The course

Physics (MSc by Research)

Our MSc Physics by Research course is ideal both for graduates who would like to undertake original research without committing themselves to a three-year PhD, and for students who want to gain a research-based Masters before embarking on their PhD.

The Department of Physics is known internationally for its top-class research. Our staff carry out research at the cutting edge of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Experimental Quantum Computing, Quantum Matter at Low Temperatures, Theoretical Physics, Dark Matter, Particle Physics and Biophysics, as well as other areas. Together they form a vibrant, intrernational community dedicated to collaborative research that has a global impact.

Royal Holloway's Physics Department has strong links with leading international facilities, including Rutherford Appleton and the National Physical Laboratory, Oxford Instruments, SNOLAB, CERN, ISIS and Diamond.

From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Teaching & assessment

This course is assessed by the completion of an extended research project in any research area (100% of the final mark).

Entry requirements

2:2

Normally, we require a UK 2:2 (Honours) or equivalent in a relevant subject, such as Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Materials, Electronics or Engineering.

Candidates with professional qualifications or relevant professional experience in an associated area will also be considered.

International & EU requirements

English language requirements

All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.

The scores we require

IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.
TOEFL ib: 88 overall, with Reading 18 Listening 17 Speaking 20 Writing 26.

Country-specific requirements

For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please see here.

Your future career

Our graduates are highly employable and, in recent years, have entered many different areas, including careers in industry, information technology and finance.

This course also equips you with the subject knowledge and a solid foundation for continued studies in physics; around 50% of the graduates of this course progress onto PhD study at Royal Holloway.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £4,786

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £25,500

Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs greater than £50 per item on this course

How do I pay for it? Find out more about funding options, including loans, grants, scholarships and bursaries.

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis in the academic year 2025/26. Students studying on the standard part-time course structure over two years are charged 50% of the full-time applicable fee for each study year.

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase all postgraduate tuition fees annually. Be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree (if longer than one year’s duration), and that this also means that the overall cost of studying the course part-time will be slightly higher than studying it full-time in one year. The annual increase for continuing students who start their degree in 2025/26 will be 5%.  For further information, see the  fees and funding , and terms and conditions.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2025/26. Find out more

*** These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2025/26 academic year, and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.

We adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry. For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the UKRI website.