How to Apply to Physics at Lancaster University: Physics, Physics with Astrophysics and Theoretical Physics With a Shared First Year and IOP Accreditation, A-level AAA Including Maths and Physics, IB 36, and Requirements for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

At Lancaster University, physics is taught by the School of Physics and Astronomy, part of the Faculty of Science and Technology, on the main Lancaster campus. UK undergraduate applications are made directly to a course through UCAS. This guide sets out what the course pages say for 2027 entry, for UK applicants (A-levels, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, BTEC and others), international applicants (including those from China) and transfer students entering Year 2.

1. The physics courses

The School’s undergraduate page says it offers three-year (BSc) and four-year (MPhys or MSci) degrees, accredited by the Institute of Physics (IOP), in Physics, Physics with Astrophysics, Theoretical Physics, and Theoretical Physics with Mathematics (jointly taught with Mathematical Sciences). You apply to a specific course by UCAS code:

• Physics: BSc F300; MPhys F303; placement-year versions BSc F306 / MPhys F307; study-abroad versions BSc F304 / MPhys F305; and a BSc with a Foundation Year, F30F (aimed at Home students; see below).
• Physics with Astrophysics: BSc F3FM; MPhys F3F5; with placement-year (F3F8, F3F9) and study-abroad (F3F1, F3F7) versions.
• Theoretical Physics: BSc F340; MPhys F321; placement-year F342 / F323; study-abroad F341 / F322.
• Theoretical Physics with Mathematics: BSc F3GC; MSci F3G1; placement-year F3G6 / F3G7; study-abroad F3G4 / F3G5.

This guide follows the pages for F300, F303, F3FM, F340, F3GC and F30F. Grade requirements for the other codes (F3F5, F321, F3G1 and the placement-year and study-abroad versions) are not given on the pages used for this guide; check each course page.

2. Shared first year, choosing a pathway, and what you study

• A common first year: Lancaster states that the first year is common across its single-honours physics degrees and that you can switch. The Physics course page says you can switch to any of the other degree schemes “until the end of Year 1”, while the School page says students “may switch single-honours schemes at the end of their first year”; the wording differs slightly. The conditions for switching (for example any grade threshold) are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the School.
• Physics BSc (F300): Year 1 core modules are The Physical Universe, Fields, Matter and Quantum Physics, Experimental Physics, Physics Skills, and Mathematical Skills 1 and 2. Year 2 core modules are Electromagnetism, Waves and Optics, Experimental Labs, Mathematical Techniques in Physics, Physics Modelling Project, Properties of Matter, and Quantum Mechanics and Atomic Physics. Year 3 core modules are Industrial Group Project, Physics Group Project, Problem Solving and Sustainability, and Relativity, Nuclear and Particle Physics, with options such as Condensed Matter Physics, Cosmology, Foundations of Quantum Technology, Further Particle Physics, Low Temperature & Semiconductor Laboratory and Space Physics.
• MPhys (F303): Year 4 has the Year 4 Physics Project and Numerical Methods and Data Analysis as core modules, with options including Advanced Condensed Matter Physics, Advanced Quantum Technology, General Relativity, and Groups, Symmetries and Gauge Theories.
• Labs and projects: students do experiments in the School’s laboratories; the group project can be a physics project alongside a researcher or an industrial project with a business; facilities listed include a rooftop observatory, an Ultra Low Temperature Lab, the Quantum Technology Centre and an isolation lab.
• Placement and study-abroad years: the School lists placement-year and study-abroad versions. The course page’s “Industry and placements” section only describes links with industry; the detailed arrangements for the placement year are not given on the pages used for this guide.

3. Entry requirements by course page

Course	A-level	IB Diploma
Physics BSc F300, MPhys F303	AAA including Mathematics grade A and Physics grade A	36 points with 16 from the best three HL subjects, including 6 in Mathematics HL (analysis and approaches or applications and interpretation) and Physics HL
Physics with Astrophysics BSc F3FM	AAA including Mathematics A and Physics A	Same as above
Theoretical Physics BSc F340	AAA including Mathematics A and Physics A	Same as above
Theoretical Physics with Mathematics BSc F3GC	AAA including Mathematics A and Physics A	Same as above
Physics with a Foundation Year BSc F30F	CCC including Mathematics and Physics	26 points, 14 at HL, 4 in Mathematics HL and 4 in Physics HL

