How to Apply to Physics at Rutgers University–New Brunswick: Four Physics Options (Professional, Applied, Planetary, General B.A.) and an Astrophysics Major in the School of Arts and Sciences, Entering Undeclared, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At Rutgers University–New Brunswick, undergraduate physics is offered by the Department of Physics & Astronomy in the School of Arts and Sciences (SAS). Here is what you need to know, based on the department’s, the SAS undergraduate office’s and the admissions office’s websites, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Mathematics, chemistry, engineering, computer science and other majors are not covered here, apart from mentions of dual degrees.

A note first: the current undergraduate catalog (catalogs.rutgers.edu) was not read for this article. The course numbers below come from the department’s own major pages, and the current catalog is the authority.

1. Degrees and areas

• Overview: the department says majors have five options: four lead to a B.S. – Professional, Applied, Planetary and Astrophysics – and one to a B.A., the General Option. The physics major page lists four physics options (Professional, Applied, General, Planetary); astrophysics has its own major page.
• Professional, Astrophysics and Planetary: aimed at students going on to Ph.D. studies in physics, astrophysics or planetary physics, starting with the calculus-based Analytical Physics or Honors introductory sequences and followed by a demanding series of upper-level physics and mathematics courses. The sequences are “credit intensive (requiring about 70 credits)”, many courses have significant prerequisites and are typically taught once a year, so interested students should plan early with the Undergraduate Program Director. Typical Professional courses: the Analytical Physics or Honors Physics sequence, Mechanics 381/382, Thermal Physics 351, Quantum Mechanics and Atomic Physics 361, Electromagnetism 385/386, Introduction to Computer-Based Experimentation and Physics Computing 326, Modern Instrumentation 327, Experimental Modern Physics 387/388, differential-equations mathematics, and at least three upper-level electives (optics, solid state, intermediate quantum mechanics, nuclei and particles, quantum computing, stars and star formation, cosmology, mathematical physics and others).
• Applied (B.S.): for students who want to enter the workforce after graduation or pursue a master’s in a technical field. It also begins with the calculus-based sequence but has fewer upper-level departmental requirements, replaced by electives concentrated in an applied field such as engineering, computer science or programs in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Requirements listed include four calculus terms, one computing course, upper-level physics and laboratory courses, seven credits of physical science and six credits of natural science electives chosen with an adviser (three of which may be a department-sponsored outside internship, with approval); a grade-point average of at least C in the courses applied toward the major is required for graduation.
• Planetary (B.S.): for a career in physics applied to the study of Earth and other planets; one course in each of geophysics, atmospheric physics and ocean physics and three courses in a concentration; students should contact the Undergraduate Program Director first because it requires advanced courses in both physics and earth, ocean, atmospheric or space sciences; a C average is required for graduation.
• General (B.A.): for students interested in physics or astronomy who do not expect to do graduate work in them; the most flexible option, suitable for medicine, high school teaching, technical writing, law and more. It starts from the algebra-based sequence (203-204), requires two terms of any calculus sequence, six advanced physics courses (including 313 Modern Physics, 323/324 Advanced General Physics, two laboratory courses and one more 300/400-level course) and 18 credits of approved natural science or mathematics electives; a C average in physics and mathematics courses is required for “admission, retention, and graduation” in the General option.
• Minors: the department offers minors in physics and astronomy; the grade-point average for courses applied to a minor must be at least 2.0, with no more than one D.
• Dual degrees and joint programmes: SAS lists a five-year dual-degree programme leading to a B.A. or B.S. from SAS and a B.S. from the School of Engineering (students must be accepted into both), and a bachelor’s-plus-M.B.A. pathway designed for science majors including physics.
• Residency requirement: in all physics options, at least 15 credits of 300-level or higher physics courses applied to the major must be completed at Rutgers–New Brunswick; in the General Option four of the six advanced physics courses must be taken here.

