How to Apply to Physics at Iowa State University: No Admission by Major, Review by the Regent Admission Index, and a BS in Physics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with Physics+ Astrophysics, Physics Education and Double-Major Pairing Options, for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, undergraduate physics is offered by the Department of Physics and Astronomy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). Here is what you need to know, based on the Office of Admissions and the department’s website, organised for US domestic applicants, international applicants and applicants from China, followed by transfer students. Mathematics, computer science, engineering and other majors are covered elsewhere or not here; they appear only where they pair with physics.

1. Degrees and options

• Degree and college: the department’s website says it is part of LAS and that students can earn a B.S. in Physics or choose one of several “Physics+” options. The department site does not list a B.A. in Physics.
• Physics+ options: the department says all Physics+ programs share a common core of physics and mathematics courses, and the path beyond the core depends on your interests and career goals; to register, look for “Physics Applications Focus” or “Teacher Preparation”. Physics+ Complete is recommended for students planning graduate study in physics; Physics+ Astronomy and Astrophysics for graduate study in astrophysics (an astronomy minor is also suggested); Physics+ with Physics Education for students seeking certification to teach physics in high school; and Physics+ with Physics and Math Education for certification to teach both physics and math.
• Options that pair with another field: the department says these are suited to a double major and are primarily for students who end formal study of physics at the undergraduate level: aerospace engineering, biology, chemistry (organic or inorganic focus), computer science, data science, electrical engineering (including communication systems or control systems focus), materials engineering, mechanical engineering (systems or heat and fluids focus) and science writing. The partner majors themselves are not covered here. The department advises seeing an advisor about physics as part of a double major.
• Course structure (program-plan PDFs): the Physics+ Complete four-year plan lists Introduction to Classical Physics I and II (PHYS 2410, 2420), Introduction to Modern Physics I and II with labs (PHYS 3210/3210L, 3220/3220L), Classical Mechanics (PHYS 3610), Intermediate Mechanics (PHYS 3620), Thermal Physics (PHYS 3040), Electricity and Magnetism I and II (PHYS 3640, 3650), Electronics (PHYS 3100), Quantum Mechanics (PHYS 4800) and Intermediate Laboratory (PHYS 3110), together with Calculus III (MATH 2650), Elementary Differential Equations and Laplace Transforms (MATH 2670), Introduction to Partial Differential Equations (MATH 3850) and Matrix/Linear Algebra (MATH 2070 or 3170). Applied Quantum Mechanics (PHYS 4810) is recommended but not required; students must earn 3 credits from PHYS 4220, 4810, 4960, 5110, 5260, 5280, 5310, 5340, 5410 or ASTRO 3420, 3460, 4050. The astronomy and astrophysics plan adds ASTRO 1500, 3420, 3460, 3440L and 4050.
• Laboratory requirement: the plan’s footnote says students must earn at least two laboratory credits from PHYS 3110, 3110T, 4500L, 4700L, ASTRO 3440L or 4500L.
• General education and credits: the plan says all Iowa State majors complete a three-credit U.S. diversity course, a three-credit international perspectives course, 9 credits in social science, 8 in natural science and 12 in arts and humanities; LAS majors need at least 120 credits, including at least 45 at the 3000/4000 level, and must meet the LAS foreign language requirement. The department also requires a C or better in ENGL 2500 (or 2500H) and a C- or better in ENGL 3020, 3050, 3090 or 3140, and encourages studying at least one foreign language.
• Thesis: the department pages and plans read do not list a senior thesis or capstone requirement; please ask a departmental advisor.
• Minors: the physics minor takes 20 credits (PHYS 2410 or 2310, 2420 or 2320, 3210, at least one credit of laboratory, plus other approved courses); the astronomy minor takes 15 credits.

2. How admission works: no admission by major

• At application: the Office of Admissions says you choose the major you plan to pursue, but “Iowa State does not make admission decisions by major. Admission is based on your Regent Admission Index (RAI).” Physics is in LAS, so the extra LAS course requirements in section 3 apply.
• Entering or switching into physics later: the pages read do not state a grade, GPA or capacity requirement for declaring or moving into the physics major; please ask the department’s advisor or LAS.
• Honors: the department pages read do not describe an honors physics sequence; the University has an Honors Program page that this guide did not read.

