How to Apply to Physics at Murdoch University: The Three-Year Bachelor of Science (Physical Sciences) in Perth with Physics and Chemistry Majors, a Double Major or a Pairing with Applied Mathematical Statistics, Admitting at ATAR 70 or Equivalent, and Entry and Prerequisite Requirements for Australian, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

Murdoch University (Murdoch) is in Perth, Western Australia. Its website places physics in the “Physical Sciences and Mathematics” study area, and the study-area page refers to the School of Mathematics, Statistics, Chemistry and Physics. Here is what you need to know for 2027 entry, based on Murdoch’s official information, for Australian applicants, international applicants, applicants from China and transfer students. The study-area page lists only two undergraduate degrees, the Bachelor of Science (Physical Sciences) and the Bachelor of Science (Mathematical Science); this guide covers the first and mentions the second only in passing.

1. Degrees and majors

• Bachelor of Science (Physical Sciences): three years full time (part time is listed, but international students study full time), AQF level 7, Murdoch code B1411, CRICOS code 112644K, starting Semester 1 and Semester 2, 2027, at the Murdoch (Perth) campus. Domestic students can choose face to face or mixed mode; the international listing shows face to face only.
• Majors: the course page lists two majors, Physics and Chemistry. The overview says you can specialise in Chemistry or Physics, complete a double major in both, or combine either with Applied Mathematical Statistics as a second major. It emphasises applications of chemistry and physics to materials and energy, hands-on work with laboratory equipment, imaging technologies and analytical instruments, and materials synthesis and characterisation.
• Astrophysics, theoretical physics and similar: no separate astrophysics, theoretical physics or applied physics stream or degree was seen in the pages used.
• Honours and master’s link: Murdoch also has a Bachelor of Science Honours (H1257, listed on the Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences study-area page); its course page is not among the pages used, so whether it takes graduates of this degree is not stated here. The general entry-requirements page says honours entry needs a relevant bachelor’s degree, generally with a distinction average in the final year, and a supervisor. How the physical sciences degree links to a master’s is not given on the pages used.
• Professional accreditation: the course page does not mention accreditation by a physics body such as the Australian Institute of Physics; ask admissions.

2. How admission works: straight into the degree, or choosing later

• You apply directly to this one degree (B1411); the course page does not describe a general first year or a later allocation into the science faculty. You choose Physics and/or Chemistry within the degree; when and how you choose or change is in the course structure section, which is not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Course structure section of the course page and the Course Handbook.
• Admission is by selection rank or equivalent: both the course page and the study-area page list ATAR (selection rank) 70. Limits on places, allocation conditions and transfer into the degree are not described in the pages used.
• No physics admission test or interview is mentioned (the Mature Age Pathway is an interview plus portfolio).

3. Prerequisites

• The last item of the course page’s admission section is a mathematics requirement: “Some units in this course require a final scaled score of 55% or more in ATAR Mathematics Methods (or equivalent); students who do not meet this requirement can enrol in the course but will be required to complete MAS164 as an elective or additional unit.” This refers to the Australian ATAR Mathematics Methods course; how IB, A-Level or Chinese high school mathematics map to it is not stated, so ask admissions rather than assuming.
• The page lists no high school physics or chemistry subject requirements, and does not describe a mathematics placement test or IB/A-Level credit for core units. Unit prerequisites are in the Course Handbook; ask Murdoch.

4. Australian applicants

• Selection rank: the course page lists ATAR 70 (a minimum selection rank of 70 for WA, ACT, NSW, NT, SA, TAS and VIC results); for the Queensland QCE it lists an Overall Position (OP) of 13 or lower (a lower number is better) plus Sound Achievement (4) or better in an approved English subject.
• Other routes: Western Australian Universities Foundation Program (WAUFP) CPS 54 with 50% in English Language and Australian Cultural Studies; Murdoch College preparation courses (50% or higher in all subjects); enabling programs taken in Year 12 (FlexiTrack High, TLC Learning for Tomorrow and others); a VET Certificate IV or higher studied at school; STAT multiple choice 135 plus Written English 140; the Mature Age Pathway (an interview and a portfolio, based on work and life experience); and case-by-case assessment for extenuating circumstances.
• Murdoch RISE adjustment: for students from regional, Indigenous and low socio-economic backgrounds with an ATAR of 60.00–89.95, up to 10 points can be added, to a maximum selection rank of 90.00; there is no application, and the adjustment is added automatically if you are eligible.
• How to apply: Year 12 students applying for Semester 1 apply through TISC (Western Australia) with up to six preferences, assessed on selection rank, and receive one offer only; the TISC page says applications opened on 2 June 2026 and points to the TISC website for key dates. Semester 2 applicants and non-school-leavers apply directly to Murdoch through MyAdmission.
• Early offer: Year 12 students in Australia graduating in 2026 can apply for a conditional offer using end-of-Year-11 or mid-Year-12 ATAR or IB results, or a recognised non-ATAR pathway; only first preferences are assessed, offers are made from 5 October 2026, and applications close at 5:00pm on 2 December 2026. After that you can use the TISC main or second round; the final date is listed as “to be confirmed”.
• Domestic fees: indicative Commonwealth-supported fees for 2027 are AUD 9,420 for the first year of the Bachelor of Science (Physical Sciences) (AUD 28,261 for the course), based on 24 credit points in the first year, tuition only, before any scholarships.

