Does University of Ottawa give transfer credit for IB Economics HL?
Ottawa, ON
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
ECO 1102 + ECO 1104 (6 units)
💡Expert's Take
Yes — and uOttawa’s award is one of the more generous outcomes for Economics HL among Canadian universities. A score of 5 or higher earns 6 units mapped to both ECO 1102 (Macroeconomics) and ECO 1104 (Microeconomics) in one shot — the entire introductory economics sequence, cleared before you set foot on campus.
Six units is a meaningful award. At 3 units per course, this exempts two full semester courses simultaneously, which is the maximum a single IB subject can yield under uOttawa’s 18-unit IB transfer credit cap. ECO 1102 and ECO 1104 are required entry-level courses for Economics, Social Sciences, and Telfer School of Management programs — clearing both with one IB result has real scheduling consequences across multiple faculties.
For comparison, AP Macroeconomics maps to ECO 1102 alone, and AP Microeconomics to ECO 1104 alone — meaning AP students need two separate exams to achieve what IB Economics HL accomplishes with one.
What to watch for:
- The 18-unit cap matters here. At 6 units, Economics HL alone consumes a third of uOttawa’s total IB transfer credit ceiling. Students holding strong results in multiple HL subjects — Economics, Mathematics, Physics, Biology — need to plan which credits to retain, as the cap limits total IB awards to 18 units across all subjects combined.
- Some programs limit or exclude transfer credits entirely. uOttawa’s transfer credit policy lists programs that grant no credits at all (e.g., the BCom + JD and Political Science + JD dual degrees) and others that only limit how many credits are granted (e.g., Faculty of Science’s Financial Mathematics and Economics, International Studies and Modern Languages, and dual fast-track programs in Health Sciences). Standard Economics, Social Sciences, and BCom students are unaffected — but confirm your specific program falls outside these restrictions before assuming the award applies.
- Telfer School of Management students should verify. ECO 1102 and ECO 1104 are standard first-year requirements in the BCom program, but the Telfer School has its own advising pathways. Check with Telfer directly that the IB credit applies cleanly to your program’s core sequence before declining any courses at registration.
For students entering Economics, Social Sciences, or Telfer Management programs, retaining both credits is almost always the right call. Freeing two full first-semester course slots allows you to front-load higher-level electives, explore a minor, or simply manage the transition to university with a lighter initial load — all without falling behind on program requirements.
One scenario where declining is worth considering: if your program requires ECO 1102 or ECO 1104 as a formal prerequisite for a course you want to take in first year, and the transfer credit would be treated as satisfying that prerequisite, confirm with your adviser how that interacts with registration. In most cases it works in your favour — but verify before the add/drop deadline rather than after.
Official award line (IB Economics HL):
Minimum score: 5
Credit granted:
ECO 1102
+
ECO 1104
— 6 units total (Macroeconomics + Microeconomics)
Maximum total IB advanced standing: 18 units · Residency rule: 50% of degree at uOttawa
University of Ottawa — Advanced Standing (Transfer Credits): IB Diploma table uOttawa Course Catalogue — Economics (ECO) courses
Need help preparing for IB Economics HL?
Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
6
unit (1 course = 3 units)
Ontario Resident
~$246-$443/unit
~$1,477 - $2,656
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts to Engineering)
Out-of-Province
~$285-$443/unit
~$1,710 - $2,656
Potential Tuition Value
International
~$1,630-$2,119/unit
~$9,781 - $12,711
Potential Tuition Value
(varies by faculty)
*2026-27 tuition-only rates. 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 Economics HL at Other Universities
See how Economics HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | 5/7 | ECON 1001 + ECON 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 | Economics 1101.03 + Economics 1102.03 = 6 credit h… | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | Economics 1100 (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | ECON 1XX (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | Economics 1B03 and 1BB3 | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 4/7 | Economics 1010 + 1020 + three unspecified credit h… | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | ECON 110 (6.0 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 5/7 | SFU ECON 103 (4), Q/B-Soc; SFU ECON 105 (4), Q/B-S… | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | ECN 104 and ECN 204 | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | ECON 101 (3 units) + ECON 102 (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 5/7 | ECON_V 1st-year level (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | ECON 201 and ECON 203 | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | ECON 1050 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | ECON 1010 Introduction to Microeconomic Principles… | View estimate | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | 5/7 | Saint John: ECON 1013 & ECON 1023 Fredericton: 100… | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | ECON 100 - Introduction to Economic Issues (3 cred… | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | ECON 111.3 + ECON 114.3 = 6 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | ECO1**Y (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 4/7 | ECON 103 (1.5 units) and ECON 104 (1.5 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | 5/7 | ECON 1XX (0.5 units), elective credit | View estimate | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | 5/7 | ECON-1100 + ECON-1110 (Intro to Economics I & II) | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | Economics 1021A + 1022B (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | AP/ECON 1000 3.0 + AP/ECON 1010 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 Economics 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 Ottawa
Related subjects you might be interested in at University of Ottawa
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
Computer Science HL
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
History HL
Psychology HL
Data Disclaimer
This information is compiled from University of Ottawa 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 Economics HL at University of Ottawa.