• Other qualifications: BTEC Extended Diploma DDD considered alongside A-level Mathematics A and Physics A; BTEC in combination with A-levels: A-level Mathematics A plus A-level Physics A plus BTEC D. The Access to HE Diploma is generally not accepted and T levels are not accepted.
• Scotland: five Highers are accepted; where an A-level subject is required, Lancaster typically requires an Advanced Higher in it.
• GCSE: the F300-type course pages list only GCSE English Language 4/C; F30F lists GCSE Mathematics 6/B and English Language 4/C.
• Interview: the F300, F303, F3FM, F340 and F3GC pages state under additional requirements that you may be asked to attend an interview. The format, timing and assessment are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the School or Admissions. No physics or mathematics admissions test is listed.
• The F30F foundation year: Lancaster states that its UK Foundation Years are for Home students. The year is taught at the Lancaster University School of Mathematics at Cardinal Newman College in Preston, four days a week, with free transport from the Lancaster campus. The modules include Additional Maths and Physics, each with a module requirement (A-level Mathematics and Physics at grade C or equivalent, with grade D considered alongside other strong grades). Progression to Year 1 requires an overall average of 50% and at least 50% in each module. The international fee on the course page is shown as “n/a”, so the course is not open to international fee-payers.

4. UK applicants

• How to apply: you apply to a specific course through UCAS (course codes below). Lancaster’s qualifications page says it typically expects the equivalent of three full A-levels, makes offers on actual grades rather than UCAS tariff points, and bases an offer on the best three if you take four or more (for some courses you may receive two offers, for example AAB or ABB plus a B in the fourth subject). AS levels do not replace A-levels. All A-level subjects are accepted subject to the compulsory subjects on each course page, and native-language A-levels count like any other subject.
• Practical endorsement: where Biology, Chemistry or Physics is a required subject and you take the reformed A-level with the practical element, Lancaster expects you to pass the practical. If you cannot sit it (for example, external candidates), contact Admissions.
• Qualifications that may earn a lower offer: the page says the Extended Project (EPQ) and Core Maths may earn a lower offer “for many courses” (for example AAB, or ABB plus a B in the EPQ), and for Mathematics-type courses the Advanced Extension Award (AEA) in Mathematics may earn ABB plus a Merit instead of AAB. Whether this applies to a given course is not published course by course; ask Admissions.
• Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers: applicants may be admitted on five Highers; where an A-level subject is required, Lancaster typically requires an Advanced Higher in it. The published Highers equivalents are: AAA = AAABB, AAB = ABBBB, ABB = BBBBB, BBB = BBBCC; if Highers alone fall short, a combination of Highers and Advanced Highers in separate subjects can be considered.
• BTEC, T levels and others: each course page states whether they are accepted and at what grades (see the course requirements below). The Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales counts as one A-level. The qualifications page does not give separate entry requirements for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• GCSE: every undergraduate applicant needs at least GCSE English Language grade 4/C; other subjects are listed on the course pages. Lancaster says it is flexible on GCSE Mathematics and looks at A-level Mathematics, Core Maths and science GCSEs.
• Contextual and special circumstances: Lancaster makes contextual offers; see its contextual admissions page for the criteria (not reproduced here). Mature applicants and those with mitigating circumstances can contact Admissions, and a mitigating-circumstances form should reach Admissions before 1 July.
• Fees and funding (Home): the Home fee on the course pages for 2027/28 is £10,050, reviewed annually in line with UK government policy. Home-student awards include the Undergraduate Home Excellence Scholarship (£1,000 a year for up to three years for Home students who make Lancaster their firm choice and meet the grades) and the Lancaster Bursary (£1,000 a year for Home undergraduates with an assessed household income under £35,000, paid in two instalments). See the scholarship pages for the exact conditions.

• Physics scholarship and sponsorship: the School offers an academic scholarship to applicants who make Lancaster their firm choice, achieve A*A* in A-level Mathematics and Physics plus an A or higher in a third A-level (or equivalent), and succeed in an interview during the application process: £750 (BSc) or £1,000 (MPhys/MSci) in the first year. The course page labels this “Physics Scholarships 2026”, so check whether it continues for 2027 entry. UK nationals may also apply to the Defence STEM Undergraduate Sponsor Scheme (covering tuition fees, an annual bursary and paid summer placements); its criteria are not given on the pages used for this guide, so check the scheme’s own website.

5. International applicants

• English requirement for this subject: all the physics course pages state IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component, below the 6.5/5.5 standard level.
• International applicants and the Physics scholarship: the School scholarship wording does not restrict by nationality, but whether international fee-payers can receive it is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the School. The two international scholarships below are assessed automatically under university rules.

