How to Apply to Physics at the University of Sussex: Direct Entry by UCAS Code to BSc (Typical Offer ABB With Maths at B) and MPhys (AAA With Maths and Physics), Plus Astrophysics, Theoretical Physics, Data Science and Quantum Technology Variants, With Requirements for UK, International (Including China) and Transfer Applicants

The University of Sussex teaches undergraduate physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. All the courses below are delivered on campus, in person, and start in September 2027. This guide follows the Sussex website (the physics and astronomy course list, individual course pages, how to apply, entry requirements and English language requirements, the China country page, transfers, tuition fees and scholarships) for 2027 entry. It is written for UK applicants, international applicants (including students from China) and students who want to transfer into the second year.

1. Physics degrees and variants

• Physics BSc (Hons): UCAS code F300, 3 years, typical A-level offer ABB, with A-level Mathematics at grade B; Physics A-level is "desirable" but applicants without it are considered case by case. The page says the course is accredited by the Institute of Physics (IOP) as fully meeting the educational requirement for Chartered Physicist. Physics (with an industrial placement year) BSc: F304, 4 years, with an optional placement year added to the three academic years; if you do not secure a placement you transfer to the non-placement version.
• Physics MPhys: F303, 4-year integrated Masters, typical offer AAA with A-levels including Mathematics and Physics; with an industrial placement year: F305, 5 years.
• Physics (research placement) MPhys: F302, 4 years, typical offer A*AA with Mathematics and Physics at grade A. Sussex says you can apply to work on a research problem with a member of the Department of Physics and Astronomy each summer before Years 2, 3 and 4, with funding for living expenses. The course page says transfers into Year 2 are not accepted.
• Physics with Astrophysics: BSc F3F5 (3 years, ABB) and MPhys F3FM (4 years, AAA); there is also a separate Astrophysics MPhys, F501, 4 years, AAA.
• Theoretical Physics: BSc F325 (3 years, ABB) and MPhys F328 (4 years, AAA). Sussex says it is for students who want to use mathematics to explore fundamental physics and spends less time on experimental techniques than the other physics courses.
• Physics with Data Science: BSc F3G6 (3 years, ABB) and MPhys F3G7 (4 years, AAA).
• Physics (Quantum Technology) MPhys: F321, 4 years, AAA; the (research placement) version is F322, 4 years, A*AA, with no Year 2 transfers. Sussex says the final-year project is with one of the quantum technology research groups in the Sussex Centre for Quantum Technologies.
• Physics and Astronomy (with a foundation year) BSc: FF35, 4 years (foundation year plus three), typical offer CCC; A-levels should normally include Mathematics (at least grade C) and Physics, and applicants without Mathematics or Physics are considered case by case.
• The department's course list also includes Data Science BSc (and a placement-year version), a data science programme that is not covered here; the link to mathematics is mentioned only under the entry requirements.

IOP accreditation: the IOP statement appears on the pages for Physics BSc, Physics MPhys, Physics with Astrophysics, Astrophysics MPhys, Theoretical Physics, Physics (research placement) and the placement-year versions. The pages used here for Physics with Data Science, Physics (Quantum Technology) and the foundation year do not carry it, so check the website. You apply directly to a specific course; whether you can switch between variants after enrolling is not given on the pages used for this guide, so ask admissions.

