Natural science degrees provide an introduction to an array of scientific approaches, giving students the tools they need to explore all the big and small miracles the natural world has to offer. Expect to cover everything from the widest reaches of the universe to the breakdown of miniscule molecules. Getting an international degree in natural science is no easy task, but students do have great options to choose from at every level of study.

Typical undergraduate programs include classes in cell biology, chemistry, computer science, earth sciences, evolution, behavior, material science, physics, organism physiology, mathematics, and mathematical biology. So if you’re looking for a light course load and easy A’s, this isn’t the major for you. But, after four years between the lab and library, a natural science degree will provide an eclectic foundation across all scientific disciplines and a forcible toolkit of scientific methods.

Graduate and doctoral programs are less common and more academically demanding, but they also generally include more hands-on work in the field or the lab and more face time with those professors you pined over as an undergrad.

You can study natural sciences at Cambridge, University of Oxford, ETH Zurich, National University of Singapore, and University of Tokyo top the rankings for national science degrees worldwide. Oxford and Cambridge are renowned for their high-quality graduate research opportunities, while the National University of Singapore caters toward undergraduates with extensive mentorship and special programs for young academics. If you’re gunning for a Nobel Peace Prize, ETH Zurich is the place to be, as the school boasts 10 Nobel-winning chemists among their alumni. It will take roughly four years to get through an undergraduate program at these universities, followed by an exhaustingly intensive fifth year to become a true Master of Science (certificate included, terms and conditions may apply).

Most undergraduate natural science degrees require students to have a solid basis in the sciences, backed up by a high school transcript filled with chemistry, biology, and physics classes. Some familiarity with algebra, calculus, and geometry will also be critical because university science courses often take for granted that students have previous experience with these. Graduate programs will look for a university course load reflecting a more focused scientific interest (such as quantum physics, biochemistry, or environmental science) as well as plenty of lab experience. Extra brownie points if you have participated in a field work project or otherwise put your scientific brilliance to use outside of the classroom.

Natural science encompasses a wide range of studies, including environmental science, chemistry, marine biology, applied sciences, geology, astronomy, sustainable development, and natural resource management. While natural science degrees are fairly common, most programs require further specialization over the course of the degree, especially at the masters and doctoral levels.