How to Apply to Physics at the University of Wollongong: The Bachelor of Science with Physics and Two Other Physics Majors, a Practical Component in Every Subject, the Four-Year Advanced Honours Degree, and Entry Requirements for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

The University of Wollongong (UOW) is in Wollongong, New South Wales. Physics is taught on the Wollongong campus as a major within the Bachelor of Science. Here is what you need to know for 2027 entry, based on UOW's official information, for domestic students, international students (including applicants from China) and transfer students.

1. Degrees and options

• Bachelor of Science: three years full-time, on campus, UOW code 757, CRICOS 031274F. UOW says you complete 24 subjects, some of which count towards your major, and that every subject has a major practical component. This version offers three majors: Physics, Medical and Radiation Physics and Nuclear and Space Radiation Technology, plus a "Still deciding" option.
• The physics major: UOW lists astronomy, cosmology, mechanics, thermodynamics, electromagnetism and optoelectronics, vibrations, waves, optics, and modern, quantum and statistical mechanics, complemented by advanced mathematics subjects. The department runs a 0.4 m telescope with modern electronic cameras and photometers, and many UOW physicists work under the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM), which UOW calls a flagship research strength.
• Recognition: the Bachelor of Science conforms to the requirements for membership of the Australian Institute of Physics; the Advanced Honours (Physics) degree is described the same way.
• Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours): four years, UOW code 358, CRICOS 085500K, with majors in Physics and Medical and Radiation Physics. It is for high-achieving students heading for scientific research, with individual research subjects in second to fourth year and a substantial supervised research project in the final year. Continuation normally depends on a weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 each year; students who do not meet it move to the equivalent non-advanced degree.
• Double degrees listed on the course page: Engineering (Honours) with Science (Physics) and Mathematics with Science (Physics). The study area page also lists a Bachelor of Computational Technology (Computational Physics) and Secondary Education (Physics), which this guide does not cover.
• The pages do not mention a physics admission test or interview.

2. Prerequisites and admissions profile

• Prerequisites: the course page only requires a qualification equivalent to 13 years of schooling in Australia with the required score, and says you should have completed relevant senior high school subjects to succeed. It does not list specific physics or mathematics subjects or grades, and has no separate wording for international applicants. The subjects needed are not given on the pages used for this guide; check UOW's entry requirements page or ask the Future Students team.
• ATAR-SR (selection rank for Australian applicants): Bachelor of Science 75; Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) 95.
• Bachelor of Science, 2025 intake (the major shown by default on the course page): 36 students, 12 of whom (33%) had higher education study. Among ATAR-based offers, the ATAR was 99.05 (highest), 81.95 (median) and 67.55 (lowest); selection ranks were 99.95, 85.15 and 70.25.
• Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours), 2025 intake: 9 students, 5 of whom (56%) had higher education study; ATAR-based offers had an ATAR of 99.05 (highest), 98.38 (median) and 95.20 (lowest), with selection ranks of 99.95, 99.50 and 98.20.

Domestic students (Australian Year 12)

• Domestic closing dates (2027 entry): Autumn session: UAC Early Bird 30 September 2026, direct 31 December 2026, UAC final round 28 January 2027. Spring session: direct 31 May 2027, UAC final round 1 July 2027.
• How to apply: recent school leavers (HSC, IB or an interstate equivalent) can apply through UOW Early Admission (the website says usually around June to August) or through the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC). Non-school leavers (for example, with an earlier Year 12 or a TAFE qualification) can apply directly to UOW. The pages used do not list admission centres of other states.
• ATAR and adjustment factors: the ATAR-SR on each course page is the selection rank (ATAR plus any adjustment factors). UOW also has non-ATAR entry options, described on its ATAR-based admission page, which this guide does not detail.
• Domestic fees: Commonwealth supported place (CSP) fees are not on the pages used for this guide; switch the course page to "Domestic" to see them.

