Does Queen's University accept Biology HL?

💡Expert's Take

“TRANSFER CREDIT GRANTED – BUT DON'T UNDERESTIMATE THE GAP

The Good News: Queen's University accepts IB Biology HL (grade 5+) as equivalent to BIOL 102 (Molecular & Cell Biology) + BIOL 103 (Biology of Organisms), giving you 6.0 units of specific transfer credit.

✅ Good News for Computing Students: Unlike some faculties, Computing DOES grant specific Biology credits (BIOL 102 + 103) for IB Bio HL (5+). However, Biology is typically an elective, not core, for most Computing programs. Use these credits strategically for flexible scheduling or as prerequisites if you pursue interdisciplinary work (e.g., bioinformatics, computational biology).

The Reality Check: While a 5 earns you the credit, Queen's Biology courses operate at a fundamentally different level than IB:

Volume & Pace: BIOL 102 requires ~10 hours/week (lectures, labs, self-study). You'll face 21 online modules, 6 quizzes, 4 blended labs, and a cumulative final—all in 12 weeks. IB covered this material over two years; Queen's compresses it into one semester.

The "Application Trap": IB rewards memorization (know the Krebs cycle steps = pass). Queen's demands application ("Here's a novel enzyme—predict its function based on structure"). Course outline explicitly states: "predominantly applied questions, not knowledge-based." If you relied on memorization to get your 5, you'll struggle.

The "6 or Higher" Rule: A score of 5 grants credit, but to use BIOL 102 as a prerequisite for upper-year Biology courses, Queen's requires you to have scored 6 or higher. Translation: If you got a 5, you can skip the course, but you might hit a wall in Level II Biology.

Our Advice:

The "Score of 5" Warning: Queen's grants the credit for a 5, but be careful. A 5 in IB means you passed, but you likely missed some nuance. Since Queen's Biology relies heavily on application, entering Level II courses (like Cell Biology) with just a 5 puts you at a disadvantage. You are allowed to proceed, but you will be playing catch-up.

The "Safe Zone" (6 or 7): If you scored a 6 or 7, you are in the clear. This score indicates you have the mastery required to skip the intro courses without hurting your GPA in second year. Claim the credit and move on confidently.

If you're purely in Computing: This is a "bonus" credit. Focus your energy on mastering CS fundamentals rather than worrying about bio.

Bottom Line: The credit is legitimate, but don't interpret "credit granted" as "fully prepared." Queen's Biology is a different beast—faster, deeper, and more application-focused than IB.”