Does Simon Fraser University give transfer credit for IB Computer Science HL?

What to watch for:

• Your next course is CMPT 125 (Introduction to Computing Science and Programming II) — and it comes with a mandatory lab partner. CMPT 125 requires CMPT 120 with a minimum C- as a prerequisite, which your IB transfer credit satisfies. However, CMPT 125 must be taken alongside CMPT 127 (Computing Laboratory, 3 units) as a corequisite — the two courses are paired and students are required to enroll in both during the same term. This means your actual course load for the "next step" is 6 units, not 3. Plan your first-term schedule accordingly.
• The language shift is real. CMPT 120 is taught in Python. CMPT 125 and its companion lab CMPT 127 use C++ — covering memory management, pointers, manual allocation, and lower-level systems concepts that Python abstracts away entirely. Whether you learned Java or Python in IB, the algorithmic thinking transfers well, but the C++ toolchain does not. Students who invest time learning basic C++ syntax and memory concepts before their first term will have a significantly smoother experience.
• There's also a placement test option. SFU's Computing Science department offers a CMPT 120 placement test for students with prior programming experience, which can allow direct enrollment into CMPT 125 without taking CMPT 120 at all. If you hold IB credit, you already have the prerequisite satisfied — but the placement test is worth knowing about as an alternative pathway if your credit situation is complex.
• Credit removal is one-way. SFU will remove IB credit upon request if you haven't yet enrolled in the equivalent course — but they will not restore it after removal. This makes the decision to decline credit permanent, so consider your options carefully before requesting removal.