3. Prerequisites, course choice and AP/IB credit

• High school courses (Admissions): 4 years of English; 3 years of mathematics, including one year each of algebra, geometry and advanced algebra; 3 years of science (at least two emphasising biology, chemistry or physics); 2 years of social studies. Applicants to LAS also need a third year of social studies and two years of one world language.
• High school physics and calculus: the department pages read do not set a separate high school physics or calculus requirement; the department’s four-year plan starts with PHYS 2410 (Classical Physics I) and MATH 1660 (Calculus II). The course page also lists PHYS 0500 (Intro Physics Prep), PHYS 1310 and 1320 (General Physics I and II) and other introductory courses, but does not say who should start where; ask an advisor.
• Placement: a physics placement process is not described in the department pages read. The credit-by-exam page says all students take a math placement exam before registering; the score thresholds and course mapping are on the mathematics department site, which this guide did not read.
• AP credit (Admissions, credit by exam): AP Physics 1 with a 5 earns PHYS 1310 and 1310L (5 credits; a 4 also counts if you score at least 3 on Physics 2); AP Physics 2 with a 5 earns PHYS 1320 and 1320L (5 credits; a 4 also counts with at least 3 on Physics 1); AP Physics C: Mechanics with 4–5 earns PHYS 2310 and 2310L (5 credits); AP Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism with 4–5 earns PHYS 2320 and 2320L (5 credits). Calculus: AP Calculus AB with 4–5 earns MATH 1650 (4 credits); Calculus BC with a 3 earns MATH 1650, and with 4–5 earns MATH 1650 and 1660 (8 credits). The page notes that all students take a math placement exam before registering, and if placement is not consistent with the AP calculus credit, they should talk to their advisor. Credit by exam is capped at 32 credits, all prior-learning credit at 60 credits, and at least one year of residency is needed to graduate.
• How AP Physics C credit maps onto the major: the physics plan and minor use PHYS 2410 and 2420 (the minor reads “PHYS 2410 (or 2310), 2420 (or 2320)”); the pages read do not say how the PHYS 2310 and 2320 credit from AP Physics C is applied to the major’s 2410 and 2420, so ask a departmental advisor.
• IB physics credit: the IB equivalency guide is a PDF that this guide did not read; see the link on the credit-by-exam page.
• Department test-out: the department says students with a strong high school background may take a Credit by Examination for PHYS 1310, 1320, 2310 or 2320; you need at least 75% to pass, the fee is $100 (non-refundable), and a passing result is recorded as “T”, equivalent to a C or better and not counted in the GPA. The next exam date shown on the page is 14 January 2026; check the department site for current dates.
• Course notes (department course page): PHYS 1010 will be offered only in spring starting spring 2027; labs for PHYS 1310, 1320, 2310 and 2320 are separate 1-credit courses that may be taken with or after the lecture.
• Physics competitions: how they are viewed in admission is not stated in the pages read.
• Undergraduate research: the research page says the department has major research efforts in condensed matter, high energy particle physics, nuclear physics, particle astrophysics and astronomy, with opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students; the academics page says undergraduates often work in these groups. The course list includes undergraduate research courses PHYS 4500/L and ASTRO 4500/L. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Ames National Laboratory is next door and many faculty hold cross-appointments. To get involved, contact physastro@iastate.edu.

4. Deadlines and application materials

• Rounds and deadlines: the Office of Admissions says admission is rolling: applications are evaluated when received and there is no deadline date. Undergraduate applications for fall open on 1 July of the preceding year, and applicants are encouraged to apply in the fall of the year before entry. The pages read do not spell out the opening date for fall 2027 entry; please check the website.
• How to apply: through the University’s own application or the Common App. The application fee: the international page says $65 (non-refundable, paid by credit card, no waivers); the fee for domestic applicants is not stated in the pages read.
• Essays and recommendations: the international page says essays, letters of recommendation and merit certificates are not required and only academic records and test scores are used; the first-year page read does not list essays or recommendations for domestic applicants, and does not ask for a science teacher recommendation.
• Testing: test optional. Applicants may self-report ACT, SAT or CLT scores; those who do not are admitted on high school GPA and core course completion. SAT and CLT scores are converted to ACT composite equivalents; for fall 2026, spring 2027 and summer 2027 entry, CLT scores are considered but not included in the RAI.
• Regent Admission Index (RAI): ACT composite (or converted score) x 3 + cumulative GPA x 30 + years of high school core courses x 5. Applicants with an RAI of at least 245 who meet the minimum course requirements are offered admission automatically; those below 245 who meet the course requirements may be admitted after an individual academic review. A weighted GPA is accepted only if the school applies weighting school-wide and adds no more than one quality point. Initial admission can rest on self-reported transcript information and is contingent on the final official transcript.