2. How admission to the major works: apply to the school, declare the major after entry

• At application: the admissions pages describe applying to a school (one application can name up to three Rutgers schools, each decided independently). The pages read state no physics quota or minimum score. SAS’s major-advising page says “all incoming students enter Rutgers undeclared”.
• Declaring the major: SAS says that, except for majors needing a separate application (Communication, Information Technology and Informatics, Journalism and Media Studies, Health Administration, Planning and Public Policy, Public Health, Public Policy, Urban Planning and Design), majors are declared online through the MyMajor portal after reviewing the entry requirements; physics is not on the separate-application list. When declaration is required and whether physics has a quota are not stated in the pages read. The General Option’s own C-average rule is noted above.
• Maximum Admission Consideration: the admissions office says applicants who tick the option are automatically considered for another Rutgers school if not admitted to their first choice, and can later seek a school-to-school transfer.
• Planning: the department’s advising page says all first-year and new transfer students interested in a physics or astrophysics major should work with the Undergraduate Program Director to plan their schedules, and should plan to take a physics course in their first semester as well as the calculus appropriate to their background; majors are encouraged to meet the director each semester.
• School: the department describes itself as one of “the largest and most prestigious in the School of Arts & Sciences”. A separate SAS admission line for physics is not stated in the pages read.

3. Prerequisites and credit

• High school coursework (SAS): the admissions office says SAS requires 16 academic units: English 4 years; foreign language 2 years of one language; mathematics 3 years (including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II); science 2 years; and 5 other academic courses. The physics pages read add no physics-specific high school requirement and describe no math or physics placement exam; they say only that majors should take a physics course and calculus in the first semester.
• AP physics and calculus (SAS; scores of 4 or 5 earn credit; exams completed after high school graduation are not accepted): Physics 1 – 01:750:203 and 205 (4 credits); Physics 2 – 204 and 206 (4 credits); Physics B (no longer active) – 203–206 (8 credits); Physics C: E&M – 204 and 206 (4 credits); Physics C: Mechanics – 203 and 205 (4 credits). Calculus AB – 01:640:151 (4 credits); Calculus BC – 01:640:151 and 152 (8 credits); Precalculus – 01:640:115. The department’s Professional-option page notes that students who took 203-204 as their introductory physics sequence, or have AP credit, should consult a departmental adviser to plan an appropriate curriculum.
• IB: Higher Level scores of 7, 6 or 5 earn credit; standard level and scores of 4 or lower do not. IB Physics earns 203-204 and 205-206 (8 credits); IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches earns 01:640:151 (4 credits); Applications and Interpretation earns 640:NM (4 credits).
• Honors sequence: the Professional and Astrophysics options list an Honors Physics sequence (271/272/273), and the honors sequence and many advanced courses require special permission (SPN) from the Undergraduate Program Director. SAS also has an Honors College that invites entering first-year students; Common App applicants must write a short statement to be considered for honors and must apply by 1 December.
• Undergraduate research and thesis: the department says majors with a research adviser can register for 1 to 4 credits of research in physics (special permission needed); in the departmental honors programme the chairperson invites majors who have shown considerable ability by the end of the junior year, candidates take a two-semester honors research course, write a thesis and give a seminar in the senior year, and honors are awarded on the project, general performance and faculty recommendations. Whether every student must write a thesis is not stated in the pages read.
• Competitions: the department notes Goldwater Scholarship winners every year for the past 13 years, but the pages read do not say how physics competitions such as USAPhO are viewed in admission.

