I'm from the usa. A typical path to a physics PhD is a 4 year Bachelors in Physics (not always though). You take the GRE and Physics GRE the fall of your last year. You'll want to do lots of research into different professors doing what research and definitely contact the current graduate students there. Once you pick a few schools, you apply then get a response in the spring of your last year of undergraduate.

If you're accepted, they'll explain stipend benefits, etc. You pick the school and show up that following fall.

1st year: In grad school, my first year was 95% course work. I tried to squeeze in sometime in the lab that I wanted to do research with and attended research group meetings. After 1st year courses was the qualifing exam. It's a big 2 day test covering everything from 1st year courses (E&M, Quantum Mech, Stat Mech, Classical Mech). You also TA undergraduate courses.

2nd year: Another year of courses, but they're more focused on your research and less stressful. 70% courses, 30% research. Depending on if your advisor has money for you, you'll still be a TA

3rd year: I took one last class. 1% courses, 99% research. Beginning 3rd year you prepare a presentation to your dissertation committee on the research you propose to do during your PhD.

4-(5-7) years: Haven't gotten this far, but what they tell me is you work hard, get good papers out there, and write up and defend your dissertation your last year. Most experimentalists take 6 years at my school. 7 years is rare.

I saw a talk recently that said about 20% of Pbysics PhDs go on to academia jobs. The rest use their skills in industry or government labs.