IB Transfer Credit
Transfer Credit
- What is transfer credit?
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Being awarded transfer credit means you will receive university-level credit for IB work completed in high school. Transfer credit can allow for free time in your university course schedule and help save money.
- How will transfer credit show on my transcript?
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Transfer credit is awarded either for a specific class (e.g., BIOL 107) or an unspecified 100-level class (e.g., BIOL 100-level). Most U of A courses are equivalent to 3 units.
If you have been awarded the IB diploma, you will be granted three credits in an open 100-level elective course.
If you are awarded transfer credit, you will not be assigned a specific grade for that course nor will an IB grade appear on your U of A transcript. Your transcript will simply reflect credit already achieved towards a degree. For example, transfer credit earned for IB Biology will show as ★3 BIOL units towards a U of A degree.
If you are eligible for a transfer credit, your IB transcript will be automatically assessed and the credit will appear in Bear Tracks.
- Will transfer credit affect admission to professional programs?
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You may meet professional program prerequisites with your IB coursework, including Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Science and Radiation Therapy. It is recommended that you inquire with the professional program directly to see what the implications of transfer credit are.
Please note: It is your responsibility to ensure your timetable accurately reflects your transfer credit and that you are registered in the proper higher-level course.
Declining Transfer Credit
While we encourage you to retain the transfer credit you have earned, you do have the option to decline it at the time of admission. You are responsible for initiating the process to decline transfer credit, and can do so on a course-by-course basis.
Things to Consider
- If you decline your transfer credit, it cannot be reinstated at any point during your university career.
- By accepting transfer credit, you may end up with a lighter course load, which can affect your eligibility for certain scholarships and programs. Check the eligibility details for your scholarship or program for more details.
- The Faculty of Engineering does not grant the same transfer credit as other faculties.
- The faculty recommends declining all transfer credit for first-year courses.
- If you accept transfer credit and have a Light Load Adjustment, it will lower your ranking for entry into second-year engineering programs. You will therefore need to fill your schedule with higher-level, second-year courses to maintain a full course load. The faculty does not recommend taking second-year courses in the first year, as students are aiming to get the best GPA possible for the discipline selection process.
- IB courses do not cover the same applications as the first-year engineering courses, therefore you will end up missing a large amount of information relevant to Engineering students.
- For courses that are not Math or Chemistry, the Faculty of Engineering can award credit for complementary studies elective courses. Credit(s) for complementary studies elective(s) are awarded after admission to discipline for second year.
- For more information, contact engginfo@ualberta.ca or book a faculty-specific advising session to discuss declining transfer credit further at the Prospective Student Advising page.
How to Decline Transfer Credit
- Send in your official IB transcripts by the add/drop deadline indicated in the University Calendar by requesting them from IB. You must send in your official IB transcripts, even if you plan on declining transfer credit.
- Check Bear Tracks to see what credit you have earned. Transfer credit assessments happen over the summer and are typically posted late August/early September.
- Download the Decline IB Transfer Credit Form and return it to the Student Service Centre by the date below. The deadline is firm for all credit posted on documents received by the document deadline.
- September 1 (if admitted to Fall Term)
- January 1 (if admitted to Winter Term)
- May 1 (if admitted to Spring/Summer Term)
- Make sure to not retake a course for which you have earned transfer credit. If you do wish to retake a course, you must first decline your transfer credit.
- Check for your revised transfer credit report in Bear Tracks approximately 14 business days following submission of the form.
Questions?
For questions about transfer credit, contact our recruitment team at ibstudent@ualberta.ca.
Resources and Forms
Transfer Credit Course Equivalencies
| IB Course | University of Alberta Equivalent | Augustana Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Successful Completion of the IB Diploma Program | 100-level Open Elective (3 units) | AU 100-level Open Elective (3 units) |
| Biology (HL) | BIOL 107 (3 units) | AUBIO 111 (3 units) |
| Chemistry (HL) | CHEM 101 (3 units) [or CHEM 103 (4.3 units)] (see note 1) | AUCHE 110 (3 units) |
| Chemistry (SL) | Students may apply to write a Credit by Special Assessment examination in CHEM 101 (3 units) [or CHEM 103 (4.3 units)] (see notes 1 and 2) | Contact your Augustana Academic Advisor |
