Mathematical Physics is an undergraduate program at the University of Waterloo leading to a Bachelor of Mathematics through the Faculty of Mathematics or a Bachelor of Science through the Faculty of Science, depending on the entry program a student applies to before selecting Mathematical Physics as a major. The curriculum covers the mathematical and theoretical foundations of physics, including classical mechanics, quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, and electromagnetism, with applications spanning nanotechnology, atmospheric physics, fluid mechanics, and the structure of spacetime in cosmology. Upper-year electives include relativity, astrophysics, advanced fluid mechanics, and advanced quantum mechanics. The program is available in both co-op and regular (non-co-op) formats, with co-op students alternating academic terms with paid work terms while completing the same core Mathematical Physics coursework as students in the regular program.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: General admission requirements of University of Waterloo apply; programme-specific prerequisites are published on the official programme page. Ontario applicants apply through the Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUAC) and must present the Ontario Secondary School Diploma with six Grade 12 U/M courses including ENG4U, plus the Grade 12 U courses required by the chosen program; most programs also require the Admission Information Form (AIF), submitted through the applicant portal by the document deadline. Competitive averages are program-specific — Software Engineering, for example, selects individually from the low to mid-90s with a minimum 70% in each of Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, Chemistry, Physics and ENG4U. International applicants apply through the same OUAC route with the same deadlines as domestic applicants, presenting a completed senior secondary qualification equivalent to the Ontario curriculum with the program's prerequisite subjects; Engineering applicants (except Architecture) must also complete an online interview. Applicants whose four most recent years of full-time education were not completed in Canada or at English-language schools must submit an accepted English test: IELTS 6.5 (6.5 writing and speaking, 6.0 reading and listening), TOEFL iBT 4.5 overall with 5 in writing and speaking for tests taken on or after 21 January 2026 (90 overall with 25 in writing and speaking for tests completed before that date), PTE Academic 63 (65 writing and speaking), Duolingo 120 (125 Literacy and Production), or Cambridge C1/C2 180 (176 per skill). For Fall 2027 entry the application deadline is 1 February 2027 (Engineering 15 January 2027; Optometry 12 November 2026; Pharmacy 6 January 2027).