5. International applicants

• Results: the course page shows requirements by country of study in a country selector, and country-level cut-offs are not given on the pages used for this guide. Qualifications listed for everyone: IB Diploma total of 24 or higher (the same entry also lists Higher Level 3 or better and Standard Level 4 or better); A-Levels: an aggregate of 6 points from the best three A-Level subjects (at least two must be A-Levels; AS-Levels can be combined) with A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1 and AS A=2.5, B=2, C=1.5, D=1, E=0.5, plus a D at A-Level (C at AS) in English Language, English Literature or Knowledge and Inquiry; for other local or overseas qualifications, ask admissions to confirm equivalency.
• English (standard undergraduate): IELTS Academic 6.0 overall and 6.0 in each band; TOEFL iBT 60 (Reading 13, Writing 21, Speaking 18, Listening 12), not accepted if taken between 26 July 2023 and 4 May 2024; PTE 50 (Reading 53, Writing 54, Speaking 50, Listening 50); Duolingo 115 (Reading 110, Writing 110, Speaking 110, Listening 105); Cambridge C1 Advanced 169; LanguageCert Academic 65 (at an approved test centre); STAT Written English 140. Physical sciences is not among the undergraduate courses on the English page’s “higher requirements” list (the list covers education, allied health, law, Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences courses, nursing, psychology and veterinary studies).
• English exemptions and alternatives: STAT Written English 140, university preparation courses, English language courses, previous tertiary study and vocational education are accepted as English evidence. Previous tertiary study in English counts only if it was university level (AQF level 7 or higher) and completed within five years before you start; foundation results should normally be completed within two years before you start (the page lists exceptions for applicants who meet Murdoch’s English requirement and can show they used English as their main language in the meantime). The previous-study page says bachelor degrees from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States can meet the undergraduate English requirement with at least two university units at AQF level 7, or 8 months to 1 year of a university-level diploma, and it lists other countries with their own conditions.
• Genuine Student (GS) requirement: applicants who need a student visa are assessed against the Australian Government’s GS requirement during admission; Murdoch may ask for more information or an interview, but not every applicant is asked. The page lists countries whose citizens must apply through an agent; China (and Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau) is not on that list. Applicants from countries not listed may apply directly to Murdoch or through an agent, as they choose.
• Documents (international, from the course page checklist): official transcripts and certificates of your highest study (original and English translation), proof of English proficiency, and GS documents (GS Form 2, personal statement, up-to-date CV, passport copy, if applicable). Recommended: visa documents, past visa refusals, packaged offer letter, sponsorship documents and unit outlines for advanced standing. Direct applications go through MyAdmission with scanned documents (scans are accepted, e-transcripts are not; keep the originals or certified copies). The course page does not mention additional essays, recommendation letters or interviews (an interview may be requested during the GS assessment), and the application fee is not stated; check with international admissions (+61 8 9360 6063).
• 2027 international tuition: AUD 44,040 for the first year of the Bachelor of Science (Physical Sciences), AUD 132,120 for the three-year course; the 2026 first-year fee was AUD 41,990. These are indicative, based on 24 credit points in the first year, tuition only; Murdoch says fees are indexed annually and indexation may apply from the second year for international students. No laboratory or physics surcharge is mentioned.
• Scholarships: Murdoch’s scholarships page says it awards over AUD 2.5 million in scholarships every year to domestic and international students, and describes Scholarships for Good, worth AUD 12,000 across a degree for students making a positive impact on the world around them outside their studies. The international scholarships page says scholarships are offered for international students, students facing financial hardship, high achievers and students in specific courses, and that most are not intended to pay tuition fees but to help with books, living expenses and transport; it also mentions Australia Awards Scholarships funded by the Australian Government for students from participating countries. Amounts and eligibility for individual scholarships are in the scholarship finder, which is not covered by the pages used for this guide; scholarships specific to this degree are not described on the pages used for this guide, so check Murdoch’s scholarships page.

