Does McGill University give transfer credit for IB Physics HL?
Montreal, QC
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
PHYS 101 + PHYS 102 (8 credits; B.Sc.Arch. PHYS 101 only)
💡Expert's Take
This is a named course equivalency, not generic credit: exemptions from both PHYS 101 and PHYS 102 across essentially every faculty, including Engineering; B.Sc.Arch. receives PHYS 101 only. McGill Science books IB results as advanced standing with course exemptions, and all advanced credentials combined (IB, AP, dual enrolment) cannot exceed 30 credits, so on the full IB Diploma these credits count inside your faculty's block rather than on top of it. They post only after your final results reach Enrolment Services directly from the International Baccalaureate Organization.
Know what the exemption closes off. PHYS 101 is taught without calculus, while PHYS 102 carries a calculus corequisite (MATH 139 or higher). The parallel PHYS 131/142 stream covers a similar range of topics but uses calculus and goes deeper, and each pair is mutually restricted. Taking a course you were exempted from, or one that overlaps it, earns no additional credit.
What to watch for:
- Physics-bound students. The department lists PHYS 131/142 as Foundation-or-equivalent program prerequisites and states you are welcome to begin a Physics degree with just PHYS 101/102, with the understanding that you may have to fill some gaps on your own. With the exemption in hand, that gap-filling path is the one you are on.
- Engineering. McGill's IB table states that Engineering (including B.Sc.Arch.) students who receive PHYS 101/102 credit are not required to complete PHYS 131/142. Other program prerequisites, such as math and chemistry, are unaffected.
- Macdonald Campus (AES). The award maps to the campus equivalents AEPH 112 and AEPH 114.
At SL, Physics earns no McGill credit; see the SL page for details.
Official award line (HL Physics):
Minimum score: 5
Credit granted: PHYS 101 and PHYS 102 (4 credits each; B.Sc.Arch.: PHYS 101 only)
Faculty codes as listed on McGill's table: AES, ARCH, AR, AS, ED, EN, MG, NU, SC.
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Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
8
credit (1 course = 3 credits)
Quebec Resident
~$104/credit
~$831
Potential Tuition Value
Out-of-Province
~$324-$548/credit
~$2,595 - $4,381
Potential Tuition Value
(Rate B / Rate A by admit year; top of range is B.Com.)
International
~$1,061-$2,390/credit
~$8,490 - $19,117
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 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 | → | |
| 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 | → | |
| 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 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 | — | → | |
| 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 McGill University
Related subjects you might be interested in at McGill University
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Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
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Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
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