How to Apply to Physics at Georgetown University: Apply to the College of Arts & Sciences, Where the Department of Physics Offers Physics and Biological Physics, Each as a B.S. or an A.B., with Science Majors Able to Begin Declared, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Georgetown University has several undergraduate schools, and you apply directly to one of them. Physics belongs to the College of Arts & Sciences, where the Department of Physics teaches it. Mathematics, chemistry, computer science and other majors are not covered here. Below is what Georgetown’s website says, for domestic students, international students (with a separate section for applicants from China) and transfer students.

1. The degrees

• Four majors and a minor: the department says it offers B.S. and A.B. degrees in Physics, B.S. and A.B. degrees in Biological Physics, and a minor in Physics. The department pages do not list astrophysics, applied physics or engineering physics majors.
• B.S. versus A.B.: the department says students planning graduate school in physics or engineering will typically pursue a B.S.; those interested in medicine, law, finance or other areas benefit from any program but may find the A.B. or the minor leaves more time for other degrees or interests. The first five courses for the B.S. and A.B. are the same, so you do not need to choose until at least the end of the second year. Students earning the B.S. (Physics or Biological Physics) are exempt from the College social science general education requirement.
• Physics B.S. courses (department page): Mechanics (PHYS 2101, or 2051), Electromagnetic Phenomena (2102, or 2052), Relativity and Quantum Physics (2103), Modern Experimental Physics (2104), Mathematical and Computational Methods (2105); Intermediate Mechanics, Intermediate Electricity and Magnetism, Quantum Mechanics and Statistical Physics (3101-3104); Independent Research (4998-4999, 3 credits); one physics elective (PHYS 3101-3701 or 4999 and above); and one more approved physics or math/science course.
• Physics A.B. courses: the same first five (2101, 2102, 2103, 2104, 2105); one of 3101, 3102, 3103 or 3104; two physics electives (one in 3101-3701 or 4999+, one at 3101 or above); and two approved physics or math/science courses.
• Biological Physics: the same first five, plus Biological Physics I (3201), Statistical Physics (3104), Biological Physics II (4202), two major-level biology courses (BIOL 1203 and 1204 or above) and chemistry (CHEM-1100 and 1101, or major-level chemistry, typically CHEM-1300 and 1301). The B.S. also requires one of 3101, 3102 or 3103 and Independent Research 4998-4999; the A.B. does not. The department says the B.S. prepares students for graduate study or careers in biophysical, biomedical or bioengineering fields.
• Physics minor: the first four core courses (2101, 2102, 2103, 2104) plus one more physics course (2105 or higher, preapproved).
• Labs and research: Modern Experimental Physics (2104) is required for both degrees, and the B.S. requires Independent Research 4998-4999 (see section 8).
• Size: the department says it graduates typically 10 to 20 majors a year, about the size of its faculty, and all courses are taught by faculty rather than graduate students.

2. How admission works and declaring the major

• Apply to the College, not the department: applicants apply directly to one of six undergraduate schools. For the College of Arts & Sciences essay, applicants interested in the sciences, mathematics or languages are encouraged to refer to their choice of major.
• Science first-years can begin declared: the College’s declaring page says first-years in sciences and languages enter with those majors declared, to facilitate the four-year arc; declared first-years may explore alternatives but stay in their entering major until sophomore year, when they may change to Undeclared or to a new major directly. Everyone else enters Undeclared and declares in sophomore year. The page does not list which departments count as sciences; the physics page encourages students considering the B.S. to begin the major in the freshman year, though it can be completed starting in the first semester of sophomore year.
• How to declare: email the department’s Director of Undergraduate Studies to request the major and a faculty advisor, then submit the Academic Program Changes Form to the Advising Dean or Academic Counselor. The physics department strongly encourages anyone contemplating a major or minor to consult the DUS as early as possible.
• Caps and thresholds: the physics and College pages read do not mention a cap or a grade threshold for declaring physics; courses have prerequisites (below). Anything else is not published; ask the DUS.
• Transferring into the College: students in McDonough, the School of Foreign Service, Nursing or the School of Health can apply to transfer internally after one year, in good academic and disciplinary standing and with a full-time schedule last semester. The application for spring 2027 opens November 9, 2026.

