Can You Drop Physics HL for Engineering?

For M28 students, IB exams take place in May 2028 after beginning DP1 around August 2026.

If you want to study engineering, do not drop Physics HL until you have checked the published requirements for every university course you may apply to. Dropping it can close access to mechanical, electrical, civil, aerospace and general engineering degrees, although some chemical, software and biomedical engineering programs accept different combinations.

Your decision depends on the engineering branch, target universities, other HL subjects and reason for changing. An early DP1 switch may be possible, but it requires school approval and can affect your timetable, workload and university eligibility.

Is Physics HL required for engineering?

There is no universal admissions rule. Each university sets its own requirements, and engineering departments at the same institution may request different subjects.

Physics HL is commonly required or strongly preferred for:

• Mechanical engineering
• Electrical and electronic engineering
• Aerospace engineering
• Civil or structural engineering
• General engineering
• Engineering physics

The University of Oxford's current Engineering Science page requires IB applicants to achieve 40 points with 776 at HL, including 7s in HL Mathematics and Physics. An excellent total score would not compensate for missing a compulsory subject.

Requirements differ elsewhere. UCL's current Chemical Engineering BEng requirements emphasize Mathematics and Chemistry among the relevant HL subjects, with another science preferred. This shows why the claim that every engineering course requires Physics HL is inaccurate.

These are patterns, not admissions guarantees. Requirements may change before 2028 entry, so use current official course pages rather than old prospectuses, forums or general subject guides.

What happens if you drop Physics HL?

Dropping Physics HL could mean moving from Physics HL to Physics SL or replacing physics completely. Physics SL preserves some physics study, but it does not satisfy a requirement specifically naming Physics at Higher Level.

A low predicted grade is not automatically a reason to switch. Determine whether the problem is missing mathematical foundations, weak exam technique, poor time management or a genuine mismatch with the subject. The RevisionDojo IB Physics resources and Physics Questionbank can help you test whether focused practice produces improvement before making a difficult-to-reverse decision.

Check that the new combination meets IB rules

University requirements and IB Diploma rules are separate. A combination can be valid for the diploma but unsuitable for engineering admission, or academically suitable but impossible within your school's timetable.

Under the general Diploma structure, students take six subjects and the DP core. They normally select at least one subject from each of Groups 1-5:

1. Studies in language and literature
2. Language acquisition
3. Individuals and societies
4. Sciences
5. Mathematics

The sixth subject can be an arts subject from Group 6 or an additional subject from Groups 1-4. Students take at least three and no more than four HL subjects, with the others at SL.

Environmental systems and societies (ESS) is interdisciplinary and can meet both Group 3 and Group 4 requirements. However, this diploma flexibility does not make ESS equivalent to Physics HL for university admission. If a course specifically requires Physics HL, another Group 4 subject will not normally replace it unless the university explicitly says so.

The IB sets the overall framework, but your school controls the authorized subjects, timetable and combinations it offers. Any change must therefore be approved by your school.

Questions to answer before requesting a switch

Which engineering courses remain possible?

Build a shortlist of realistic universities, countries and engineering branches. For each course, record:

• Required total IB score
• Required HL subjects and grades
• Whether each subject is required, recommended or preferred
• Accepted mathematics course and level
• Any entrance test or interview

These terms are not interchangeable. Missing a required subject may make you ineligible, while missing a preferred subject may leave you eligible but less prepared. The RevisionDojo guide to IB subjects for engineering offers a starting framework, but official university pages must determine your final choice.

What would replace Physics HL?

A switch should improve your complete program, not simply remove a difficult class. Possible arrangements include moving Physics to SL and raising another subject to HL, replacing physics with Chemistry for suitable chemical engineering courses, or keeping Physics HL while lowering a less relevant subject.

Ask what HL-only content you have missed before raising another subject to HL. You also need to know how previous assessments and catch-up work will be handled.

Can your school implement the change?

Subject and level changes are approved by your school, not requested directly from the IB. Ask your DP coordinator to confirm:

• The internal change deadline
• Timetable and class availability
• Required catch-up work
• Whether the combination remains diploma-valid
• How assessments will be treated
• Any fees or registration implications

An early DP1 request is not guaranteed. Timetable blocks and class capacity can prevent an otherwise sensible change.

A practical decision method

Avoid deciding immediately after one poor test. Instead:

1. Define likely engineering branches. Replace a broad interest in engineering with several possible fields.
2. Research official requirements. Check at least 5-8 courses and save their links.
3. Identify non-negotiable subjects. Mark every course requiring Physics HL or a particular mathematics course.
4. Diagnose your performance. Classify errors as conceptual, mathematical, procedural or time-related.
5. Test an improvement plan. Complete focused practice for two or three weeks and compare similar assessments.
6. Discuss the evidence. Meet your Physics teacher, careers adviser and DP coordinator.
7. Confirm the change in writing. Record the level, timetable, catch-up work and deadlines.

RevisionDojo's Physics self-study guidance can help structure this trial period. Its purpose is to distinguish a temporary DP1 adjustment problem from a subject combination that genuinely needs changing.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most serious mistake is assuming a high total score compensates for a missing prerequisite. Universities can reject a strong applicant who lacks a named required subject.

Other common errors include:

• Checking general IB guidance instead of the specific course page
• Assuming Physics SL satisfies a Physics HL requirement
• Ignoring the required mathematics course
• Treating an IB-valid combination as automatically suitable for engineering
• Missing the school's internal deadline
• Switching without planning catch-up work

Conclusion

Dropping Physics HL does not make engineering impossible, but it can significantly narrow your options. Keep it when likely courses require it and the difficulty appears manageable. Consider changing only when your researched university list supports another combination and your school confirms that the switch is feasible.

Base the decision on current admissions requirements, diploma validity and evidence about your performance. RevisionDojo's Physics resources, Questionbank and Study Planner can support a short diagnostic period before you meet your coordinator.

Sources and referenced URLs

• IB Diploma Programme curriculum
• IB examples of Diploma subject choices
• IB sciences and interdisciplinary ESS status
• IB Environmental Systems and Societies
• University of Oxford Engineering Science requirements
• UCL Chemical Engineering BEng requirements
• RevisionDojo IB Physics resources
• RevisionDojo Physics Questionbank
• RevisionDojo engineering subject guide
• RevisionDojo Physics self-study guidance
• RevisionDojo Study Planner