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 Economics HL?
Waterloo, ON
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
ECON 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.
💡Expert's Take
With a 5 or higher at Higher Level, Waterloo will consider Economics HL for ECON 1XX, normally 0.5 units, about one Waterloo course. Read the code carefully: 1XX is a general first-year Economics elective, not the named ECON 101 (microeconomics) or ECON 102 (macroeconomics). How much it is worth to you turns on the faculty and program you enter.
Because the award is generic, it will not satisfy any requirement or course that specifically calls for ECON 101 or ECON 102, so it does not advance the core of an Economics major. It still counts toward the total units your degree requires, but it fills no specific Economics requirement. Accepting it also does not lock you out of anything: ECON 101 lists only ECON 100/COMM 103 as an antirequisite, so you can still take the named first-year courses at Waterloo if you want them.
Before you count on it:
- Your faculty and program set the ceiling: Arts considers up to 4.0 units for a full diploma (less for Global Business and Digital Arts and the financial-management programs), while Mathematics allows 1.5 units in total across all eligible IB courses.
- Engineering is the exception that matters. Architecture will consider up to 0.5 elective units, but all other Engineering programs, including Software Engineering, grant no first-year IB exemptions, so the award is worth nothing there.
- This applies to Higher Level only; Standard Level Economics is not assessed. And Waterloo says it "will consider" credit where "normally" a 5 is attained, so treat it as likely rather than guaranteed.
Keeping the credit is optional: Waterloo lets you decline transfer credits once they are assessed. Since ECON 1XX blocks nothing and simply adds an elective, there is rarely a reason to decline it, but the option is there if you would prefer the space.
Official award line (IB Economics HL):
Minimum score: 5
Credit granted: ECON 1XX, normally 0.5 units (a general first-year Economics elective)
Subject to faculty and program maximums; Standard Level is not assessed for transfer 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 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 1010 and Economics 1011 | 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 OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | ECO 1102 + ECO 1104 (6 units) | 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 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.
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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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