Admissions What are the requirements to study theoretical physics?

[ricky33]

I am a high school student (still in grade 11) I want to study theoretical physics in USA or Switzerland but I am from the middle east (Lebanon) and I want to know what I need to be accept in theoretical physics what subjects I need and please tell me the grade for each subject I need example : math 15/20 physics 16/20 ... (tell me this for all the subject they need to see ) .
One more question when they will look to the my grades in each subject , they will only look on the grades of the last year of high school (grade 12) or they need to see it for all the years of high school (grade 9-10-11-12) ?

 

[Olly_price]

What you need to know

Generally, universities in the US and Europe will consider your native qualification and I think that for a Lebanese person these are either the Lebanon baccalaureate (Shahaadat Al-Bakaalouriya al Lubnaaniya l’il-ta ‘liim al-Thaanawi) or the Technical Baccalaureate (Al-Bakaalouriya al-Finniya).

You will need to have studied both mathematics and physics as absolute essentials. I am from the UK so I am not entirely sure about the US. My understanding is that to study in the US you won't need to have studied as in depth as to study in a country like Switzerland or in the UK.

Look at the following UK textbooks (in my opinion they are the best indication of the essential skills you need to know in mathematics and physics before going for a degree in theoretical physics):

C1, C2, C3, C4, M1, AQA AS and A2 Physics.

These are the minimum requirements for a UK student wanting to study Theoretical Physics. If you have studied the vast majority of the content of these books in your studies in Lebanon then you are ready.

Your grade

This will vary from university to university, and you will need to contact them directly to see their entry requirements, as they are unlikely to have a direct entry requirement for study in Lebanon.

 

[ricky33]

What you need to know

Generally, universities in the US and Europe will consider your native qualification and I think that for a Lebanese person these are either the Lebanon baccalaureate (Shahaadat Al-Bakaalouriya al Lubnaaniya l’il-ta ‘liim al-Thaanawi) or the Technical Baccalaureate (Al-Bakaalouriya al-Finniya).

You will need to have studied both mathematics and physics as absolute essentials. I am from the UK so I am not entirely sure about the US. My understanding is that to study in the US you won't need to have studied as in depth as to study in a country like Switzerland or in the UK.

Look at the following UK textbooks (in my opinion they are the best indication of the essential skills you need to know in mathematics and physics before going for a degree in theoretical physics):

C1, C2, C3, C4, M1, AQA AS and A2 Physics.

These are the minimum requirements for a UK student wanting to study Theoretical Physics. If you have studied the vast majority of the content of these books in your studies in Lebanon then you are ready.

Your grade

This will vary from university to university, and you will need to contact them directly to see their entry requirements, as they are unlikely to have a direct entry requirement for study in Lebanon.

When going to that university do they need the scores for all high school grade ? From 9 to 12 or they will only take the 2 official ones grade 9 and grade 12 ?

 

[Olly_price]

In reply to your above comment on my post:

Again, it depends on the university and country - I am not sure about the US. Presumably they will only care about your final few years, because these are the exam periods that generally decide whether or not you would be able to handle the degree course.

If you have good final year scores and bad scores from when you were younger then it shouldn't matter. For example, if you got straight A grades at A Level in the UK but had all C grades at GCSE, they would not usually care about the bad GCSE grades.

But again, you need to get in contact with the university. Just go on the university page and send in an email to ask.