First-year credit
If you complete university-level courses while in high school, you may be able to take fewer courses to complete your degree. Find out which Advanced Placement, British-patterned education, and International Baccalaureate courses are eligible for first-year credit at UBC.
More on After you’ve applied:
If you are eligible for credit for a first-year course, please consult an academic advisor at UBC before registering for second-year courses. You may choose to refuse the first-year credit and take the course anyway.
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Advanced Placement
If you got a grade of 4 or better on approved Advanced Placement exams, UBC will grant you first-year credit. The table below is not exhaustive, so credit may be granted for courses not shown.
High school subject | UBC course granted (including credits) |
2-D Art and Design | VISA_O 102 (3)
When AP Studio Art: 2-D Design and AP Studio Art: Drawing are taken together, credit is granted as VISA_O 102 (3), VISA_O 103 (3), and VISA_O 1st-year level (3). |
3-D Art and Design | VISA_O 104 (3) and VISA_O 105 (3) |
Art History | ARTH_O 1st-year level (6) |
Biology | BIOL_O 1st-year level (6), with exemption from BIOL_O 116, BIOL_O 117, BIOL_O 122, and BIOL_O 125 |
Calculus AB or subscore of AB in Calculus BC | MATH_O 100 (3) |
Calculus BC | MATH_O 100 (3) and MATH_O 101 (3) |
Chemistry | CHEM_O 121 (3) and CHEM_O 1st-year level (3) |
Chinese Language and Culture | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Comparative Government and Politics | POLI_O 220 (3) |
Computer Science A | COSC_O 1st-year level (3) |
Drawing | VISA_O 102 (3) and VISA_O 103 (3)
When AP Studio Art: 2-D Design and AP Studio Art: Drawing are taken together, credit is granted as VISA_O 102 (3), VISA_O 103 (3), and VISA_O 1st-year level (3). |
Economics: Macroeconomics | ECON_O 1st (3) not for credit in Economics Specialization |
Economics: Microeconomics | ECON_O 1st (3) not for credit in Economics Specialization |
English Language and Composition | ENGL_O 112 (3) and ENGL_O 1st-year level (3)
When AP ENGL Language/Composition and AP ENGL Literature/Composition are taken together, credit is granted as ENGL_O 112 (3) and ENGL_O 1st-year level (9). |
English Literature and Composition | ENGL_O 112 (3) and ENGL_O 1st-year level (3)
When AP ENGL Language/Composition and AP ENGL Literature/Composition are taken together, credit is granted as ENGL_O 112 (3) and ENGL_O 1st-year level (9). |
Environmental Science | EESC_O 101 (3) |
French Language and Culture | FREN_O 122 (3) and FREN_O 123 (3) |
German Language and Culture | GERM_O 200 (3) and GERM_O 210 (3) |
History: European | HIST_O 116 (3) and HIST_O 126 (3) |
History: United States | HIST_O 111 (3) and HIST_O 211 (3) |
Human Geography | GEOG_O 128 (3) and GEOG_O 129 (3) |
Italian Language and Culture | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Japanese Language and Culture | JPST_O 201 (3) and JPST_O 1st-year level (3) |
Latin | LATN_O 1st-year level (6) |
Music Theory | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Physics 1 | PHYS_O 112 (3) |
Physics 2 | PHYS_O 122 (3) |
Physics C (Electricity and Magnetism) | PHYS_O 121 (3) |
Physics C (Mechanics) | PHYS_O 111 (3) |
Precalculus | MATH_O 125 (3) |
Psychology | PSYO_O 111 (3) and PSYO_O 121 (3) |
Spanish Language and Culture | SPAN_O 201 (3) and SPAN_O 202 (3) |
Spanish Literature and Culture | SPAN_O 2nd-year level (6), with exemption from SPAN_O 202 |
Statistics | STAT_O 121 (3) |
United States Government and Politics | POLI_O 1st-year level (3) |
World History | HIST_O 1st-year level (3) |
British-patterned education
If you studied British-patterned education and got a final A-Level grade of A or B in most academic science, math, and arts subjects, UBC will grant you first-year credit. If you got an A or B on an A-Level-examined subject not listed in the table below, UBC will determine your first-year credit on a case-by-case basis.
High school subject | UBC course granted (including credits) |
Accounting | COMM_O 1st-year level (3) |
Art and Design | VISA_O 1st-year level (3) |
Biology | BIOL_O 1st-year level (6) with exemption from BIOL_O 116, BIOL_O 117, BIOL_O 122, and BIOL_O 125 |
Business Studies | COMM_O 1st-year level (3) |
Chemistry | CHEM_O 121 (3) and CHEM_O 123 (3) |
Economics | ECON_O 101 (3) and ECON_O 102 (3) |
French | FREN_O 122 (3) and FREN_O 123 (3) |
German | GERM_O 210 (3) and GERM_O 2nd-year level (3) |
Islamic Studies | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Literature (English) | ENGL_O 1st-year level (6) |
Mathematics | No credit |
Mathematics (Applied) | No credit |
Mathematics (Further) | MATH_O 100 (3) and MATH_O 101 (3) |
Physics (AS Level) | PHYS_O 111 (3) |
Physics (A-Level) | PHYS_O 111 (3) and PHYS_O 121 (3) |
Psychology | PSYO_O 111 (3) and PSYO_O 121 (3) |
Sociology | SOCI_O 1st-year level (6) |
Spanish | SPAN_O 201 (3) and SPAN_O 202 (3) |
International Baccalaureate
If you completed the International Baccalaureate diploma, all Higher Level and some Standard Level IB courses will be considered for first-year credit. The table below is not exhaustive, so credit may be granted for courses not shown.
