Physics with Astrophysics MPhys
Undergraduate
UCAS course code
Start date
27 September 2027
Study location
University of Warwick
Qualification
Master of Physics (MPhys)
Department
Department of Physics
Duration
4 years full-time
Course overview
Astrophysics has a special flavour. With the arrival of space-based instrumentation and gravitational wave detection, some of the most exciting discoveries in your lifetime are likely to come in astrophysics.
We can't conduct experiments on stars or galaxies as they're too far away and too big. Instead, we need to piece together explanations of what we see. This involves understanding the fundamental physics mechanics, quantum theory, relativity, thermodynamics and trying to work out what they imply for exoplanets, galaxies, stars and the Universe as a whole.
The course covers the principles of physics and their application to explain astrophysical phenomena. In your first year, you will study the classification of astrophysical objects and how we observe them. During the second year, you will study the solar system and stars in some detail. In the third and fourth years, you can study a range of topics including cosmology, exoplanets, the physics of compact objects (black holes, neutron stars and white dwarfs), general relativity and our Sun.
You will be mentored by, and work on projects with, astrophysicists.
Entry requirements
A level typical offer
A*AA to include A in Mathematics (or Further Mathematics) and Physics.
A level contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is AAA including A Level Maths and Physics. See if you're eligible.
General GCSE requirements
Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
International Baccalaureate (IB) typical offer
38 to include 6 in Higher Level Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches only) and 6 in Higher Level Physics.
International Baccalaureate (IB) contextual offer
We welcome applications from candidates who meet the contextual eligibility criteria and whose predicted grades are close to, or slightly below, the contextual offer level. The typical contextual offer is 36 including 6 in Higher Level Mathematics ('Analysis and Approaches' only) and 6 in Higher Level Physics. See if you're eligible.
General GCSE requirements
Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
BTEC
We welcome applications from students taking a BTEC qualification alongside A level Maths and Physics.
We may consider a BTEC qualification in a relevant Science or Engineering subject alongside A level Maths only on an individual basis.
Scotland Advanced Highers
AA in Advanced Higher Mathematics and Advanced Higher Physics and AAA in Highers in 3 further subjects.
Welsh Baccalaureate
A*A at A level including Maths and Physics, plus grade B in one further A level subject and grade C in the Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales.
Access to Higher Education Diplomas
We will consider applicants returning to study who are presenting a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma on a case-by-case basis.
Typically, we require 45 Credits at Level 3, including Distinction in 33 Level 3 credits and Merit in 12 Level 3 Credits. We may also require subject specific credits or an A level to be studied alongside the Access to Higher Education Diploma to fulfil essential subject requirements.
General GCSE requirements
Unless specified differently above, you will also need a minimum of GCSE grade 4 or C (or an equivalent qualification) in English Language and either Mathematics or a Science subject. Find out more about our entry requirements and the qualifications we accept.
We advise that you also check the English Language requirements for your course which may specify a higher GCSE English requirement. Please find the information about this below.
Please adjust your country as required:
This course requires:
Band A
All applicants have to meet our English Language requirements. If you cannot demonstrate that you meet these, you may be invited to take part in our Pre-sessional English course at Warwick.
Does Warwick make contextual offers?
Warwick may make differential offers to students in certain circumstances, such as those who have participated in a Widening Participation programme or who meet the University’s contextual data criteria. These offers are usually one or two grades below Warwick’s standard offer.
Do you offer foundation programmes?
All students who successfully complete the Warwick International Foundation Programme (IFP) and apply to Warwick through UCAS will receive a guaranteed conditional offer for a related undergraduate programme, for selected courses only. Further details are available in the standard offer and conditions for the IFP.
Can I take a gap year before starting my course?
Yes, Warwick welcomes applications for deferred (gap year) entry.
Will I need to interview for this course?
Warwick does not typically interview applicants. Offers are made based on the UCAS application, including predicted and achieved grades, the personal statement, and the school reference.
