Does University of British Columbia (Okanagan) give transfer credit for IB Chemistry HL?
Kelowna, BC
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
CHEM_O 121 (3) and CHEM_O 123 (3)
💡Expert's Take
Named-course credit, and both halves of the sequence. You receive CHEM_O 121, Atomic and Molecular Chemistry, and CHEM_O 123, Physical and Organic Chemistry, as those courses rather than as unassigned credit. UBC Vancouver treats the same result differently, awarding CHEM_V 121 (4) plus an exemption from CHEM_V 154 for students entering the BASc, so the Okanagan award is the wider of the two in ordinary Science programs.
CHEM_O 123 is the half that carries forward. In the Calendar it is the only chemistry prerequisite listed for CHEM_O 203, 213 and 220, so those open on the award alone. CHEM_O 211 also requires a first-year physics course, and CHEM_O 201 requires both physics and second-term calculus, so on those two the chemistry gate is cleared but the others still stand.
How much of first year this actually replaces depends on the program, not the campus. The pair is the prescribed first-year chemistry for the Chemistry major, six of that year's thirty credits, and the same two courses recur in the Biochemistry and Environmental Chemistry streams. At the faculty level, though, the B.Sc. asks only for three credits of experimental science in a lab-based BIOL_O, CHEM_O, EESC_O or PHYS_O course. Either course clears that on its own, so in a degree that does not name these two, the second three credits are worth elective weight rather than a requirement.
What to watch for:
- Engineering counts it only alongside Physics HL. The School of Engineering names the IB credits it accepts toward the BASc and their APSC_O equivalents, and chemistry appears there as Chemistry HL with Physics HL together, mapping to APSC_O 182. Chemistry HL alone is not on the list. Engineering reviews IB credit itself through a Transfer Credit Application, recommends completing its own first-year chemistry, APSC_O 182 and 183, in any case, and asks students not to drop courses before it confirms the credit.
- Certificate candidates should confirm first. The Okanagan credit table introduces its IB list with students who completed the IB diploma, while the Okanagan Calendar states the award for anyone achieving at least 6 in a Higher Level science, with no diploma condition attached. The two are not saying the same thing, so a certificate applicant should confirm eligibility with Admissions rather than read the table as settled.
- 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.
Official award line (IB Chemistry HL, UBC Okanagan):
Minimum score: 6
Credit granted: CHEM_O 121 (3) and CHEM_O 123 (3)
UBC Okanagan first-year credit table, International Baccalaureate
Need help preparing for IB Chemistry HL?
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 Chemistry HL at Other Universities
See how Chemistry HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | 5/7 | CHEM 1001 + CHEM 1002 (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 | CHEM 1011.03/1012.03 or 1021.03/1022.03 or 1041.03… | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | Chemistry 1110 and Chemistry 1130 | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | Course exemption: CHEM 110 + CHEM 120 (two 4-credi… | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | CHEM 1A03 + CHEM 1AA3 (up to 6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 5/7 | CHEM 1050 + 1051 (St. John's) or CHEM 1810 + 1200 … | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | CHEM 112 (6.0 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 5/7 | SFU CHEM 122 (2), Q; SFU CHEM 121 (4), Q/B-Sci | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | CHY 103 and CHY 113 | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | CHEM 101 (★3), Engineering: CHEM 103 (★4.3) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 6/7 | CHEM_V 121 (4 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | Chemistry 201/203 or 209 (Engineering only) | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | CHEM 1040 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | CHEM 1100 (3) & CHEM 1110 (3) & CHEM 112L (0) | View estimate | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | 5/7 | Saint John: CHEM 1041 & CHEM 1072 (engineering: CH… | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | CHM 1711 (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | CHEM 104 + CHEM 1XX (100-level) | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | CHEM 112.3 + CHEM Jr.3 = 6 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | CHM1**Y (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 5/7 | CHEM 101 (1.5 units) and CHEM 102 (1.5 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | 5/7 | CHEM 120 + 120L + 123 + 123L (1.5 units ≈ 3 course… | View estimate | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | 5/7 | CHEM-1100 + CHEM-1110 (General Chemistry I + II, 6… | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | Chemistry 1301A (0.5 cr) + Chemistry 1302B (0.5 cr… | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | SC/CHEM 1000 3.0 + SC/CHEM 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 Chemistry 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)
Biology HL
Physics HL
Computer Science HL
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches 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
Save Your Transfer Plan
Download a PDF of this transfer credit information for Chemistry HL at University of British Columbia (Okanagan).