International students: applicants from China

UOW's international entry requirements page splits undergraduate degrees into three groups. Group 1 includes Mathematics, Science, Medical and Health Sciences and Business; Group 2 includes Economics and Finance and Social Work; Group 3 includes Pre-Medicine, Laws and Psychology (Honours), and the page also lists "Dean's Scholar and Scholar degrees" and "Advanced Degrees" under Group 3. The degrees in this guide fall in Group 1 (Bachelor of Science). Mainland China high school qualifications may be considered for undergraduate entry, assessed on completion of senior secondary education and, where applicable, approved external examinations.

• Gaokao: 60% for Group 1, 70% for Group 2 and 75% for Group 3. The page does not say how a provincial Gaokao total is converted into a percentage or whether provinces differ; ask the UOW Future Students team.
• Senior High School Year 3 average: 80% (Group 1), 85% (Group 2), 90% (Group 3). Foundation Studies (2 sessions) and the 3-session Diploma need 60%, and the 2-session Diploma 65%. With Year 2 only, a 70% average may be considered for Foundation Studies.
• Maple Leaf World School Program Grade 12 Diploma: based on the best five Grade 12 academic subjects. The page lists only Group 1 (73%), plus the two core courses (Personal and Global Leadership 12 and Creative Thinking & Problem Solving 12). It also states that engineering and physical sciences need Calculus 12 of at least 73% and relevant Physics 12 and/or Chemistry 12 of at least 73%, and information technology and computer science need Pre-Calculus 12 of at least 73%. It does not map these subject conditions to individual degrees, so confirm with UOW.
• Documents: academic records and transcripts showing all subjects, grades (including fails) and stages reached; documents not in English need an official translation by a professional service or the issuing institution. Whether provincial academic proficiency (huikao) records are separately required, and whether there is an interview, is not given on the pages used for this guide; check the website or ask UOW.
• How to apply: through an authorised UOW agent (UOW says this is offered at no cost to students) or directly through UOW Apply.

The page lists "Advanced Degrees" under Group 3, so confirm the score band for the Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) with UOW. Whether the Maple Leaf note on Calculus 12 and Physics 12/Chemistry 12 for "engineering and physical sciences" applies to physics is not stated; ask UOW.

International students: other qualifications, English and visa

• A-levels: aggregate of 3 subjects out of 18 (A*=6, A=5, B=4, C=3, D=2, E=1): 8 for Group 1, 11 for Group 2, 13 for Group 3.
• IB Diploma: 25 (Group 1), 28 (Group 2), 32 (Group 3), including up to 3 points for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge.
• US SAT/ACT, with evidence of high school completion: SAT 1090 / 1170 / 1220 and ACT 22 / 25 / 30 for Groups 1 / 2 / 3. The GED is not accepted.
• Canada: the Americas section of the entry requirements page lists only Brazil, Mexico and the USA, so UOW does not publish equivalents for Canadian provincial diplomas on that page. Apply for assessment or contact the Future Students team.
• English: IELTS Academic (including UKVI), TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency and LanguageCert Academic are accepted; Duolingo only for coursework programs; OET only for selected health-related courses. IELTS Indicator/Online, TOEFL iBT Home Edition and PTE Academic Online are not accepted. Tests must be taken within two years of the course start, and official scores must be submitted before a valid offer is issued. UOW College's English for Tertiary Studies is another route. Course-specific scores are below.
• Student visa English: the Australian Department of Home Affairs sets separate English requirements for a student visa; UOW points to its SSVF screening page and the Department's document checklist tool.
• Timing: UOW recommends applying at least 4 months before your intake to allow time for assessment, acceptance and the visa; some courses have fixed closing dates. For international applicants the course pages say to see the International students page for key cut-off dates; the exact 2027 dates are not given on the pages used for this guide, so check the website. Applications must include all documents to be complete; the 2027 course pages say applications after the closing date are still accepted and UOW will try to process them in time, without a guarantee.

3. English requirements (course pages)

• Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours): IELTS Academic overall 6.0, with 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
• UOW College's English for Tertiary Studies (weighted average 50 overall and at least 50 in Academic Reading and Writing) is another route, and other qualifications may be considered; see the English requirements page.