• English requirement: if English is not your first language you must provide evidence, and the required score varies by course (see each course below). Lancaster’s English page lists a standard level of IELTS 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each element, with TOEFL iBT 87 (17 listening, 18 reading, 17 speaking, 20 writing) for tests taken before 21 January 2026 and 4.5 overall with at least 4 in each element for tests from 21 January 2026; PTE Academic 58 with at least 42 in each skill (test centre only, not the online version); LanguageCert Academic 70 with 60 in each element, and others. Some science, mathematics and social work courses differ, so use the course page; where a course page gives only an IELTS score, equivalent scores for other tests are not given on the pages used for this guide. Check the English language page or ask Admissions.
• IELTS, TOEFL, Pearson and LanguageCert certificates are valid for two years and must still be valid at the start of study; scores from different sittings cannot be combined. The English page also accepts IB English (HL or SL) at 5 as high school evidence. Nationals of the listed majority English-speaking countries (including the United States, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand) do not need to submit English evidence.
• If your English is short: Lancaster offers pre-sessional English programmes. The 10-week programme requires IELTS 5.5 overall with at least 5.0 in each element, in person or online (the in-person route needs a UKVI-approved test). Scores for the 5-week and 4-week programmes depend on your degree and are not given on the pages used for this guide.
• Grades and credential evaluation: Lancaster says it will consider international high school scores, including Grade 10 and 11 results. The country-by-country equivalency table is on the qualifications page, marked 2026 entry and subject to change; the figures are not given on the pages used for this guide. Check that page by country.
• Student visa: applicants who need a Student visa may be asked for financial documents or an interview. The amounts and format of financial evidence are not given on the pages used for this guide; check Lancaster’s CAS and visa pages.
• International foundation: international applicants who do not meet the entry requirements can take an International Foundation programme at the Lancaster University International Study Centre (run with INTO), which leads to Year 1 of a degree; Lancaster states that a place on the degree is guaranteed if you complete the programme and meet the requirements of your degree. The entry requirements and the list of eligible degrees are not given on the pages used for this guide; check Lancaster’s foundation page and the Study Centre’s website.

6. Applicants from China

• Gaokao and High School Diploma: Lancaster’s page for applicants from China states plainly that the High School Diploma and Gaokao (NUEE) are not sufficient for entry; you need an additional qualification such as a Foundation Year.
• Foundation route: the China page says INTO Lancaster University offers foundation and pre-master’s programmes; the international foundation page describes the Lancaster University International Study Centre, run with INTO, with programmes leading to Year 1 of a degree. Whether your intended subject is on the progression list, and what scores the foundation requires, are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Study Centre’s website.
• A-level / IB route: Chinese students taking A-levels or the IB apply on the grades and subjects in each course’s requirements (see above), so check the HL subject requirements carefully. IB English (HL or SL) at 5 is accepted as English evidence.
• Other high school programmes (AP, international tracks in China): the pages used for this guide give no AP-specific equivalency and no way of using Gaokao scores; this is not published, so ask Admissions (ugadmissions@lancaster.ac.uk). The country equivalency table is on the qualifications page; its figures are not given on the pages used for this guide, so check that page.
• Support for Chinese applicants: the China page lists a China recruitment team (meetings can be booked), an official Weibo account, a Chinese-language website (lancasteruniversity.cn) and official agents in China. It also says Chinese applicants are automatically considered for Lancaster’s major scholarships, while the Chevening and China Scholarship Council awards require a direct application (the page does not say whether they apply to undergraduates, so check those scholarship pages).
• Interviews: the pages used do not describe a general interview requirement for Chinese applicants; see each course below. Applicants who need a Student visa may be interviewed.

7. How and when to apply

• How to apply: all full-time undergraduate applications go through UCAS. One UCAS application can carry five choices, and you may use more than one choice on different Lancaster courses (Lancaster advises that if you apply for a standard course and its study-abroad, placement, industry or master’s variant, you may apply only for the specialist version and if Lancaster cannot accept you for it will typically consider you for the standard one; holders of a specialist-variant offer can usually switch to the standard variant). You enter personal details, qualifications, an academic reference and a personal statement. UCAS cannot currently take uploaded documents, so supporting documents can be emailed to Admissions. Check UCAS itself for the number of choices and the materials format.
• Deadlines: Lancaster says that for Medicine and Surgery, or if you also apply to Oxford or Cambridge, the UCAS deadline is in October; for everything else there is a January equal consideration deadline, after which most courses still accept applications but some may close. The dates listed are 15 October 2026 18:00 UK time (October deadline), 13 January 2027 18:00 (January deadline) and 30 June 2027 18:00 (final deadline; later applications go into Clearing, and Lancaster warns that a late application may not receive full consideration). However, the page places these dates under “courses starting in 2026 (and deferred applications)” while also saying “the deadline for courses starting in 2027 has not yet been confirmed”. The labelling is inconsistent, so check UCAS for the exact 2027-entry deadlines.
• Timing: Lancaster assesses on a rolling basis and aims to decide within three weeks of receiving the UCAS application; courses with interviews or portfolios take longer.
• How applications are assessed: qualifications you are taking and predicted grades, grades already achieved (such as a full GCSE profile), the academic reference and the personal statement. Admissions tests such as STEP for Mathematics may be taken into account but are not a requirement, and work experience may be considered.
• Deferred entry: you can defer to 2028 entry, provided you meet the entry requirements by 1 September 2027.
• Under 18: you may apply if you will be under 18 at registration, but if you will still be under 18 on 30 June at the end of your first year (for example 30 June 2028 for an October 2027 start), Lancaster cannot offer university accommodation and recommends deferring unless you have accommodation arranged.

