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 History HL?
Waterloo, ON
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
HIST 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
Waterloo defines its own notation plainly: a 1XX award is first-year credit for an elective in that subject, and it can be used as an elective. At 0.5 units that is one term course of elective relief, no more, and it will not stand in for a named History requirement.
The ceiling depends entirely on your faculty and the spread is wide: Arts allows 4.0 units on a full Diploma, Science 3.0, Global Business and Digital Arts 2.5, Mathematics 1.5, Planning 1.0, and Architecture 0.5, which History alone would consume. Engineering grants no first-year IB exemptions at all. Changing faculty after admission voids the assessment, since an admissions committee may refuse transfer credits.
Official award line (IB Diploma, History HL):
Minimum score: normally 5
Credit granted: HIST 1XX, 0.5 units unless otherwise specified, elective credit
Waterloo emails transfer credit details in August and allows you to decline.
Need help preparing for IB History HL?
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 History HL at Other Universities
See how History HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | 5/7 | HIST 1XXX (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| Concordia UniversityMontreal, Quebec | 4/7 | 9 transfer credits toward the 120-credit Extended … | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | History 1100 | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | HIST 1XX (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | 6 units of unspecified Level 1 History | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 4/7 | Six unspecified History credit hours (second-year … | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | HIST 1UNS (6.0 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 4/7 | SFU HIST 225 (3), SFU HIST 1XX (3) | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | CSA | Not listed in TMU IB HL chart; assessed individual… | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 5/7 | HIST_V 1st-year level (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | 6 units junior History | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | HIST 1010 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | 5/7 | Saint John: HIST 2101 + 1st-year HIST (6 ch) Frede… | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | HIS 1110 + HIS 1111 (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | HIST 1XX - Unspecified History 100-level credit (6… | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | Hist Jr.6 = 6 credit units. USask's table names on… | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | HIS1**Y (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 4/7 | 100-level History course (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | 5/7 | HIST-1xxx (1st Year History Course) | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | AP/HIST 1010 6.0 (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 History 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 Waterloo
Related subjects you might be interested in at University of Waterloo
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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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