Does McGill University give transfer credit for IB Biology HL?
Montreal, QC
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
Course exemption: BIOL 111 + BIOL 112 (normally 6 credits; program exceptions apply)
💡Expert's Take
This is a named-course equivalency, the stronger outcome: IB Biology HL maps onto two real McGill Freshman science courses rather than generic elective credit, and BIOL 112 satisfies the biology prerequisite for BIOL 200 (which also carries a chemistry corequisite, CHEM 212 or equivalent, or CHEM 204).
The award is not the same in every faculty. The BIOL 111 and BIOL 112 exemption applies only to the faculties named in McGill's chart, and two Engineering entries are treated differently: BEng Bioengineering receives 3 credits for BIOL 112 only, and BEng (Software) receives either BIOL 112 or CHEM 110, not both. If your program is not in the eligible faculty column of McGill's IB chart, do not count on the six-credit figure shown on this page.
Do not retake a course you were exempted from. McGill states that if you receive an exemption for a subject but decide to take the course at McGill anyway, you will not receive credit for it and it will not be calculated into your McGill GPA.
These six credits are not simply added to your total. Full IB Diploma students are granted up to 30 transfer credits, with the actual amount set by your HL combination, final results, and entering program, so Biology HL contributes to that ceiling rather than sitting on top of it. An exemption is also not the same thing as credit: McGill notes that an exemption on its own carries no course credits, and where one is granted without accompanying credit, the total credits you need to graduate are not reduced.
SL: Biology SL does not earn transfer credit at McGill. See the Biology SL page.
Official award line (IB Biology HL):
Minimum score: 5 (final HL result, sent directly by the IBO)
McGill course exemption: BIOL 111 and BIOL 112
Eligible faculty/program entry: AES, Arts, Arts & Science, Education, Management, Nursing (B.Sc.N.), Science
Exceptions: BEng Bioengineering only: 3 credits for BIOL 112 (as of June 2017) · BEng (Software): either BIOL 112 or CHEM 110 (as of July 2021)
McGill Transfer Credit & Advanced Standing, International Baccalaureate
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Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
6
credit (1 course = 3 credits)
Quebec Resident
~$104/credit
~$624
Potential Tuition Value
Out-of-Province
~$324-$548/credit
~$1,946 - $3,285
Potential Tuition Value
(Rate B / Rate A by admit year; top of range is B.Com.)
International
~$1,061-$2,390/credit
~$6,367 - $14,337
Potential Tuition Value
(varies by faculty and admit year)
*2026-27 tuition-only rates by admission cohort. Non-Quebec Canadians admitted Fall 2024+ pay Rate A; Management (B.Com.) has its own higher schedule, ~$548/credit for Fall 2026 admits. The Canada Award was last offered in 2025-26 and is not available to students admitted as of 2026-27. 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 | → | |
| Dalhousie UniversityHalifax, NS | 5/7 | BIOL 1010.03 + BIOL 1011.03 (6 credit hours) | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | Biology 1-00 (Unspecified First Year Full Credit) | 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 McGill University
Related subjects you might be interested in at McGill University
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
Chemistry HL
Physics HL
Psychology HL
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
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