How to Apply to Physics at Royal Holloway, University of London: Direct Entry by UCAS Code to Physics, Astrophysics, Theoretical Physics and Particle Physics BSc and MSci, A-level Maths and Physics Required, IOP-Accredited, With Requirements for UK, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Applicants

The physics undergraduate degrees at Royal Holloway, University of London (Royal Holloway) are taught by the Department of Physics and Astronomy, with Egham as the campus on the course pages; Royal Holloway’s English language page lists Physics under the School of Engineering, Physical and Mathematical Sciences. Most of the courses are accredited by the Institute of Physics (IOP). This article follows Royal Holloway’s application, entry requirements, international and China pages, fee and scholarship pages and the physics department and course pages for September 2027 entry, for UK applicants, international applicants, applicants studying in China and students hoping to enter the second year.

1. Physics degrees and variants

• Physics: BSc F300 (3 years) and MSci F303 (4 years); Physics with Integrated Foundation Year: F30F (4 years, a foundation year plus the three-year BSc).
• Astrophysics: BSc F511 (3 years) and MSci F510 (4 years); Theoretical Physics: BSc F340 and MSci F321; Physics with Particle Physics: BSc F370 and MSci F372.
• Physics with Philosophy: BSc F3V5 (3 years); Physics with Music: BSc F3W3 (3 years).
• Mathematics and Physics: BSc GF13 (3 years) and MSci GFC3 (4 years), run by the mathematics department and mentioned here only briefly.

You apply for a specific course code; the BSc Physics page lists F300, F303 and F30F as course options. The Optional Placement Year is not a separate degree: apply through UCAS for the standard version and apply for the placement year in the autumn term of your second year (after the third year on an MSci). Royal Holloway says the scheme is not competitive, but you must be able to secure an approved placement or exchange; the placement year is charged at 20% of the usual tuition fee, is recorded on the degree certificate and contributes to the overall result. The department is a founding member of the SEPnet consortium of physics departments in the South East of England, which Royal Holloway says provides industrial and academic placements.

2. Prerequisites and entry requirements for 2027

• A-level: the course pages for Physics BSc, Astrophysics BSc, Theoretical Physics BSc, Physics with Particle Physics BSc and Physics with Philosophy say AAA–ABB; Physics MSci and Astrophysics MSci say AAA–AAB. All require A-levels in Mathematics and Physics plus a pass in the practical element of all science A-levels taken, and GCSE English Language and Mathematics at grade 4 (C). Physics with Music also needs A-level Music or Grade 7 Music Theory at pass; applicants without these may be eligible for the “Intensive Theory” entry, which needs Music GCSE grade A/7 or equivalent plus a performance standard given on the course page. The Theoretical Physics MSci and Particle Physics MSci pages were not read, so check their A-level ranges.
• Integrated Foundation Year (F30F): A-level CCC–CCD with A-level Mathematics (no grade stated on the page) and GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 (C); T-Levels are accepted.
• Other qualifications: the course pages put the IB, BTEC, Welsh Baccalaureate, Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers, Irish Leaving Certificate, Access to HE and T-Level requirements in drop-down menus that did not appear in the static pages used for this guide; check “Entry requirements” on the course page.
• Admissions tests and interviews: Royal Holloway says none of its undergraduate courses currently require an interview or a portfolio as standard; the physics course pages do not mention an admissions test.
• BSc Physics year 1 core modules: Mathematics for Scientists 1 and 2, Scientific Skills 1 and 2, Classical Mechanics, Fields and Waves, Classical Matter and Physics of the Universe, plus Academic Integrity.
• Years 2 and 3: year 2 core modules are Mathematical Methods, Scientific Computing Skills, Quantum Mechanics, Scientific Skills 3, Optics, Electromagnetism, Classical and Statistical Thermodynamics and The Solid State; year 3 core is Advanced Skills in Physics and an Experimental or Theoretical Project, with options including Energy and Climate Science, Further Mathematical Methods, Advanced Classical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamical Systems, Quantum Theory, Atomic Physics, Particle Physics and Machine Learning (options change each year, so check the website). The fourth year of the MSci is intercollegiate, so you can choose modules from other University of London colleges (for example Quantum Computation and Nanoscale Physics), and you do a Major Project.
• Teaching: a year is normally eight modules of a nominal 150 hours each, taught through small-group tutorials, problem classes, lectures, laboratory and computing assignments, teamwork and one-to-one laboratory teaching; Royal Holloway says you must pass at least six of the eight modules, with a minimum of 40% in each year. Lecture modules are normally examined by a two-hour paper, coursework and in-class tests also count, and experimental work is assessed by written reports or oral presentations. The campus has an astronomical dome used for undergraduate teaching.
• Accreditation: the BSc Physics page and most BSc pages say the course is accredited by the Institute of Physics and that completion partially meets the educational requirement for Chartered Physicist; the Astrophysics MSci page says it fully meets it, and the Physics MSci page as read also says “partially”, which does not match; ask Royal Holloway.

