Does Western University give transfer credit for IB French B HL?
London, ON
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
French 1020 TRN, 1.0 credit (generic transfer credit)
Generic Credit: Unassigned credit, not a specific course. How it applies to your degree is determined by your faculty, and it may not replace a mandatory prerequisite for your major.
💡Expert's Take
French B HL earns 1.0 credit at Western, but it is awarded as a generic transfer credit (French 1020 TRN, short for “Transfer”), not as the named French 1910 that every French Studies pathway at Western requires. That distinction is the entire story here.
At Western, IB French (the Group 1 Language A course) maps directly to French 1910, University French (Level 1), a 1.0 named equivalency that serves as the gateway to every French Studies module. IB French B HL maps instead to French 1020 TRN, a generic transfer credit in the French subject area.
The difference is significant for anyone considering a French Studies module. Every French Studies module at Western, Honours Specialization, Specialization, Major, Major for Teaching, Minor, Certificate, and Diploma, lists French 1900E, French 1910, or French 1999 as the required first-year course for admission. French 1020 TRN does not appear in any of those requirements. A student holding only French B HL credit who wants to enter a French Studies module will still need to take French 1910 at Western (or pass the departmental placement test with a score of 70% or above).
What to watch for:
- TRN credits count toward your degree, but not toward French module entry. French 1020 TRN is a legitimate 1.0 credit that can satisfy breadth or elective requirements. What it cannot do is substitute for French 1910 in the French Studies module admission requirements. Students who discover this in second year and want to enter the French Major or Specialization will have lost a full year of French 1910 placement opportunity.
- The placement test is the alternative path. The Department of French Studies offers a placement test that, with a score of 70% or above, can grant module admission in lieu of a graded French 1910. IB French B students who arrive with strong language skills should book this test early in first year; it's the fastest route to the French Studies pathway without retaking first-year coursework.
- IB French (Language A) students are in a different position entirely. Students who took IB French A (the literature-based Group 1 course) receive French 1910 directly, a full named equivalency that satisfies every French Studies module entry requirement without any additional step. If you're comparing your credit to a classmate's, that distinction explains the different outcomes.
If you have no interest in pursuing a French Studies module, French 1020 TRN is a clean 1.0 elective credit: accept it, use it toward your degree requirements, and move on.
If you are considering any French Studies pathway (even a minor), do not assume this credit covers your first-year French requirement. Register for French 1910 in your first year (you will not be penalized for holding a TRN credit alongside it) or sit the Department's placement test early in first year. Either path keeps the French Studies modules open. Waiting until second year without having done one or the other effectively closes the door on the Honours Specialization, which requires the 70% average in first-year French as an admission condition.
Official award line (IB French B HL):
Minimum score: 5 or higher
Credit granted: French 1020 TRN, 1.0 credit (generic transfer credit)
Note: Does not satisfy the French 1910 requirement for entry to any French Studies module.
Western University – IB Transfer Credit Table (welcome.uwo.ca)
Need help preparing for IB French B HL?
Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
0.167
Western credits
Ontario Resident
~$7,260-$14,753/1.0 Western credit
~$1,210 - $2,459
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts to Engineering)
Out-of-Province
~$8,823-$17,929/1.0 Western credit
~$1,470 - $2,988
Potential Tuition Value
International
~$55,332-$74,924/1.0 Western credit
~$9,222 - $12,487
Potential Tuition Value
(varies by faculty)
*2025-26 tuition-only rates (2026-27 not yet posted); full-course tuition divided by 6. 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 B HL at Other Universities
See how French B 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 | FREN 1999.06 = 6 credit hours | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | CSA | Assessed individually: Lakehead's table says each … | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | FRSL 1XX (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | 6 units of unspecified Level 1 French | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 4/7 | FREN 1501 + FREN 1502 | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | FREN 150 (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 (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 5/7 | FREN_V 301 + FREN_V 302 (6 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | FREN 213 | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | FREN 1200: French 1 (6) | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | FLS 1XXX (6 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | Individual evaluation | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | Fren Jr.3 = 3 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | FSL1**Y / FRE1**Y / FREA**Y (1.0 FCE), varies by c… | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 4/7 | FRAN 180 (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | 5/7 | FR 1XX (0.5 units), elective credit | View estimate | → | |
| York UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | FR 1*** 6.0 (6 credits, unspecified level 1) | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | N/A | Not yet verified | — | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, 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 French B 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 Western University
Related subjects you might be interested in at Western University
Data Disclaimer
This information is compiled from Western University 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 B HL at Western University.