Modules
In the first two years you cover the fundamentals that apply throughout physics, such as mechanics and quantum theory, and meet the major phenomena observed in stars and space. There are also practical classes to develop laboratory and observational skills.
In later years look more closely at the phenomena that we can observe as well as those we would like to observe. Examples include star and galaxy formation, cosmology (how the universe was formed and where it may be going), the structure of our sun and the formation of planets and other solar systems.
In the final year, you complete a year-long research project, which can be observational, theoretical or some combination of these.
Note that information found by following the links to the module catalogue is subject to change for future years of study, as we evolve our courses in response to the latest developments in academia and industry.
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Fees and funding
Tuition fee
£10,050
For the 2027-28 academic year, the UK government announced in March 2026 that the tuition fee cap for UK undergraduate students for the 2027-28 academic year would be £10,050.
If you are joining Warwick for the 2026-27 academic year, the University of Warwick’s Executive Board has confirmed a change in fees to £9,790 (from the 2025-26 rate of £9,535), following the UK government announcement in November 2025 to increase in the tuition fee cap for Home students for the 2026-27 academic year.
Students who qualify for government-regulated fees are classed as ‘Home’ students for fees purposes. In future years, fees for continuing students may be subject to an increase in fees in line with any inflationary uplift as determined by the UK Government (if permitted by law or government policy).
The UK Government sets tuition fee rates.
To learn more about how the UK student fees and maintenance loans are set, please visit the UK Government websiteLink opens in a new window and UCASLink opens in a new window.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
Find out more about how universities assess fee statusLink opens in a new window
Funding your studies
Eligibility for student finance (including the Lifelong Learning Entitlement (LLE)Link opens in a new window) will depend on certain criteria, such as your nationality, residency status, course, and previous level of study.
The information below is based on the package of financial support available to students starting their course in 2026.
Check if you're eligible for student financeLink opens in a new window
- Eligible Home students residing in England can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan, which is not based on household income, to cover your tuition fees
- The Loan is paid directly to the University so, if you choose to take the full Tuition Fee Loan, you will not need to set up any payments
- You can apply for a Maintenance Loan to help with your living costs, such as accommodation, food, books and bills
- This loan is means-tested, so the amount you receive is partially based on your household income and if you choose to live at home or away from home
- For the latest information about student loans, including how you repay them, visit Student finance for undergraduatesLink opens in a new window
You will repay your loan or loans gradually once you are working and earning above a certain amount. For students starting their course after 1 August 2023 (on Student Finance England’s Plan 5), you will repay when your income is over £25,000 a year.
Repayments will be taken directly from your salary if you are an employee. If your income falls below the earnings threshold or you stop working, your repayments will stop until your income goes back up above this figure.
Find out more about repaying your student loanLink opens in a new window
Learn more about student funding for students ordinarily residing outside of England, including UK Countries and Other British Islands.
- Access thousands of part-time opportunities through our agency UnitempsLink opens in a new window (such as office work, retail jobs or helping at events)
- Choose to apply for a job as one of our Student Ambassadors to share your own experience at events like Open Days
There are many different funding routes available, including a number of bursaries and scholarships for full-time undergraduates. If you struggle to meet your essential living costs, our Student Funding team will be on hand to offer advice and support.
- Provides additional financial support for qualifying Home students from lower income families of up to £2,500 for eligible students
- This bursary is paid directly into your bank account in three equal termly instalments to help with the costs of studying
- There is no application for this bursary as your details will be provided directly from the student support awarding bodies (Student Finance England, Student Finance Northern Ireland, and Student Awards Agency Scotland)
- A number of scholarship opportunities are open to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
If you experience financial difficulties during your studies, you may be eligible for Hardship Funding from the University, in the form of an Emergency Loan and/or a non-repayable award
There are no Departmental scholarships available for our Undergraduate courses, however there are other scholarships which you may be eligible for. Please see our scholarships web pages for more information.