8. Transfer students (entry to Year 2)

• Year 2 entry: for some courses Lancaster considers Year 2 applications case by case, through UCAS in the usual way. It asks for: your high school qualifications (you would typically be expected to have met the Year 1 entry requirements); a list of all university modules completed and still to complete (Lancaster checks that you have covered material equivalent to its Year 1); passing the current year of your degree at upper second class honours level; and a reference from someone who has taught you at university. If you do not meet these, you may be considered for Year 1.
• Entry to Year 3 or above is not permitted.
• If you are studying a degree with an integrated foundation year elsewhere, you can apply for Year 1 at Lancaster after the foundation year. An HNC cannot lead to Year 2 entry; those completing an HND may occasionally be admitted to Year 2, but Lancaster recommends Year 1.
• Which courses accept Year 2 transfers, and any transfer-specific deadlines, are not given on the pages used for this guide; ask Admissions.

9. Fees and scholarships

• International tuition: the 2027/28 international fee on the course pages is £31,700 (as shown on the physics course pages; the F30F foundation course shows “n/a”), charged for a 12-month session. International fees (including EU) are reviewed annually and are not fixed for the duration of your studies. All undergraduates pay a college membership fee, £40 for those starting in 2027. Study-abroad and placement years are charged at the maximum the Department for Education permits: for international students 15% of the standard international fee for a study-abroad year and 20% for a placement year.
• Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship: for international fee-paying applicants who achieve A*AA or above at A-level (or the equivalent) and make Lancaster their firm UCAS choice: £3,000 off tuition for each year of study, assessed automatically with no separate application. It is not awarded for time away from the university (study abroad, placement or industry years), cannot be deferred (a deferred offer is reassessed), and students progressing from the International Study Centre are not eligible (Lancaster mentions a separate Study Centre progression scholarship, whose value is not given on the pages used for this guide).
• Undergraduate International Regional Scholarship: £3,000 off tuition per year for international students from Canada, Egypt, Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey or Vietnam, assessed automatically by nationality or country of domicile. Mainland China is not on the list. It can be combined with the Excellence scholarship, but not with other Lancaster scholarships.
• There are also an EU scholarship and an India scholarship (each £3,000 a year), which do not apply to applicants from China. Where a partnership scholarship or fee discount also applies, only the highest-value award is made.

Application checklist

UK applicants:

• Pick the course code (F300, F303, F3FM, F340, F3GC and so on); A-level applicants need Mathematics and Physics at A, IB applicants need 6 in Mathematics HL and Physics HL
• Apply through UCAS by the deadline (check UCAS for the exact 2027-entry dates) and be ready for a possible interview
• Home fee £10,050; check the School scholarship, Home Excellence Scholarship and Lancaster Bursary conditions

International applicants (including China):

• A-level and IB students apply on the course-page grades; students with the Chinese High School Diploma and Gaokao need a foundation route first, because Lancaster says they are not sufficient for entry
• IELTS 6.0 (5.5 in each component); prepare Student visa documents
• A*AA or above with Lancaster as firm choice can automatically earn the £3,000-a-year Excellence Scholarship

Transfer students:

• Year 2 entry is considered course by course, with upper second class marks, modules covering Lancaster’s Year 1, and a reference from a university teacher; Year 3 entry is not permitted

Sources: Lancaster University, School of Physics and Astronomy undergraduate page; Physics BSc (F300); Physics MPhys (F303); Physics with Astrophysics BSc (F3FM); Theoretical Physics BSc (F340); Theoretical Physics with Mathematics BSc (F3GC); Physics with a Foundation Year (F30F); How to apply and transfers; Undergraduate entry qualifications; Undergraduate English language requirements; Applicants from China; International foundation programmes; Undergraduate International Excellence Scholarship; Undergraduate International Regional Scholarship; Fees and funding. Course details are the 2027-entry course pages; the qualifications page and some scholarship pages are marked 2026 entry or carry no year. Check Lancaster and UCAS for the latest information.