How to Become a Physicist: Career Guide, Courses, Steps, Types, Abroad, Jobs, Scope, Salary 2023

Steps to become a Physicist

The work of a physicist is to conduct measurements, experiments, and mathematical analysis to formulate physical laws that control space, time, energy, and matter. They either do theoretical analysis or carry out experimental research.

To pursue a career as a physicist, a candidate should hold a postgraduate degree or a doctorate degree in Physics. This will allow them to find jobs at various research centers.

Subject Combination 

A career as a physicist usually requires a postgraduate degree or a doctorate degree in Physics. During their course of study, they would have been introduced to various subjects. Some of them are:

Eligibility Criteria 

To pursue a career as a physicist the candidates should fulfill the following:

• The candidates should have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in 10+2.
• They should have completed a minimum of 3 years of bachelor's degree in disciplines of Physics, Applied Physics, or Mathematics.
• They should have completed a postgraduate program, usually an MSc in Physics with a specialization of their choice.
• Some of the job requirements require a doctorate degree (M.Phil/Ph.D.) in Physics.

Entrance Exams 

Some of the entrance exams that are available in the path of becoming a physicist has been mentioned below:

• Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) - It is a national-level entrance examination conducted by several premier institutes like IISc, IISERs, NISER, etc. The JEST 2023 is being conducted by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research. It offers admission into the participating institutes for Ph.D. or Integrated Ph.D. courses.
• UGC-NET - It is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency for admission into Ph.D. courses offered by various institutes across India.
• GATE - It is a national-level entrance examination conducted by the IITs on a rotational basis for admission into the M.Tech or Ph.D. courses offered by various institutes across India.

The steps an individual has to take to become a physicist are explained below.

Types of Physicists 

Physicists can be categorized into 3 types. All these types have been mentioned below:

• Theoretical Physicists - They create theories and models to explain the behavior of specific aspects of the world.
• Experimental Physicists - They test the theories and models of the theoretical physicist to verify their claims and recommend improvements.
• Applied Physicists - They apply the research of the physicist to solve problems in the field of technology, science, and society.

Career Paths for Physicists

There are different physics-related careers to choose from, one can work as a physicist in gaming, hospital, space and even in climate and meteorology department.

How to Become a Physicist in India

To become a physicist in India, an individual has to acquire a series of qualifications in specific areas. This usually includes completion of class 12th with science, followed by UG and PG degrees. Having a Ph.D. in Physics usually helps to increase the salary as a physicist. 

School Level Preparation: After completion of class 10th, the students will have to choose a stream and their performance in class 10th will be evaluated for that. Some of the points that they should know for the school level preparations are:

• To choose a science stream with mathematics, the candidates should have a percentage above 60 in class 10th for admission into top schools.
• The candidate should have passed class 10th from ICSE/ CBSE/ State board.
• The scores of the top 5 subjects will be evaluated.
• Scores in all the science subjects should also be above 60%.

How to Become a Physicist After 12^th

In order to become a Physicist, some of the crucial steps that should be followed after clearing class 12^th board exams are listed below,

UG Level Preparation: At the UG level, the candidates can go for BSc/ B.Tech in the discipline of physics or mathematics. Some of the points that the students should know for the UG preparations are:

• The candidates should have a minimum aggregate of 50% in class 12th to become eligible to apply to various institutes.
• For admission into the BSc course, there are no such national/ state level exams. Most of the institutes take admission based on merit and some of the institutes conduct their own exams like DUET, GSAT, etc.
• For admission into the B.Tech courses, the candidates may have to appear for exams like JEE-Mains, WBJEE, UPSEE, KCET, etc. 
• Preparing for JEE-Main can help them prepare for other such exams. They can either self-study or join coaching classes to prepare for it.
• The exams are quite competitive and require proper time and dedication along with some expert guidance.

PG Level Preparation: At the PG level, the candidates will have to study MSc Physics with a specialization. To prepare for admission into the MSc course, they should know the following points:

• The candidate should have completed their bachelor's degree in physics, mathematics, or engineering.
• They should have scored a minimum aggregate of 50% from a recognized university. Some institutes also ask for 60% aggregate.
• The institutes evaluate students based on the marks scored in the entrance examination. The institutes usually conduct their own entrance examination. Some of such exams are DUET, JNUEE, BHU-PET, IPU CET, etc.
• The examination will test the student's aptitude and knowledge in the field of physics. 

Doctorate Level Preparation: An individual is eligible to work as a physicist after completion of a master's degree. Though having a doctorate degree helps them to conduct research of their own and also helps to find better opportunities and higher salary. Some of the points an individual should know while preparing for a Ph.D. in Physics are:

• The candidates should hold an MSc/ M.Phil in Physics, material science, or any other related discipline.
• They should have a minimum aggregate of 60% in PG from a recognized institute.
• The candidates are selected for the Ph.D. course based on their marks in the entrance examination and also their academic history.
• The candidates will have to appear for UGC-NET, JEST, etc. The candidates who haven’t appeared for these exams can also appear for the exam conducted by the institutes.
• Along with preparing for the entrance exam, the candidate will have to be prepared with their research topic and also a good performance in a personal interview is required.

Physicist Courses 

BSc Physics, MSc Physics and PhD in Physics are the three courses that would help become a Physicist. Mentioned below are the eligibility details and other prerequisites for becoming a Physicist. 

