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 English A: Literature HL?
Waterloo, ON
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
ENGL 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
Treat this credit as likely, not guaranteed. Waterloo's IB transfer-credit table lists your subject simply as "English A" (it does not separate the two English A courses) and says a Higher Level 5 or higher will be considered for ENGL 1XX at 0.5 units. "Will be considered" is Waterloo's own wording: the award is normal but conditional, not automatic on the score alone. ENGL 1XX is unspecified credit, meaning it does not directly match a course Waterloo teaches.
What to watch for:
- It will not clear your first-year writing requirement. Several faculties require a first-year communication course that this credit does not cover: Science states ENGL 1XX cannot be used in place of the Science Communication requirement (ENGL/SPCOM/COMMST 193), and Math states it does not meet the communications-list requirement. If your program has such a course, you still complete it.
- Architecture is the one Engineering exception. The no-credit rule holds for all Engineering programs except Architecture, which will consider an elective credit up to 0.5 units, exactly what ENGL 1XX is. Architecture applicants can still receive it; other Engineering applicants cannot.
- Standard Level earns nothing. Waterloo considers only Higher Level IB courses for transfer credit, so English A at SL receives no award.
Because this is elective rather than required credit, Waterloo lets you decline it. Keeping it covers 0.5 units of your degree at no cost to your average, since transfer credits carry no grade; declining makes sense mainly if you would rather take the first-year English course itself. Decline instructions are emailed in August, after your credits are assessed.
Official award line (English A: Literature HL):
Minimum score: 5 (Higher Level)
Credit granted: ENGL 1XX, 0.5 units
Waterloo lists this on its IB table generically as "English A," covering both English A: Literature and English A: Language and Literature.
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 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 | → | |
| 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 | 5/7 | 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 | ENGL 1080 (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 VictoriaVictoria, BC | 4/7 | ENSH 101 (1.5 units) and ENSH 102 (1.5 units) | 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 | → |
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.
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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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