Does University of Toronto (Scarborough) give transfer credit for IB Biology HL?
Scarborough, ON
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
BIOA01H3 and BIOA02H3 (1.0 credit)
💡Expert's Take
Yes — all three U of T campuses award 1.0 credit for IB Biology HL with a score of 5 or higher, and the credit is accepted for program admission, program requirements, and prerequisite purposes at every campus. At the St. George campus specifically, pairing this credit with IB Chemistry HL creates a skip-ahead opportunity into second-year Molecular Genetics that is one of the more practically useful IB science combinations in the U of T system. This applies across the Faculty of Arts & Science, UTM, and UTSC.
There are meaningful structural differences in how each campus records the credit. At UTSG (St. George), you receive a single full-year credit — BIO1**Y (1.0 credit) — treated as the prerequisite equivalent of BIO130H1 (Introduction to Molecular and Cell Biology). An important caveat applies: the credit covers BIO130H1 only, not BIO120H1 (Introduction to Evolution and Evolutionary Genetics). Students entering a Biology Major, Life Sciences Specialist, or related program at UTSG typically require both BIO120H1 and BIO130H1 in first year, so BIO120H1 will still need to be taken unless covered by a separate transfer credit.
At UTM (Mississauga), the credit is split into two half-credits — BIO1**H + BIO1**H — treated as equivalent to BIO152H5 and BIO153H5. At UTSC (Scarborough), you similarly receive two half-credits — BIOA**H + BIOA**H — treated as equivalent to BIOA01H3 and BIOA02H3. The two-credit structure at both satellite campuses gives slightly more flexibility: each 0.5-credit unit can independently satisfy breadth and program requirements, which is useful when mapping your degree plan.
On the Standard Level side: no credit is awarded for IB Biology SL at any U of T campus. The distinction between HL and SL is absolute here.
What to watch for:
- The UTSG skip-ahead opportunity. If you hold both an IB Biology HL credit and an IB Chemistry HL credit (or a full first-year university Chemistry credit), you are eligible to enrol directly in BIO230H1 (Molecular Genetics) without taking BIO130H1. This is confirmed by the BIO130H1 course office and can materially accelerate your upper-year course access in Life Sciences programs.
- BIO120H1 is not covered at UTSG. The Biology HL credit is listed as equivalent to BIO130H1 only. Students planning to enrol in the Biology Major, Life Sciences Specialist, or related programs should verify whether BIO120H1 remains required in their specific program — in most cases it does, and it will need to be completed in first year.
- The 3.0 transfer credit cap. Effective September 2025, all three U of T campuses impose a maximum of 3.0 transfer credits across all secondary school curricula combined. Biology HL uses 1.0 of that allocation. Students with multiple strong IB HL results should plan their credit requests carefully to maximize the value of all eligible subjects within this ceiling.
- Exclusion rules. Holding the Biology HL transfer credit means you cannot separately earn credit by enrolling in the equivalent first-year course at your campus (BIO130H1 at UTSG, BIO152H5/BIO153H5 at UTM, BIOA01H3/BIOA02H3 at UTSC). Attempting to retake the equivalent course will result in a repeat notation, not additional credit.
- Deadline to submit IB results. Results must reach University Admissions directly from the IBO by July 31, 2026 for students entering Fall 2026. Results issued by your school are not accepted. Requests submitted after the end of fall term of your first year will not be assessed.
Strategic advice: If you are entering a Life Sciences or Biology-adjacent program at UTSG, the highest-value move is to combine Biology HL with Chemistry HL — both credits together unlock direct access to BIO230H1, allowing you to begin second-year lab science courses in your first semester. At UTM and UTSC, the split two-credit structure is slightly more flexible: each half-credit can independently satisfy breadth requirements, which helps when mapping a dual-subject degree.
If you are undecided on program and want to preserve optionality, all three campuses allow you to designate the transfer credit as “extra” rather than applying it toward your degree requirements — useful for students who prefer to retake first-year Biology for a graded transcript mark. The deadline to make a credit “extra” is generally May 31 in the year following your admission. Weigh this carefully against the tuition cost of retaking the equivalent course before deciding.
Official award line (IB Biology HL):
Minimum score: 5 / 7
SL credit: None (no credit at any campus)
Credit granted (UTSG — St. George): BIO1**Y — 1.0 credit · Equivalent to BIO130H1 for prerequisites · Breadth Requirement 4
Credit granted (UTM — Mississauga): BIO1**H + BIO1**H — 1.0 credit total · Equivalent to BIO152H5 + BIO153H5
Credit granted (UTSC — Scarborough): BIOA**H + BIOA**H — 1.0 credit total · Equivalent to BIOA01H3 + BIOA02H3 · Breadth = Natural Sciences
UTSG — IB Higher Level Transfer Credits · UTM — IB Transfer Credits · UTSC — IB Transfer Credits
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Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
1
1.0 credit (FCE); one full course
Full-time program-fee billing can make the immediate saving $0 unless transfer credit reduces a billed term or total time to completion.
Ontario Resident
~$1,220-$3,180/1.0 FCE
~$1,220 - $3,180
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts and Science to Commerce/BBA)
Out-of-Province
~$1,522-$3,974/1.0 FCE
~$1,522 - $3,974
Potential Tuition Value
International
~$13,222-$15,030/1.0 FCE
~$13,222 - $15,030
Potential Tuition Value
(varies by program)
*2026-27 tuition-only rates per 1.0 FCE; tri-campus Arts and Science base rate. 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.
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Data Disclaimer
This information is compiled from University of Toronto (Scarborough) 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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