How to Apply to Physics at the University of Florida: BA and BS Degrees in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, with Medical Physics, Nanoscience and Optics Specializations in the BS, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At the University of Florida (UF), undergraduate physics is offered by the Department of Physics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), with a BS in Physics and a BA in Physics. Here is what you need to know to apply, based on the physics department’s and the Office of Admissions’ websites, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Mathematics, chemistry, astronomy, engineering and computer science are not covered here; the department mentions astronomy only in a note on combining majors, which is mentioned here in one line.

1. Degrees and tracks

• BS and BA: the department says the BS is for students considering graduate school in physics or a closely related discipline, with rigorous training in all areas of undergraduate physics. The BA is for students who want to major in physics but are not presently contemplating physics graduate studies; it offers more flexibility, with three fewer upper-level physics classes and one less mathematics class than the BS, leaving room for parallel studies in another discipline (perhaps another major) and pre-professional preparation, for example for medical school.
• Applied physics specializations: the department says that since summer 2020 the physics BS has three specializations. Each requires all BS requirements with a specific physics elective plus three courses in other departments: Medical Physics (physics elective PHZ 4710 Introduction to Biological Physics, plus applied human anatomy with lab, nuclear radiation detection or medical imaging, and Fourier analysis); Nanoscience (PHZ 4404 Solid State Physics, plus solid-state electronic devices, microelectronic fabrication or production of electronic materials, and one of resonant MEMS, compound semiconductors, fluid mechanics or plasma physics); Optics (PHY 4424 Optics, plus techniques of observational astronomy, laser theory and design, and fundamentals of photonics). They are described as preparing students for graduate programs other than physics and astronomy or for direct entry to the workforce.
• Enriched courses: several core courses have an enriched version; for example PHY 2048 (Physics with Calculus 1) and PHY 2060 (Enriched Physics with Calculus 1) cover the same material, with PHY 2060 including selected advanced topics. Both prepare you for upper-level courses, and you are encouraged to see an advisor to choose.
• Minor and combined degree: the physics minor is 17 credits with grades of C or higher. The department also has a combined BA or BS/MS program that lets students graduate in five years by taking up to 12 graduate credits as undergraduates; the department notes it typically has funds only for PhD students, not terminal master’s students.
• Other tracks: the pages read do not list separate undergraduate degrees in astrophysics or engineering physics; this is not published there, so ask the department. The department takes part in UFTeach, which develops Florida’s math and science teachers. On combining with astronomy the department’s two pages differ slightly: the degrees page says a CLAS rule that a minor include at least 6 credits not required for the major precludes an astronomy BS with a physics minor, although only a few extra courses are needed for a physics BA together with the astronomy BS; the degrees-offered page says astronomy majors must complete 6 physics credits exclusive to the minor, beyond the major, before seeking approval for the minor.
• Honors: seniors doing research in the department are encouraged to submit a senior thesis; those with a minimum 3.50 major GPA graduate with High Honors (magna cum laude) or Highest Honors (summa cum laude), and the best thesis each year receives an award. The thesis goes to the Undergraduate Coordinator in printed and electronic form about three weeks before the end of the semester and is presented to a committee of physics faculty and fellow students in a 20 to 30 minute talk.
• Academic Learning Compact: all undergraduate physics students take a field test on selected topics created by the faculty; above 50% is passing, though the score does not affect graduation, and the department expects an average above 70%.

2. Admission: you apply to UF as a whole, then study in the department

• When you apply: freshmen apply to UF only through the Common App. The freshman application pages read do not say whether you must choose a major at application or whether physics has its own admission line; this is not published there, so ask the Office of Admissions.
• Declaring the major and places: the department pages read state no GPA or cap for entering the physics major and no declaration date; this is not published there, so ask the department advisors. The department says only that physics majors should confer with a department advisor as early as possible, especially as their goals evolve.
• Catalog: the department says details of degrees and coursework requirements are in the UF Undergraduate Catalog and the Physics Majors Canvas page. The catalog is hosted on a third-party platform and was not accessed; see it directly.
• Graduate courses early: seniors who perform exceptionally well may, with the instructor’s permission, be enrolled by the Undergraduate Coordinator in graduate courses through PHY 4905 Individual Work.

