Careers › Science
Studies how the universe works, from particles to stars.
Physicists study how matter and energy behave, from subatomic particles to astrophysics, mostly through research – academic, or at institutions like iThemba LABS or SAAO. Many physics graduates end up in applied, non-academic roles – engineering, data science, finance – because the analytical and mathematical skills transfer well.
This is our general description of the role and related jobs, not from an official source – it’s here to give you a fuller picture, not as a careers-counselling guarantee.
This is our general guidance about which school subjects suit this career. It is not an admission requirement and not from an official source – the real requirements are on the degrees below.
Counted from the requirements below (an “or” alternative counts for each subject named). Each programme links to the page it came from.
20 programmes at 16 universities. More are added as we verify them.
NMU Applicant Score (AS) 410 out of 600
Raw-read 2026-10-04 from the user-supplied NMU "Undergraduate Programmes 2027" Z-Card (A-Z table of Applicant Scores and subject percentages).
Source: View the official page (mandela.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
NWU APS 26 points out of 48
Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against the user-supplied NWU 2026 Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences yearbook (admission-requirements tables). Potchefstroom and Mahikeng campuses. NWU adds your six best subjects (excluding Life Orientation) on an 8-point scale, for a total out of 48 - read from NWU’s own APS calculator. The requirement shown is what NWU publishes.
Source: View the official page (studies.nwu.ac.za) (opens the official page)
Rhodes points 45 points
Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against the Rhodes 2026 Undergraduate Prospectus (pages 13-19): points bands, English and subject levels match. Rhodes points of 39-44 are considered at the Dean’s discretion; 45 or more receives a provisional offer. We show 45 as the qualifying number so that "you qualify" means exactly that - but you are still worth an application from 39. Rhodes has no Engineering and no MBChB. The NBT is recommended, not required. This is Rhodes’ general Faculty of Science admission requirement, not a Physics-specific published figure - you are admitted to the BSc and choose your major once you arrive. Life Orientation is not scored, but you need at least 50% in it.
Source: View the official page (ru.ac.za) (opens the official page)
SMU APS 24
Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against SMU’s own admission-requirements page for this school. BSc Extended Curriculum Programme (4 years), Physical Sciences stream: NSC with a Bachelor endorsement and APS 24. Closes 31 July 2026 for undergraduate programmes (applications open 1 April 2026) - notably earlier than most universities in this batch.
Source: View the official page (smu.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
SMU APS 25
Raw-confirmed 2026-10-04 against SMU’s own admission-requirements page for this school. BSc (normal programme): NSC with a Bachelor endorsement and APS 25; applicants need at least level 5 in the subject relevant to their chosen stream (Physical Sciences for this stream). Closes 31 July 2026 for undergraduate programmes (applications open 1 April 2026) - notably earlier than most universities in this batch.
Source: View the official page (smu.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
Stellenbosch aggregate 65 %
Every Stellenbosch programme is a selection programme. The figures shown are the published minimum requirements - the actual selection threshold is usually higher.
Source: View the official page (files.su.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
TUT APS 21 points
New row, read directly from TUT’s 2026 faculty prospectus (tut-pass-3). Closes 30 September 2026 (TUT First-Year Course Information).
Source: View the official page (tut.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
UCT Science Faculty Points Score 660 out of 800 (band a)
Band A (guaranteed offer) is an FPS of 660. Band B (likely offer) is a WPS of 640 - the WPS adds a 0-10% disadvantage factor that we cannot work out from your marks, so we only check you against Band A. Band C (550) applies to redress categories only. All Science majors share these entry bands (Mathematics 70%+, Physical Sciences 60%+; NBTs in Mathematics, AL and QL must be written but do not affect admission). Admission is to the BSc and a major is chosen once you are in; selected students may be counselled onto the four-year Extended Degree Programme.