5. US domestic applicants

• Costs (estimated 2026-27, cost-of-attendance page): undergraduate tuition is $9,816 for Iowa residents and $29,864 for non-residents, plus $1,586 in fees and $800 for books and supplies; on-campus housing and food is $11,162. The website notes that some sophomores, juniors and seniors in some colleges are assessed a higher tuition rate. These are estimates; the rates for fall 2027 entry are published later.
• Scholarships: the scholarships page says first-year students are automatically considered for academic scholarships when they submit the application. The Admissions first-year awards page is headed “Fall 2027 Automatic First-year Student Merit Awards” and shows the awards available by your state; amounts vary by state and are not listed here, so choose your state on that page. Further University, college and department scholarships are applied for through the OneApp portal.
• In-state priority or guaranteed admission: not stated in the pages read; the RAI rules in section 4 apply to all first-year applicants.

6. International applicants

• Academic requirements: a high school GPA equivalent to at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, plus the core courses: 4 years of English (or native language), 3 years of science with at least two years of laboratory science in biology, chemistry or physics, 3 years of mathematics including algebra and geometry, and 2 years of social studies. SAT/ACT scores are not required, but an SAT of 1200+ or ACT composite of 25+ automatically counts as meeting the 3.0 GPA requirement; submitting scores can also help with first-semester course placement.
• English proficiency: TOEFL iBT 71 with at least 17 in Speaking and Writing, or 4.0 with a minimum band of 3.5 on the 6.0 scale (from 21 January 2026); IELTS 6.0 overall with all subscores 5.5 or above; Duolingo English Test 105; PTE 48; SAT 460 in Evidence-Based Reading and Writing; ACT English 19; IB 5 in any English course; AP 3 in English Language or 4 in English Literature; IGCSE and other options on the website. IELTS One Skill Retake and TOEFL MyBest scores are not accepted. Official English results may arrive up to 30 days after the deadline. Native speakers living in a country where English is a primary official language, US high school graduates, and students who completed the equivalent of ENGL 1500 or 2500 with a B or better at an accredited US college are considered to meet the requirement.
• Materials: English proficiency results, transcripts from all high schools or universities attended (scans are acceptable; official final documents are needed if admitted), a copy of the passport, and a bank statement or sponsor letter confirming one year of expenses: $52,000 for most majors (the exceptions the page lists are Design and Animal Enterprise and Innovation, at $54,300), together with the sponsor’s Financial Statement Form. Essays, recommendations and merit certificates are not required. Admission is rolling; apply at least six to eight weeks ahead, and up to a year before the start date.
• Costs (International Students and Scholars Office, 2026-27): tuition and fees $33,547 and living expenses $17,332, a total of $50,879 for the academic year (the page says tuition is estimated for the “most majors” category and some majors cost more); the cost-of-attendance page lists international tuition at $31,962 and fees of $1,586. The $52,000 funding requirement above differs from this estimated total; the I-20 lists the University’s estimated expenses. International students must buy the University’s student medical insurance.
• International scholarships: the scholarships page says international first-year students who are offered admission are automatically considered for the renewable International Excellence Awards, based on high school GPA and SAT or ACT scores. Separate international merit scholarships are applied for through OneApp: Award of Achievement (up to $40,000 in total, $5,000–$10,000 a year) and Award of Distinction (up to $16,000 in total, $2,000–$4,000 a year), for up to 8 semesters; fall priority deadline 15 February and final deadline 1 May. Renewal needs a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5 and 12 credits a semester.

7. Applicants from China

• Gaokao and Chinese grades: the University keeps its country-specific academic requirements in files hosted on a third-party site, which this guide did not open, so whether the Gaokao is used and how Chinese high school grades convert to a GPA is not published in the pages read. Please check the international pages of the Office of Admissions or ask them (admissions@iastate.edu).
• General requirements: the international requirements in section 6 apply: transcripts, English results, a copy of the passport and financial proof. Non-English records need a certified English translation, and the name on the application must match the passport.
• Agents: the University says it has formal agreements with selected educational agents in India, China, Brazil, Nigeria and Mongolia; you can email admissions to verify whether an agent is authorised, and the agent should register the application with your own personal email address.
• International curricula: for AP, IB and A-Level, the University provides credit equivalency guides (PDF); this guide read only the AP physics and calculus equivalencies.