3. Prerequisites, labs and research

• High school courses (UF-wide minimum): Admissions lists 16 academic units: 4 years of English (with substantial writing), 4 of mathematics (Algebra 1 or above), 3 of natural sciences (two with laboratory), 3 of social sciences and 2 of sequential foreign language. It stresses these are minimums, admission is competitive and most admitted students exceed them. The department and Admissions pages read set no separate high school physics or calculus requirement; this is not published there.
• AP/IB credit: the pages read give no table showing how AP/IB Physics (1/2, C: Mechanics, C: E&M) or calculus credit maps onto the required physics courses; this is not published there, so check the UF catalog and Admissions. Admissions says AP, IB and AICE courses and dual-enrollment courses in academic core areas get an extra 1.0 weight in the GPA calculated for review, and honors-level pre-AP/pre-IB/pre-AICE courses 0.5.
• Starting courses: the department says the calculus-based physics courses have regular and enriched versions (PHY 2048/2049 and PHY 2060 and so on) that both prepare for upper-level classes; see an advisor. The department’s undergraduate course flow chart (a PDF) was not read, and the required mathematics sequence is not listed on the pages read.
• Labs: the department FAQ mentions Laboratory Physics 1 and 2 (PHY 4802L/4803L); students email the Undergraduate Assistant with name, UFID, course, preferred section and anticipated graduation date, and the Undergraduate Coordinator reviews requests before registering them. Lab and capstone credit requirements are not itemised on the pages read, so see the catalog.
• Undergraduate research: the department encourages all undergraduate majors to take part in research. Agree the credits (zero to 3) with your research advisor, who contacts the Undergraduate Coordinator to enrol you in PHY 4911; register before the add/drop deadline because late changes can incur fees. The department’s detailed undergraduate research page was not read.
• Honors Program: to apply to the UF Honors Program, indicate it on the Common App and answer the additional essay question; it offers smaller, enriched classes. Its page was not read. The department’s senior-thesis honors are in section 1.
• Physics competitions: the admissions pages read do not say how competitions are viewed.

4. Deadlines and materials (freshmen)

• Deadlines (labelled 2026-27): Early Decision (binding) application deadline October 15, materials October 22, decision December 11, confirmation January 8; Early Action (non-binding) November 1, materials November 8, decision January 22; Regular Decision January 15, materials January 22, decision March 19. For EA and RD confirmation is May 1; official test scores are due May 1 and final transcripts July 1.
• How to apply: through the Common App only; you may request Summer B or Fall, which does not affect consideration, though space limits may lead to an offer for a different term. You complete the personal essay, the UF supplement, activities and honors; after submitting you create a Gator Portal, complete the STARS (self-reported high school courses and grades) and add test scores.
• Application fee: $30, nonrefundable; fee waivers can be requested in the Common App.
• Testing: all applicants must submit SAT, ACT or CLT scores; UF has no preference and superscores each test (the ACT Science section is no longer counted). Scores can be self-reported or sent by the testing agency; the SAT and TOEFL code is 5812 and the ACT code 0758.
• Recommendations: the freshman application pages read list no letters of recommendation and do not ask for a science teacher’s letter; this is not published there.
• Honors and Innovation Academy: to be considered for the Honors Program or Innovation Academy, indicate it on the Common App and write the additional essay (Innovation Academy also requires choosing a major within IA); IA students start in the spring semester. Whether physics is among IA’s majors was not read.
• How applications are reviewed: UF uses comprehensive review: secondary school academic performance (a core weighted GPA), curriculum strength, test scores, activities, the essay and personal background, with no single determining factor. It publishes the middle 50% of admitted students for the class of 2030: GPA 4.5-4.7, ACT 32-35, SAT 1420-1520, as of July 2026, and says these are not minimum criteria.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs: UF’s 2026-27 estimate for incoming first-time undergraduates: tuition and fees $6,440 in-state and $34,620 out-of-state; plus books and supplies $1,220, transportation $1,700, living expenses $14,190 ($4,600 living with parents), miscellaneous $2,224 and federal loan fees $56, for a total budget of $25,830 in-state and $54,010 out-of-state. These are estimates; the figures for fall 2027 entry are not published on the page read.
• Aid and scholarships: the cost page links to scholarship pages that were not read; see the UF Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships (sfa.ufl.edu). Residency-based priority or guaranteed admission is not stated in the freshman admission rules read, and the residency-for-tuition page was not read.
• Department awards: the physics department lists the Garrett Endowment for Physics Education (travel awards and need-based scholarships for physics majors); the David R. Griggs Award (merit award for an outstanding undergraduate researcher each year); the William Oegerle Scholarship in Physics and Astronomy (support for undergraduates with exceptional promise in research, which can include tuition, books, computers and travel to present research); the Ruth & Earl Sawyer Fund (academic awards for outstanding physics majors); and the Chris B. Schaffer Physics Undergraduate Research Fund. Amounts and application rules are on the undergraduate majors Canvas page, which was not read.
• Testing: SAT, ACT or CLT required; see section 4.

