Does University of Guelph give transfer credit for IB Physics HL?
Guelph, ON
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
PHYS 9110 (0.50 credits)
💡Expert's Take
Guelph awards Physics HL (5+) as PHYS*9110, a generic (unspecified) transfer credit rather than a named equivalency to any first-year Guelph physics course. The leading “9” in the course code signals a placeholder, which shapes how the credit behaves on your transcript and in your program.
Per Guelph’s transfer policy, “generic credits are electives and may or may not count towards the graduation requirements for the degree program you’re entering”. That is conditional, not automatic, so the 0.50 is best treated as potentially useful rather than as guaranteed degree progress until confirmed by your program counsellor.
Separately, the gate on Guelph’s named first-year physics courses is secondary-school preparation plus math, not the Guelph transfer code you receive. The published prerequisites list “4U Physics or equivalent” (or PHYS*1020 / PHYS*1300) together with a math requirement for PHYS*1500, PHYS*1510, PHYS*1010, PHYS*1130, PHYS*1070, and PHYS*1080. In other words, PHYS*9110 is not what blocks or unlocks those courses. Whether IB Physics HL counts as “equivalent” for enrolment purposes is a departmental determination.
What to watch for:
- SL Physics: no credit. Guelph’s IB table awards credit only for HL scores of 5 or higher (IB & AP admission page).
- IB transfer credit is capped at 2.00 credits total across all HL subjects combined. Because the IB Diploma itself allows a maximum of 4 HL subjects and each HL awards 0.50 credits at Guelph, a typical 3-HL profile tops out at 1.50 credits and a 4-HL profile reaches 2.00 exactly. For standard IB Diploma candidates the Guelph cap and the IBO’s 4-HL maximum coincide, so the cap rarely constrains achievable credit.
- Total credits to graduate vary by program. The Mechanical Engineering program, for example, lists 22.50 total credits (25.00 with co-op), so the relative value of a 0.50 elective depends on your program’s overall structure.
Before you plan around PHYS*9110, confirm two things with your program counsellor: whether the generic credit can sit in your program’s elective structure, and, if you are entering a physics-intensive stream (Physics, Engineering, life sciences), whether your IB Physics HL score is accepted as “4U Physics or equivalent” for course-enrolment purposes. Those are separate questions.
Guelph’s published decline pathway is limited: “If you receive specified transfer credit, you may request to change to unspecified credit on an individual basis within the first 30 days of your first semester.” Because PHYS*9110 is already unspecified, that specific conversion route does not apply to Physics HL, and no further removal procedure is published on the IB page.
Summary of the published Guelph values used here (paraphrased, not a single verbatim institutional line):
Minimum HL score: 5 or higher
Award on Guelph’s IB table: Physics → PHYS*9110 (0.50 credits at Guelph’s standard course weight)
SL Physics: no transfer credit
Overall IB cap: maximum of 2.00 credits across all HL subjects combined
University of Guelph: IB & AP admission page (source of the HL 5+ rule and the Physics row)
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Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
0.25
Guelph credits
Guelph charges flat tuition at 2.0 credits or more. Savings generally require a lower billed course load or an earlier final term.
Ontario Resident
~$1,217-$2,257/1.0 Guelph credit
~$304 - $564
Potential Tuition Value
(BA/BSc to BEng)
Out-of-Province
~$1,481-$2,744/1.0 Guelph credit
~$370 - $686
Potential Tuition Value
International
~$7,425-$11,241/1.0 Guelph credit
~$1,856 - $2,810
Potential Tuition Value
(varies by program)
*2025-26 tuition-only rates; 0.5-credit course rate doubled. 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 | → | |
| Dalhousie UniversityHalifax, NS | 5/7 | Physics 1280.03 + Physics 1290.03 = 6 credit hours | 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 + PHYSICS 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 | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | PHYS 117 (6.0 units) | 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 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 | PHY131H1+PHY132H1 (1.0 cr, A&S) · PHY136H5+PHY137H… | 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 | 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 University of Guelph
Related subjects you might be interested in at University of Guelph
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
Biology HL
Chemistry HL
Computer Science HL
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
Data Disclaimer
This information is compiled from University of Guelph official sources and verified community reports. It is NOT a substitute for official academic advising. Always confirm with your advisor before making decisions.
Last updated: July 2026
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