Does Dalhousie University give transfer credit for IB Physics HL?
Halifax, NS
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
Physics 1280.03 + Physics 1290.03 = 6 credit hours
💡Expert's Take
Dalhousie's IB transfer credit table awards Physics 1280.03 and Physics 1290.03 for IB Physics HL with a score of 5 or higher. That is a two-course, 6-credit-hour award covering Dalhousie's first-year introductory physics package. For context, the standard first-year physics path for science and engineering students at Dalhousie is PHYC 1190 (Fall) and PHYC 1290 (Winter), while the life-sciences sequence is PHYC 1310 and PHYC 1320.
There is a coding inconsistency worth noting. The IB transfer credit table lists the first course as Physics 1280.03, but Dalhousie's current academic calendar describes the physical-sciences and engineering introductory sequence as PHYC 1190 and PHYC 1290, not 1280 and 1290. The IB table may be using an older or internal course code, or the equivalency may map differently than the current calendar suggests. Either way, Engineering-bound students in particular should confirm the exact equivalency with Dalhousie's transfer credit office before relying on this for registration planning, since Year 1 Engineering curricula typically list PHYC 1190 (not 1280) in Fall.
What to watch for:
- Engineering students: watch your 12-credit cap. Bachelor of Engineering students can receive a maximum of 12 credit hours of IB transfer credit total. If you are also claiming transfer credit for Math AA HL (6 credits) and Physics HL (6 credits), you will hit that cap exactly, leaving no room for additional IB transfers in other subjects.
- Exclusion rules between physics sequences. Under the current calendar, PHYC 1190 excludes PHYC 1310, and PHYC 1290 excludes PHYC 1320. If your IB transfer credit is recognized as equivalent to the 1190/1290 sequence, you would not be able to also take the 1310/1320 life-sciences courses for credit. Confirm the exact exclusions that apply to your transfer credit with the registrar.
If you scored 5 or higher in IB Physics HL, this transfer credit can remove two courses from your first-year schedule. Combined with Math AA HL credit and Chemistry HL credit (if available), it could lighten the first-year STEM course load meaningfully. However, most programs still have other first-year requirements beyond physics, so plan your schedule accordingly. Transfer credit requests must be submitted before you complete your first semester at Dalhousie. Contact transfercredits@dal.ca to confirm how the Physics 1280.03 code on the IB table maps to your program's specific physics requirement.
Official award line (IB Physics HL):
Minimum score: 5
Credit granted: Physics 1280.03 + Physics 1290.03 (6 credit hours)
Need help preparing for IB Physics HL?
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 Physics HL at Other Universities
See how Physics HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | 5/7 | PHYS 1107 (0.5) & PHYS 1108 (0.5) | View estimate | → | |
| Concordia UniversityMontreal, Quebec | 4/7 | 9 transfer credits toward the 120-credit Extended … | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | PHYS 101 + PHYS 102 (8 credits; B.Sc.Arch. PHYS 10… | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | Physics 1A03 and 1AA3 | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 4/7 | Physics 1020 + Physics 1021 | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 4/7 | SFU PHYS 101 (3), Q/B-Sci; SFU PHYS 102 (3), Q/B-S… | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | Individual evaluation (HL 5 or higher); no publish… | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | PHYS 124 + PHYS 126 (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 6/7 | PHYS_V 100 (3) + PHYS_V 1st-year level (3) | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | Physics 221 (3 units) and Physics 223 (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | PHYS 9110 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | PHYS 1020: General Physics 1 (3) & PHYS 1030: Gene… | View estimate | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | 6/7 | Fredericton: 1000-level Physics (6ch) Saint John: … | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | PHY 1121 + PHY 1122 (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | PHYS 109 + PHYS 119 | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | PHYS 115.3 + PHYS 117.3 = 6 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | PHY1**H + PHY1**H (1.0 cr, A&S, equivalent to PHY1… | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 6/7 | PHYS 102A (1.5 units) and PHYS 102B (1.5 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | 5/7 | PHYS-1300 + PHYS-1310 (Introductory Physics for Li… | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | Physics 1501A (0.5 cr) + Physics 1502B (0.5 cr) = … | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | SC/PHYS 1411 3.0 + SC/PHYS 1412 3.0 (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | N/A | Not yet verified | — | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → |
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 Physics 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
Computer Science HL
Chemistry HL
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
Biology HL
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
Save Your Transfer Plan
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