3. Preparation

• High school courses: the first-year pages read do not list required high school subjects or a minimum number of physics or math courses; not published, so ask undergraduate admissions. Applicants are read in the context of their school.
• Calculus alongside physics: the department lists Calculus I (MATH 1350), Calculus II (1360) and Multivariable Calculus (2370) as co- or pre-requisites for PHYS 2101, 2102 and 2103 respectively. The planning page advises completing the calculus sequence as early as possible, and suggests Linear Algebra (MATH 2250) as a good next math course.
• PHYS 2051 and 2052: the department lists them as alternatives to 2101 and 2102; the department pages we read do not explain how they differ.
• Programming: the planning page strongly encourages first-year majors without programming experience to take COSC-1020 (Computer Science I) if they might double major or minor in computer science, and otherwise recommends COSC-1010 (Introduction to Computer Science: Python); either is useful for physics labs.
• AP and IB credit for physics and calculus: the College’s credits FAQ says the College awards credit for certain subjects and scores on AP, IB and 13th-year exams, with details in the university’s advanced credit policy in the Undergraduate Bulletin. That Bulletin is hosted on a third-party catalog platform, so this article does not use it; this article therefore does not say which AP Physics, IB Physics or calculus scores earn which course. Check the official Bulletin and ask the physics DUS about first courses. The FAQ adds that AP credits post automatically once the College Board score sheet arrives, and students whose credits are not posted by early October should bring an official score sheet to the dean’s office.
• Physics competitions: the admissions pages read do not say how USAPhO or other physics competitions are viewed; not published.
• University core: this article does not give the College’s full core curriculum requirements; see the official Bulletin.

4. Rounds and materials (fall 2027 entry)

• Early Action: November 1. It is non-binding, but Early Action applicants may not apply to any binding Early Decision program; they may apply to other non-binding Early Action programs. Admitted students have until May 1 to reply.
• Regular Decision: January 1. The pages print no year, so confirm they apply to fall 2027 entry. The pages we read do not give decision-release dates for either round.
• Application platform: the Georgetown Application or the Common App. The application fee is not printed on the pages we read; check the application portal.
• Essays: two short essays (250 words each) and two long essays (a 650-word personal essay and a 500-word school-specific essay). The Common App personal statement is not required, but you may use it if it fits the personal prompt.
• Recommendations: a counselor letter and one core-subject teacher letter, with an optional second teacher letter. Georgetown says applicants to science, health or mathematics programs should have at least one recommendation from a science or math teacher.
• Testing: SAT or ACT is required (official scores). Georgetown highly recommends submitting AP scores, and for the ACT recommends taking the Science section, especially if you plan to major in the sciences.
• Alumni interview: if assigned one, you must complete it; some international applicants are not assigned one because of a shortage of alumni volunteers, with no negative effect.
• Mid-year report: first-term grades of the final year, due February 10 from your school.

5. U.S. applicants

• Cost: Georgetown is private and the cost table has no in-state and out-of-state split. The 2026-27 first-year budget (US dollars, living on or off campus): tuition and fees 74,732, average housing 13,944, food 8,236, books 1,000, transportation 780, personal 2,132 and loan fees 40, about 100,864 in total; 87,740 if living with parents. The 2027-28 figures are not published.
• Aid: only need-based aid is offered, and Georgetown meets 100% of demonstrated need for U.S. citizens and permanent residents, who submit both the FAFSA and the CSS Profile. It also sets a minimum student contribution regardless of income ($2,200 for first-years). More than half of undergraduates receive some form of aid.
• Scholarships: the pages describe need-based Georgetown scholarships; merit scholarships are not described in the pages we read.
• In-state preference or guarantee: none described; not published.

6. International applicants

• Review: all applicants are read in the context of their high school and educational system, with no quotas by school location. Citizenship does not affect admission but plays a role in financial aid.
• Testing: the SAT or ACT is required of international students too.
• English: for students whose school does not teach in English, results are recommended but not required; Georgetown accepts the Duolingo English Test, IELTS, and TOEFL (PBT, iBT and IPT Plus). No minimum score is published.
• Credential evaluation and proof of funds: the pages read do not say; not published, so ask undergraduate admissions.
• Aid: admitted students who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and who indicate interest on the application and submit the CSS Profile are considered for a limited number of need-based scholarships. The financial aid office calls international aid “extremely limited”: if you do not receive a scholarship in your first year, you will not be offered one later, and recipients must reapply every year.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao: the website does not say how the Gaokao is used; not published, so contact undergraduate admissions. The required items listed are the school transcript, school profile, SAT or ACT and, recommended, AP scores.
• Transcripts and credentials: your school submits a transcript, school profile and counselor recommendation; no China-specific credential-evaluation or exam-record requirement is stated.
• English: if the language of instruction is not English, TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo results are recommended; see section 6.
• Interview: InitialView interviews are accepted but not required, and they do not replace the alumni interview.
• Georgetown gives no separate guidance for Chinese applicants.