4. Deadlines and application materials

• Rounds and deadlines (fall 2027): the New Brunswick dates page lists first-year Early Action (non-binding) 1 November 2026, decisions by 31 January 2027, and Regular Decision 1 December 2026, decisions by 28 February; candidate reply date 1 May 2027. The page lists no Early Decision round. To be considered for honors and merit scholarships, apply by 1 December. Later first-year applications are reviewed on a space-available basis and get decisions after the Early Action and Regular Decision students have been notified.
• How to apply and fee: the Rutgers Application or the Common App (submit only one); the fee amount is not stated in the pages read, so see the admissions website. Fee waivers: the National School Lunch Program, U.S. military service, veterans or dependents using GI Bill benefits, and official College Board, NACAC, ACT or EOF waivers.
• Materials: a short original essay (Common App 250 to 650 words with no supplemental essay; Rutgers Application up to 3,800 characters), which must be in the application itself; extracurricular activities must be entered in the application, not as a separate list; current high school seniors submit a STARS self-reported record (all courses and final grades from grades 9–11 plus grade 12 courses in progress) and official transcripts on enrolling; letters of recommendation are not used.
• Testing: New Brunswick is test optional (“test-optional … policies through 2027”); submitted SAT/ACT scores are an additional credential, and both tests are superscored (SAT and ACT are not combined). Scores must come from the testing agency (SAT code 2765, ACT code 2592); enrolling students with SAT EBRW 650+ or ACT reading 28+ are exempt from the English placement exam. The transfer page says the policy runs “through 2026”, which differs from the first-year page’s 2027.
• What is considered: the admissions office says primary emphasis is on academic promise – completion of required subjects, strength of programme, grades and trends, weighted GPA, rank where available, optional test scores and English results where required – plus the essay, activities, honors, special talents, family obligations and socioeconomic background. The published middle 50% for admitted School of Arts and Sciences first-year students (fall 2026) is SAT 1380–1520, ACT 30–34 and high school GPA 3.7–4.2; this describes admitted students and is not a cutoff.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs (New Brunswick, academic year): the tuition page lists, for New Jersey residents, tuition $15,381, fees $4,008 and food and housing $21,943 on campus, a total of $41,332 (commuter $25,449); for non-New Jersey residents, tuition $36,831 and an on-campus total of $62,782 (commuter $46,899). Part-time tuition in the School of Arts and Sciences is $496 per credit (New Jersey) or $1,197 (non-New Jersey). The page says the costs are for “the academic year” without naming which one, so check that they apply to fall 2027 entry; food, housing and fees vary with individual choices. Eligibility for in-state rates follows Rutgers’s residency policy.
• Aid and scholarships: the scholarships page says New Brunswick uses a single merit-scholarship process for fall first-year students with no separate application, based on academic credentials and notified from early March (apply by 1 December). The Scarlet Guarantee gives first- and second-year students a “last dollar” award covering in-state tuition and eligible fees and supplements New Jersey’s Garden State Guarantee; eligibility details are with the financial aid office. New Jersey residents may also consider the Educational Opportunity Fund programme. The National Merit College-Sponsored award is $1,000 a year, renewable for four years with a 3.0 cumulative GPA. First-year merit awards renew with 24 credits a year and a 3.25 cumulative GPA.
• Physics department awards: the department lists awards for physics majors – the Herman Y. Carr Scholarships (two a year), the Mary Wheeler Wigner Memorial Scholarship, the Noemie B. Koller Scholarships (for women physics majors, two a year) and the Robert L. Sells Scholarships (two a year), plus the Aryabhata Endowed Award in Astronomy, the Mohan S. Kalelkar Award, the Paul L. Leath Award for an outstanding senior thesis, the Richard J. Plano Summer Research Internships (two a year, with a stipend) and the Richard T. Weidner Physics Prize. These are for students already enrolled rather than entrance scholarships, and amounts are not printed.
• In-state priority or guaranteed admission: not stated in the pages read; they mention New Jersey tuition rates, the Scarlet and Garden State Guarantees and EOF only.

6. International applicants

• Who is international: the admissions office says applicants living and enrolled in a high school outside the U.S., graduates of a high school abroad who never attended college, and people without a U.S. passport who are at, or have completed credits at, a U.S. college. Current high school students taking college courses still apply as first-year international applicants.
• Records: current students may use STARS and send official academic records on enrolling; documents not in English need a translation verified by a language professor or professional translator on the translator’s letterhead. Sport and craft certificates and letters of recommendation should not be sent.
• English requirement (New Brunswick): required of everyone whose secondary schooling was outside the U.S. in a country where English is not the principal language, regardless of residency, with scores from the past two years sent by the testing service: TOEFL 79 for tests through 21 January 2026 and 4.5 on the new scale from 22 January 2026 (Home Edition accepted); IELTS 6.5; Michigan English Test 56; SAT EBRW 550; ACT English 21; PTE 53; Duolingo 115; Cambridge B2. Students who attended an English-medium school may be evaluated for a waiver case by case (RUinternational@admissions.rutgers.edu), and a B or better in college-level English Composition at an accredited U.S. college also exempts (ESL, overseas, correspondence and online courses do not count). TOEFL code 2765.
• Financial documentation (I-20): after accepting an offer, upload the Rutgers International Student Financial Statement (ISFS) and bank letters or statements covering the first year to the Rutgers Global portal; documents must be signed and dated no more than six months before the I-20 application and cover at least the amount on the ISFS. The pages read print no dollar figure, so see the ISFS form.
• Scholarships: the scholarships page says all admitted international students on non-immigrant visas are automatically considered for Rutgers international scholarships of $5,000–$16,000 per year, with limited places; applying by the Early Action or Regular Decision date helps. F-1 and J-1 students pay the out-of-state tuition rate plus a $500 SEVIS administration fee, medical insurance and health service fees.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: whether it is considered, and how, is not published in the pages read; please contact the international admissions team (RUinternational@admissions.rutgers.edu).
• Transcripts and school-leaving materials: records from all secondary schools with verified English translations; STARS is open to international students, and official records from an educational authority are needed on enrolling. The authorities named on the page do not include a Chinese exam body, and China-specific guidance is not stated in the pages read.
• International curricula: students taking AP, IB or A-Level can use the physics and calculus credit rules in section 3; China is not on an English-medium list, so an English exam is needed (section 6).
• Credits from Chinese institutions: the SAS transfer-credit FAQ says transcripts from Chinese institutions must come with a verification report from the China Higher Education Student Information and Career Center (CHESICC), and English-language summer or winter programmes in China (including those run with U.S. schools) are not accepted for transfer credit.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see section 5.
• Research: see section 3. The department says it has an excellent record of supporting undergraduate research and has had one or more Goldwater winners every year for the past 13 years (16 of the past 17). Declared majors who want research can contact the subfield major advisors for astrophysics, theoretical astro-particle physics, condensed matter experiment and applied physics, and subatomic physics.
• Outcomes: the department’s overview says the programme offers excellent preparation for graduate school and options to tailor a degree as a foundation for medicine, teaching, engineering or other technical fields; the pages read print no placement rate or salary. Its Careers page returned a 404 when requested, so it was not read.