Tuition fee
If you are an overseas student enrolling in 2026-27, your annual tuition fees will be as follows:
Band 1 – £27,870 per year (classroom-based courses, including Humanities and most Social Science courses)
Band 2 – £35,530 per year (laboratory-based courses, plus Mathematics, Statistics, Theatre and Performance Studies, Economics, and courses provided by Warwick Business School, with exceptions)
Overseas Tuition fees for 2027-28 academic year have not been set. In future years, fees for continuing students may be subject to an increase in fees in line with an inflationary uplift. Please check our website for updates about 2027-28 fee rates before you apply.
If you are an EU student and eligible for student finance, you may be able to get a Tuition Fee Loan to cover your fees, please visit our Student Funding webpage for guidance for students ordinarily resident outside of England.
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
Find out more about how universities assess fee statusLink opens in a new window
Funding your studies
Eligibility for student finance will depend on certain criteria, such as your nationality, residency status, course, and previous level of study. The information below is based on the package of financial support available to students starting their course in 2026.
Check if you're eligible for student financeLink opens in a new window
Eligible European Union (EU) Undergraduates can apply for a loan to help with the cost of Tuition Fees. Eligible EU students who meet additional residency criteria may also be eligible for a loan to assist with living costs. For more information please see Student Finance for Undergraduates - EU StudentsLink opens in a new window.
- Access thousands of part-time opportunities through our agency UnitempsLink opens in a new window (such as office work, retail jobs or helping at events)
- Choose to apply for a job as one of our Student Ambassadors to share your own experience at events like Open Days
If you are an international student, you may be eligible for financial help from your own government, from the British Council or from other funding agencies. You can usually request information on scholarships from the Ministry of Education in your home country, or from the local British Council office.
A number of scholarship opportunities are open to full-time undergraduate students. These include sporting and musical bursaries, and scholarships offered by commercial organisations.
If you experience financial difficulties during your studies, you may be eligible for Hardship Funding from the University, in the form of an Emergency Loan and/or a non-repayable award.
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.
Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2025/26 year of study). Information about module specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:
- Core text books
- Printer credits
- Dissertation binding
- Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Are there any course specific costs?
For departmental specific costs, please see the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue, where module-related costs are detailed.
Teaching and learning
You will have weekly (first year) and fortnightly (second and third years) taught tutorials, which are in small groups to ensure that you are able to develop and receive regular feedback on assessment.
Purpose-built teaching facilities are fully integrated with research laboratories, meaning you will be learning alongside teaching and research staff who are at the cutting edge of their fields. You will spend one or two days a week undertaking lab work. This becomes more project-oriented in your second year, culminating in an individual research project in your third year.
Lectures are an effective way of presenting information to a large group of students. The lectures introduce material, which you then study further on your own. The core modules in the first year are supported by weekly classes, at which you and your fellow students meet in small groups with a member of the research staff or a postgraduate student. These classes are there for you to discuss any problems of understanding which arise from the lectures, and to go through your written work for the module. They also provide an important indirect route back to the lecturer for your comments about the lectures.
The laboratory modules teach the essential skills of experimental physics. In broad terms every scientist needs to know how to carry out an investigation, assess its significance and report the results clearly and concisely. As well as developing the techniques of experimental physics, time spent in the laboratory helps illustrate the theoretical aspects of the subject presented in the lectures.
In your final year, you will work on a research-style project. This is often a very satisfying part of the degree course. It gives you the opportunity to develop your own ideas in a particular field of interest. Usually you will work in a pair, within one of our research groups and alongside postgraduate students and other members of staff. Sometimes the project work can involve interacting with people from other disciplines or from industry.
Your personal tutor will be an important contact with the academic staff in the department. During the first two years, you will meet your personal tutor at weekly tutorials to discuss coursework and to reflect on your studies and planning for future years. Normally your tutor would also be the first person to see about any problem. In the case of more serious worries, your personal tutor will direct you to the University’s Wellbeing and Student Support team.
The Marsh Observatory is Warwick’s on-campus astronomy facility, giving students access to a 40cm telescope, state-of-the-art digital imaging equipment and an automated dome. The facility enables observations of objects including stars, galaxies, exoplanets and objects within our Solar System.