3. UK applicants

• Accepted qualifications: A-levels (three subjects), BTEC/CTEC/WJEC, Scottish Advanced Highers (at least three passes), IB, Access to HE, the Welsh Baccalaureate, T-Levels and others; GCSE requirements are at least five passes (A*–C or 9–4) including Maths and English. The course pages do not separate England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and the exact Scottish grades are on the UCAS course page. T-Level equivalences: Distinction (A* on the core and distinction in the occupational specialism) is AAA*, Distinction is AAA, Merit is BBB, Pass (C or above on the core) is CCC and Pass (D or E on the core) is DDD; where a course sets A-level subject requirements, T-Level applicants are likely to be asked to offer that A-level alongside (this passage comes from the foundation-year course page, so check the T-Level conversion on other course pages).
• Fees: the Home fee for 2027/28 is £10,050 a year (see section 8).
• Contextual offers and widening access: see section 7.

4. International applicants (including Chinese applicants): English, qualifications and funding

• Route: also through UCAS, institution code R72. Check the UCAS website for the application fee and personal statement format.
• Qualifications: Royal Holloway accepts a wide range of international qualifications; each course page has an “International & EU requirements” drop-down by country. If in doubt, use the Admissions Office enquiry form (+44 (0)1784 414944). For countries where the course page says the secondary school diploma is not enough for direct entry, it points to the International Foundation Year or an equivalent foundation programme.
• A-level / IB / US qualifications: A-level and IB requirements are on the course page; the IB scores are in a drop-down that did not appear in the static page used for this guide, so check the course page. The course pages also give conversions for US qualifications (combinations of AP, ACT and SAT); follow the course page.
• English language: applicants who are not nationals of the majority English-speaking countries listed by the UK Home Office must show English ability. Royal Holloway lists these nationalities as exempt: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British overseas territories, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Malta, New Zealand, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, the UK and the USA. Accepted tests include IELTS (including IELTS Indicator), Pearson, Cambridge, TOEFL iBT (including Home Edition), OnCampus Test of English, Duolingo, LanguageCert, Kaplan and the Oxford tests. Undergraduate scores depend on the subject: for physics: IELTS 6.5 with no sub-score below 5.5; Pearson Test of English 67 with no sub-score below 59; Trinity ISE III; TOEFL iBT 88 (Reading 18, Listening 17, Speaking 20, Writing 17); Duolingo 120 with no sub-score below 100. Certificates must be issued no more than two years before the course starts. If your results are slightly below the requirement you may be offered a pre-sessional English course instead of retaking the test.
• SELT: Royal Holloway says IELTS must be a SELT if a sub-score is below 5.5 and you apply for a pre-sessional course with a linked CAS; TOEFL iBT cannot be used as a SELT.
• Deposit and visa: international undergraduates who need a Student visa must pay a tuition fee deposit of £3,000 or £10,000* before a CAS can be issued (the asterisk after £10,000 is not explained on the page used for this guide, so check the “Student fees and deposits” page for who pays which). The deposit is usually non-refundable except in certain circumstances (see the refunds policy); a CAS can only be issued in the six months before the course starts. Applicants who applied through an agent and live outside the UK, EU, EEA, Switzerland, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand pay the deposit through Study Group; the link is in the offer letter. The exact proof-of-funds amount is not given on the pages used for this guide; check Royal Holloway’s visa and immigration page and the UK government visa pages.

