Does University of Victoria give transfer credit for IB English A: Literature HL?
Victoria, BC
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
ENSH 101 (1.5 units) and ENSH 102 (1.5 units)
💡Expert's Take
English A: Literature HL earns two full first-year English courses at UVic, and both satisfy the university-wide Academic Writing Requirement. UVic awards ENSH 101 (1.5 units) and ENSH 102 (1.5 units) for a score of 4 or higher, a combined 3 units of named English credit, not generic elective credit.
The critical detail here is the AWR designation. UVic imposes an Academic Writing Requirement on every undergraduate degree, a writing-intensive English course that students in any program must satisfy before graduating. Both ENSH 101 (Themes in Literature) and ENSH 102 (Literature in Action) carry the AWR tag. Arriving with both means you have definitively cleared that requirement before you set foot on campus, regardless of what you plan to major in.
This matters more than it might appear: UVic explicitly warns transfer students that not all English credits transferred from elsewhere count toward the AWR. IB credit for this course sidesteps that ambiguity entirely, the award is directly into AWR-tagged courses.
What to watch for:
- English Major applicants get a head-start on Year 1. The BA English program worksheet requires "one of ENSH 101, ENSH 102, or ENSH 103" in Year 1. This IB credit ticks that box and frees up 3 units for 200-level coursework right away.
- The minimum score of 4 is UVic's standard (lowest) HL threshold, no asterisk appears beside this subject in the official table, meaning it is not held to the stricter 5 or 6 minimums that apply to some sciences and technology subjects. A solid IB result is all that's required.
- Only HL is eligible. UVic's IB credit policy covers Higher Level courses only. Standard Level English A: Literature does not qualify for transfer credit at UVic.
UVic posts this credit automatically from your transcript, and it is a strong award. The AWR is a degree-wide bottleneck that catches students in science, business, and social science just as often as humanities students, clearing it on arrival eliminates scheduling friction in first year. Unlike some transfer credits that grant a generic "1XX elective," both ENSH 101 and ENSH 102 are named, catalogued courses with concrete value inside the ENSH curriculum. UVic states plainly that you cannot choose to decline transfer credit.
Official award line (English A: Literature HL):
Minimum score: 4 or higher
Credit granted:
ENSH 101 (1.5 units) and
ENSH 102 (1.5 units), 3 units total
Both courses carry UVic's Academic Writing Requirement (AWR) designation.
UVic International Baccalaureate Transfer Guide 2026–27 (official PDF)
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Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
3.0
UVic units (approx. 6 semester credit hours)
British Columbia Resident
~$218-$297/credit hour
~$1,309 - $1,784
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts and Science to Business)
Out-of-Province
~$218-$297/credit hour
~$1,309 - $1,784
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts and Science to Business)
International
~$1,253-$1,533/credit hour
~$7,515 - $9,197
Potential Tuition Value
(varies by faculty; May 2026 cohort)
*2026-27 tuition-only rates, effective May 2026. 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 English A: Literature HL at Other Universities
See how English A: Literature HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | 5/7 | ENGL 1XXX (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 | English 1015.03 + English 1025.03 = 6 credit hours… | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | English 1115 and Arts 1-10* (*Unspecified First Ye… | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | ENGL 1XX (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | ENGLISH 1XXX (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 4/7 | ENGL 1090 + ENGL 1191 | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 4/7 | SFU ENGL 111 (3), ENGL 1XX (3) or WL 102 (3), WL 1… | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | ENGL 100-level (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 5/7 | ENGL_V 1st-year level (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | 3 units junior English | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | HUMN 9110 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | ENGL 1200 Representative Literary Works | View estimate | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | 5/7 | Saint John: ENGL 1001 & unassigned 1st-year ENGL (… | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | ENG 1100 + ENG 1120 (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | ENGL 100 + ENGL 110 | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | ENG 110.6 = 6 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | ENG1**Y (St. George/UTM); ENGA**H + ENGA**H (UTSC) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | 5/7 | ENGL 1XX (0.5 units), elective credit | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | English 1020E (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | AP/EN 1001 3.0 + AP/EN 1002 3.0 (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, 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 English A: Literature 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 Victoria
Related subjects you might be interested in at University of Victoria
Psychology HL
French B HL
Economics HL
History HL
English A: Language and Literature HL
Data Disclaimer
This information is compiled from University of Victoria 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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