How to Apply to Physics at Adelaide University: Six Physics Majors Inside the Bachelor of Science, No Prerequisite Listed on the Experimental Physics Page, with Admission and Prerequisites for Domestic, International (Including Chinese) and Transfer Students

For 2027 entry, undergraduate physics in Adelaide is offered by Adelaide University; its glossary names the University of South Australia and the former University of Adelaide as its Foundation Universities. Physics sits in the School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, College of Science, at the Adelaide City Campus. There is no stand-alone "Bachelor of Physics": physics is a set of majors inside the Bachelor of Science. This guide covers the main points for 2027 entry for domestic, international (including Chinese) and transfer students. The degree pages used here are the international versions, and the Experimental Physics major page and the Bachelor of Science (Honours) page were read in full.

1. The physics degrees and majors

• Six physics majors: the School's study-areas page lists these Bachelor of Science majors under physics: Computational Physics, Experimental Physics, Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Physics and Geophysics, Space Science and Astrophysics, and Theoretical Physics. It says the School's undergraduate physics courses are accredited by the Australian Institute of Physics.
• Bachelor of Science (code BSCIE): three years full-time, 144 units: 42 to 54 units of core courses, plus either 78 to 102 units for one major or 54 units of discipline courses, and 0 to 48 units of electives. The University says you can also study two majors.
• Bachelor of Science (Honours) (code HSCIE): four years full-time; every major is available through it, and the fourth year is a research project plus up to four major-specific courses. The pages also say you can fast-track from the Bachelor of Science into a Master of Research with 1 to 1.25 years of extra study. The School also lists a master's in medical radiation physics, which this guide does not cover.
• The Experimental Physics major: the study plan lists calculus and mathematics courses (Calculus 1 and 2, Linear Algebra, Multivariable Calculus, Differential Equations) and physics courses (Physics 1A and 1B, Quantum Mechanics and Experimental Physics 2, Electromagnetism 2, Solid State Physics and Photonics 2, Electromagnetism, Quantum and Statistical Mechanics, and Experimental Physics); the page says content includes atomic and nuclear physics, optics and electromagnetism, with laboratory classes. The final year has a work-integrated-learning choice of a research project or an industry placement. The pages for Computational Physics, Nuclear and Radiation Physics, Physics and Geophysics, Space Science and Astrophysics and Theoretical Physics were not read one by one; check courses and scores on each major's page.

2. How admission works and when you choose a major

• You apply to the Bachelor of Science: the Experimental Physics page carries the Bachelor of Science code BSCIE, so you apply to the Bachelor of Science with the relevant major. The pages mention an "Unspecified" plan from which students can move into a named science major by a plan change; the University recommends doing this at the end of first year so you get tailored enrolment advice. Whether you may start in the Bachelor of Science and decide on a physics major later, and when a major must be fixed at application, is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the School or the admissions office.
• Honours: students in the Honours degree must reach a GPA of 5.0 by the end of 144 units (three years full-time) to progress to the honours project in fourth year. Exceptions can be requested through the Honours Coordinator and are decided by the Dean Academic; students who do not qualify must transfer into the three-year Bachelor of Science. Students planning a fourth year must transfer into their chosen major before the end of third year; the University recommends doing so at the end of first year.
• Prerequisites: the Experimental Physics page and the Honours page both list None as the prerequisite, and assumed knowledge is also "None". The study plan still starts with calculus and physics courses, and the pages do not explain how to bridge if you have not studied high-school physics or calculus; ask the admissions office or the School. The pages do not mention an admissions test or interview.
• Combining with other fields: the University says you can combine a science major with a complementary field or use electives across disciplines, but these pages do not list physics double degrees.

3. Minimum scores by qualification

These are the scores in the "international admissions by country" table (2027 entry). The Bachelor of Science column is taken from the Experimental Physics page; the other five physics major pages were not checked one by one.

Qualification	Bachelor of Science (Experimental Physics)	Bachelor of Science (Honours)
Gaokao (China)	60%	75%
Australia ATAR	70	85
IB Diploma	25	30
GCE A-Levels (UK/global)	7	10
Singapore GCE A-Levels	7	10
Hong Kong HKDSE	16	19
Ontario OSSD (Canada)	65%	80%
AP (USA/global)	7	10
ACT	21	26
SAT	1100	1220

The country PDF gives a general gaokao minimum of "Minimum 60% Gaokao result", the same as the Bachelor of Science page; the Honours page is higher, so follow the degree page.

