<p>Can anybody please tell me the best university for undergrad physics in UK and US? Are MIT and Cambridge good? Moreover, please tell me are the B.Tech. and B.Sc. syllabi of Physics in these universities same? Does MIT provide financial assistance if one gets a gold medal at international olympiads like IPhO?</p>
<p>MIT’s financial aid is solely need-based, not merit-based. MIT also offers only an S.B. (bachelor’s of science) for undergraduate work.</p>
<p>Undergraduate Physics at Cambridge (UK) is studied under the framework of the so-called “Natural Sciences Tripos”. In the first year, in addition to Physics properly, you will be required to study two other sciences plus Math. Most students choose Chemistry as their second freshman-year science, with Biology or Materials Science/Geology being popular third-science picks. In the second year, you may choose to specialize, studying Physics and Math only, or you may still take courses on a second science other than Physics. Concentration on Physics only starts in the third year, with Astrophysics offered as a separate course option. </p>
<p>Students may choose to leave Cambridge and the NatSci tripos at the end of the third year, in which case they are awarded a B.A. degree. Alternatively, they can continue on to the fourth year, at the end of which they are awarded the MSci degree. The four-year option is recommended for students who are interested in academic research and plan to go on to a future PhD degree in Physics. </p>
<p>Cambridge has a long tradition in theoretical and experimental physics. In fact, some of the most renowned scientists in history were at some point in their lives associated with the university (e.g. Newton, Maxwell, J.J. Thomson, Rutherford, Dirac, etc.).</p>
<p>MIT’s undergrad physics curriculum: [MIT</a> Course Catalogue: Course 8](<a href=“http://web.mit.edu/catalogue/degre.scien.ch8.shtml]MIT”>http://web.mit.edu/catalogue/degre.scien.ch8.shtml)</p>
<p>Note that that chart doesn’t include the intro mechanics and e&m classes, because all MIT students have to take those; they aren’t just in the departmental curriculum. “Physics III” is waves & vibrations.</p>
<p>Princeton, Stanford, Harvard, MIT, and Cambridge can all claim to have the best physics department in the world.</p>
<p>Much as I hate Princeton (and I do, and I’m very very good at it), their physics department is amazing. One senior writing her thesis found an error in the calculations of the Large Hadron Collider (the world’s largest and most fabulously expensive particle accelerator). And she’s not even a PhD candidate, she’s an undergrad!</p>
<p>
Chicago, Caltech and Berkeley are no slouches either.</p>
<p>FWIW, here is the USNWR physics grad rankings:</p>
<p>1 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA Score 5.0<br>
1 Stanford University Stanford, CA Score 5.0<br>
3 California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA Score 4.9<br>
3 Harvard University Cambridge, MA Score 4.9<br>
3 Princeton University Princeton, NJ Score 4.9<br>
3 University of California–Berkeley Berkeley, CA Score 4.9<br>
7 Cornell University Ithaca, NY Score 4.7<br>
8 University of Chicago Chicago, IL Score 4.6<br>
8 University of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign Urbana, IL Score 4.6<br>
10 University of California–Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Score 4.5</p>
<p>
In the UK: Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial (in that order)</p>
<p>Easier to get into, Lancaster also has an awesome physics program.</p>
<p>Thanks to all those who have advised.</p>
<p>I am really looking forward to MIT as I consider it to be the best.</p>
<p>Anyways, what haunts me at MIT is that do I have to study Arts, Humanities and social science? Do I have to study 17 subjects in all?</p>
<p>BTW is hook-based scholarship available, e.g. if one is a gold medalist at IPhO or any other olympiad?</p>
<p>No, just 8 – most students take one humanities/arts/social sciences subject per semester. Seventeen is the total number of General Institute Requirements (GIRs), but that number includes the science courses all students are required to take.</p>
<p>There are no merit-based scholarships available at MIT, for olympiad medalists or anybody else. MIT provides need-based aid only, and meets 100% of determined need.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Oooo, scary. Breadth and general education for undergrads ::shutters::.</p>
<p>Good advice all around in this thread.</p>
<p>[NRC</a> Rankings in Physics](<a href=“http://www.stat.tamu.edu/~jnewton/nrc_rankings/area33.html]NRC”>http://www.stat.tamu.edu/~jnewton/nrc_rankings/area33.html)</p>
<p>Cambridge is great for physics…but good luck getting in if you’re american. I applied this year and got pooled and eventually rejected. 
</p>
<p>They expect you to have perfect AP scores and come out for an interview, so prepare for the rigorous application process if you end up applying there. It’s not impossible to get in, but then you also have the costs to look at (you’ll be paying overseas fees w/no financial aid from the uni)</p>
<p>I also know Oxford, while not having as strong as a program, allows interviews in New York for American applicants.</p>
<p>Oxbridge, Imperial, and Warwick.</p>
<p>@ gumby3
What are AP scores?</p>
<p>@all
I am from India.</p>
<p>BTW is it necessary to study Arts/Social Science/Humanities? I don’t understand a bit of them.</p>
<p>APs are college level courses that kids take in high school. Should a student perform well on them (3,4,5) they can potentially receive college credit at the college/university they choose to attend. Very similar to A-Levels in the UK.</p>
<p>I have also heard that MIT provides scholarships international olympiad medalists. From my country even, 18th ranker at IPhO got an offer.</p>
<p>UK: Cambridge, Oxford, Warwick, Durham, Imperial</p>
<p>^right and Cambridge equates AP’s with A-levels and expects 5, 5, 5 in relevant exams for your chosen course just like their general offer is AAA.</p>
<p>I’m not sure what qualifications you have in India, but it is easy to contact the admissions office at one of the colleges in Cambridge to ask what they would be looking for.</p>
<p>Are these APs available in this part of the world i.e. India?</p>