• School diploma required
  VWO (Dutch pre-university diploma) i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  Netherlands … What qualifications are accepted? … Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO (Gymnasium A/B and Atheneum A/B) diploma)

  Netherlands … What qualifications are accepted? Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO (Gymnasium A/B and Atheneum A/B) diploma)

  dcu.ie · registry entry requirements undergraduate programmes

  Applicants may obtain guidance on the approved qualifications acceptable for an application to DCU using the following link, EU Qual Guide

  Applicants may obtain guidance on the approved qualifications acceptable for an application to DCU using the following link, EU Qual Guide.

  ✓

  For you, Met: Your VWO diploma counts.
• Required school subjects
  Wiskunde A or wiskunde B or wiskunde C or wiskunde D and natuurkunde or scheikunde or biologie or informatica as a VWO exam subject i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  dcu.ie · physics general entry

  Minimum of 03 or H6 in Mathematics and minimum of 03 or H5 in one of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics with Chemistry, Applied Mathematics or Computer Science

  www2.cao.ie

  Irish Leaving Cert O1 O2 O3 O4 O5 O6 VWO 8 8 7 7 6 6 or Pass in HAVO

  ?

  For you, Not yet clear: Enter your subjects to check. Add your subjects
• Minimum subject grades
  6 different subjects at 6 or higher, at least 2 of them at 8 or higher, including English, Mathematics and Science subject; Wiskunde A or wiskunde B or wiskunde C or wiskunde D: at least 7; Natuurkunde or scheikunde or biologie or informatica: at least 7 i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  Level 8 2 H5 required … 6 distinct recognised subjects which must include 2 subjects grade 8 and 4 subjects grade 6 in the VWO

  If two versions of the same subject are presented, the average score will be included in the calculation.

  2 more from this page

  Irish Leaving Cert O1 O2 O3 O4 O5 O6 VWO 8 8 7 7 6 6 or Pass in HAVO

  Table 1: Subject Grade Comparisons … H1 H2 H3 H4 H5 H6 H7 … 10 10 9 9 8 8 7

  dcu.ie · registry entry requirements undergraduate programmes

  A minimum of six Leaving Certificate subjects at Grade 06/H7, to include the subjects English OR Irish AND the subject Mathematics. In addition, applicants must present at least two subjects at grade H5.

  dcu.ie · physics general entry

  Minimum of 03 or H6 in Mathematics and minimum of 03 or H5 in one of Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Physics with Chemistry, Applied Mathematics or Computer Science

  ?

  For you, Not yet clear: Enter your subjects and grades to check. No grade entered for wiskunde A or wiskunde B or wiskunde C or wiskunde D. No grade entered for natuurkunde or scheikunde or biologie or informatica. Add your subjects
• Minimum overall grade
  None i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  The minimum eligibility criteria follow. Proof of English proficiency is required in all cases. … 6 distinct recognised subjects which must include 2 subjects grade 8 and 4 subjects grade 6 in the VWO

  dcu.ie · registry entry requirements undergraduate programmes

  Applicants must meet minimum entry requirements, which are made up as follows: General Entry Requirements Specific Course Requirements

  Applicants are assessed based on their performance in their school leaving examinations. Applicants must meet minimum entry requirements, which are made up as follows: General Entry Requirements Specific Course Requirements

• Language level required
  English: VWO engels 8 or higher or an accepted language test i

  English: at least 8 for engels on your VWO list or IELTS Academic (no component below 6.0, one sitting) 6.5 or TOEFL iBT (0-120 scale) 92 or TOEFL iBT (1-6 scale, no section below 4.5) 4.5 or TOEFL (paper-based) 580 or Cambridge English Scale (C2 Proficiency or C1 Advanced grade C, B2 First grade A, or Linguaskill C1/C2; no skill below 169) 180 or ETAPP, grade C1 or better or PTE Academic (no component below 59) 63 or Duolingo English Test (at least 110 in each subscore) 120

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  The minimum acceptable level of English is 8 in the VWO or equivalent English Language competence (see page 9).

  dcu.ie · english language requirements non native speakers english registry

  Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of equivalent competence in English Language, through their school leaving examination or in a recognised English language test.

  International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Composite score of 6.5 or above, with no less than 6.0 in any one component.

  6 more from this page

  TOEFL 237 (computer-based) 580 (paper-based test) TOEFL iBT Total Score of 92 Or Minimum score of 4.5 Overall

  English language examinations administered by the University of Cambridge: 180 on Cambridge English scale, with no less than 169 in each skill

  English Test for Academic and Professional Purposes (ETAPP) Minimum grade C1 or better (CEFR Level C1 or C2)

  Pearson Test of English (PTE Academic) 63 with a minimum of 59 in all components.

  Duolingo will be accepted with a minimum overall score of 120 and a score of at least 110 in each of the Individual Subscores - Speaking, Writing, Reading and Listening.

  Your English language certificate must be awarded within the two years prior to the start date of your DCU programme.

  ?