BSc Physics 

• BSc Physics is an undergraduate program of 3 years that deals with theory and experimental courses mainly from physics and interdisciplinary courses like mathematics, chemistry, and computer science.
• The admission into the BSc Physics course is either based on the entrance examination or based on the previous academic scores. 
• There is no such common entrance exam conducted for admission into BSc Physics. The institutes usually conduct their own exams. 
• DUET is one of the exams the candidates can appear for. It offers admission into various institutes affiliated with Delhi University. 
• Candidates should have completed their 10+2 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics and have a minimum aggregate of 50% in 10+2.

The details of DUET has been mentioned below:

MSc Physics

• MSc Physics is a 2-year postgraduate program that involves an in-depth study of nature for understanding the behavior of the universe.
• The admission into the course is usually based on the entrance examination. 
• There are various entrance exams where the candidates can appear for admission into MSc Physics. Some of such exams are BHU PET, JNUEE, DUET, IPU CET, etc.
• To appear for the BHU-PET exam, candidates should have completed BSc with a minimum aggregate of 50% from a recognized university.
• The reserved category and physically challenged candidates are provided with a relaxation of 5%.
• The applicant should be Indian and there is no age limit.

The details for the BHU-PET has been mentioned below:

PhD Physics

• It is a 3-year doctorate program in the field of physics. This course allows candidates to conduct research in any area of physics.
• The candidates who have cleared exams like JEST, NET, etc are eligible to apply for the Ph.D. program.
• The final selection will be based on factors like scores in the exam, personal interview, previous academic records, research topic, etc.

Important Dates of Exam:

How to Become a Physicist Abroad

The qualification and requirements to work as a physicist in some of the countries have been mentioned below:

How to Become a Physicist in UK

To details the candidates should know to work as a physicist in the UK are mentioned below:

Admission Process 

• The employers abroad would expect a degree in the field of physics, applied physics, engineering physics, electronic physics, or any other related sciences.
• The individual should have a postgraduate qualification such as an MSc/ M.Phil or a Ph.D. doctorate.

To complete the above-mentioned qualification in the abroad countries, an individual will have to follow the following academic route:

• Five GCSEs (A* - C), that should include maths, science, and English.
• Three A levels, that should include maths and physics.
• Some of the universities offer a 1-year foundation course to those who do not have a science background

Top Colleges 

Some of the top institutes in the UK that offer master courses in physics are mentioned in the table below:

How to Become a Physicist in USA

Some of the details that could be helpful to build a career as a physicist in the US are mentioned below:

Admission Process 

To become a physicist in the US, the candidates should have the following educational qualifications:

• A high school degree with a good score on SAT.
• 4-year college degree with experimental physics or theoretical physics.
• A masters degree of 2 years in Physics
• Ph.D. of 4 - 5 years.

Top Colleges 

Some of the top colleges in the US that offer physics courses are mentioned in the table below:

How to Become a Physicist in Canada

All the details to become a physicist in Canada has been mentioned below:

Admission Process 

To build a career as a physicist in Canada, the candidates should have the following educational qualifications:

• 3 - 4 years Undergraduate degree with major in Physics
• 2 year MSc in Physics with some thesis work.

The candidates are eligible to work as a physicist. But if they have a Ph.D. then they can work as a physicist in a specific area in which they excel.

Top Colleges

Some of the top colleges in Canada that offer physics courses and can be helpful to build a career as a physicist are mentioned below:

How to Become a Physicist in Australia

Some of the details regarding physicists requirements and physics colleges in Australia has been mentioned below:

Admission Process 

• The candidates will have to complete a degree in science or applied science with a major in physics, nanophysics, astrophysics, photonics, etc.
• To get this university degree they should have a senior secondary certificate of education with English, mathematics, biology, chemistry, earth & environmental science, and physics.

Top Colleges 

Some of the top colleges in Australia that offer physics courses and can be helpful to build a career as a physicist are mentioned below:

Benefits of Becoming a Physicist

A physicist as a profession can be beneficial in several ways. Some of the benefits of being a physicist has been explained below:

• Salary: A physicist can earn around INR 65,300 per month in India. The salary could vary drastically based on skills, experience, gender, location, etc. The lowest salary a physicist can expect is around INR 32,700 and the highest could be around INR 1,01,000 per annum.
• Job Security: The jobs in government sectors usually provide job security, but the private institutions do not guarantee such job securities. Government jobs are offered after clearing the entrance exams and the interview. Some of the job positions are on a contract basis but in most cases, the jobs are secured till the person is retired. Also, they are offered a pension after retirement.
• Positive Impact of the Career: The demand for physicists is huge since the world needs innovation in every sector and physicists are the ones who build theories and discoveries that would lead to those innovations. Physics is a broad subject and physicists usually specialize in a specific area. Though they have a broader area to choose from. They will be able to work as researchers or scientists in academic institutes, research centers, and laboratories. Physicists with a doctorate degree can also work as a professor at the academic institutes.
• Higher Studies: Higher studies mean better knowledge and better skills. The salary also increases with higher education. With a master's degree, an individual can earn around 38% more than a bachelor's degree. And with a doctorate degree, they can earn around 31% more than the master's degree.