Does McGill University give transfer credit for IB Economics HL?

Montreal, QC

Faculty: General Admission

Yes, Transfer Credit Available!

Minimum Grade Required

5or higher

Credit Granted

ECON 1XX (6 credits)

Generic Credit: Unassigned credit, not a specific course. How it applies to your degree is determined by your faculty, and it may not replace a mandatory prerequisite for your major.

πŸ’‘Expert's Take

McGill's official IB table lists Economics HL as ECON 1XX: unassigned first-year economics credit, not a named equivalency to ECON 208 (Microeconomic Analysis and Applications) or ECON 209 (Macroeconomic Analysis and Applications). It counts as elective credit toward your degree total and satisfies no named course in the Economics Major or Minor, although an accepted HL result can contribute to the full-diploma advanced standing that determines whether you enter at U0 or U1. The amount also depends on your entering faculty: Engineering caps this award at 3 credits.

How you claim it matters. Students who complete the full IB Diploma are granted up to 30 transfer credits, generally on the strength of at least three HL results of 5 or better, while students without the full diploma are assessed subject by subject under their entering faculty's rules. The credit only counts once your final results are sent to McGill directly by the International Baccalaureate Organization, and using it to finish earlier is optional: the advanced standing these results earn can shorten the degree to three years (90 credits), but McGill also lets students decline the acceleration and keep the standard four-year, 120-credit program if they prefer. McGill awards IB subject credit for HL results only, so Economics SL earns no transfer credit; our Economics SL page covers that level.

Official award line (IB Economics HL):
Minimum score: 5
Credit granted: ECON 1XX (6 credits)
Engineering: max of 3 credits

McGill Transfer Credit & Advanced Standing, International Baccalaureate

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.

πŸ“Š Compare Economics HL at Other Universities

See how Economics HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.

UniversityMin GradeCredit GrantedTuition Value
Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON5/7ECON 1001 + ECON 1002 (1.0 credit)View estimate→
Concordia UniversityMontreal, Quebec4/79 transfer credits toward the 120-credit Extended …View estimateβ†’
Dalhousie UniversityHalifax, NS5/7Economics 1101.03 + Economics 1102.03 = 6 credit h…View estimateβ†’
Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON5/7Economics 1100 (1.0 credit)View estimate→
McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON5/7Economics 1B03 and 1BB3View estimate→
Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL4/7Economics 1010 + 1020 + three unspecified credit h…View estimateβ†’
Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON5/7Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, …View estimateβ†’
Queen's UniversityKingston, ON5/7ECON 110 (6.0 units)View estimate→
Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC5/7SFU ECON 103 (4), Q/B-Soc; SFU ECON 105 (4), Q/B-S…View estimateβ†’
Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON5/7ECN 104 and ECN 204View estimate→
University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB6/7ECON 101 (3 units) + ECON 102 (3 units)View estimate→
University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC5/7ECON_V 1st-year level (6 credits)View estimate→
University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta5/7ECON 201 and ECON 203View estimate→
University of GuelphGuelph, ON5/7ECON 1050 (0.50 credits)View estimate→
University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB4/7ECON 1010 Introduction to Microeconomic Principles…View estimateβ†’
University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB5/7Saint John: ECON 1013 & ECON 1023 Fredericton: 100…View estimateβ†’
University of OttawaOttawa, ON5/7ECO 1102 + ECO 1104 (6 units)View estimate→
University of ReginaRegina, SK5/7ECON 100 - Introduction to Economic Issues (3 cred…View estimateβ†’
University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK5/7ECON 111.3 + ECON 114.3 = 6 credit unitsView estimate→
University of TorontoToronto, ON5/7ECO1**Y (1.0 credit)View estimate→
University of VictoriaVictoria, BC4/7ECON 103 (1.5 units) and ECON 104 (1.5 units)View estimate→
University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON5/7ECON 1XX (0.5 units), elective creditView estimate→
University of WindsorWindsor, ON5/7ECON-1100 + ECON-1110 (Intro to Economics I & II)View estimate→
Western UniversityLondon, ON5/7Economics 1021A + 1022B (1.0 credit)View estimate→
York UniversityToronto, ON5/7AP/ECON 1000 3.0 + AP/ECON 1010 3.0 (6 credits)View estimate→
25 universities grant credit0 do notResidency estimates are available on each university page.

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 Economics HL?

Add all your IB subjects and predicted scores to estimate your total transfer credit across Canadian universities, side by side.

Try the IB Credit Calculator β†’

Data Disclaimer

This information is compiled from McGill University official sources and verified community reports. It is NOT a substitute for official academic advising. Always confirm with your advisor before making decisions.

βœ“McGill Admissionsβœ“Faculty of Science

Last updated: August 2026

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