IB Credit for University Classes
Students and parents considering university in the US, should be aware of IB credit for classes. Just like the AP credit for classes, IB diploma students can earn college credit for high IB exam scores. If a U.S. university grants an incoming student credit for their IB exam grades, then the overall cost of attendance would be reduced, as the student would not have to take as many classes to graduate with an undergraduate degree. This is a factor that is often overlooked in the process of university selection.
Additionally, universities can differ on the amount of credit offered. Some universities only give credit to scores of 6 and 7 on HL exams, while others will offer credit for scores of 4-7 on HL and SL. Most universities will have an AP/IB credit for courses and these equivalencies are often indicated on a page on the specific university websites. The IB has a centrally located page that provides direct links and summaries of a variety of school policies on IB credit.
Some of the summaries found on the IB webpage of popular universities with past Branksome Hall Asia students are listed as below. If you have any questions about IB credit for university classes, please contact your university counselors for more details.
University of Rochester: This university in Rochester, New York is fully dedicated to IB student success. They offer credit for HL exams, merit scholarships for IB students, and are excited to introduce a few IB graduates that you might meet on campus. All the details are easy to find on their website.
New York University (NYU): Although there’s no equivalency table, in general NYU will grant up to 32 credits to first-year students; and up to 64 credits for transferring students coming from another institution. For IB diploma holders that covers HL exams and scores of 6 or 7 only, consider contacting the admissions office to determine how much credit you may be eligible to receive.
University of California (UC) system: All nine UC campuses offering undergraduate degrees reward a full IB diploma score of 30 or more with 30 quarter (20 semester) units toward their UC degree. Students who take only select HL course exams with scores of 5, 6 or 7 will receive 8 quarter (5.3 semester) units. These units may be applied to graduation requirements for specific subjects or for general education/breadth requirements.
*Summaries adapted from the IB website - https://www.ibo.org/
The Branksome Hall Asia University Counselors