International Baccalaureate

As an IB Diploma holder, you’ve already proved your academic skills. At SFU, we value your strong work ethic, solid organizational skills and a fierce spirit of inquiry. Join our university community in seeking out solutions that can make a difference.

We grant:

If you are completing a partial IB program, we will consider you for admission on the basis of your secondary school results. Transfer credit will be granted for higher level courses completed with a minimum score of 5. Transfer credit is not awarded for standard level courses.

General admission requirements

Requirements may vary, depending on the term you are applying for.

check square 11  English Language requirement

You must meet our English Language Requirement.

check square 11  Quantitative and Analytical Skills requirement

You must meet our Quantitative and Analytical Skills requirement.

check square 11  General admission requirements - Full IB Diploma

  • You must successfully complete the full IB Diploma, including at least 3 HL courses
  • You can meet program requirements for admission at either the Higher or Standard Level
  • Predicted bonus points are not used in the admission evaluation
  • IB Diploma students are required to submit an IB Predicted Grades Report. Please connect with your high school counsellors and ask them to upload your predicted IB grades here.

check square 11  General admission requirements - Partial IB Program

  • Are you enrolled in a partial IB/IB certificate program? You will be considered for admission on the basis of your secondary school results. 

Faculty/program-specific admission requirements

Faculty of Applied Science

Computing Science (including the Zhejiang Dual Degree Program*), Geographic Information Science, Software Systems

  • IB Math Analysis and Approaches HL or SL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL. IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL will not satisfy the requirement
  • One of: IB Biology HL or SL, or IB Chemistry HL or SL, or IB Physics HL or SL
*NOTE: Dual Degree Program applicants: The SFU-Zhejiang University Computing Science Dual Degree Program is open to domestic and international students. Prospective students from China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, who do not hold Canadian citizenship, need to gain admission via Zhejiang University.

Engineering Science,  Mechatronic Systems Engineering, Sustainable Energy Engineering*

  • IB Math Analysis and Approaches HL or SL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL. IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL will not satisfy the requirement
  • IB Chemistry HL or SL
  • IB Physics HL or SL

*If you are applying to the Sustainable Energy Engineering program, you must complete a Supplemental Application.

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Anthropology; Archaeology; Asia-Canada; Cognitive Science; Criminology; Economics; English; Explorations; First Nations; French; French Cohort; Gender, Sexuality and Women's Studies; Gerontology; Hellenic Studies; History; Humanities; International Studies; Labour Studies; Languages; Latin American Studies; Linguistics; Philosophy; Political Science; Psychology; Sociology; World Literature

  • Must meet general requirements - no additional faculty/program course prerequisites

Beedie School of Business

Accounting, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Finance, Human Resource Management, International Business, Management Information Systems, Marketing, Operations Management

  • IB Math Analysis and Approaches HL or SL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL. IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL will not satisfy the requirement

For secondary school applicants, admission to SFU Business Administration programs will be based on a combination of your academic performance and an assessment of your broad based supplemental application form. For details, please see the Beedie School of Business website.

Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology

Communication

  • Must meet general requirements - no additional faculty/program course prerequisites

Contemporary Arts

Interactive Arts and Technology

  • IB Math Analysis and Approaches HL or SL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL. IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL will not satisfy the requirement

Faculty of Education

Bachelor of General Studies

  • Must meet general requirements - no additional faculty/program course prerequisites

Faculty of Environment

Archaeology, Geography

  • Must meet general requirements - no additional faculty/program course prerequisites

Environmental Science, Geographic Information Science, Physical Geography

  • IB Math Analysis and Approaches HL or SL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL. IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL will not satisfy the requirement
  • Two of: IB Biology HL or SL, or IB Chemistry HL or SL, or IB Physics HL or SL, or IB Geography HL or SL

Bachelor of Environment - Resource and Environmental Management, Global Environmental Systems

  • Must meet general requirements - no additional faculty/program course prerequisites

Faculty of Health Sciences

Bachelor of Arts

  • Must meet general requirements - no additional faculty/program course prerequisites

Bachelor of Science

  • IB Math Analysis and Approaches HL or SL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL. IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL will not satisfy the requirement

Faculty of Science

Behavioral Neuroscience, Biological Sciences, Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology, Chemistry, Data Science, Earth Sciences, General Science, Mathematics, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Physics, Statistics and Actuarial Science

  • IB Math Analysis and Approaches HL or SL, or IB Math Applications and Interpretations HL. IB Math Applications and Interpretations SL will not satisfy the requirement
  • Two of: IB Biology SL or HL, or IB Chemistry HL or SL, or IB Physics HL or SL, or IB Geography HL or SL

IB transfer credit

IB Diploma Program:
One full year of transfer credit (30 units) is granted for a completed IB Diploma.

IB Certificate Courses:
Students completing a Partial IB Diploma/IB Certificate will be granted transfer credit for Higher Level courses completed with a grade of 5 or higher. Transfer credit will not be granted for Standard Level courses.