6. Applicants from China

• The course page’s “Overseas Year 12” row only says to refer to the information for your country of study. The country-specific requirements (whether the Gaokao is used and how school marks are assessed) appear in the country selector on the course page and are not given on the pages used for this guide; select China under “I have completed studies in” on the course page or contact international admissions (+61 8 9360 6063).
• A pathway after Chinese high school: Murdoch College’s Murdoch University Preparation Course (MUPC), MUPC (Accelerated Entry) and Foundation Studies, with a final mark of 50% or higher in all subjects; these also meet the English requirement, as does English for Academic Purposes with a final mark of 65%. The preparation-courses page lists other institutions’ foundation courses with their own English thresholds (for example the Western Australian Universities Foundation Program needs 60% in English).
• Whether Chinese transcripts must be verified by an accreditation body is not stated; check with admissions. No China-specific country page and no interview requirement were seen.

7. Transfers, credit and pathways

• Previous university study: the course page’s “University study” entry says successful completion of 2 units at an Australian university or Open Universities Australia (OUA) meets both the academic and English requirement.
• Vocational education: completing a Diploma or Advanced Diploma (AQF levels 5–6) meets the academic requirement; a Certificate IV (AQF level 4) needs separate English evidence (for example STAT Written English 140, or completing Years 11 and 12 in Australia, which is for domestic applicants only).
• Enabling courses: OnTrack Flex, OnTrack Sprint, K-Track, or an enabling or bridging course at another Australian university; completion meets the requirement. The TISC page says that after OnTrack Flex or OnTrack Sprint you can apply directly to any course with a minimum selection rank of 70.
• Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): prior formal or informal learning can earn credit and shorten the degree. You send your official transcript and award certificate, detailed unit outlines and the RPL form to RPL@murdoch.edu.au; there is an RPL calculator. International students must formally accept any RPL offered; if it changes the course duration Murdoch issues a new Confirmation of Enrolment. Credit based on work experience applies only to core units or specified electives. Detailed credit-transfer rules for study at overseas universities are not given on the pages used for this guide.

8. Work experience and course features

• The overview stresses experimental design, data analysis, and materials synthesis and characterisation, using modern laboratory equipment, imaging technologies and analytical instruments, in small classes with research-active academics; research areas mentioned include critical minerals, new battery materials and sustainable technologies. It does not state a required placement or work-experience period, or the credit value of an undergraduate research project.
• Listed roles include laboratory scientist, research scientist, materials scientist, environmental scientist, energy or sustainability analyst and science communicator.

9. 2027 timeline

• Start: Semester 1 and Semester 2, 2027 (the course page also lists both semesters of 2028).
• Australian school leavers: TISC opened on 2 June 2026; early conditional offers are made from 5 October 2026 and early-offer applications close at 5:00pm on 2 December 2026; main and second round dates are on the TISC website (the final application date is listed as “to be confirmed”).
• International applicants: apply directly through MyAdmission or through an agent; the course pages and international pages do not give an international closing date, so check with international admissions.

Checklist

Australian applicants:

• Check ATAR (selection rank) 70; see Murdoch RISE if you are eligible; plan MAS164 if your Mathematics Methods score is below 55%
• Year 12 students apply through TISC and may apply for the early offer; Semester 2 and non-school-leavers use MyAdmission

International applicants:

• Prepare IELTS 6.0 (6.0 each band) or equivalent; compare your qualification with the IB 24 or A-Level 6-point entries
• Prepare transcripts (original and English translation) and GS documents; apply through MyAdmission or an agent
• Ask admissions how the mathematics and physics prerequisites map to your curriculum

Applicants from China:

• Select China on the course page for the Gaokao and school-mark requirements; China is not on the list of countries that must apply through an agent
• Consider the MUPC or Foundation Studies route (50% or higher in all subjects)

Transfer students:

• Check the entry route for 2 completed Australian university units or a diploma; apply for RPL to shorten your degree

Sources: Murdoch University, Physical Sciences and Mathematics; Bachelor of Science (Physical Sciences); 2027 international fees; Entry requirements; English proficiency tests; Previous tertiary study; University preparation courses; Genuine Student requirements; Apply directly; Apply through TISC; Early offer; Recognition of Prior Learning; Scholarships; International scholarships. Information is for 2027 entry. Check Murdoch University for the latest details.