Application process and timing

• Intakes: the degree pages used for this guide give the start months as February and July; exact dates are on the academic calendar.
• Two ways for international students to apply: most students apply directly through the University's International Application System. Students from the Middle East, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia (Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka), the Philippines and Latin America must apply through an authorised Education Agent. Mainland China is not on that list, so Chinese applicants can apply directly or through an authorised agent; the agent list is on the Find an Education Agent page.
• Application fee: a non-refundable AUD 150 per application (not charged for research degrees, 100% online programs and non-award programs).
• Documents: academic certificates and transcripts, graduation certificates for secondary and any tertiary study, proof of English proficiency and proof of identity (such as a passport); some programs ask for a personal statement, portfolio or supplementary form. Documents not in English need an official translation with certified copies.
• Closing dates: the international how-to-apply page only says to check the closing date for your degree because deadlines differ; the degree pages used here do not print a date. Not given on the pages used for this guide; check the degree page or the international how-to-apply page for the February and July 2027 closing dates.
• Assessment time: the University says that, because of high volumes, assessment may take up to two weeks, and up to about three weeks if a credit assessment is needed. The result is an unconditional or conditional Offer of Admission; conditions must be met before you can accept.
• After you accept: pay the first tuition payment, arrange Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), update your passport details so that the Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) can be issued, then apply for a student visa. An agent can lodge the visa application for you; direct applicants apply on the Department of Home Affairs website.

General requirements for international students

• Four tests: the University groups its international requirements into academic entry, English language, the Genuine Student (GS) requirement and financial capacity. The GS requirement is an Australian Government integrity measure for all student visa applicants; your offer may carry a condition about it, the University may run further checks and you may be asked to complete an interview. On finances, the University must be satisfied that you can pay tuition and living costs (and those of accompanying dependants); it will not waive tuition or pay your costs in Australia.
• Academic entry is set by country and qualification: undergraduate applicants must reach the minimum score for their country's qualification and meet any prerequisites and degree-specific requirements; where there are more eligible applicants than places, they are ranked on the entry criteria. A separate PDF, Undergraduate admission by country, lists general minimums; it prints no year, so check that it applies to 2027 entry.
• English: the University's general undergraduate minimum is IELTS Academic 6.0 overall or equivalent, but English requirements are set by degree and the degree pages below ask for more. Accepted tests are IELTS Academic, PTE Academic, TOEFL iBT, Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency, and OET for some degrees; results are generally valid for two years, with a shorter period for some degrees (check the degree page). In the University's equivalence table, IELTS 6.5 corresponds to TOEFL iBT 79 and PTE 64, and IELTS 7.0 to TOEFL iBT 94 and PTE 72. If you meet the academic requirements but not the English requirement, the University can issue a conditional offer packaged with a preparatory program from its English Language Centre.
• If you do not meet direct entry: the University lists preparatory pathways through Eynesbury College, Kaplan International College Adelaide and TAFE SA; see its Pathway providers page.

The English requirement is the same for the Bachelor of Science (Experimental Physics) and the Honours degree: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with 6.0 in reading, listening, speaking and writing.

Applicants from China

• The gaokao is the Chinese qualification the University lists: in the "international admissions by country" table on each degree page, the China row is the Gaokao with a percentage that differs by degree (see the score tables above). The country PDF says "Minimum 60% Gaokao result". Whether the percentage is of the total score or of single subjects, and whether it is converted from province-specific full marks, is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the admissions office.
• Only the gaokao is listed for China: the country table has one China row. For students on international curricula the pages list minimums for IB, A-Levels, SAT, ACT and AP (see the score tables). How a Chinese high school diploma plus a foundation program is treated is not given on the pages used for this guide; ask the admissions office.
• Documents: the University only publishes the general international list (transcripts, graduation certificates, English results, passport; non-English documents need an official translation with certified copies). It does not publish a separate document list, interview or certification-body requirement for mainland China, and says to contact it about certification.
• If you fall short: consider the preparatory routes the University lists (Eynesbury College, Kaplan International College Adelaide, TAFE SA, English Language Centre). The pages do not ask for physics-competition results or an extra test for Chinese applicants to physics.

