An Australian Undergraduate Physics Participation Report, released today by the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP), reveals steady enrolment levels in university-level physics-major programs and persistent gender gaps.
Physics training is critical to supporting Australia's scientific research, high-tech industries, and innovation capacity. A healthy pipeline of students enrolling in university-level physics is therefore a matter of national importance.
Key findings of the report:
- The number of students studying a physics subject at first-year level remained broadly stable from 2019–2023.
- Approximately 14,000 students per year study at least one physics subject at first-year university level.
- Most first-year enrolments are from students not intending to major in physics, reflecting the important role of physics as a service subject for engineering and other science degrees.
- Approximately 750 students per year complete a physics major at third-year university level.
- Female representation in the physics major stream is consistently around 21–23% across all year levels, with no meaningful trend toward parity.
The female participation is in line with trends observed in Year 12 level physics, where women consistently make up around one quarter of students.
Physics training underpins occupations as diverse as engineering, defence, finance, healthcare and advanced computing, and develops critical thinking and quantitative reasoning skills. It also positions students to contribute to pressing challenges ahead, including the transition to clean energy, the responsible development of artificial intelligence, and the development of next-generation materials.
Female Percentage of undergraduate physics enrolments
Read the full report here: https://aip.org.au/resources/Documents/Advocacy/AIP_Report_on_Undergrad_Enrolments_at_Australian_Universities_(June_2026).pdf
— Professor Nicole Bell, on behalf of the Australian Institute of Physics Executive.
About us:
The Australian Institute of Physics (AIP) is a organisation dedicated to promoting the role of physics in research, education, industry and the community.