8. Costs, scholarships and outcomes

• Costs: see sections 5 and 6.
• Department undergraduate scholarships (department site): the David Collins Memorial Scholarship, about $1,400, lets an entering freshman or sophomore physics major take part in a research group (apply through OneApp; interviews in spring; paid as hourly wages in spring and fall, possibly summer support); the Danielson Awards (academic performance, presented each spring); the Bernice Black Durand Undergraduate Research Scholarship (nominated by an advisor, paid as hourly wages); the Legvold Award, $1,800, for a physics major with outstanding academic performance; the Schirber Scholarship, $1,500, for an outstanding freshman or sophomore physics major or co-major; the Hammer Scholarship for an outstanding junior or senior (not offered every year); the Arie and Catherine Breed Scholarship (physics or computer science, usually an incoming freshman or transfer student; must be a U.S. citizen and Iowa resident with financial need); the Physics Achievement Award; the Mal Iles Innovation Awards, $1,500 each, with a two-page application and no consideration of grades or financial need; the Jun Ye & Huiqing Wang Award, $1,800, after the junior year; the Gene Ruby Scholarship, $1,000, for a junior or senior with academic performance and financial need; and the Physics Entrepreneurship Scholarship, $2,000, for juniors and seniors with a physics major or minor and a major or minor in the College of Engineering or the Department of Architecture. Amounts and eligibility are as listed on the department page; check it for the latest.
• Outcomes: the department’s career page says “there is no single career path that people take after studying physics as an undergraduate”; undergraduates have gone on to teach high school science, work in industry, go to medical school and pursue graduate study. It lists career areas including research scientist, engineer, data scientist or analyst, medical physicist, renewable energy specialist, educator or professor, space and aerospace professional, quantum computing specialist and technician. The page prints no employment rate or salary figure.

9. Transfer students

• Basic requirements: at least 24 semester credits of transferable coursework from an accredited college and a transfer GPA of at least 2.25 (2.00 with an associate degree). Some programmes may require a higher GPA, and non-Iowa residents, including international students, may face higher standards. With fewer than 24 transferable credits you submit a high school transcript and ACT or SAT scores and meet all first-year requirements. Career-technical, remedial and military credits do not count toward the 24.
• Physics-specific requirements: the pages read do not state separate calculus, physics-sequence or GPA requirements for transferring into physics; please ask the department’s advisor. The department’s course FAQ says courses that used to articulate as PHYS 221 now articulate as PHYS 2310 and 2310L, and those that articulated as PHYS 111 and 112 now articulate as PHYS 1310/1310L and 1320/1320L.
• Credit transfer: the international transfer page says credit is evaluated in two stages: the Office of Admissions first determines transferable credit (visible in Admissions MyAccount), then the college of your major decides, usually after arrival, which credits satisfy programme requirements. Bring stamped course syllabi, with translations if they are not in English. Chinese institutions’ credits are generally multiplied by 0.70 and rounded up; the University does not transfer moral or ethics courses, physical education, English as a second language or English composition from countries where English is not the sole official language, vocational courses, or Chinese international summer schools.
• International transfer students: apply as an international student; cumulative GPA of at least 2.25 (2.0 with an associate degree from a US regionally accredited institution) and proof of funds of $56,300. International transfer merit scholarships: Award of Achievement (up to $20,000, $5,000–$8,000 a year) and Award of Distinction (up to $10,000, $2,000–$4,000 a year), requiring a cumulative GPA equivalent to 3.0, for up to 5 semesters; fall priority deadline 1 March and final deadline 30 June.
• Deadlines: admission is rolling; specific dates are not stated in the pages read.

Checklist

US domestic applicants:

• The University’s application or Common App; rolling admission, fall applications open 1 July of the preceding year; testing optional; RAI 245+ with the course requirements is admitted automatically
• High school courses: 4 English, 3 math (algebra, geometry, advanced algebra), 3 science, 2 social studies; LAS adds a third year of social studies and 2 years of a world language

International applicants (including China):

• GPA equivalent to 3.0; TOEFL 71, IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 105 (among others); $65 fee; funding proof of $52,000; no essays or recommendations
• How the Gaokao is used is not published in the pages read; ask admissions

After entry:

• B.S. Physics or a Physics+ option; AP Physics C earns PHYS 2310 and 2320 credit; department test-out is available; ask an advisor how 2310/2320 map onto 2410/2420

Transfer students:

• 24 transferable credits, GPA 2.25; ask the department about physics-specific requirements

Sources: Iowa State University, Physics and Astronomy: majors and minors; Physics major; Physics+ Complete program plan; Physics+ Astronomy and Astrophysics plan; Physics+ Physics Education plan; Department: courses; Department: course FAQ; Department: physics test-out; Department: undergraduate scholarships; Department: research; Department: career planning; Department: student support; Admissions: apply; Admissions: admissions; Admissions: first-year students; Admissions: credit by exam (incl. AP); Admissions: first-year awards; Admissions: transfer requirements; Admissions: international first-year requirements; Admissions: international application information; Admissions: English proficiency; Admissions: international transfer requirements; Admissions: international merit scholarships; Scholarships overview; Tuition and fees; Undergraduate cost of attendance; International undergraduate expenses. The admissions pages show no specific application dates for fall 2027 entry; see the University’s website for the latest.