Does University of Ottawa give transfer credit for IB History SL?
Ottawa, ON
Not Currently Accepted
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
No credit (HL only)
💡Expert's Take
IB History SL earns no transfer credit at uOttawa. uOttawa's IB transfer credit table covers HL courses only; SL is categorically excluded. History HL, by contrast, is one of the more generous awards in the table, but that value does not extend to SL students.
History HL at a score of 5 or higher earns two named first-year courses: HIS 1110 (Introduction to Global History, 3 units) and HIS 1111 (The Twentieth-Century World from 1945, 3 units), 6 units total. Both are broad survey courses that count toward degree requirements across Arts, Social Sciences, and other faculties. An SL student enters with none of that credit and must complete the first-year history sequence from the beginning.
One clarification worth making: uOttawa's IB table contains several history-related entries. "History" (the standard IB History course) maps to HIS 1110 + HIS 1111. Separate entries exist for "Europe – History of," "History of America," and "His Isl" (HIS 2160, History of the Middle East from World War I). Standard IB History HL, which covers 20th-century world history and regional options, falls under the main "History" entry and earns the HIS 1110 + HIS 1111 award.
What to watch for:
- HIS 1110 and HIS 1111 are broadly applicable breadth courses. Unlike credit awarded in more specialized subjects, these are general survey courses that satisfy introductory history requirements across multiple faculties. HL credit for them is useful regardless of which program you enter, Arts, Social Sciences, Public Affairs, or others.
- 6 units at HL, one of the higher single-subject awards in uOttawa's IB table. History HL matches Economics and English A at the top of the range for named-course awards. At SL, the outcome is zero. The gap is as wide as it gets in this table.
- 18-unit HL cap applies across all IB subjects. History HL accounts for 6 of those 18 maximum units, one-third of the cap. Students combining History HL with other high-value subjects like Economics HL or English A HL should verify their total does not exceed the 18-unit ceiling.
If you took History at SL, plan to complete HIS 1110 and HIS 1111 as part of your first-year schedule. Both are survey courses with no prerequisites, widely available each term, and a good starting point for the BA in History or any program requiring social sciences breadth.
If you are still in the IB Diploma and weighing HL choices with uOttawa in mind, History HL is a high-value selection, 6 named units, both broad survey courses with cross-program applicability, no score threshold higher than 5. Combined with Economics HL or English A HL, it can account for a significant share of uOttawa's 18-unit IB credit cap while clearing genuine first-year requirements.
Official award line (IB History SL):
Minimum score: 5 or higher
Credit granted: None, SL courses are not eligible for IB transfer credit at uOttawa
Note: History HL (score 5 or higher) earns
HIS 1110
+
HIS 1111
(6 units, Introduction to Global History + The Twentieth-Century World from 1945).
uOttawa Transfer Credits, International Baccalaureate (IB) section
Completed the Higher Level instead? See our History HL page for that award.
Need help preparing for IB History SL?
Your Potential Savings
University of Ottawa does not award transfer credit for this subject, so there is no tuition saving to estimate.
📊 Compare History SL at Other Universities
See how History SL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concordia UniversityMontreal, Quebec | CSA | No transfer credit under the IB Diploma Programme … | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | CSA | Not listed in UBC's non-exhaustive IB table; asses… | View estimate | → | |
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → |
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 History SL?
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 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: August 2026
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