4. Start dates and fees (2027)

• Start dates: both degrees start in Autumn (1 March 2027) or Spring (26 July 2027).
• International tuition (Wollongong, on campus): Bachelor of Science AUD 24,816 per session, indicative course fee AUD 148,896; Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) AUD 24,816 per session, indicative four-year fee AUD 198,528. UOW says fees are reviewed annually, depend on the year of commencement and may rise during study; the totals are indicative for normal progression. Overseas Student Health Cover and the Student Services and Amenities Fee are extra.

Transfer students and credit

• Applying with university or diploma results: per the post-secondary table on the international entry requirements page, an associate degree or higher needs at least 0.5 FTE completed (UOW's example: if a full-time year is 8 subjects, 0.5 FTE is 4 subjects); qualifications below associate degree level (Certificate IV, Diploma, Advanced Diploma) must be fully completed. The pages do not state extra transfer conditions for physics or which mathematics and physics subjects must already be completed.
• Indicative marks (Groups 1 / 2 / 3): AQF bachelor's degree and associate degree 50% / 62% / 75%; completed Advanced Diploma 57% (graded) / 68% / 75%; completed Diploma 57% (graded) / 71% / 78%; Australian university foundation programs 60–65% for Group 1. These are indicative only, assessed case by case, and do not guarantee admission; different pass marks are converted to the Australian scale.
• Credit for Prior Learning: completed study or relevant work experience can earn credit or exemptions, shortening the course and reducing cost. Request it at Step 5 of the online application; for study completed elsewhere provide an official transcript and subject outlines (not needed under a formal articulation agreement), with certified English translations if needed. UOW has arrangements with many overseas institutions, but not all courses are eligible; check the course page. Domestic applicants applying through UAC follow a different credit process described by UOW.
• UOW College pathways: UOW College offers Foundation Studies, Diplomas and the University Preparation Program leading to first or second year of UOW bachelor's degrees; check UOW College for which degrees each pathway leads to.

Scholarships for international students

• University Excellence Scholarship (UES): a 30% tuition fee reduction for the minimum duration of an eligible course, for 2027 commencement; no application, assessed automatically, unlimited number. It requires full-time study in an undergraduate course at an Australian campus, no other UOW tuition scholarship or discount for the same course, and a cumulative WAM of 50. From high school results you need the Group 3 score for your qualification (for example Gaokao 75%, Senior High Year 3 90%, A-levels 13 or IB 32); Australian university foundation programs need 85% overall, and post-secondary study needs the Group 3 threshold. Students who change course are reassessed. The scholarship page mentions both enrolment in "2026" and "2027" commencement, and says it is issued with offers from 12 June 2026 for students starting in 2027 and beyond; check the page.
• The international scholarships page also lists scholarships that need a separate application, such as the UOW Future Leaders Scholarship, Country Scholarship and Offshore transfer discount; their conditions are not detailed on the pages used here, so check the website.

Checklist

• Choose the degree: Bachelor of Science (Physics major, ATAR-SR 75) or Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) (ATAR-SR 95; WAM 80 to stay in the advanced degree)
• Applicants from China: Group 1 needs Gaokao 60% or Senior High Year 3 average 80%; A-levels 8; IB 25; confirm the Advanced degree band with UOW
• The required high school physics and mathematics subjects are not published; confirm with the Future Students team before applying
• IELTS Academic 6.0 (6.0 in each skill), taken within two years of the course start
• For the 30% scholarship: meet the Group 3 level (Gaokao 75%, Senior High Year 3 90%, A-levels 13, IB 32)
• Apply at least 4 months before your intake; UOW does not publish Canadian diploma equivalents, so apply for assessment; transfer students request credit at Step 5

Sources: University of Wollongong, Bachelor of Science (Physics and other majors; international, 2027); Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours); Maths, Physics & Chemistry; International entry requirements; English language requirements; International applications; University Excellence Scholarships; International scholarships; Credit for prior learning. Information is for 2027 entry; admission data are from the 2025 intake. Check UOW for the latest details.