Does University of British Columbia (Okanagan) give transfer credit for IB Biology HL?
Kelowna, BC
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
BIOL_O 1st-year level (6 credits), with exemption from BIOL_O 116, BIOL_O 117, BIOL_O 122, and BIOL_O 125
💡Expert's Take
The credit itself is unspecified. The exemption is what gives it value. No named course lands on your record, and six credits is the weight of one first-year biology sequence rather than both. The second half of the award line is the part worth reading: UBC's transfer credit glossary, which illustrates the term with an Okanagan example, defines General Credit with Exemption so that students "are considered to have completed the Exempted course", and here the exemption covers all four first-year courses, not one pair of them.
Being treated as having completed BIOL_O 125 is where the award does real work. In the Okanagan Calendar, 125 is the only prerequisite listed for BIOL_O 201 and for BIOL_O 204, 205, 209 and 210, so those five open on the strength of the exemption alone. BIOL_O 228 adds a chemistry corequisite, and BIOL_O 200 and 265 also require second-year standing, with 200 requiring chemistry as well. On those three the biology gate is cleared but the others still stand.
For a Biology major, that means the exemption satisfies the six credits of BIOL_O 116 and 125 prescribed for first year, six of the thirty credits that year carries. The chemistry, mathematics, physics and English alongside them are untouched.
What to watch for:
- Engineering does not list Biology. The School of Engineering names the IB credits it accepts toward the BASc and their APSC_O equivalents: Mathematics Analysis and Approaches HL, English Language and Literature A HL, and Chemistry HL with Physics HL. Biology is not among them. Engineering also reviews IB credit itself through a Transfer Credit Application and asks students not to drop courses until it confirms the credit.
- You can turn it down. UBC states you may "refuse the first-year credit and take the course anyway", and asks students eligible for first-year credit to consult an academic advisor before registering in second-year courses.
- Standard Level has no row. The Okanagan Calendar says select Standard Level IB courses may be considered for credit, and UBC notes the Okanagan table "is not exhaustive", so the absence of a Biology SL entry is not a published refusal.
Official award line (IB Biology HL, UBC Okanagan):
Minimum score: 6
Credit granted: BIOL_O 1st-year level (6), with exemption from BIOL_O 116, BIOL_O 117, BIOL_O 122, and BIOL_O 125
UBC Okanagan first-year credit table, International Baccalaureate
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Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
6
credit (1 course = 3 credits)
British Columbia Resident
~$207-$306/credit
~$1,240 - $1,838
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts to Management)
Out-of-Province
~$207-$306/credit
~$1,240 - $1,838
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts to Management)
International
~$1,718-$2,223/credit
~$10,306 - $13,336
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts to Commerce; 2026 cohort)
*2026-27 tuition-only rates; international rates are cohort-locked. 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 Biology HL at Other Universities
See how Biology HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 1103 + BIOL 1104 (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 | BIOL 1010.03 + BIOL 1011.03 (6 credit hours) | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | Biology 1-00 (Unspecified First Year Full Credit) | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | Course exemption: BIOL 111 + BIOL 112 (normally 6 … | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | BIOLOGY 1A03 and BIOLOGY 1M03 | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 5/7 | Biology 1001 + Biology 1002 (6 credit hours) | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 102 + BIOL 103 (6.0 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 5/7 | SFU BISC 101 (4), B-Sci; SFU BISC 102 (4), B-Sci | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | BLG 143 and BLG 144 | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | BIOL 107 (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 6/7 | BIOL_V 1st-year level (8 credits), with exemption … | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | Biology 211 (Biomolecules and Cellular Systems) | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 1070 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | BIOL 1020 (3) + BIOL 1030 (3) | View estimate | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | 5/7 | Saint John: BIOL 1205 Fredericton: BIOL 1001 & BIO… | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | BIO 1XXX (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | BIOL 100 + BIOL 101 | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | BIOL 120.3 + BIOL Jr.3 = 6 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | BIO1**Y (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 4/7 | BIOL 184 (1.5 units) and BIOL 186 (1.5 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 239 + BIOL 130L (0.75 units ≈ 1.5 courses) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | 5/7 | BIOL-1101 + BIOL-1111 (Cell Biology + Biological D… | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | Biology 1001A (0.5 cr) + Biology 1002B (0.5 cr) = … | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | SC/BIOL 1000 3.0 + SC/BIOL 1001 3.0 (6 credits) | View estimate | → |
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 Biology 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 University of British Columbia (Okanagan)
Related subjects you might be interested in at University of British Columbia (Okanagan)
Physics HL
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
Psychology HL
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
Chemistry HL
Data Disclaimer
This information is compiled from University of British Columbia (Okanagan) official sources and verified community reports. It is NOT a substitute for official academic advising. Always confirm with your advisor before making decisions.
Last updated: July 2026
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