9. Transfer students

• Who counts as a transfer: high school graduates or GED holders who will have completed at least 12 college credits by the time they enrol; current high school students with college courses apply as first-year applicants.
• Deadlines: for fall 2027, all transfer applicants 1 February 2027, with decisions by 15 April and a reply date of 1 May; later applications are reviewed on a rolling, space-available basis. A high school transcript is required if you have fewer than 24 college credits and recommended with 24 or more. The essay is recommended; recommendation letters are not used; no test scores are required.
• What is considered: academic promise – strength of programme, grade trends, cumulative GPA, credits completed and English results where required. Physics-specific calculus and physics sequence requirements for transfer are not stated in the admissions or SAS pages read; the department says new transfer students interested in physics or astrophysics should work with the Undergraduate Program Director, and 15 credits of 300-level or higher physics for the major must be completed at New Brunswick.
• Credit transfer: SAS requires a grade of C or better; courses from four-year colleges generally earn at least elective credit and whether they count toward a major is decided by the department; NJ Transfer helps New Jersey community college students; a personalised evaluation is emailed 4–6 weeks after the enrollment fee is paid. All full-time SAS transfer students take the Students in Transition Seminar and attend STAR Day. Limits: at most 60 credits from two-year institutions, 90 from four-year institutions, and no more than 12 of the last 42 credits toward the degree may be transfer credits.
• School-to-school transfer: students already in another Rutgers school can apply to move to SAS through the school-to-school transfer application, each school having its own timing and criteria.
• International transfer students: applicants with fewer than 24 college credits need an official high school transcript or finishing certificate, a transcript from each college is required, and the English and financial requirements in section 6 apply.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• EA 1 November 2026; Regular 1 December 2026 (honors and merit scholarships by 1 December); Common App or Rutgers Application; essay; STARS record for high school seniors; no recommendation letters; testing optional; fee amount not stated in the pages read
• After entry: declare physics or astrophysics through MyMajor; plan with the Undergraduate Program Director and take a physics course and calculus in the first semester

International applicants (including China):

• TOEFL 79 (old scale) / 4.5 (new scale), IELTS 6.5, Duolingo 115, PTE 53, SAT EBRW 550, ACT English 21, MET 56 or Cambridge B2 (or a waiver); verified English translations; ISFS and bank documents after accepting an offer
• Gaokao: not published; AP/IB credit rules in section 3

Transfer students:

• 1 February 2027 (fall); 12 or more college credits; C or better for transfer credit; plan courses with the physics Undergraduate Program Director

Sources: Rutgers University, Physics: why physics/astrophysics; Physics: prospective students; Physics: the physics major; Physics: the astrophysics major; Physics: minors; Physics: honors and research; Physics: advising; Physics: scholarships and prizes; SAS: major and minor advising; SAS: major declaration; SAS: dual degree programs; SAS: honors; SAS: AP credit; SAS: IB credit; SAS: transfer credits; SAS: transfer students; Admissions: first-year applicants; Admissions: international applicants; Admissions: New Brunswick dates and deadlines; Admissions: how we make decisions and profile; Admissions: tuition and fees; Admissions: scholarships; Admissions: transfer applicants. The physics course numbers and option lists come from the department’s web pages; the current undergraduate catalog (catalogs.rutgers.edu) was not read for this article, so check it for the latest. Dates are for fall 2027 entry.