2. Prerequisites and entry requirements (2027 entry)

• A-level: the BSc courses (Physics, with Astrophysics, Theoretical Physics, with Data Science and the placement-year versions) ABB with Mathematics at B and Physics "desirable"; the MPhys courses AAA with Mathematics and Physics required; the two research placement MPhys courses (Physics and Quantum Technology) A*AA with Mathematics and Physics at A; the foundation year CCC. GCSEs should show a broad range at grades 9–4 (A*–C), including good grades in relevant subjects.
• IB: BSc courses 32 points with Higher Level Mathematics at least 5 (Physics is not a stated requirement); MPhys courses 34 points with HL Mathematics 6 and HL Physics; research placement and Quantum Technology MPhys 36 points with HL Mathematics and Physics at 7; the foundation year 27 points, with HL subjects normally including Mathematics and Physics at 4 or above, others considered individually. Either Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretation is accepted at Higher Level.
• Scottish Highers: BSc courses AAABB with Mathematics and, normally, Physics (applicants without Physics are considered case by case), ideally an Advanced Higher in Mathematics (B); MPhys courses AAAAA with both Mathematics and Physics, ideally an Advanced Higher in Mathematics (A); research placement and Quantum Technology MPhys AAAAA with Advanced Highers in both Mathematics and Physics (A); foundation year CCCCC with Mathematics and Physics at C.
• Other UK qualifications: for BSc courses the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Skills Challenge Certificate at BBB–BBC plus two A-levels that include Mathematics, with Physics desirable. For BTEC, Access to HE and other UK qualifications see the course pages.
• Contextual offers: the course pages give BSc courses BCC including B in Mathematics, MPhys courses BBB–BCC including B in Mathematics, Astrophysics MPhys BBB including B in Mathematics, research placement and Quantum Technology MPhys AAA, and the foundation year CDD including C in Mathematics.
• Admissions tests and interviews: the physics course pages used here do not list a written admissions test or an interview. The application page says only that some courses invite applicants to interview; rely on your offer email and admissions.
• First year: the Physics BSc Year 1 core is, in autumn, Foundations of Data Analysis, Mathematical Methods for Physics 1, Mechanics and Physics Study Success, and in spring Heat and Modern Physics, Mathematical Methods for Physics 2, Physics Year 1 Laboratory and Waves and Fields; options include Analysis 1, Introduction to Astrophysics and Introduction to Quantum Physics. Teaching is typically 60% lectures and 40% practical, about 1,200 hours of work a year including about 420 contact hours; Sussex says you will learn Python and experiment in teaching laboratories.
• Years 2 and 3 and projects: the Physics MPhys page lists Year 2 core modules Applying Physics Skills, Electrodynamics, Mathematical Methods for Physics 3, Physics Year 2 Laboratory, Quantum Mechanics 1 and Thermal and Statistical Physics (the Physics BSc page used here shows an empty Year 2 module list, so check the website). BSc Year 3 core is Atomic Physics, Condensed State Physics and Nuclear and Particle Physics plus the BSc Final Year Project, with options such as Lasers and Photonics, Particle Physics, Quantum Mechanics 2, Semiconductors and Nanomaterial Devices and Stellar and Planetary Physics; teaching is typically 52% lectures and 48% practical with about 320 contact hours. MPhys Year 4 has a compulsory MPhys Final Year Project plus options. Sussex says options may change; check the website for 2027.

3. UK applicants

• Accepted qualifications: the entry requirements page says recent school or college leavers need at least two A-levels (or equivalent), most courses need more, and most successful applicants have at least three A-levels (or equivalent). Access to HE Diplomas, BTEC and OCR qualifications, the European Baccalaureate, the IB, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, T-Levels and the Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced Diploma are also accepted. GCSEs normally need to include English and Mathematics.
• A-level details: you must hold the subjects a course requires, but Sussex says it has no "preferred" A-levels; A-level resits are considered. The course pages do not give separate requirements for England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Scottish Highers and the Welsh Baccalaureate have their own rows.
• Fees: the Home fee is £10,050 a year; see below.

4. International applicants (including students from China): English, qualifications and funds

• Route: international applicants also apply through UCAS (Sussex links to the UCAS guide for international applicants).
• Qualification equivalences: Sussex says typical requirements for each country are listed in the "International requirements" tab of each course page; if your country is missing, email or phone the undergraduate admissions team (ug.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk, +44 (0)1273 678416). There is a separate page for international students already in the UK ("UK-based international qualifications"). Sussex stresses that its requirements are guidelines and every application is assessed individually.
• English language: Sussex has three levels, standard, high and advanced. In IELTS Academic these are 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component, 6.5 (6.0 in each) and 7.0 (6.5 in each); the course page says which level applies. The one course outside these levels is Medicine (BMBS), which needs 7.5 overall and at least 7.0 in each section. The course pages used for this guide all list IELTS 6.0 with 5.5 in each component. Other tests are accepted, for example Duolingo (standard level 110 with at least 105 in each component), PTE Academic (standard 59), LanguageCert Academic SELT (standard 65 with at least 60 in each) and TOEFL iBT (for tests taken from 21 January 2026 the standard level is 4 overall on the new scale; for earlier tests it is 80); results are normally expected to be no more than two years old at the start of the course. You can apply without a test result, in which case an offer is normally conditional on meeting the English requirement, or you can meet it through Sussex's Pre-sessional English course. The exempt-country list is set by the UK Home Office, and China is not on it.
• Proof of funds and visa: not given on the pages used for this guide; check Sussex's student visa pages and the UK government student visa pages.
• Preparation courses: Sussex says applicants who do not meet the entry requirements can take the International Foundation Year or International Year One at the International Study Centre (ISC). That centre has its own website (isc.sussex.ac.uk) which is not covered on the pages used for this guide; check it for the entry criteria.

