Does Dalhousie University give transfer credit for IB Biology HL?
Halifax, NS
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
BIOL 1010.03 + BIOL 1011.03 (6 credit hours)
💡Expert's Take
A score of 5 or higher in Biology HL is eligible for Dalhousie transfer credit, with the official award being both courses in the Principles of Biology first-year sequence: BIOL 1010 and BIOL 1011, for a total of 6 credit hours. Dalhousie states that students wishing to continue in Biology or Marine Biology should complete BIOL 1010 or 1020 and BIOL 1011 or 1021 in first year; this transfer credit satisfies that requirement via the 1010/1011 pathway.
These aren't elective fillers. BIOL 1010 and 1011 together are the stated first-year prerequisite block for continuing in Biology or Marine Biology, covering cell and molecular biology, genetics, evolution, plant and animal form and function, and ecology. Arriving with this credit already banked frees up two full courses in your first year, time you can redirect toward upper-year requirements or electives.
Note that BIOL 1010 carries an exclusion with BIOL 1020, and BIOL 1011 carries one with BIOL 1021 (Dal's parallel first-year biology streams). If for any reason you end up taking those courses on campus, you will not receive additional credit. This is standard anti-double-dipping policy and won't affect most students, but it's worth knowing.
What to watch for:
- Engineering students face a hard 12-credit-hour IB cap. Dal's official IB transfer credit policy limits Bachelor of Engineering students to a maximum of 12 credit hours of IB transfer credits total. Biology HL's 6 credit hours consume exactly half that allowance, which constrains how many other IB credits (Chemistry, Physics, Math) you can claim alongside it. Prioritize accordingly.
- Your IB transcript must come directly from the IBO, not your high school. Dal explicitly states that transcripts submitted by a student's high school are not sufficient for IB transfer credit consideration. Arrange for official results to be sent to Dalhousie's Registrar's Office through the IBO as soon as they are available.
- The transfer credit request form must be submitted before you complete your first semester. Missing this deadline may prevent the credit from being processed. The IB Transfer Credit Request Form can be submitted before final exam results are in, so file it early and let processing (4 to 6 weeks) run in parallel.
If you're heading into a Biology or Marine Biology program, this credit is well worth claiming. It satisfies the BIOL 1010/1011 pathway of the first-year requirement, though Dalhousie notes that degree requirements may affect how transfer credits apply in practice. If you're in Engineering, weigh it against Chemistry HL and Physics HL before deciding how to allocate your 12-credit cap. And regardless of program, file the transfer credit form right after confirming your offer of admission; don't wait for your final IB results to arrive.
Official award line (Biology HL):
Minimum score: 5 or higher
Credit granted: BIOL 1010.03 + BIOL 1011.03 = 6 credit hours
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Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
6
credit hour (1 class = 3)
International figures are equivalent per-credit values derived from guaranteed annual tuition totals.
NS Resident (after bursary)
~$258-$331/credit hour
~$1,549 - $1,984
Potential Tuition Value
(after Nova Scotia University Student Bursary)
Out-of-Province
~$301-$373/credit hour
~$1,806 - $2,240
Potential Tuition Value
(varies by faculty)
International
~$1,030-$1,620/credit hour
~$6,181 - $9,719
Potential Tuition Value
(varies by faculty)
*2026-27 tuition-only rates. International figures derive from guaranteed annual totals divided by 30 credit hours. Values assume the award replaces tuition you would otherwise pay. Actual cash savings can be $0 under flat-rate or full-time billing unless credit reduces a billed term or time to completion.
📊 Compare Biology HL at Other Universities
See how Biology HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 1103 + BIOL 1104 (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| Concordia UniversityMontreal, Quebec | 4/7 | 9 transfer credits toward the 120-credit Extended … | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | Biology 1-00 (Unspecified First Year Full Credit) | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | Course exemption: BIOL 111 + BIOL 112 (normally 6 … | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | BIOLOGY 1A03 and BIOLOGY 1M03 | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 5/7 | Biology 1001 + Biology 1002 (6 credit hours) | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 102 + BIOL 103 (6.0 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 5/7 | SFU BISC 101 (4), B-Sci; SFU BISC 102 (4), B-Sci | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | BLG 143 and BLG 144 | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | BIOL 107 (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 6/7 | BIOL_V 1st-year level (8 credits), with exemption … | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | Biology 211 (Biomolecules and Cellular Systems) | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 1070 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | BIOL 1020 (3) + BIOL 1030 (3) | View estimate | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | 5/7 | Saint John: BIOL 1205 Fredericton: BIOL 1001 & BIO… | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | BIO 1XXX (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | BIOL 100 + BIOL 101 | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | BIOL 120.3 + BIOL Jr.3 = 6 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | BIO1**Y (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 4/7 | BIOL 184 (1.5 units) and BIOL 186 (1.5 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 239 + BIOL 130L (0.75 units ≈ 1.5 courses) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | 5/7 | BIOL-1101 + BIOL-1111 (Cell Biology + Biological D… | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | Biology 1001A (0.5 cr) + Biology 1002B (0.5 cr) = … | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | SC/BIOL 1000 3.0 + SC/BIOL 1001 3.0 (6 credits) | View estimate | → |
Tip: Open a university to compare same-province, out-of-province, and international tuition values. Flat-rate or full-time billing can make the immediate cash saving $0.
Taking more than Biology HL?
Add all your IB subjects and predicted scores to estimate your total transfer credit across Canadian universities, side by side.
Other IB Subjects at Dalhousie University
Related subjects you might be interested in at Dalhousie University
Chemistry HL
Physics HL
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
Psychology HL
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
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