As a Physics with Astrophysics student, you’ll have the opportunity to use the Observatory as part of your practical studies, developing hands-on skills in astronomical observation, telescope operation and analysing real observational data. You’ll also undertake time on telescopes as part of your course, helping you connect the physics you learn in lectures with what we can observe in the night sky.
The Observatory also provides opportunities to work with research-grade equipment and develop the practical experience needed for further study and research in astrophysics.
Lecture size will naturally vary from module to module. The first year core modules may have up to 350 students in a session, whilst the more specialist modules in the later years will have fewer than 100.
The core modules in the first year are supported by weekly classes, at which you and your fellow students meet in small groups with a member of the research staff or a postgraduate student.
Tutorials with your personal tutor are normally in groups of 5 or 6 students.
You should expect to attend around 13 lectures or classes a week and spend 7 hours on supervised practical (mainly laboratory and computing) work.
For each 1-hour lecture, you should expect to put in a further 1 to 2 hours of private study.
In any year, about 30% of the overall mark is assigned to coursework.
The weighting for each year's contribution to your final mark is 10:30:60 for the BSc course and 10:20:30:40 for the MPhys course.
We support student mobility through study abroad programmes. BSc Physics with Astrophysics students can apply for an intercalated year abroad at one of our partner universities.
The Study Abroad Team offers support for these activities. The Department's Study Abroad Co-ordinator can provide more specific information and assistance.
Careers
Studying physics gives an excellent preparation for many different careers. Our graduates work in nearly all parts of the public and private sectors including data analysis, software development, finance and management. Some of our graduates go on to postgraduate study in physics, usually working towards the research degree of PhD.
Graduates from this course have gone on to work for employers including:
- Deloitte Digital
- Brunei Shell Petroleum
- British Red Cross
- EDF Energy
- Civil Service
- Deutsche Bank
They have pursued roles such as:
- IT Professionals
- Finance and investment analysts
- Scientists
- Researchers
Our department has a dedicated Careers Consultant. They offer impartial advice and guidance together with workshops and events throughout the year. Previous examples of workshops and events include:
- Career options with a Physics Degree
- Careers in Science
- Warwick careers fairs throughout the year
- Physics Alumni Evening
- Careers and Employer networking event for Physics students
Our Student Opportunity (Careers) department offer a wide range of workshops, from developing confidence and interview techniques to learning how to articulate what you have to offer in order to impress potential employers. Online resources are also available, including training in drafting CVs and covering letters, practice aptitude and psychometric tests, practice online interviews, and other resources to help you research job opportunities. The myAdvantage databaseLink opens in a new window also advertises job, placement and internship vacancies that are from employers who are targeting Warwick students for their recruitment.
Summer placements and projects are encouraged. All students can apply for research vacation projects - small research projects supervised by a member of academic staff.
Meet Amy, a graduate from the Department of Physics at Warwick, who now works as a Radiation Protection Advisor.
I studied Physics as an undergraduate at Warwick, initially to focus on particle physics, but I was drawn in by the astrophysics lecture courses. The astrophysics community is both world-leading in multiple areas of astrophysics, and a great, friendly place to learn and work.
Chris, Department of Physics graduate, now Mathematical Modeller at Network Rail.
Life at Warwick
This is where your journey begins. Our campus is the heart of it all. It’s more than just a campus - it's the places you visit, the people you meet, the fun that you have; the experiences you have here will be transformative.
Our campus
Within a close-knit community of staff and students from all over the world, discover a campus alive with possibilities.
Our campus is where all the elements of your student experience come together in one place. You won't be short of ways to spend your time on campus - whether it's visiting Warwick Arts Centre, using our incredible sports facilities, socialising in our bars, nightclub and cafés, or enjoying an open-air event. Or if you need some peace and quiet, you can explore lakes, woodland and green spaces just a few minutes’ walk from central campus
Follow our students around campus on our social channels to see their experiences first-hand.
Teaching facilities
Our campus is designed to cater for all of your learning needs. You will benefit from a variety of flexible, well-equipped study spaces and teaching facilities across the University.