5. Students from China

• What the China country page says: for first-year entry Sussex asks for the Senior Secondary School Academic Proficiency Test (Huikao), plus the Gaokao or one year at a recognised Chinese university. A typical Gaokao offer requires an overall average of 75%, with additional subject requirements possible; these are guidelines. For Foundation Year entry it asks for the Huikao and a typical Gaokao overall average of 65%. For second-year entry it asks for two years at a recognised Chinese university with grades equivalent to a 2:1 or above (partner institutions may differ); it adds that direct entry to Year 2 is not accepted for Law, Psychology and Social Work.
• What the course pages say: the "China" row on the course pages used here says applicants with the Gaokao will be considered for direct entry to the first year, "normally an overall average of 75%, including required subjects"; applicants on a recognised International Foundation Year, or with one or more years of higher education at a recognised Chinese institution, are also considered. The Senior High School Graduation alone is not sufficient, but such applicants may be eligible for Sussex's International Foundation Year and can progress to a relevant undergraduate course after completing it.
• For physics: the "China" row on the Physics BSc and the other BSc and MPhys course pages is worded the same: Gaokao direct entry to the first year normally needs an overall average of 75%, including required subjects. Physics courses have explicit Mathematics (and Physics) requirements; the pages do not say how Gaokao subjects map to them. The Physics and Astronomy (with a foundation year) page says "we assess all applications on a case-by-case basis" in its China row, while the China country page gives a typical Gaokao average of 65% for foundation-year entry; ask admissions.
• Not given: the scale the 75% is measured against, how provincial scores are converted, which "required subjects" are meant and their individual cut-offs are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask admissions. How to submit Chinese transcripts and Huikao materials, and whether a specific credential-evaluation body is required, are also not given; email ug.enquiries@sussex.ac.uk. An interview requirement for Chinese applicants is not stated either.
• English and scholarships: the country page gives a typical English requirement of IELTS 6.0 with at least 5.5 in each component for undergraduate and foundation courses; scholarships are covered below. The page also describes the Chinese Students and Scholars' Association on campus and says Brighton is about nine minutes away by train.

6. Route and timeline (September 2027 entry)

• Route: full-time undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Sussex's UCAS institution code is S90 (code name SUSX). The university says you can apply for up to five courses (no more than four of them Medicine), including several courses at Sussex. The application fee, personal statement and reference are not covered on the Sussex pages used for this guide; check the UCAS website.
• Deadlines: Sussex says the initial deadline for most courses is 6pm on Wednesday 13 January 2027 and strongly advises applying by then; for Medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School the deadline is Thursday 15 October 2026. The page does not use the term "equal consideration date" or name a time zone, so confirm on UCAS. UCAS accepts late applications until 30 June, but some courses close earlier once full; Sussex warns international applicants not to leave it late because a visa and accommodation must be arranged after an offer.
• Interviews and tests: the application page says some courses invite applicants to interview; the physics course pages used here do not mention an interview or an admissions test.
• Offers and confirmation: decisions come through UCAS as unconditional or conditional offers, and offer-holders are invited to an Undergraduate Visit Day. After results are published in the summer, a place is confirmed if the offer conditions are met; if your results are not supplied by UCAS you may be asked to send copies. All results (including verification documents) must reach Sussex by 31 August.
• Missing conditions or deferring: Sussex says it reviews applicants who miss their conditions and may still accept them, or may offer another course such as a Foundation Year. You can request to defer entry by a year, but only once.
• International applicants after an offer: Sussex issues a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number so you can apply for a student visa (visa details are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the student visa pages on the Sussex website). The application page says international applicants on "certain science- or engineering-based courses" must apply for ATAS clearance after receiving an offer; it does not list the courses, so ask admissions whether it applies to your physics course.

7. How applications are assessed

• What is considered: Sussex says each application is reviewed individually, taking in all qualifications presented, including additional AS-levels or the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ). The EPQ is not routinely written into offer conditions, but Sussex says it will sometimes offer alternative conditions that include it (with slightly lower A-level grades), and it can help in the summer if you narrowly miss.
• Offer levels: the "typical offer" on a course page is a fixed grade or a range. Sussex says many standard offers are given as ranges to show the grades it expects, and that it looks for evidence of potential at that level; it may adjust some offers for background, school attended and challenges faced.
• Contextual offers: Sussex says the typical contextual offer for first-year entry is A-level BCC, BTEC Extended Diploma DMM, or a T-Level pass with Merit and a B in the Core Component; for Foundation Year courses it is usually CDD or DDD; integrated Masters contextual offers are slightly higher and each course page gives the exact grades. About 25% of UK conditional offers are contextual. Eligibility includes living in a high-deprivation or low-progression postcode (IMD decile 1 or 2, POLAR4 quintile 1), free school meals, time in care of more than three months, estranged students, refugee status or humanitarian protection, young carers, certain Sussex outreach programmes and partner colleges. These criteria are based on UK area and school data, and the pages used for this guide do not say whether international applicants are eligible; ask admissions (contextualoffers@sussex.ac.uk).
• Personal circumstances: Sussex says you can email details of serious personal or academic difficulties before results are published (by the end of July), and they are taken into account at confirmation.

