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Advanced standing, transfer credit & exemptions

What are advanced standing, transfer credit and exemptions?

Advanced standing/transfer credit

Refers to credit you may be granted based on the curriculum you completed before coming to McGill (e.g. CEGEP, IB Diploma or French Baccalaureate) or courses you've completed at another university/college (e.g. a math course you took at a college over the summer).

  • Receiving credit can help you progress more quickly through you degree by reducing the number of credits needed to graduate. 
  • When you receive credit for your pre-McGill studies, it may be accompanied by exemptions from specific McGill courses.

 

Exemptions

Exemptions are granted if you pass a McGill placement exam or have completed a course at another institution that is deemed the academic equivalent of a McGill course. An exemption does not give you course credits, but often accompanies advanced standing and transfer credit. Example: if you took a university course over the summer that is deemed the academic equivalent McGill's CHEM 120, you would receive credit AND an exemption for CHEM 120.

In some cases, an exemption may be given without any accompanying credit (for example, if you pass a McGill placement exam).  This means you won't have to take the course for which you received the exemption, but the overall credits you need to graduate won't be reduced.

If have questions about credits and exemptions, your Degree advisor can help.

Have you taken (or do you plan to take) any university or college courses before starting your studies at McGill?  Let us know! You may be eligible for credits and exemptions, but we can't process your credit/exemption if you don't inform the SOUSA Office (note: sending an official transcript to McGill does not automatically trigger a review for credits and exemptions).  You must follow the steps outlined HERE to have your credits and exemptions processed.

What is the difference between U0 and U1?

You will be in U0 if you have been admitted without advanced standing or with less than 24 credits of advanced standing/transfer credit. U0 students are automatically registered in the Foundation program (formerly the "Freshman Year").

You will be in U1 if you have been admitted with 24 or more credits of advanced standing/transfer credit. U1 students can declare their programs when registering for classes. Important: you may still have Foundation requirements to fulfill! Depending on the curriculum and courses you completed before starting at McGill, you may still be required to take certain Foundation program courses.

Note: You may see a Foundation Courses Incomplete or Freshman Courses Incomplete warning in the Student Holds at the top of your unofficial Minerva transcript. This is a warning, not a hold, and will not block you from course registration. If you believe that you have satisfied the Foundation program requirements and that this is showing in error, please contact your Degree advisor.

What advanced standing can I expect to receive?

I did not complete any advanced-level course work during my pre-McGill studies.
I completed a CEGEP DEC in Science or Integrated Arts and Science
  • You will be placed in U1.
  • You will receive 30 credits of advanced standing.
  • You will receive exemptions that satisfy the Foundation/Freshman program requirements.
  • Depending on the courses you completed in CEGEP, you may receive additional exemptions (but not additional credit) for certain courses. Consult the table on the Transfer Credit website for information on these additional exemptions. Note: if you cannot find your CEGEP course in the table, speak with a Degree advisor.
  • You will be able to declare your program(s) (Majors, Minors, etc.) in your first year at McGill and these choices should guide your first year course selection.

 

Have you also (or do you plan to complete) any university/college courses before starting your studies at McGill?  If so, consult Pre-McGill University Transfer Credit for additional steps you must take.
I completed a CEGEP DEC in a different field
  • You will be placed in U1.
  • You will receive 30 credits of advanced standing.
  • You will receive some exemptions, but may still have Foundation/Freshman program requirements and should consult with your Degree advisor to determine your requirements.
  • You may have a Foundation Courses Incomplete warning on your transcript.
  • Depending on the courses you completed in CEGEP, you may receive additional exemptions (but not additional credit) for certain courses. Consult the table on the Transfer Credit website for information on these additional exemptions. Note: if you cannot find your CEGEP course in the table, speak with a Degree advisor.
  • You will be able to declare your program(s) (Majors, Minors, etc.) in your first year at McGill and these choices should guide your first year course selection.

 

Have you also (or do you plan to complete) any university/college courses before starting your studies at McGill? If so, consult Pre-McGill University Transfer Credit for additional steps you must take.
I completed advanced-level coursework (such as AP exams, International Baccalaureate, French Baccalaureate, A-Levels etc.).
  • If you are awarded 23 or fewer credits, you will remain a U0 student and you will have to complete several Foundation program requirements before you can declare your program (Major(s)/Minor(s)/etc.).
  • If you are awarded 24 or more credits, your year level will be changed to U1. You will be able to declare your program(s) (Majors, Minors, etc.). However, depending on the courses you took in high school (and the exemptions you are granted), you may still be required to take certain Foundation/Freshman program courses.
  • Consult the Transfer Credit website for details on any credits and course exemptions you can expect to receive. Any Foundation program requirements that are not met must be taken in order to graduate.
  • Regardless of whether you begin your studies as a U0 or U1 student, you are encouraged to use the Foundation Program Planner to

 

Have you also (or do you plan to complete) any university/college courses before starting your studies at McGill? If so, consult Pre-McGill University Transfer Credit for additional steps you must take.
I completed university courses at / transferred from another university.
  • If you are awarded 23 or fewer credits, your year level will be U0.
  • If you are awarded 24 or more transfer credits, your year level will be U1. Please note that you may receive a maximum of 60 credits 
  • Consult Pre-McGill University Transfer Credit for the steps required to have your pre-McGill coursework assessed.

How do I submit my final marks?

 You must ensure that your final results are received in a timely manner. If you did not indicate your previous courses when you applied to McGill, you must contact Enrolment Services via Service Point and have your application checklist updated.

Send in your final marks

When will I see my advanced standing, transfer credit and/or exemptions on my record?

Enrolment Services will process your final, official transcript(s) over the Summer and record your advanced standing, transfer credits and/or exemptions on your McGill transcript by October at the latest. Once your results have been processed, you will be able to see what you have been granted on your student transcript using Minerva (Minerva > Student Menu > Student Records Menu > View your unofficial transcript).  If you are expecting credit and/or exemptions and do not see it on your transcript by October, please contact your Degree advisor as soon as possible.

NOTE: in some cases your year level (U0 or U1) may change after Enrolment Services has processed your final transcript(s).

Can I retake a course for which I've received credit?

You will not be prevented from doing so, but know that you cannot receive additional credit towards your degree if you take a course that overlaps in content with a course for which you have already received credit at McGill (this includes courses taken at McGill and at other institutions).  If you have received advanced standing for a statistics courses, please consult the course overlap regulations for information on the equivalent statistics courses. 

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