Transfer credit awarded for Higher Level (HL) courses

Biology, general: BISC 101 (4) , BISC 102 (4)
Business and management: BUS 1XX-Q (3)
Chemistry: CHEM 121 (4), CHEM 122 (2)
Classical languages: WL 1XX (3)
Computer science: CMPT 120 (3), CMPT 1XX (3)
Dance: CA 1DANCE (6)
Design technology: IAT 1XX (5)
Economics: ECON 103 (4), ECON 105 (4)
English (Language A: literature or language and literature): ENGL 111 (3), ENGL 1XX (3) or WL102 (3), WL 1XX (3)
Film: CA 1XX (3) Film History, CA 1XX (3) Film Studio
Further Mathematics: MACM 101 (3), MATH 1XX (3)
Geography: GEOG 100 (3), GEOG 111 (3)
Global Politics: POL 1XX (6)
History: HIST 225 (3), HIST 1XX (3)
Information technology in a global society: CMPT 1XX (6)
Language A and B (various): LANG 1XX (6) - name of Language B or WL 1XX (3) and LANG 1XX (3); except for English Language B = no credit; French Language = FREN 1XX (6) or FREN 1XX (3) and WL 1XX (3) depending on placement test; Italian = ITAL 100 (3), ITAL 101 (3); Mandarin = CHIN 100 (3), CHIN 101 (3)
Latin: HUM 1XX-LATIN (6)
Mathematics: MATH 1XX (6); MATH 151 (3), MATH 152 (3), MATH 1XX (3) with a score of 6 or higher
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches: MATH 1XX (6); MATH 151 (3), MATH 152 (3) with a score of 6 or higher
Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations: MATH 1XX (6); MATH 157 (3), STAT 205 (3) with a score of 6 or higher
Music: CA 1XX (6)
Philosophy: PHIL 1XX (6)
Physics: PHYS 101 (3), PHYS 102 (3)
Psychology: PSYC 100 (3), PSYC 102 (3)
Social & cultural anthropology: SA 101 (4), SA 1XX-ANTH (4)
Sport, Exercise and Health Science: BPK 141 (3), KIN 1XX (3)
Theatre arts: CA 1XX (6) Theatre Studio
Theory of Knowledge: PHIL1XX (6) (Only awarded on completed Diploma)
Visual Art: CA 1XX (6)

Transfer credit awarded for Standard Level (SL) courses (for IB Diploma holders)

IB Diploma holders will be awarded three units of general credit for transferable SL courses, for example, Physics SL = PHYS 1XX (3)

Click to see the conversion of IB exam grades to high school percentages

 

IB SL Grade IB HL Grade IB HL Math Grade Equivalent %
-- -- 7 100
-- 7 6 98
7 6 5 96
6 5 4 90
5 4 3 86
4 3 -- 76
3 -- -- 70

IB high school course equivalents

 These apply to BC high school students for admission to Fall 2019 onwards.

Students completing the partial or Certificate IB program:

  • IB courses may be in used in place of an approved Grade 12 course to fulfill the admission requirements of List A and/or List B courses.
  • IB courses with direct course equivalents will be used as such. 
  • IB courses with subject area equivalents may be used within List A for certain programs, as noted below, otherwise they will be considered as List B.

Click to see the list of IB courses with subject area equivalents 

IB Course

BC Course or Subject Area equivalent

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

IB English A (HL/SL) English 12/English First Peoples/English Studies 12
IB Language A: Literature (HL/SL) English Literature 12/Literary Studies 12

SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

IB Economics (HL/SL) Economics 12/Economic Theory 12
IB Geography (HL/SL) Geography 12/Human Geography 12/Physical Geography 12
IB History (HL/SL) History 12/Genocide Studies 12/20th Century World History
IB Philosophy (HL/SL) Philosophy 12
IB Environmental Systems (SL)
IB Business Management (HL/SL)
IB Global Politics (HL/SL)
IB Information Technology in a Global Society (HL/SL)
IB Psychology (HL/SL)
IB Social and Cultural Anthropology (HL/SL)IB World Religions (SL)

Considered as List A equivalents for:

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Faculty of Environment – BA, BENV
Faculty of Education - BGS
School of Communication
Faculty of Health Sciences – BA, BSc
Beedie School of Business

MATHEMATICS

IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL Calculus 12 and/or Pre-calculus 12
IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL Pre-calculus 12
IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations HL Pre-calculus 12
IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations SL Foundations of Mathematics 12

SCIENCES

IB Biology (HL/SL) Biology 12/Anatomy & Physiology 12
IB Chemistry (HL/SL) Chemistry 12
IB Physics (HL/SL) Physics 12
IB Computer Science (HL/SL)
IB Design Technology (HL/SL)
IB Sports, Exercise and Health Sciences (HL/SL)

Considered as List A equivalents for:

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Faculty of Education - BGS
Faculty of Environment – BA, BENV
School of Communication
Faculty of Health Sciences – BA, BSc
Beedie School of Business

LANGUAGES

IB French B (HL/SL) French 12
IB French ab initio
IB Mandarin B (HL/SL) Mandarin 12
IB Mandarin ab initio
IB Spanish B (HL/SL)  Spanish 12
IB Spanish ab initio

ARTS EDUCATION

IB Dance Any Dance 12 course
IB Film Drama: Film & TV 12/Film & Television 12
IB Music Instrumental Music 12/Choral Music 12/Contemporary Music 12
IB Theatre Arts Any Theatre 12 course
IB Visual Arts Visual Arts 12/Art Studio 12/Studio Arts 2D/Studio Arts 3D