5. Applicants from China

• Royal Holloway’s China page: it says the first Chinese student was admitted in 1887 and gives its official WeChat account (伦敦大学皇家霍洛威学院), Weibo (@皇家霍洛威Royal_Holloway) and Red Note (伦敦大学皇家霍洛威). The international team offers 30-minute one-to-one counselling sessions on Teams (they do not affect admission) and guided campus tours. The page lists the agents Royal Holloway works with in China; check it before you apply.
• Gaokao for direct entry to Year 1: the China page says the gaokao is accepted for direct entry, with these equivalences: AAA needs at least 75%; AAB 75%; ABB 73%; BBB 70%; BBC 67%; BCC 65%; CCC 63%, and “additional requirements may apply depending on the programme”.
• On the course pages for this subject: the course pages for Physics BSc, Astrophysics BSc, Theoretical Physics BSc, Physics with Particle Physics BSc, Physics with Philosophy and Physics with Music give a gaokao total of 75% together with 70% in the A-level subjects listed on the page (that is, Mathematics and Physics at 70% each); the Physics MSci and Astrophysics MSci pages show 75% and the pages read do not show a subject score; the Integrated Foundation Year page has no separate gaokao entry. For applicants who do not meet the requirement, the course pages say the partner foundation provider may help. Which gaokao subject counts for which A-level subject is not stated; ask the Admissions Office.
• After one year at a Chinese university: the China page says successful completion of one year at a recognised university in China with an overall average of 60% or above.
• International Foundation Year and International Year One: the Royal Holloway International Study Centre (run by Study Group) offers an International Foundation Year (Arts and Social Sciences, Management and Economics, or Sciences) and an International Year One (Business and Management, Computer Science, Economics or Electronic Engineering) that leads directly to the second year of the chosen degree. There is no International Year One route in physics (the listed routes are Business and Management, Computer Science, Economics and Electronic Engineering), so for a physics degree look at the Sciences International Foundation Year and the other recognised foundation programmes. Royal Holloway also recognises foundation programmes from the University of London (IFP), INTO, On Campus, NCUK, CATS Colleges and David Game College; for the University of London IFP, Distinction (70%) is shown against AAA, Merit (65%) against AAB or ABB and Merit (60%) against BBB or BBC, and there are subject-specific rows for Biology, Economics and Psychology (for example Merit 60% in Maths) on the entry requirements page. The Study Centre also has a Chinese-language website that was not read for this guide.
• AP, Huikao, transcripts and certificates: how to submit Chinese transcripts, Huikao results and the graduation certificate is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the Admissions Office (enquiry form with your UCAS number and full name; +44 (0)1784 414944). These gaokao percentages come from the country drop-down on each course page; whether they are calculated against each province’s full mark is not stated.
• China team: the China page names Elle Zhang, International Student Recruitment Manager (East Asia & UKI), and offers appointment booking.

6. Route and timeline for September 2027 entry

• Route: full-time undergraduate applications go through UCAS, institution code R72, with up to five choices; use the UCAS course code on each course page.
• 1 September 2026: UCAS opens for applications.
• 13 January 2027: UCAS Equal Consideration deadline. The “When to apply” text on Royal Holloway’s page says “2026 entry” but gives dates from September 2026 to January 2027, so it appears to describe the 2027 entry cycle; check UCAS.
• International applicants: Royal Holloway advises applying by 13 January because of demand for popular courses, and says applications will still be considered until 30 June 2027 if places remain.
• 25 February 2027: UCAS Extra opens; 12 May: deadline for universities to tell UCAS their decision; the deadline to reply to offers is 5 May, 2 June or 21 July 2027 depending on when you receive the final decision; 30 June: deadline for applications submitted after the Equal Consideration deadline; 1 July: UCAS Extra deadline; 2 July: Clearing starts; 12 August: A-level results; 23 September: deadline for any new UCAS application. Accommodation applications open in early 2027.
• Age: most students are 18 or over; applicants who will be under 18 at the start of the course should read the admissions policy.
• The “What happens next” page, the personal statement guide and deferred entry arrangements were not read in detail; for deferred entry the tuition fee is the fee for the year of entry (tuition fees page).

7. How Royal Holloway assesses applications

• What is considered: completed qualifications and grades, predicted grades for qualifications not yet completed, the personal statement and motivation, and the reference. Royal Holloway says it also makes offers to applicants predicted below the advertised grade range if, on the whole application, it believes they can be successful.
• How requirements are written: A-level applicants must pass three subjects; the grades on course pages are minimum ranges and your own offer may be higher. BTECs, CTECs and WJECs (Extended Certificates, National Diplomas, Extended Diplomas) are accepted at the equivalent of the A-level requirement; both the IB Diploma and IBCP are accepted; Scottish Advanced Highers applicants are expected to achieve at least three passes, with grades varying by department (see the UCAS course listing); UK applicants are expected to have at least five GCSEs at A*–C or 9–4 including Maths and English. Other accepted qualifications include Access to HE, the European Baccalaureate, the Welsh Baccalaureate, Edexcel National Diploma, T-Levels, CACHE and International A-levels.
• Interviews and portfolios: Royal Holloway says none of its undergraduate courses currently require an interview as part of a standard application, and none requires a portfolio as standard.
• Offers: most applicants receive a conditional offer, usually conditional on final grades, and meeting the conditions guarantees the place; some receive unconditional offers. If English is not your first language and you have no recognised test, an English condition is likely.
• If unsuccessful: Royal Holloway cannot make every applicant an offer because of specific entry requirements or oversubscription; for feedback email applicants@royalholloway.ac.uk; you can consider another course through UCAS Extra.
• Contextual offers: the Widening Access page mentions contextual offers and financial support for students from under-represented groups, but the pages used for this guide do not give the eligibility criteria or size of any grade reduction, or say whether international applicants qualify; ask wa@royalholloway.ac.uk or the Admissions Office.

