Unit-Based System: Waterloo measures transfer credits in units (0.5 units = one Waterloo course). Credits and caps differ by faculty; switching faculties can change or refuse credits.
Faculty Overrides: Engineering: no first-year IB exemptions • Math faculty: no CS/ITGS credit • Science: no HL Chemistry if CHEM 121 required
Official IB results must be sent to Waterloo (code 000108). Credits assessed after results arrive (August). You can decline credits.
Does University of Waterloo give transfer credit for IB Computer Science HL?
Waterloo, ON
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
CS 1XX (0.5 units) — Elective credit
Elective Credit (1XX): This is a generic first-year elective credit, not a specific required course. It counts toward your degree credit total but may not replace a mandatory prerequisite for your program.
Faculty of Engineering: Engineering does NOT grant any IB transfer credit exemptions, regardless of score. If you are in Engineering, this credit does not apply to you.
Faculty of Mathematics: Math students receive NO transfer credit for IB Computer Science or ITGS. This credit only applies to other faculties.
💡Expert's Take
Waterloo does award transfer credit for IB Computer Science HL, but eligibility is set by the faculty that admits you, and the programs most directly tied to the subject are excluded. The official equivalency table grants CS 1XX, a generic first-year elective, at 0.5 units (one Waterloo course), to students outside the Faculty of Mathematics. Because Computer Science and Computing and Financial Management sit inside the Faculty of Mathematics, applicants to those programs receive no credit for this subject at all.
Where the credit does apply, know what it is: CS 1XX is elective credit, not a named course. It adds to your degree unit total but will not exempt you from any required Computer Science course or satisfy a CS prerequisite. The equivalency covers the Higher Level course; Computer Science SL is not considered for individual IB course credit.
What to watch for:
- Engineering is split: Architecture may receive up to 0.5 units of elective credit, while all other Engineering programs, including Software Engineering, grant no first-year exemptions for IB courses, electives included. The CS 1XX elective therefore lands for students in Arts, Science, Environment, Health, or Architecture, subject to each program's transfer-credit cap and to reassessment if you change faculties.
- Credit is assessed only after official IBO results reach Waterloo (university code 000108) by the deadline stated in your Offer of Admission, with details emailed in August. You may then decline the generic CS 1XX elective if you would rather complete a first-year course at Waterloo.
Official award line (Computer Science HL):
Minimum score: normally 5 (Higher Level)
Credit granted: CS 1XX (0.5 units, one term course) for eligible faculties outside the Faculty of Mathematics. Architecture may receive up to 0.5 units; all other Engineering programs, including Software Engineering, receive none.
Excluded: Faculty of Mathematics programs, including Computer Science and Computing and Financial Management.
Notes: Higher Level course only, so SL is not considered; official IBO results are required by the deadline in your Offer of Admission; you may decline the credit.
University of Waterloo, International Baccalaureate (IB) transfer credits
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Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
0.5
Waterloo units
Waterloo caps tuition above specified course loads, and Engineering grants no IB course exemptions. Actual savings may therefore be $0.
Ontario Resident
~$696-$1,473/0.5-unit course
~$0 - $1,473
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts to CS/Engineering)
Out-of-Province
~$789-$1,671/0.5-unit course
~$0 - $1,671
Potential Tuition Value
International
~$5,059-$6,988/0.5-unit course
~$0 - $6,988
Potential Tuition Value
(varies by faculty)
*2026-27 tuition-only rates per 0.5-unit course; program-fee faculties billed per term. 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 Computer Science HL at Other Universities
See how Computer Science HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concordia UniversityMontreal, Quebec | 4/7 | 9 transfer credits toward the 120-credit Extended … | View estimate | → | |
| Dalhousie UniversityHalifax, NS | 5/7 | Computer Science 1100.03 + Computer Science 1101.0… | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | Computer Science 1_10, Unspecified First Year Half… | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | COMP 202 (3-credit exemption) | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | 3 units of unspecified Level 1 Computer Science | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 4/7 | Computer Science 1000 (3 credit hours) | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | CISC 121 (3.0 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 5/7 | SFU CMPT 1XX (3); SFU CMPT 120 (3), Q/B-Sci | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | CPS 109 and CPS 209 | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | CMPUT 174 (3 units) + CMPUT 175 (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 6/7 | CPSC_V 1st-year level (3 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | CPSC 231 + 3 units junior Computer Science | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | CIS 9110 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | CS 110 + CS 115 | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | CMPT Jr.6 = 6 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | CSC1**Y (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 4/7 | CSC 110 (1.5 units) and CSC 115 (1.5 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | 5/7 | COMP-1xxx (1st Year Computer Science Course) | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | Computer Science 1026A/B (0.5 cr) + Computer Scien… | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | SC/EECS 1530 3.0 + SC/EECS 1*** 3.0 (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | N/A | No transfer credit | — | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, 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 Computer Science 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 Waterloo 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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