  For you, Not yet clear: English: enter your grade for engels. Add a language test
• Minimum age
  No published minimum age found i

  Unsure — We could not find this on the university’s pages. Ask the university.

  Pages checked

  • dcu.ie
  • dcu.ie
  • dcu.ie
  • www2.cao.ie
  • www2.cao.ie
  • dcu.ie
  ✓

  For you, Met: No age restriction was found in the published admission rules.
• Extra steps
  None i

  Fairly sure — The university does not say this in so many words, but it follows from its pages. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  Restricted courses normally require additional assessment procedures, for example, the submission of a portfolio, an oral assessment or interview, or a written assessment.

  DC175 Undenominated Entry with a choice of progression to Applied Physics, Physics with Astronomy, Physics with

  1 more from this page

  DO NOT submit predicted grades or a personal statement. Only certificates/statement of results produced by an examining authority will suffice.

  www2.cao.ie

  DC175 Physics (General Entry) … Test / Interview / Portfolio / Audition

  dcu.ie · registry entry requirements undergraduate programmes

  Applicants who satisfy the minimum entry requirements are ranked for admission in order of merit on the basis of their results in their school leaving examinations.

• Other requirements
  None i

  Sure — Stated in the university’s official information.

  Sources

  dcu.ie · registry entry requirements undergraduate programmes

  Applicants must meet minimum entry requirements, which are made up as follows: General Entry Requirements Specific Course Requirements

  dcu.ie · physics general entry

  In addition to the general entry requirements for admission to the university the following entry requirements apply

  dcu.ie · garda vetting programmes

  Garda Vetting Programmes Undergraduate Programmes

• Score needed to get in
  440 CAO points or more: the 2026 cut-off, which changes every year i

  Applicants are ranked by CAO points; the highest get the places. The cut-off is the lowest score that got a place, so it moves with each year's applicants.

  Earlier cut-offs: 413 in 2025 (CAO Round 1), 402 in 2024 (CAO Round 1), 402 in 2023 (CAO Round 1), 422 in 2022 (CAO Round 1).

  How the score is worked out: Average of the best 6 distinct recognised subjects taken in a single sitting: 10 → 600, 9 → 595, 8 → 541, 7 → 374, 6 → 250, 5 → 200.

  +25 for wiskunde B or wiskunde D at 6 or higher, if it is one of the subjects counted.

  Two versions of one subject, such as wiskunde B and D, count once, at their average.

  Grades are rounded to whole numbers first, as on the diploma.

  The university gives only these rows and does not say how averages between them convert, so a score between two rows is a range.

  Sure — Stated in the university’s official information.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  Points Required for Entry to Level 8 Courses 2026 … RND 1 … DC175 Physics (General Entry) 440

  www2.cao.ie

  The indicative equivalence will be calculated, based on the average of the best 6 distinct recognised subjects taken in a single sitting as follows:

  Table 2: Points Conversion … Average Mark … IPS … 10 … 600 … 9 … 595 … 8 … 541 … 7 … 374 … 6 … 250 … 5 … 200

  4 more from this page

  NB Sample grades only. The steps between points shown are not necessarily even as they are based on statistical comparisons.

  Bonus points of 25 will be awarded for grade 6 or better in Advanced level Mathematics (i.e., B or D) where mathematics is one of the subjects counted for points.

  If two versions of the same subject are presented, the average score will be included in the calculation.

  The indicative equivalence will be calculated, based on the average of the best 6 distinct recognised subjects taken in a single sitting … Average Mark … 10 600 … 9 595 … 8 541 … 7 374 … 6 250 … 5 200

  dcu.ie · registry entry requirements undergraduate programmes

  EU qualifications are manually calculated into a Leaving Certificate points equivalent.

  ?

  For you, Not yet clear: Needs grades for at least 6 different subjects; you have entered 0. Add your grades

How places are given

• Cap on places (numerus fixus)
  68 a year

  The 2025 figure; the 2027 one is not out yet.

  i

  Fairly sure — The university does not say this in so many words, but it follows from its pages. This is the 2025 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  dcu.ie

  DC175 Physics General Entry 68 7 390

  dcu.ie · registry entry requirements undergraduate programmes

  Applicants who satisfy the minimum entry requirements are ranked for admission in order of merit on the basis of their results in their school leaving examinations.

• How applicants are picked
  Ranked by school grades; the highest get the places i

  Applicants who meet the general and course entry requirements are ranked by CAO points (for VWO: converted by DCU from the average of the best six subjects) and compete with all other school-leaving applicants; offers go from the highest score down, with random selection for ties at the last place.

  Sure — Stated in the university’s official information for 2027.

  Sources

  www2.cao.ie

  placed on a list in order of merit for each course for which they are eligible

  If there are five applicants with an identical points score competing for one remaining place, random number selection applies

  1 more from this page

  If there are five applicants with an identical points score competing for one remaining place, random number selection applies and the place will be offered to the applicant with the highest random number.

  dcu.ie · registry entry requirements undergraduate programmes

  Applicants who satisfy the minimum entry requirements are ranked for admission in order of merit on the basis of their results in their school leaving examinations.

