Does University of Victoria give transfer credit for IB French A: Literature HL?
Victoria, BC
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
FRAN 120 (3 units)
💡Expert's Take
French A: Literature HL earns transfer credit at UVic, but the awarded course is a notable mismatch for most students who take this IB subject. The official award is FRAN 120, Intensive French II (3 units), a language-acquisition course pitched at the A2 level of the Common European Framework, the normal entry point for students who completed French 11 in high school.
French A: Literature is an IB course designed for near-native and native French speakers studying their own literary tradition. The students most likely to take it are francophone by background. Yet the UVic transfer credit award, FRAN 120, is a foundational language-acquisition course that the SLLC placement guidelines explicitly close to students with French 12 or French Immersion to Grade 8 or above. In other words, the course awarded is one that the typical French A: Literature student would likely be ineligible to take if they tried to register for it.
This creates a subtle but important credit-utility problem. The 3 units will appear on your transfer credit summary and count toward your total unit load, but FRAN 120 is not the Year 1 anchor for the French and Francophone Studies major. That role belongs to FRAN 180, which is what French B HL and French A: Language and Literature HL both earn. French A: Literature HL, the native-speaker IB variant, earns a lower-level credit than either of those options, and that credit does not satisfy the key Year 1 major requirement.
What to watch for:
- FRAN 120 credit does not satisfy the Year 1 French major requirement. The BA French and Francophone Studies program worksheet lists FRAN 180 (3.0 units) as the required Year 1 course. Receiving FRAN 120 via IB transfer does not clear FRAN 180, so French majors will still need to satisfy that requirement separately, typically by taking FRAN 180 itself, or by receiving a placement exemption.
- Students with strong native or near-native French should contact the SLLC before their transfer credit is finalized. The department handles proficiency placement on a case-by-case basis and may be able to advise on how higher-level coursework fits with your program path. Proactive outreach avoids discovering the credit mismatch after registration has opened.
- The minimum score of 4 applies here, consistent with UVic's standard HL threshold, no asterisk elevation. Meeting the score is straightforward for students who completed this course.
UVic posts this credit automatically from your transcript and states that you cannot choose to decline it. Three units of named FRAN credit toward your degree total is a real gain. But do not treat it as a proxy for FRAN 180. If you are planning to pursue or are already enrolled in the French and Francophone Studies major, speak with the SLLC undergraduate adviser early to map out how to satisfy the FRAN 180 requirement, and to confirm whether your proficiency level qualifies for direct entry into upper-level courses beyond the acquisition sequence.
Official award line (French A: Literature HL):
Minimum score: 4 or higher
Credit granted:
FRAN 120, Intensive French II (3 units)
Note: FRAN 120 is an A2-level acquisition course and does not satisfy the FRAN 180 requirement of the BA French major. Students with near-native or native proficiency should seek a
placement assessment
before assuming this credit maps onto their program path.
UVic International Baccalaureate Transfer Guide 2026–27 (official PDF)
Need help preparing for IB French A: Literature HL?
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 French A: Literature HL at Other Universities
See how French 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 | FREN 1XXX (1.0) | View estimate | → | |
| Concordia UniversityMontreal, Quebec | 4/7 | 9 transfer credits toward the 120-credit Extended … | View estimate | → | |
| Dalhousie UniversityHalifax, NS | 5/7 | French 2999.06 (elective) | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | French 1200 | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | FREN 1XX (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | 6 units of unspecified Level 1 French | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | FREN 2UNS (6.0 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 5/7 | SFU FREN 1XX (6), or SFU FREN 1XX (3) + WL 1XX (3)… | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | 2 Language LLS | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | FREN 100-level (3 units) + FREN 211 (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 5/7 | FREN_V 311 + FREN_V 3rd-year level (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | FREN 315 | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | HUMN 9110 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | FREN 1200: French 1 (6) | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | FRA 1710 + FRA 1720 (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | Individual evaluation | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | Fren Jr.6 (6 credit units of junior French) | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | FRE1**Y (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | 5/7 | FR 1XX (0.5 units), elective credit | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | French 1910 (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | Unspecified credit (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | N/A | Not yet verified | — | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | N/A | Not yet verified | — | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | N/A | Not yet verified | — | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | N/A | Not yet verified | — | → |
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 French 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
English A: Language and Literature HL
English A: Literature HL
French A: Language and Literature HL
English A: Literature SL
French A: Literature SL
French A: Language and Literature SL
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
Save Your Transfer Plan
Download a PDF of this transfer credit information for French A: Literature HL at University of Victoria.