6. International applicants

• Process: Admissions says international applicants follow the same freshman application process and receive the same comprehensive review; applicants with coursework outside the United States should apply well in advance of the deadlines because processing international credentials takes time.
• Transcripts: at least four full years of your most recent secondary school transcripts, including courses in progress, with a word-for-word certified English translation if not issued in English. Unofficial electronic transcripts are accepted for review; official ones and translations are required on enrolment. All records must arrive by the Materials Deadline.
• Credential evaluation: for all non-US coursework, a course-by-course evaluation with GPA calculation from a current member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), also by the Materials Deadline.
• Who uses the STARS: applicants from schools outside the US that do not follow the standard US grading system, or who studied a curriculum not following the US system, should not complete the STARS and instead send the transcripts and evaluation above.
• Testing: under Florida Board of Governors regulation 6.002, all first-year students submit an ACT, CLT or SAT; see section 4.
• English: the freshman international page read does not state an English test requirement; this is not published there, so ask Admissions. The transfer international page says UF requires proficiency in spoken and written academic English, shown by one full-time academic year in a degree-seeking program in the United States or a country where English is the only official language (or an equivalent associate degree), or by examination: TOEFL iBT at least 80 (PBT 550) or IELTS Academic at least 6.0 (marked with an asterisk whose note was not read). Scores are valid for two years and must be sent electronically by the testing agency; the TOEFL code is 5812. A list of exempt countries includes Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore; China is not on it.
• Aid: the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships says students on F1, F2, J1, J2 or G-series visas are not eligible for federal aid it administers but may be eligible for private or college-awarded scholarships. Proof-of-funds requirements are not stated on the pages read.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the admission pages read do not say how Gaokao results are used and have no China-specific note; this is not published there. UF requires the SAT, ACT or CLT from every freshman and does not say the Gaokao can substitute.
• Transcripts and evaluation: for applicants whose school is outside the US and does not follow the US grading system, Admissions asks for the most recent four years of transcripts with English translations and a NACES course-by-course evaluation; the pages do not say country by country whether Chinese schools fall in this group, so confirm with Admissions. Requirements for Huikao records are not published on the pages read.
• International curricula: for AP, IB and A-Level students, Admissions weights AP, IB and AICE courses in the GPA calculation; credit conversion is in section 3.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see section 5.
• Department programs: the Society of Physics Students (professional development, outreach and social activities), walk-in tutoring for introductory physics courses (the resources page says through the AT Teaching Center in Broward Hall), and graduate application resources; awards are in section 5.
• Outcomes: the department gives only description: many students go on to graduate study, and an equal number pursue advanced degrees in other sciences, all branches of engineering and medical school; physics majors are employed in industry doing applied work and in academia. The applied physics page adds that “nationwide” about 30% of physics majors go to graduate school in physics or astronomy, 20% to graduate school in another discipline and 50% enter the workforce directly, without giving a source or year. The pages read print no UF employment data; the department’s resources page links to American Institute of Physics employment data, which was not read.

9. Transfer students

• How to apply: transfer students apply to a specific college and major, only one major at a time, with a $30 fee. UF says admission is determined by the college and major, so check the prerequisites and minimum GPA for it, and that the opportunity to change major after admission is extremely limited.
• Minimum courses for the physics major: the physics department says the minimum requirements for admission to the major are courses equivalent to Physics with Calculus 1 and 2 (PHY 2048/L and PHY 2049/L), General Chemistry 1 and 2 (CHM 2045/L and CHM 2046), and Calculus 1 to 3 (MAC 2311, 2312, 2313). It strongly encourages transfer students to take Differential Equations (MAP 2302) before their first semester at UF. A minimum GPA is not stated on the pages read, so ask the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences advising and the department.
• Residency requirement: transfer students must take at least 15 credit hours of the required physics courses at UF.
• Transcripts: a transcript from every institution attended; unofficial transcripts are accepted for review; non-US coursework needs a course-by-course evaluation and English translation. If you have not completed 8 sequential semester hours of college foreign language, provide documentation of two sequential secondary-school foreign language courses or equivalent proficiency.
• Deadlines: UF says some colleges and programs have earlier deadlines or admit only certain terms. The university dates on the page are still for 2026 terms: spring 2026 September 15, summer 2026 February 15, fall 2026 May 1 (materials October 1, March 1 and May 15). The page has not been updated for fall 2027, so please check.
• Prerequisite problems after transfer: the department FAQ says in-state transfers contact the Undergraduate Assistant and out-of-state transfers the Undergraduate Coordinator.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• Choose ED (October 15), EA (November 1) or RD (January 15) and submit through the Common App with the $30 fee; prepare SAT, ACT or CLT scores and complete the STARS in the Gator Portal
• In-state and out-of-state costs differ a lot (section 5); for aid see sfa.ufl.edu

International applicants (including China):

• Last four years of transcripts with English translation, plus a NACES course-by-course evaluation; SAT, ACT or CLT scores
• The freshman English requirement is not published on the pages read; the transfer page says TOEFL 80 or IELTS 6.0; ask Admissions how the Gaokao is used

After entry:

• Meet a physics advisor, choose the BS or BA and regular or enriched core courses; the BS can add a medical physics, nanoscience or optics specialization

Transfer students:

• Apply to the specific college and major with the $30 fee; complete calculus-based physics 1 and 2, general chemistry 1 and 2 and calculus 1 to 3; the 2027 deadlines are not yet on the page; at least 15 credits of required physics must be taken at UF

Sources: University of Florida, Physics: undergraduate program; Physics: undergraduate degrees; Physics: degrees offered; Physics: applied physics specializations; Physics: FAQ; Physics: undergraduate awards; Physics: resources; Freshman application; Freshman dates and deadlines; Freshman requirements; Freshman international; Our decision process; Transfer application; Transfer dates and deadlines; Transfer international and English proficiency; 2026-27 cost of attendance; Information for international students. The freshman deadline page is labelled as the 2026-27 cycle (fall 2027 entry); the transfer dates page still shows 2026 terms and costs are 2026-27 figures. Degree credit requirements are in the university catalog, which was not read for this guide. Check UF for the latest.