit hours across two courses. A few accept introductory biology or zoology “or higher” to satisfy the requirement.
What grade do I need in biology prerequisites?
Most programs require a C or higher, and many do not accept a C-minus. Because the grade also feeds your science GPA, aim for a B or better to stay competitive.
Do biology prerequisites expire?
Many programs apply a recency window — commonly 6 to 10 years before matriculation. Kansas State uses a 6-year window for science prerequisites; Colorado State, Minnesota, and LSU use roughly 10 years. If your biology credit is older, you will likely need to retake it.
Will an online biology course from PrereqCourses transfer?
PrereqCourses coursework is delivered through Upper Iowa University, which is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. At programs that accept online coursework, that credit is evaluated like any other transfer credit. At programs requiring onsite labs, it will not satisfy the lab requirement — verify each program’s policy first.
Should I take biology and chemistry at the same time?
You can, and many applicants do, but sequence them deliberately. Both are year-long with-lab requirements, and both feed your science GPA. See our companion guide on General Chemistry for vet school for how to plan the chemistry sequence.
General Biology I & II with lab is the highest-volume vet prerequisite — and online completion is a genuinely good plan for the schools that accept online labs.
Kansas State, Colorado State, Iowa State, and LSU accept online biology with lab from a regionally accredited institution. Cornell, Tufts, and Purdue require onsite labs and will not accept online or at-home labs. Build your school list with online-lab acceptance as a screening criterion, complete the two-semester sequence through a single regionally accredited provider, and confirm acceptance with each program in writing before you enroll.
Ready to start? Explore the self-paced biology sequence (BIO 135 and BIO 140) through HLC-accredited Upper Iowa University, and pair it with General Chemistry for vet school to plan both year-long sciences together.
Plan your full prerequisite sequence:
Every program-specific requirement in this article should be re-verified against the program’s current admissions page before you rely on it. Veterinary prerequisite policies — including online-lab acceptance, credit-hour counts, grade minimums, and recency windows — change yearly. This guide is general information only and is not a guarantee of credit transfer or admission.
