Academic requirements for Physics and Astronomy (International Year One) - September entry
This page includes a list of approved qualifications and required grades for students applying for the Physics and Astronomy (International Year One) programme starting in September.
The University makes offers on a holistic basis looking at a complete application. We will consider your academic results along with your personal statement, a reference from your school and your English language evidence. Where your academic grades are slightly below our entry requirements, please address this in your personal statement and reference.
To be eligible, your high school qualifications must have been achieved no more than three years ago.
Students who have already studied at college or university are not typically eligible for foundation at St Andrews.
Applicants to the IYO Physics and Astronomy programme should have studied at least two sciences, including Mathematics and Physics.
International School Qualifications
We can consider you for this foundation programme at St Andrews if:
-
- you have studied a mixed or dual curriculum, such as a national high school diploma PLUS partial or full completion of A Levels, AP courses or the IB Diploma or Certificate.
- your highest qualification from school is IGCSEs. We typically require a minimum of six IGCSEs, with AAAABB grades to include As in Mathematics or Physics and one other science.
- your highest qualification from school is AS Levels. We typically require a minimum of two AS Levels with grades AB (A in Physics or Mathematics). We only consider applicants with AS Levels where evidence can be provided that continuing to study for full A-levels (which would allow for direct application to BSc Physics) is not possible.
If you have completed, or are in the process of completing, a full A-Level programme, the IB Diploma, certification by an Education Board in India, a US Diploma and APs, or any other qualification which is accepted for application to undergraduate programmes at the University of St Andrews, we cannot consider you for foundation at St Andrews, irrespective of grades achieved.
National School Qualifications
Search the table below by qualification or by country. If your qualification is not listed, please contact us by email at ifp@st-andrews.ac.uk to check your entry requirements.
Please note that the grades below are a guide only.
| Country | Academic qualification | Typical required grades |
|---|---|---|
|
Afghanistan |
Graduation certificate / Baccalauria |
80% overall and 80% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Algeria |
Baccalauréat de l'Enseignement Secondaire |
14 overall and 15 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Angola |
Habilitação Literárias |
16 overall and 17 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Argentina |
Titulo de Bachiller |
8.5/10 overall and 8.5 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Azerbaijan |
Attestat |
5.0 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics and 4.5/5 overall |
|
Bahrain |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Bangladesh |
High School Certificate or Alim (SSC or Dakhil not accepted) |
3.9 overall and A in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Belarus |
Attestat |
8.0/10 overall and 8.0 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Bolivia |
Diploma de Bachiller en Humanidades |
90/100 overall and 90 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Brazil |
Ensino Medio |
7.5/10 overall and 7.5 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Chile |
Enseñanza Media/Licencia de Educación |
6.5 overall and 6.5 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
China |
High School |
Min 2 years: 80% in 5 subjects, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Colombia |
Bachillerato |
4.2 or 85% overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Costa Rica |
Titulo de Bachiller (Academic Stream) |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Cyprus |
Apolytírio Lykeíou |
17 overall and 17 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Ecuador |
Titulo de Bachiller Académico |
8.5/10 or 17/20 overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Egypt |
GED/ Thanawiya |
85% overall and 85% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
EU |
With the exception of the Greek Apolytírio (see Greece, below), EU qualifications are not eligible for foundation, irrespective of grades achieved.
|
Apply directly to our undergraduate programmes |
|
Georgia |
Atestati |
6.0/7 or 3.2/4 or 8/10 overall in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Ghana |
WASSCE |
B2 overall and B2 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Greece |
Apolytírio Genikoú Lykeíou |
17 overall and 17 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Hong Kong |
High school |
Form 5 ONLY: 70% overall, 75% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
India |
Qualifications certified by the Education Boards in India are recognised for our undergraduate programmes and are therefore not eligible for foundation, irrespective of grades achieved. |
Apply directly to our undergraduate programmes. |
|
Indonesia |
STTB SMA |
7 or 70 points overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Iran |
High School Diploma - Theoretical Stream 3 years |
16/20 (with at least 16/20 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics) |
|
Iraq |
Secondary School Certificate |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Ivory Coast |
WASSCE Diplome de Bachelier de l'enseignement du Second Degre |
B2 overall and in sciences, including Mathematics and Physics 16/20 overall with 17/20 in sciences including Mathematics and Physics |
|
Japan |
Year 2 or Year 3 of Senior High School |
4.0/5 or B+ or 7/10 overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics (Year 2 considered case by-case) |
|
Jordan |
GED/GSE Tawjihi |
4.0/5 or 80% overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Kazakhstan |
Attestat |
5.0 overall and 5.0 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Korea |
Year 2 or Year 3 of Senior High School |
70% overall and 70% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics (Year 2 considered case by-case) |
|
Kuwait |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Lebanon |
Baccalaureate |
15 overall and 15 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Malaysia |
SPM |
SPM A+ in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics or UEC A2 overall |
|
Mexico |
Bachillerato |
4.5/5 or 8 or 80% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Morocco |
Baccalauréat |
14.5/20 overall and 14.5 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Myanmar |
HS Education Certificate |
90% overall and 90& in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Nigeria |
WASSCE |
B2 overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Oman |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Pakistan |
High School Certificate |
75% overall and 80% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Papua New Guinea |
Upper Secondary School Certificate |
A overall and A in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Peru |
Certificate of Secondary Education |
18 overall and 18 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Philippines |
High School Diploma |
From Form 5 or 6 (Grade 11 or 12), 3.2/4 or 80% overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Qatar |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Russia |
Attestat |
5.0 overall and 5.0 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Saudi Arabia |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Senegal |
WASSCE Diplome de Bachelier de l'enseignement du Second Degre |
B2 overall and in sciences, including Mathematics and Physics 16/20 overall with 17/20 in sciences including Mathematics and Physics |
|
Taiwan |
Senior High School Certificate (SHS3) SH2 |
70% overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics 75% overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Tajikistan |
Certificate of Completed Education |
5 overall and 5 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Thailand |
Matthayom 6 Matthayom 5 |
GPA 3.0 overall with 3.0 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics GPA 3.2 overall with 3.2 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics (considered case-by-case) |
|
Tunisia |
Examen National du Baccalauréat |
14 overall and 15 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics (bien) |
|
Turkey |
Diplomasi |
70% overall and 75% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
United Arab Emirates |
GED/Thanawiya |
90% overall and 90% in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Ukraine |
Certificate of Completed Education |
10 overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
UK |
Students educated in the UK OR those with 3 full A Levels are not typically eligible for foundation, irrespective of grades achieved.
We can consider international students with IGCSEs and AS Levels.
|
Apply directly to our undergraduate programmes.
AAAABB at IGCSE, OR AB at AS Level. Physics or Mathematics must be an A. |
|
Uruguay |
Titulo de Bachillerato |
8 overall and 8 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
USA |
Students educated in the USA OR those with a full US-accredited High School Diploma with APs are not typically eligible for foundation, irrespective of grades achieved.
We can consider international students with a US diploma or dual qualification such as a national diploma and AP courses or SAT. |
Apply directly to our undergraduate programmes.
.Email us to confirm our entry requirement. |
|
Uzbekistan |
O'rta Ma'lumot To'g'risida Shahodatnoma |
5.0 or A’lo overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Venezuela |
Titulo de Bachiller |
18 overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Vietnam |
Graduation Diploma |
8 overall and in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |
|
Zambia |
Zambia GCE |
3 overall and 2 in two sciences, including Mathematics or Physics |