8. Fees and scholarships

• UK (Home) fee: the course pages give £10,050 per year for Home students and for Channel Islands and Isle of Man students. The tuition fees page says Sussex generally keeps Home undergraduate fees in line with the government maximum, that the 2027 fee "is likely to be £10,050 per year", and that the cap from 2028/29 is not yet set and is expected to rise at least with inflation. The pages do not give separate fees for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland; see the university's fee status page.
• International fee: the course pages give £28,100 per year (the same on the physics course pages; the Physics and Astronomy foundation year is £24,200 for international students). The course pages add that fees, once set, may rise each year.
• Fee status: Sussex says it assesses your fee status after a successful application, may ask you to complete a questionnaire, and lets you appeal the outcome. You must accept the university's financial guarantee to register online.
• Loans and living costs: Sussex says you may be eligible for a UK government student loan (gov.uk/student-finance); specific living-cost figures are not given on the pages used for this guide. Limits that apply to US federal loan recipients are noted on the course pages.

• What the course pages say: the scholarship section of each course page used for this guide says that scholarship details are not yet set for 2027/28 entry. What follows is therefore taken from the scholarships page as it stood; check the website again before you apply.
• Awards listed: the undergraduate scholarships page says awards can include "up to £5,000 of funding in your first year" for UK and international students. Awards highlighted include the Sussex Excellence Scholarship (£2,000 in the first year for excellent grades), the Chancellor's International and EU Scholarships (international applicants; £5,000 for the first year, awarded for excellent grades) and the Article 26 Scholarship (for forced-migrant students). The page offers a search tool by country and entry year (2026/27, 2027/28) and also mentions the Sussex Bursary. Eligibility rules, whether awards are assessed automatically, and application dates are not given on the pages used here; use the eligibility tool or email scholarships@sussex.ac.uk.
• Students from China: the China country page says that for 2026-27 Chinese students are eligible for faculty awards and can apply for the Chancellor's International Scholarship; check the website for the wording that applies to 2027 entry.

9. Transferring in (direct entry to Year 2)

• Entry points: the transfer page says Sussex accepts transfer applications for first-year entry to all courses and for second-year entry to most courses, and does not accept direct entry into the third or final year; a few subject areas take first-year entry only (the page lists Medicine). You apply through UCAS and state your entry point under "choices".
• Conditions: you need (or can achieve) 120 credits from your current UK university (60 ECTS credits if transferring from outside the UK). Sussex says successful second-year applicants "will normally need 120 credits from their first year, with an overall weighted average of at least 60% (or 2:1 equivalent), without resits". It also looks at how well your current modules match its own, checks that your school-leaving results meet the first-year requirements for the course, and wants the UCAS reference from a current university tutor. Exemption is given only for full years of study. If a place cannot be offered at the chosen entry point, Sussex will consider a lower one such as first year.
• Physics courses: the course pages say Year 2 transfers are accepted for Physics BSc and MPhys (including placement-year versions), with Astrophysics, Astrophysics MPhys, Theoretical Physics, with Data Science and Physics (Quantum Technology) MPhys, and not for Physics (research placement) MPhys or Physics (Quantum Technology) (research placement) MPhys. The foundation-year page used here does not state a Year 2 transfer line. Year 2 core includes electrodynamics, quantum mechanics, thermal and statistical physics and laboratory work (section 2), so you can compare it with your first year.
• Credit transfer and deadlines: transfer applications follow the normal UCAS deadlines; detailed credit rules are in Sussex's student transfer arrangements, which are not covered on the pages used for this guide.

Sources: University of Sussex, Physics and Astronomy undergraduate courses; Physics BSc; Physics MPhys; Physics (research placement) MPhys; Physics (Quantum Technology) MPhys; Foundation Year; How to apply; Entry requirements; English language; Contextual offers; Transfers; China country page; Tuition fees; Undergraduate scholarships. Check the website for the latest information.