Australian domestic applicants

• Where to apply: the University says applications for 2027 undergraduate entry are open and, for most degrees, are made through the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre (SATAC). SATAC is a third-party platform; check its website for key dates, fees and offer rounds.
• Preferences: a SATAC application lists up to six preferences; offers go to the highest preference for which you are eligible, and you can change preferences before the cut-off for your offer round. SATAC runs several smaller offer rounds, one main round, and further offers before the start of the study period. You do not reply to an offer, as SATAC accepts on your behalf; to defer you change your response in your SATAC account.
• Entry routes: SACE or an equivalent Year 12 qualification (including the IB Diploma), competing on Selection Rank (ATAR plus any adjustment factors); for most undergraduate degrees you must not have completed more than two years' full-time university study (48 units) to use Year 12 results. For most undergraduate degrees the University also offers Guaranteed Entry with no separate application: list the degree as your highest preference and you are considered automatically, either by reaching the degree's ATAR threshold or by subject results (SACE or equivalent, an ATAR of at least 50 without adjustment factors, and your best three grades from 20-credit subjects). If you do not reach it you are still considered competitively. Other routes include the STAT test, higher-education GPA, internal transfer and a VET Certificate IV or higher.
• Domestic ATAR cut-offs, Guaranteed Entry scores and fees: the University shows these on the Australian-student view of each degree page. The pages used for this guide are the international view, so these figures are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Australian-student view of the degree page and SATAC.

Transfer students and credit

• Applying with university results: applicants who have completed at least six months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) study in a higher education award program can apply on that basis. For some honours degrees the University requires a GPA equivalent to an Adelaide University 5.0 on a 7-point scale for this route, and a few degrees (such as the Bachelor of Biomedical and Health Sciences) ask for an undergraduate diploma (AQF level 5) or higher. See the "Higher education study" line on each degree page. For the Honours degree the University asks for a GPA equivalent to an Adelaide University 5.0 on a 7-point scale; the three-year Experimental Physics page lists only at least six months of full-time higher education study.
• Credit (Recognition of Prior Learning): past study or work can count as credit and shorten the degree. Prior study must have been passed with a good grade at a recognised university or higher-education provider in Australia or overseas, or at a registered private or training provider. International students can request a credit assessment as part of the application and the outcome is included in the offer; there is also an online Credit Assessor tool linked from the degree pages; see the Credit for previous study page. Documents not in English need a translation by a NAATI-accredited translator. If credit shortens your degree, the University issues a new CoE, which affects your visa.
• Internal transfer: current students can apply to move to another Adelaide University degree using their GPA, but not every degree accepts internal transfers; confirm with the admissions team.

Fees and scholarships

• Tuition: the Bachelor of Science (Experimental Physics) and the Bachelor of Science (Honours) both show an indicative annual fee of AUD 55,400 (the page shows "$"; 2027 international version). The CRICOS codes shown on the pages are 115751E (Bachelor of Science) and 115753C (Honours). The University says fees change each year and are based on the full-time annual load; it also has a non-tuition fees page. Domestic (Commonwealth-supported) fees are not given on the pages used for this guide; check the Australian-student view of the degree page.
• International scholarships: the international scholarships page says the University offers scholarships of up to 50% of tuition. Most are assessed automatically when you apply for an eligible undergraduate or postgraduate degree, but some need a separate application or exclude certain programs. Listed are: the Adelaide Academic Excellence Scholarship (50%, limited places for a high distinction average, application form required); the Adelaide Emerging Leaders Award (25%, distinction average, automatic); the Adelaide Merit Scholarship (15%, credit average, automatic); the Sibling Award (10%), Global Alumni Scholarship (10%) and Partner Award (10%). Check each scholarship page for the grade basis and whether your degree is eligible.

Checklist

• Check the page of the physics major you want for scores, prerequisites and courses; only Experimental Physics was read in full here.
• Check the closing date for February or July 2027 on the degree page; international students apply through the International Application System or an authorised agent.
• If you want honours, remember the GPA 5.0 hurdle at the end of third year and the need to move into your major early.
• All of the above comes from the 2027 international versions of the pages; fees and scores can change, so check Adelaide University for the latest.

Sources: Adelaide University, Bachelor of Science majoring in Experimental Physics; Bachelor of Science (Honours); School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences study areas; international how to apply; international entry requirements; English language proficiency; admission by country (PDF); domestic how to apply; entry pathways; credit; pathway providers; international scholarships. Degree pages are the 2027 international versions; fees are indicative annual fees. Check Adelaide University for the latest details.