- Oculus, our outstanding learning hub, houses state-of-the-art lecture theatres and innovative social learning and network areas
- The University Library
- Different study spaces offering you flexible individual and group study spaces, computers, printing and scanning facilities, multimedia resources and more
Supporting you
Our continuous support network is here to help you adjust to student life and to ensure you can easily access advice on many different issues. These may include managing your finances and workload, and settling into shared accommodation. We also have specialist disability and mental health support teams.
Whether you live in a campus residence or in partnership accommodation off campus, you’ll be part of a community to get the most from your experience at Warwick.
Societies and sports play a huge part in community life at Warwick. With over 300 to choose from, getting involved is one of the easiest ways to make friends and share in experiences. Whether you’re into films, martial arts, astronomy, gaming or musical theatre, you can instantly connect with people with similar interests.
Explore Warwick Students' Union societies and sports clubsLink opens in a new window
PhysSoc supports students studying Physics at Warwick across all years. The society offers academic support, a mentoring scheme pairing first-year and final-year students, and a weekly Physics Cafe featuring a short academic talk. Regular socials, events and trips are also organised throughout the year.
Warwick Mathematics Society is open to students of all years and departments with an interest in mathematics. It runs a weekly Maths Cafe drop-in session, produces revision guides and module reviews, and organises academic talks and social events.
Warwick Astronomy Society is for anyone with an interest in astronomy and space. It runs fortnightly talks, observation sessions and socials, with access to telescopes, binoculars and astronomy cameras. Members also make use of the Marsh Observatory, the University of Warwick's on-campus facility.
Why Warwick
Your university experience is defined by far more than your course or the career path you follow. At Warwick, it’s where you discover who you could become.
68th
Warwick is ranked 68th in the world and top 10 in all major UK league tables
(QS World University Rankings 2027Link opens in a new window, see our Reputation page for details)
4th
in the UK by the UK's top 100 graduate employers
(The Graduate Market in 2026, High Fliers Research Ltd.Link opens in a new window)
92%
Of our research has been assessed to be 'world leading' or 'internationally excellent' in the Research Excellence Framework
Gold
Awarded Gold in all categories
(Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023Link opens in a new window)
Our alumni community still call Warwick home. From a few hundred in 1965 to more than 310,000 alumni, and it's ever-growing.
As Warwick graduates, our students have access to employability support for two years after graduation, including access to careers appointments, job vacancies and professional networks.
About the department
6th
in the UK, in university subject league tables.
95%
employment or in further study for our Physics graduates, 15 months after finishing their course.
96.6%
of our research is world-leading or internationally excellent.
Physics teaches us ways of thinking about and tackling problems. This is just as true when studying the laws governing interactions between individual particles, as it is when studying the implication of these laws for complicated systems made up of many particles. In all cases, the process involves making measurements, trying to solve models of what might be happening, and, hopefully, celebrating when a coherent picture emerges.
Apart from teaching, the University’s main role is to carry out research. Warwick is consistently ranked one of the best universities for research in the UK and the Department of Physics is itself rated highly in the Research Excellence Framework 2021.
The interaction with the research community within the Department brings you into contact with the latest innovations and ideas and is particularly valuable in your final year when you carry out project work. The Department of Physics has a number of areas of research excellence including: astrophysics, the physics of condensed matter, elementary particle physics, plasma physics and theoretical physics.
Our three-year courses
Our flexible courses offer excellent teaching informed by our research. You can tailor your course to your interests with optional modules in your later years of study.
Our four-year courses
These courses share the same core as the three-year versions. They then let you dig deeper with specialised modules. You'll undertake a dedicated research project as well.
Related degrees
Our teaching and research facilities will be at the heart of your experience with us.
U-F3FA/FullTime
About the page
We have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history.
This information is applicable for 2027 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our web page 'Important information to consider before making an application' in advance of applying to Warwick.
Next steps
Experience campus at an Open Day. Can't visit? Receive regular email updates or ask current students and staff questions about life at Warwick.