| Chinese A (HL) | CHINA 100-level (6 units) (not to take CHINA 101 or CHINA 102) | AU Language 100-level (6 units) |
| Computing Science (HL) | CMPUT 174 (3 units) & 175 (3 units) | AUCSC 113 (3 units) & AUSCI 135 (3 units) |
| Computing Science (SL) | CMPUT 174 (3 units) | AUCSC 113 (3 units) |
| Dance (HL) | DANCE 100-level (3 units) | AUPED 100-level (3 units) |
| Economics (HL) | ECON 101 (3 units) & 102 (3 units) (not to take ECON 204) | AUECO 101 (3 units) & 102 (3 units) |
| English A: Language and Literature (HL) | C LIT 100-level (3 units) [or 100-level complementary studies elective (3 units)] (see note 1) | AU Humanities 100-level (3 units) |
| English A: Literature (HL) | ENGL 100-level (6 units) [or 100-level complementary studies elective (3 units)] (see note 1) | AUENG 100-level (6 units) |
| Film (HL) | FS 100-level (3 units) | AU Humanities 100-level (3 units) |
| French A (HL/SL) | FREN 100-level (3 units) & FREN 211 (3 units) (not to take FREN 111 or FREN 112) | AUFRE 102 (3 units) & 201 (3 units) (not to take AUFRE 101) |
| French B (HL/SL) | FREN 100-level (6 units) (not to take FREN 111 or 112) | AUFRE 101 (3 units) & 102 (3 units) |
| Geography (HL or SL) | HGEO 100 (3 units) | AUGEO 100-level (Arts) (3 units) |
| German A (HL/SL) |
GERM 100-level (3 units) & GERM 211 (3 units) (not to take GERM 111 or GERM 112) |
AUGER 102 (3 units) & 201 (3 units) (not to take AUGER 101) |
| German B (HL/SL) | GERM 100-level (6 units) (not to take GERM 111 or 112) | AUGER 101 (3 units) & 102 (3 units) |
| Global Politics (HL) | POL S 100-level (3 units) (not to take POL S 261) | AUPOL 100-level (3 units) |
| Greek (HL) | GREEK 101 (3 units) & 102 (3 units) | AU Language 100-level (6 units) |
| History (HL) (see note 3) | HIST 100-level (3 units) (not to take HIST 112 or 130) | AUHIS 104 (3 units) |
| Islamic History (HL) | HIST 100-level (3 units) (not to take HIST 117) | AUHIS 100-level (3 units) |
| Italian A: Language & Literature (HL) & Italian A: Literature (HL) | ITAL 100-level (3 units) & ITAL 211 (3 units) (not to take ITAL 111 or ITAL 112) |
AU 100-level Language Option (3 units) and AU 200-level Language Option (3 units) |
| Japanese A (HL) | JAPAN 100-level (6 units) (not to take JAPAN 101 or JAPAN 102) | AU Language 100-level (6 units) |
| Japanese AB (SL) and Japanese B (HL or SL) | JAPAN 101 (3 units) & 102 (3 units) | AU Language 100-level (6 units) |
| Korean A (HL) | KOREA 100-level (6 units) (not to take KOREA 101 or KOREA 102) | AU Language 100-level (6 units) |
| Korean AB (SL) & Korean B (HL or SL) | KOREA 101 (3 units) and KOREA 102 (3 units) | AU Language 100-level (6 units) |
| Latin (HL) | LATIN 101 (3 units) & 102 (3 units) | AULAT 101 (3 units) & 102 (3 units) |
| Literature & Performance English (SL) | DRAMA 100-level (3 units) | AUDRA 100-level (3 units) |
| Mandarin AB (SL) & Mandarin B (HL or SL) | CHINA 101 (3 units) & 102 (3 units) | AU Language 100-level (6 units) |
| Music (HL) | MUSIC 102 (3 units) & MUSIC 100-level (3 units) (not to take MUSIC 101) | AUMUS 170 (3 units) & AUMUS 100-level (3 units) |
| Philosophy (HL) | PHIL 100-level (3 units) (not to take PHIL 101 or 102) | AUPHI 100-level (3 units) |
| Physics (HL) | PHYS 124 (3 units) & 126 (3 units) | AUPHY 100-level (6 units) |
| Physics (SL) | PHYS 124 (3 units) | AUPHY 100-level (3 units) |
| Psychology (HL) | PSYCO 104 (3 units) & 105 (3 units) | AUPSY 103 (3 units) and AUPSY 100-level (3 units) |
| Psychology (SL) | PSYCO 104 (3 units) | AUPSY 103 (3 units) |
| Social-Cultural Anthropology (HL) | ANTHR 100-level (3 units) | AU Social Sciences 100-level (3 units) |
| Spanish A: Language and Literature & Spanish A: Literature (HL) | SPAN 100-level (3 units) & SPAN 211 (3 units) (not to take SPAN 111 or SPAN 112) |
AUSPA 102 (3 units) and AUSPA 201 (3 units) (not to take AUSPA 101) |
| Sports, Exercise & Health Science (HL or SL) | KIN 100-level (3 units) | AUPED 100-level (3 units) |
| Theatre (HL) | DRAMA 101 (3 units) | AUDRA 101 (3 units) |
| Visual Arts (HL) | ART 100-level (3 units) & ART 134 (3 units) | AUART 111 (3 units) & 112 (3 units) |
| World Religions (SL) | RELIG 100-level (3 units) | AUREL 100-level (3 units) |
Notes:
- For students entering the Faculty of Engineering, transfer credit for the first (qualifying) year courses does not reduce the minimum load requirement of 37.0 units.
- Students wishing to pursue Credit by Special Assessment, please refer to the University Calendar for information.
- Credit will be awarded for all five regional options offered at the higher level (HL), including Africa, Americas, East and South East Asia and Oceania, Europe (including Russia), and South Asia and the Middle East (including North Africa).
- Students who are eligible for Advanced Placement may register in a senior-level course. In the case of Language other than English courses students with Advanced Placement will be permitted to register in a senior-level course after determination of their background qualifications for that course (interview, placement test, etc.). Students may also challenge a junior- or senior-level course for credit via the Credit by Special Assessment route if they have appropriate qualifications and are eligible within the regulations.
- When students are instructed not to take a specific course and a generic 100-level credit is granted, this credit may be used to meet the prerequisite for any higher level course requiring the specific course in question.