Source: View the official page (uct.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
UCT Science Faculty Points Score 660 out of 800 (band a)
Band A (guaranteed offer) is an FPS of 660. Band B (likely offer) is a WPS of 640 - the WPS adds a 0-10% disadvantage factor that we cannot work out from your marks, so we only check you against Band A. Band C (550) applies to redress categories only. All Science majors share these entry bands (Mathematics 70%+, Physical Sciences 60%+; NBTs in Mathematics, AL and QL must be written but do not affect admission). Admission is to the BSc and a major is chosen once you are in; selected students may be counselled onto the four-year Extended Degree Programme.
Source: View the official page (uct.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
UJ APS 31 points
Read from the 2027 UJ Undergraduate Prospectus, programme code B2P77Q. English level 5 (60%+). Technical Mathematics and Technical Science are not accepted for Faculty of Science degrees.
Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
UJ APS 31 points
Read from the 2027 UJ Undergraduate Prospectus, programme code B2P78Q. English level 5 (60%+). Technical Mathematics and Technical Science are not accepted for Faculty of Science degrees.
Source: View the official page (uj.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
UL APS 26 points
Raw-read 2026-10-04 from UL’s own 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus faculty tables (images of the table, since the PDF’s text layer cannot be read reliably). Extended Curriculum (4 years): APS 22 with levels 4 in English, Mathematics and Physical Sciences. UL says meeting the minimum APS does not guarantee admission. No 2027 closing date appears in the prospectus - see the dates page.
Source: View the official page (ul.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
UP APS 34 points
The UP tables group Chemistry, Physics, Geology and similar BSc streams together at this level. Most UP closing dates are 30 June; Veterinary Science closes 31 May. Grade 12 applicants apply with their final Grade 11 results.
Source: View the official page (drupalwebprod-files.up.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
No points cut-off published for this one – see the note below.
Read 2026-10-04 from Unisa’s own qualification page (code 90101). NSC (Higher Certificate pass) or equivalent. Unisa states percentages, not an APS, on this page. Confirmed current for the 2027 intake: Unisa’s own pages state its 2027 application window as 17 August - 9 October 2026.
Source: View the official page (unisa.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
UFS AP score 32 points out of 49
Read 2026-10-04 from the table on the faculty’s page in the UFS 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus (page images). Plan code BC433840.
Source: View the official page (ufs.ac.za) (opens the official page)
UWC weighted points 33 points out of 65
Raw-read 2026-10-04 from UWC’s own 2026 programme rules (the "Program Overview" PDF on the programme page, Calendar 2026). UWC points are its own weighted score (see the calculator note).
Source: View the official page (uwc.ac.za) (opens the official page)
Wits APS 42 points
Source: View the official page (wits.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
Wits APS 43 points
Read from the live 2027 course-finder page on 2026-10-04. Applications close 30 September 2026.
Source: View the official page (wits.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
Univen APS 26
Raw-read 2026-10-04 from Univen’s 2027 Undergraduate Prospectus (April 2026), faculty programme tables. The same requirements apply to BSc (Mathematics and Statistics), (Chemistry and Mathematics), (Chemistry and Biochemistry), (Chemistry and Applied Chemistry). Online applications are free and run 1 May - 30 September 2026.
Source: View the official page (univen.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
WSU APS 25 points out of 48 (56 for Education programmes)
Raw-read 2026-10-04 from WSU’s own 2027 Undergraduate Information Brochure & Admission Requirements (main-stream figures; Extended Curriculum Programmes accept a lower APS, noted where the brochure gives one). Extended Curriculum (4 years): APS 23, Mathematics level 4, Physical Sciences level 4. The earlier row had Physical Sciences at level 4 for the main stream; the 2027 brochure says level 5. Applications: the brochure lists no closing date - check wsu.ac.za.
Source: View the official page (wsu.ac.za) (opens the official page) · 2027 intake
Put your subjects in once and we’ll check them against every programme above – scored each university’s own way.