Bachelor Applied Physics

Details about this Dutch-taught study programme?

Converting fundamental physics into (new) technology that impacts society.

How is it possible that the human brain can perform 100,000 times as many tasks per second as a modern chip, with ten times less energy? What laws of physics are at play in the bottle flipping game – and what would change if you replaced the water in the bottle with, say, custard? Will impregnable security soon become a reality with the help of quantum physics? What will the chip of the future look like, and what knowledge of physics will we need to build it? If these kinds of questions fascinate you, the three-year, Dutch-taught bachelor’s programme Applied Physics is the right choice for you.

Macy shows a day in her student life

Watch the Dutch spoken video below (English subtitles) and find out what it is like to study Applied Physics at the University of Twente.

Please note that this programme is taught in Dutch
More detailed information about the bachelor’s programme in Applied Physics is available in Dutch only. This includes details about the study programme, the admission requirements, application deadlines and the career prospects

Master's degree after your bachelor's
Curious about what master's degrees you could pursue? Check out, for example, our two-year, English-taught master’s programme Applied Physics and Nanotechnology.

Why study Applied Physics?

Of course, there are dozens of reasons to sign up for the bachelor’s programme Applied Physics. Read the top five here!

  • Challenging degree on the cutting edge of fundamental physics and (new) technology

    Do you want to study physics, while also learning how to convert your scientific knowledge into new technological possibilities? Then this physics degree is for you. We offer you all the scientific theory and skills you would expect from a Physics Bachelor, while also equipping you as an engineer, capable of converting knowledge into working innovations and improvements in the real world. An applied physicist can analyse highly complex problems, while a technologist knows how to create the necessary solutions. As a Technical Physicist you will be looking for undiscovered knowledge and application possibilities: this field is more about getting a novel technical application to work, and less about perfecting it. Technical Physicists feel most at home in the intersection between fundamental physics and (new) technology.

  • Top-rated programme with an ‘Olympic sports mentality’ and pleasant environment

    For several years in a row, this bachelor’s programme has been chosen ‘Top programme’ by the Dutch Keuzegids Universiteiten, making it the highest-rated Applied Physics bachelor’s programme in the Netherlands. One of the reasons for this is our combination of a personalized approach and our ‘Olympic sports mentality’. By tapping into what really motivates you (what makes you happy?) and into what you are really good at (what are your talents?), we help you move from your comfort zone to the edge of your abilities. We do this by helping you choose subjects, but also through intensive personal attention and guidance: we call it the ‘master-apprentice approach’. Our low student-teacher ratio and informal environment add to this: we all know each other here, and teachers are easily approachable. You will also discover that your ideas and input matter. Together with student association Arago, we are constantly improving our education and organizing all sorts of study-related activities. In short, there is no better place to become a whiz in Applied Physics than here.

  • World-class research

    As an Applied Physics student you will engage with the UT’s world-class research in various important fields: fluid dynamics (research on phenomena in fluids and gasses, such as a falling drop or wave formation); photonics (research on the properties of light and laser technology and applications); and material physics (research on the physical properties of materials in order to discover new properties, and ultimately develop new materials). This research takes place at the University of Twente’s well-known departments and research facilities, such as the MESA+ Institute  (Nanotechnology), the Technical Medical Centre, the Centre for Brain-Inspired Nano Systems, BRAINS, which researches brain-inspired computer systems, and the Max Planck Centre for Complex Fluid Dynamics. Your education is directly connected to our research. This means that your lecturers are also top-level researchers. Because of this, you will soon be up-to-date on the most recent developments, and introduced to the latest equipment and the newest measuring methods.

  • A combination of physics and computer science that you will not find elsewhere

    Our bachelor's degree in Applied Physics also offers a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the important subject of computer science. We offer this, because computer science and physics are increasingly intertwined: the more you know about computer science, the further you can go in physics, and vice versa. For example, demand in the banking world for technical physicists is increasing, because the strong analytical skills that are typical of physicists enable them to programme at decision-making level: as an applied physicist you can determine early on in a decision-making process whether the best solution to a problem is related to software, mechanics, physics, or electronics. Knowledge of computer science is also becoming increasingly important in other areas of application. We offer various paths for this during the programme, such as a minor in Technical Computer Science or our Plus programme.

  • An extra challenge: the double-degree Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics

    If you are looking for an extra challenge and have the right amount of talent and ambition, you can sign up for a double degree. This means combining your Applied Physics programme with the English-taught bachelor’s programme Applied Mathematics. If you complete this double programme successfully, you get two BSc degrees.

Programme overview

Top rated programme
Degree
Bachelor’s degree in Applied Physics
Certification: BSc
CROHO code
56962
Faculty
Science and Technology
Duration
3 years
Full-time/part-time
Full-time (no part-time programs possible)
Language
Dutch-taught
Starting date
1 September 2024
1 September 2025
Location
Drienerlolaan 5
7522 NB Enschede
The Netherlands
Matching
On student request
Numerus fixus
Does not apply for the programme
Accreditation
NVAO
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