  EU qualifications are manually calculated into a Leaving Certificate points equivalent. Eligible applicants compete with all other school leaving applicants, using the points calculated.

• Past admission numbers
  In 2026 the lowest score that got in was 440 (CAO Round 1).

  In 2025 the lowest score that got in was 413 (CAO Round 1).

  In 2024 the lowest score that got in was 402 (CAO Round 1).

  In 2023 the lowest score that got in was 402 (CAO Round 1).

  In 2022 the lowest score that got in was 422 (CAO Round 1).

  i

  Fairly sure — This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Source

  www2.cao.ie

  Points Required for Entry to Level 8 Courses 2026 … RND 1 … DC175 Physics (General Entry) 440

Once you have started

• First-year minimum to continue
  Pass all 60 credits in the first year; if you do not, you can resit or repeat the year i

  Every course is worth a number of credits, which you earn by passing it; a full year is 60.

  In the university’s words: Students must complete at least 60 credits in year 1 to progress; carrying failed modules into year 2 is not allowed. Credits passed by compensation count: an undergraduate student may be compensated at the first attempt if the precision mark (credit-weighted average) is at least 45%, no more than 1/6 of the year's credits are failed and each failed module has at least 35%. Compensation does not apply to the two physics laboratory modules or to Calculus and its Applications. Otherwise the student resits failed modules in August (where a resit is offered) or repeats them the next year; only one repeat year and one repeat attempt per module are allowed.

  Fairly sure — The university does not say this in so many words, but it follows from its pages. This is the 2026 information. The 2027 details are not out yet and may change. Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Sources

  dcu.ie

  Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 60 credits in a study period in order to progress to the next study period of the relevant pathway

  Students will not be permitted to ‘carry’ modules under any circumstances.

  1 more from this page

  Students must have successfully completed a minimum of 60 credits in a study period in order to progress to the next study period of the relevant pathway, BSc. Applied Physics, BSc. Physics with Biomedical Sciences, BSc. Physics with Astronomy or BSc Physics in Data Analytics.

  dcu.ie

  (ii) a minimum precision mark of 45% has been obtained

  (iii) a maximum of 1/6 of the available ECTS credits have been failed in the academic session

  3 more from this page

  (iv) the marks obtained in the individual failed module(s) is/are 35% or greater.

  Where a student has failed or deferred a module, he/she must, in order to acquire the credits for the module, resit the assessment for that module in the current academic session (if a resit is offered) or repeat the module (or its equivalent) in the next academic session.

  (i) only one repeat academic session is allowed and only one repeat opportunity per module is allowed

  dcu.ie

  Compensation is permitted for taught undergraduate programmes

  (ii) a minimum precision mark of 45% has been obtained (iii) a maximum of 1/6 of the available ECTS credits have been failed in the academic session

  1 more from this page

  he/she must, in order to acquire the credits for the module, resit the assessment for that module in the current academic session (if a resit is offered) or repeat the module (or its equivalent) in the next academic session.

After you graduate

• Where graduates go
  DCU lists career areas: meteorology, astronomy and astrophysics, design management, data science, research and development, education, data analytics, information technology, healthcare and aeronautics. The degree meets the Teaching Council of Ireland subject requirements for teaching physics at post-primary level, and graduates are positioned for further study.

  What Dublin City University says its graduates go on to do; not measured.

  i

  Fairly sure — Worth a look at the source before you rely on it.

  Source

  dcu.ie · physics general entry

  Career Areas Meteorology Astronomy and Astrophysics Design Management Data Science Research and Development Education Data Analytics Information Technology Healthcare Aeronautics

  You will also be ideally positioned to pursue further study.

  1 more from this page

  Successful completion of this Honours Bachelor Degree (NFQ Level 8) satisfies the current Teaching Council of Ireland subject curricular requirements for the teaching of physics at post-primary level.

• Where graduates went (measured)
  Dublin City University honours-degree graduates of 2024 in natural sciences, mathematics and statistics, nine months after graduating: 65.8% working full-time, 3.9% part-time, 2.6% about to start a job; 21.1% in full-time and 0.7% in part-time further study; 5.9% unemployed.

  Measured from all natural Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics graduates of Dublin City University, not just this programme (2024). Past graduates, not a promise.

  i

  Sure — Stated in the university’s official information.

  Sources

  public.tableau.com · HEI Comparison

  Undergraduate Honours Degree Programmes … Field of Study: Natural Sciences, Mathematics & Statistics … Dublin City University … Working full-time 65.8% … Working part-time 3.9% … Due to start a job in the next 3 months 2.6% … Engaged in full-time further study, training or research 21.1% … Engaged in part-time further study, training or research 0.7% … Unemployed and looking for work 5.9%

  hea.ie

  HEI level data (GO Class of 2024) … 3. HEI-Level Information (UG Honours Degree): This looks at employment outcomes for undergraduate honours degrees for each HEI