8. Research, honors and awards

• Getting started: the department encourages undergraduates to join research as early as freshman year, and most majors work directly with faculty; many become authors on published papers or present at meetings. The DUS talks to students about research on their first day at orientation, and the department’s Research Fair events connect students with faculty mentors.
• Independent research course: the B.S. requires Independent Research (PHYS 4998-4999). The research FAQ says one semester of senior independent research with a thesis is required, but most students take two and give a public presentation at the end of senior year; the planning page says the course may be taken up to four times starting junior year, and you need at least two semesters to be considered for honors.
• Honors in Physics: awarded to physics or biological physics majors who have performed exceptionally in coursework and independent research. Recipients typically have a 3.7 or better GPA in physics lecture courses, at least six credits of research coursework, and have presented their work in writing and orally to the faculty. To be considered you must have completed at least four upper-level physics lecture courses, including at least two of PHYS 3101, 3102, 3103 and 3104. (The department’s two requirement pages word the upper-level course range slightly differently; follow the official page.)
• Research funding: the research FAQ lists summer grants such as the NASA DC Space Grant and occasional summer funding from individual faculty grants. The department has a dedicated summer fellowship for undergraduates, the Hichwa Family Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship, which supports one undergraduate a year to do research in the department.
• Department awards: the awards page lists the Kidwell Medal (the graduating senior with the highest academic excellence in physics coursework) and the Treado Medal (a graduating senior who excelled in coursework, research and service). These honor enrolled students; whether any is open to applicants is not published.
• Outcomes: the department says: “Our B.S. majors often go on to top graduate schools in physics, biophysics, applied physics, materials science, and engineering,” and that B.S. and A.B. majors are prepared for many jobs; in recent years some have gone to medical, law and business schools and others to finance, software companies, consulting, scientific laboratories, policy institutes and teaching. It gives no placement statistics.

9. Transfer

• Eligibility: high school graduation or equivalent, at least one full-time semester (at least twelve transferable credits) but no more than four full-time semesters; a cumulative B+ or higher is recommended. Transfer applicants must choose a school and major; the majors transfer applicants cannot apply to are American Studies, Business and Global Affairs, and International Business, Language, and Culture; physics is not among them.
• Coursework: no specific courses are required, but the most competitive applicants do well in courses aligned with the Georgetown core and the major. For the College, rising sophomores are encouraged to take foundational coursework in the intended major and juniors should have some intermediate-level coursework, plus intermediate proficiency in a second language. The transfer pages do not name specific physics or calculus courses; see the physics requirements above and ask the DUS.
• Deadlines: only through the Georgetown Application. Fall 2027: March 1, 2027, decisions by June 1, reply by June 15, aid application also March 1. Spring 2027: November 1, 2026, decisions December 1; spring entry is generally reserved for rising sophomores, and no alumni interviews are offered in that round.
• Materials: the transfer supplement, high school transcript (at least an official transcript), all college transcripts, a Dean’s Report, a professor’s recommendation (ideally from your proposed area of study), SAT or ACT if you graduated from high school within five years, and a mid-term report for spring entry.
• Credit: at most 60 credits transfer, and you must spend a minimum of four full-time semesters at Georgetown (at least 60 credits earned there). Credit evaluations are done by the dean’s office of your school after admission, not before.
• Aid: international citizens applying to transfer are not eligible for need-based financial aid.

Checklist

U.S. applicants:

• Apply to the College of Arts & Sciences; Early Action November 1 (no binding Early Decision elsewhere) or Regular Decision January 1
• SAT or ACT required; at least one science or math teacher recommendation plus a counselor letter
• If you need aid, file the FAFSA and CSS Profile

International applicants (including China):

• SAT or ACT required; if your school does not teach in English, TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo results are recommended
• Request aid on the application and submit the CSS Profile; funds are limited, and a first-year miss means no later awards
• Ask undergraduate admissions how the Gaokao is used

After enrolling:

• Finish MATH 1350, 1360 and 2370 so they line up with PHYS 2101, 2102 and 2103; contact the physics DUS; decide B.S. or A.B. by the end of sophomore year

Transfer students:

• Apply by March 1, 2027 with the Georgetown Application, choosing the College and physics; at most 60 credits transfer
• International transfer students cannot apply for need-based aid

Sources: Georgetown University, Department of Physics: undergraduate; Physics major and minor requirements; Biological Physics major requirements; Planning your major; Undergraduate research; Undergraduate research FAQ; Undergraduate awards; Hichwa summer research fellowship; College: declaring a major; College: internal transfer; College: credits FAQ; First-year applicants; Application requirements and forms; International applicants FAQ; Transfer applicants; Transfer requirements and forms; Preparing to transfer; Transferring FAQ; 2026-27 cost of attendance; Financial aid for international students. Information is for fall 2027 entry. Check Georgetown for the latest details.