Does McGill University give transfer credit for IB English A: Language and Literature HL?
Montreal, QC
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
ENGL 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.
💡Expert's Take
A final result of 5 or better on HL English A earns ENGL 1XX, six credits of generic English credit. This is unspecified junior credit, not an equivalency to a named McGill English course, so its value depends entirely on how your faculty applies it. One point the data box cannot show you: if you enter on the full IB Diploma, these six credits sit inside a single block of up to 30 advanced-standing credits that varies by entering faculty, so they are not simply added on top of your other HL results. Students presenting HL English A as an individual course are credited course by course under their faculty's rules.
Because ENGL 1XX is generic, your faculty decides whether it counts as an elective or against something more specific, and it does not by itself replace the English department's required Departmental Survey courses. There is a documented path, though: the department states that students with IB credit in English may sometimes be exempted from one or both surveys by bringing the Director of Undergraduate Studies the IB syllabus, including the reading list and assignments. If you receive such an exemption but take the McGill course anyway, you get no credit for it.
What to watch for:
- Your faculty sets the ceiling. Engineering grants no credit for HL English A, and total IB advanced standing is capped or shaped differently across Nursing, Kinesiology, Management, Science and Architecture, so your overall total depends on where you enter (faculty-specific IB table).
- Results must come from the IBO. The credit is only posted once you arrange for your final results to be sent directly from the International Baccalaureate Organization to McGill's Enrolment Services; a school transcript alone will not trigger it.
- It doubles as your English proof. A 5 or better in IB Group 1 English A normally satisfies McGill's proof of English proficiency, though Admissions reserves the right to request proof from any applicant during review.
At SL, English A: Language and Literature earns no McGill credit; see the SL page for details.
Official award line (HL English A, which includes English A: Language and Literature):
Minimum score: 5
Credit granted: ENGL 1XX (6 credits, generic, within any full-Diploma advanced-standing block)
Not awarded by the Faculty of Engineering.
Need help preparing for IB English A: Language and Literature HL?
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 English A: Language and Literature HL at Other Universities
See how English A: Language and Literature HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | 5/7 | ENGL 1XXX (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 | ENGL 1991W.03 + ENGL 1992W.03 = 6 credit hours | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | English 1115 and Arts 1-10* (*Unspecified First Ye… | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | ENGLISH 1XXX (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 4/7 | St. John's: ENGL 1090 + ENGL 1191 Grenfell: Englis… | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 4/7 | SFU ENGL 111 (3), ENGL 1XX (3) or WL 102 (3), WL 1… | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | 2 Language LLS | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | C LIT 100-level (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 5/7 | ENGL_V 1st-year level (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | 3 units junior English | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | HUMN 9110 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | ENGL 1200 Representative Literary Works | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | ENG 1100 + ENG 1120 (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | ENGL 100 + ENGL 110 | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | ENG 110.6 = 6 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | ENG1**Y (St. George/UTM); ENGA**H + ENGA**H (UTSC) | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 4/7 | ENSH 101 (1.5 units) and 100-level ATWP course (1.… | View estimate | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | 5/7 | ENGL 1XX (0.5 units), elective credit | View estimate | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | 5/7 | ENGL-1xxx (1st Year English Course) | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | English 1020E (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | AP/EN 1001 3.0 + AP/EN 1002 3.0 (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | N/A | Not yet verified | — | → |
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 English A: Language and Literature 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
History HL
Economics HL
English A: Literature HL
Psychology HL
French B HL
Save Your Transfer Plan
Download a PDF of this transfer credit information for English A: Language and Literature HL at McGill University.