8. Fees and scholarships

• International tuition (2027/28): the course pages for Physics BSc, Physics MSci, Astrophysics, Theoretical Physics, Physics with Particle Physics, Physics with Philosophy, Physics with Music and the Integrated Foundation Year all show an international fee of £27,900 a year. The foundation year page also says international students starting the Integrated Foundation Year in 2026 receive a 10% discount on the Year 1 fee of their full degree; whether that continues for 2027 entry is not stated, so ask Royal Holloway. Royal Holloway reserves the right to raise fees every year; for international students starting in 2026/27 and 2027/28, annual increases are decided in its annual review, based on the UK Retail Price Index (RPI) and capped at 7.5%.
• Home fee: £10,050 for students starting in 2027/28; for UK students starting in 2026/27 and 2027/28 later increases follow UK Government policy, capped at 7.5% (some Foundation Year courses are excluded). A UK passport alone does not qualify you for the Home fee; you must also meet residency requirements. A provisional fee status is decided when you apply and can be checked on the Applicant Portal after an offer.
• Other essential costs: course pages say there are no single required costs above £50 per item (excluding accommodation, commuting, food, books and printing); the biological sciences pages also recommend buying a laptop.
• Instalments: Royal Holloway says international students starting in September 2026 can pay in two equal instalments; whether the same applies for 2027 is not stated on the pages used for this guide, so check the “Student fees and deposits” page.
• Royal Holloway International Undergraduate Scholarship 2027: a tuition fee reduction of £3,000 a year for each year of study, awarded automatically with no separate application. Eligibility: international fee status; BBB at A-level, or IB 30 overall or 5,5,5 at Higher Level, or other equivalent grades; and an offer for an undergraduate degree starting in September 2027. It cannot be held with any other Royal Holloway scholarship that gives a fee reduction or discount, any internal cash award, or any recognised partnership discount (including the progression discount for International Study Centre students). Contact rhps@rhul.ac.uk.
• Other scholarships: the scholarships page has a search by level of study, fee status and subject area, and departments have their own awards; some 2027 scholarships had not yet opened for applications. Some scholarships need an application and others are automatic; see each scholarship page for criteria and deadlines. The scholarships section also has a page called “Physics Scholarship”; its conditions were not read for this guide, so check the scholarships page.

9. Transfer and second-year entry

• Royal Holloway says certain departments consider transfers into the second year of an undergraduate programme case by case, and that it is unable to accept transfers into the third year for any course.
• Conditions: meet the first-year entry requirements of the target programme and achieve grades equivalent to an upper second class honours in your first year at university. Second-year applications are also made through UCAS.
• Which specific courses take transfers, and which first-year modules you need, is not stated course by course on the pages used for this guide; ask the Admissions Office or the department. International applicants can also consider the International Year One (see above), which leads directly to the second year.

Checklist

UK applicants:

• A-level Mathematics and Physics with a practical pass; BSc AAA–ABB, MSci AAA–AAB; for Scottish and other qualifications check the course page and UCAS
• Apply through UCAS (R72) by 13 January 2027; Home fee £10,050 a year

International applicants (including China):

• A-level Mathematics and Physics with AAA–ABB for the BSc; gaokao 75% overall and 70% in the subjects per the course page; or a foundation programme
• English: IELTS 6.5 (5.5 in each section) and equivalents; tuition £27,900 a year; International Undergraduate Scholarship £3,000 a year, automatic

Transfer applicants:

• Meet first-year entry requirements and an upper second equivalent; no third-year entry for any course; apply through UCAS

Sources: Royal Holloway, University of London, Physics and Astronomy subject page; Physics: studying here; BSc Physics; MSci Physics; Astrophysics BSc; Astrophysics MSci; Theoretical Physics BSc; Physics with Particle Physics BSc; Physics with Philosophy; Physics with Music; Physics with Integrated Foundation Year; How to apply; Entry requirements; Your offer; International students; China page; English language requirements; Undergraduate tuition fees; Student fees and deposits; Scholarships; International Undergraduate Scholarship; Integrated Foundation Year; Optional Placement Year. Information is for September 2027 entry (where a page prints no year, the current version of the page); check Royal Holloway for the latest details.