Does York University give transfer credit for IB Biology HL?
Toronto, ON
Yes, Transfer Credit Available!
Minimum Grade Required
Credit Granted
SC/BIOL 1000 3.0 + SC/BIOL 1001 3.0 (6 credits)
💡Expert's Take
IB Biology HL at 5 or better is listed on York's IB exemptions and credits table as SC/BIOL 1000 3.0 plus SC/BIOL 1001 3.0, which is a named-course award rather than generic junior-level credit. York frames the table as a guide and states that transfer credit is "assessed based each student's academic program," so the actual award is confirmed on the Statement of Transfer Credit after admission, not by the table alone.
The Biology department is explicit that the outcome on the statement matters more than the credit total: "If you have been given BIOL credits at the 1000 level, but NOT a course credit exclusion for BIOL 1000/1001, you will have to take BIOL 1000/1001" (Department of Biology, transfer-student page). When the Statement of Transfer Credit arrives, check that it lists SC/BIOL 1000 and SC/BIOL 1001 by code rather than an unspecified 1000-level block before planning around skipping them.
What to watch for:
- Second-year Biology sequencing is not uniform. SC/BIOL 2010, SC/BIOL 2040, and SC/BIOL 2050 list only BIOL 1000 and BIOL 1001 (or their ISCI equivalents) as prerequisites, but SC/BIOL 2020 and SC/BIOL 2021 additionally require the first-year chemistry sequence. IB Biology HL does not substitute for chemistry.
- Exclusions are specific: BIOL 1000 excludes SC/ISCI 1101 3.00 and SC/ISCI 1110 6.0; BIOL 1001 excludes SC/ISCI 1102 3.00 and SC/ISCI 1110 6.00. If a first-year integrated-science option is being considered, those specific ISCI courses cannot also be taken for credit.
For students who prefer to complete BIOL 1000/1001 at York anyway (GPA building, lab experience, or professional-school preferences), York's Transfer Credit Statement notes that "if you repeat course exclusions granted from previous studies, it will result in a reduction of your transfer credit." The cleanest route is to confirm the intended outcome with Faculty of Science advising before enrolling, so the change to the Statement of Transfer Credit is handled on the record rather than assumed at registration.
Award as listed (IB Biology HL):
Minimum score: 5
Credit listed: SC/BIOL 1000 3.0 + SC/BIOL 1001 3.0 (6 credits)
SL: not listed on York's IB table.
Per York, the table is a guide and transfer credit is assessed based on each student's academic program; the individual award appears on the Statement of Transfer Credit after admission.
SC/BIOL 1000
SC/BIOL 1001
York University, IB Diploma exemptions and credits table (Future Students)
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Your Potential Savings
Credit Awarded
6
credit (1 course = 3 credits)
Ontario Resident
~$204-$319/credit
~$1,224 - $1,914
Potential Tuition Value
(Arts and Science to Engineering)
Out-of-Province
~$225-$352/credit
~$1,349 - $2,111
Potential Tuition Value
International
~$1,236-$1,312/credit
~$7,416 - $7,874
Potential Tuition Value
*2025-26 tuition-only rates; 2026-27 tables not yet populated. 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 Biology HL at Other Universities
See how Biology HL transfer credits compare across Canadian universities. Click column headers to sort.
| University | Min Grade | Credit Granted | Tuition Value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carleton UniversityOttawa, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 1103 + BIOL 1104 (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 | BIOL 1010.03 + BIOL 1011.03 (6 credit hours) | View estimate | → | |
| Lakehead UniversityThunder Bay, ON | 5/7 | Biology 1-00 (Unspecified First Year Full Credit) | View estimate | → | |
| McGill UniversityMontreal, QC | 5/7 | Course exemption: BIOL 111 + BIOL 112 (normally 6 … | View estimate | → | |
| McMaster UniversityHamilton, ON | 5/7 | BIOLOGY 1A03 and BIOLOGY 1M03 | View estimate | → | |
| Memorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John's, NL | 5/7 | Biology 1001 + Biology 1002 (6 credit hours) | View estimate | → | |
| Ontario Tech UniversityOshawa, ON | 5/7 | Transfer credit, grade "T" (unspecified/elective, … | View estimate | → | |
| Queen's UniversityKingston, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 102 + BIOL 103 (6.0 units) | View estimate | → | |
| Simon Fraser UniversityBurnaby, BC | 5/7 | SFU BISC 101 (4), B-Sci; SFU BISC 102 (4), B-Sci | View estimate | → | |
| Toronto Metropolitan UniversityToronto, ON | 5/7 | BLG 143 and BLG 144 | View estimate | → | |
| University of AlbertaEdmonton, AB | 6/7 | BIOL 107 (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of British ColumbiaVancouver, BC | 6/7 | BIOL_V 1st-year level (8 credits), with exemption … | View estimate | → | |
| University of CalgaryCalgary, Alberta | 5/7 | Biology 211 (Biomolecules and Cellular Systems) | View estimate | → | |
| University of GuelphGuelph, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 1070 (0.50 credits) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ManitobaWinnipeg, MB | 4/7 | BIOL 1020 (3) + BIOL 1030 (3) | View estimate | → | |
| University of New BrunswickFredericton & Saint John, NB | 5/7 | Saint John: BIOL 1205 Fredericton: BIOL 1001 & BIO… | View estimate | → | |
| University of OttawaOttawa, ON | 5/7 | BIO 1XXX (3 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of ReginaRegina, SK | 5/7 | BIOL 100 + BIOL 101 | View estimate | → | |
| University of SaskatchewanSaskatoon, SK | 5/7 | BIOL 120.3 + BIOL Jr.3 = 6 credit units | View estimate | → | |
| University of TorontoToronto, ON | 5/7 | BIO1**Y (1.0 credit) | View estimate | → | |
| University of VictoriaVictoria, BC | 4/7 | BIOL 184 (1.5 units) and BIOL 186 (1.5 units) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WaterlooWaterloo, ON | 5/7 | BIOL 239 + BIOL 130L (0.75 units ≈ 1.5 courses) | View estimate | → | |
| University of WindsorWindsor, ON | 5/7 | BIOL-1101 + BIOL-1111 (Cell Biology + Biological D… | View estimate | → | |
| Western UniversityLondon, ON | 5/7 | Biology 1001A (0.5 cr) + Biology 1002B (0.5 cr) = … | 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 Biology 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 York University
Related subjects you might be interested in at York University
Chemistry HL
Physics HL
Psychology HL
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL
Data Disclaimer
This information is compiled from York 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
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