High school subject | Minimum IB score | UBC course granted (including credits) |
Arabic A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Arabic A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Arabic B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Afrikaans A or B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Afrikaans A SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Burmese A or B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Burmese A SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Biology HL | 6 | BIOL_O 1st-year level (6), with exemption from BIOL_O 116, BIOL_O 117, BIOL_O 122, and BIOL_O 125 |
Business Management SL | 5 | COMM_O 1st-year level (3) |
Business and Management HL | 5 | COMM_O 1st-year level (3) |
Chemistry HL | 6 | CHEM_O 121 (3) and CHEM_O 123 (3) |
Chinese A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Chinese A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Chinese A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Chinese A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Chinese B: Mandarin HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Classical Languages: Greek HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Classical Languages: Latin HL | 5 | LATN_O 1st-year level (6) |
Computer Science HL | 6 | COSC_O 1st-year level (6) |
Design Technology HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Digital Society HL | 6 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Dutch B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Economics SL | 5 | ECON_O 1st-year level (3)
Not for credit toward Economics specializations. |
Economics HL | 5 | ECON_O 1st-year level (6)
Not for credit toward Economics specializations. |
English Language and Literature A HL | 5 | ENGL_O 1st-year level (6) |
English Literature A HL | 5 | ENGL_O 1st-year level (6) |
Film HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Filipino B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
French A SL | 5 | FREN_O 122 (3) and FREN_O 123 (3) |
French B HL | 5 | FREN_O 122 (3) and FREN_O 123 (3) |
French Language and Literature A HL | 5 | FREN_O 222 (3) and FREN_O 223 (3) |
French Literature A HL | 5 | FREN_O 221 (3) and FREN_O 2nd-year level (3) |
Geography HL | 6 | GEOG_O 1st-year level (6) |
Georgian A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Georgian B: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Georgian A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Georgian A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
German A SL | 5 | GERM_O 200 (3) |
German A HL | 5 | GERM_O 200 (3) and GERM_O 210 (3) |
German B HL | 5 | GERM_O 110 (3) and GERM_O 200 (3) |
Global Politics HL | 5 | POLI_O 1st-year level (6) |
History HL | 5 | HIST_O 1st-year level (6) |
Icelandic A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Icelandic A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Icelandic A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Icelandic A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Indonesian A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Indonesian A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Indonesian A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Indonesian A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Indonesian B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Islamic History HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Italian A SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Italian A or B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Japanese A HL | 5 | JPST_O 1st-year level (6) |
Japanese B HL | 5 | JPST_O 1st-year level (6) |
Japanese A SL | 5 | JPST_O 1st-year level (3) |
Korean A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Korean A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Korean A SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Korean B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Lao A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Lao A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Lao A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Lao A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Malay A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Malay A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Malay A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Malay A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Math Analysis and Approaches SL | Not applicable | No credit |
Math Analysis and Approaches HL | 6 | MATH_O 100 (3) and MATH_O 101 (3) |
Math Applications and Interpretations SL | Not applicable | No credit |
Math Applications and Interpretations HL | 6 | MATH_O 1st-year level (3) Exempt MATH_O 116 |
Mongolian A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Mongolian A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Mongolian A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Mongolian A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Norwegian A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Norwegian A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Norwegian A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Norwegian A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Persian A: Literature HL or B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Persian A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Philosophy SL | 5 | PHIL_O 1st-year level (3) |
Philosophy HL | 5 | PHIL_O 1st-year level (6) |
Physics HL | 5 | PHYS_O 1st-year level (6)
With a minimum grade of 6, credit will be granted as PHYS_O 112 (3) and PHYS_O 122 (3). |
Physics SL | Not applicable | No credit |
Polish A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Polish A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Polish A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Polish A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Psychology HL | 5 | PSYO_O 111 (3) and PSYO_O 121 (3) |
Punjabi A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Punjabi A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Punjabi A or B: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Punjabi A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Russian A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Russian A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Russian A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Russian A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Slovak A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Slovak A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Slovak A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Slovak A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Social and Cultural Anthropology HL | 5 | ANTH_O 100 (3) and ANTH_O 1st-year level (3) |
Spanish B HL | 5 | SPAN_O 201 (3) and SPAN_O 202 (3) |
Spanish Language and Literature A SL | 5 | SPAN_O 301 (3) |
Spanish Language and Literature A HL | 5 | SPAN_O 302 (3) and SPAN_O 2nd-year level (3) |
Spanish Literature A SL | 5 | SPAN_O 308 (3) |
Spanish Literature A HL | 5 | SPAN_O 320 (3) and SPAN_O 2nd-year level (3) |
Sports, Exercise, and Health Science HL | 5 | SCIE_O 1st-year level (6) |
Swahili A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Swahili A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Swahili A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Swahili A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Swedish A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Swedish A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Swedish A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Swedish A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Thai A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Thai A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Thai A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Thai A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Thai B HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Theatre HL | 5 | THTR_O 1st-year level (6) |
Theory of Knowledge | A or B | PHIL_O 1st-year level (6) |
Turkish A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Turkish A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Turkish A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Turkish A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Ukrainian A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Ukrainian A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Ukrainian A: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Ukrainian A: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Vietnamese A: Language and Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Vietnamese A: Language and Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Vietnamese: Literature HL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (6) |
Vietnamese: Literature SL | 5 | ARTS_O 1st-year level (3) |
Visual Arts SL | 5 | VISA_O 102 (3) |
Visual Arts HL | 5 | VISA_O 102 (3) and VISA_O 103 (3) |