On this page: About AL (and equivalent) transfer credit | Exams Boards and examinations that qualify | Number of credits you will be granted | Math/science subject exemptions list | Other subjects exemptions list
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This page, including the course equivalence information below, was updated on June 4, 2020. |
About Advanced Levels (and equivalent) transfer credit
Students entering a McGill program with Advanced Levels or equivalent examinations may be granted up to 30 transfer credits (equivalent to one year of study), thereby reducing the length of the degree program. The actual amount of credit granted is based on A-Level subject selection, final results, and the entering program at McGill. See the table below to view the amount of credit you might expect to receive.
Advanced standing and exemption is normally granted for the following results for subjects that qualify:
- Advanced Level (AL) and/or Advanced Subsidiary (AS): 'C' or better;
- CIE Pre-U Principal Subject:'M3' or better;
- CXC CAPE: 'III' or better.
Note: For the Desautels Faculty of Management (B.Com.) higher results in mathematics are required in order to grant credit and exemption: AL/AS: B, or better; Pre-U: M2 or better; CAPE: II, or better.
To be eligible for advanced standing you must arrange for all your official results (including those from a previous examination cycle, as well as results for AS subjects not carried through to AL) to be sent directly from the Examinations Board(s) to McGill's Enrolment Services. For the British Boards, this document is normally referred to as a Certifying Statement of Results.
If you receive a specific course exemption, but decide to take the course at McGill, you will not receive credit for the McGill course and it will not be calculated into your GPA.
McGill reserves the right to change transfer credit recognition policy without notice.
If you believe that you have mastered the material taught in a freshman math and/or science course(s) for which an exemption is NOT granted in the tables below, you may eligible to write an admission placement exam. For information, see www.mcgill.ca/exams/dates/science
| For students entering in 2022-23: Advanced standing will be granted regardless of whether final results were achieved through final examinations or centre-assessed grades. |
Boards and examinations that qualify
Exams Board |
Exams |
|
AQA |
Assessment and Qualifications Alliance (UK) |
AL, AS |
CGCEB |
Cameroon General Certificate of Education Board | AL |
CIE |
Cambridge International Examinations |
AL, AS, |
CCEA |
Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (Northern Ireland) |
AL, AS |
CXC |
Caribbean Examination Council |
CAPE |
Pearson Edexcel |
Pearson Edexcel |
AL, AS |
NECTA |
National Examinations Council of Tanzania |
Advanced Certificate of Secondary Education Examination (ACSEE) |
OCR
|
Oxford Cambridge & RSA Examinations |
AL, AS |
SEAB |
Singapore Examinations & Assessment Board |
Higher 2 (H2), Higher 1 (H1) |
SQA |
Scottish Qualifications Authority |
Adv Higher |
UNEB |
Uganda National Examination Board |
Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) (AL) |
WJEC |
Welsh Joint Examination Committee |
AL, AS |
ZIMSEC |
Zimbabwe School Examinations Council | AL |
The number of credits you will be granted
Note that ‘AL or A-Levels’ is used in this document in a generic sense and refers to AL, AS, and equivalent examinations.
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Program/Faculty you are entering at McGill |
Minimum of three Advanced Level subjects (with final results of ‘C’ or better; minimum B in maths for B.Com.) |
You will be granted: |
Additional comments |
|---|---|---|---|
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Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (AES), incl. Bioresource Engineering, Food Science, Human Nutrition |
A-Levels include math and at least one of biology, chemistry, physics |
30 credits |
See charts below for specific McGill course exemptions |
|
Arts (B.A.) |
|
30 credits |
See charts below for specific exemptions |
|
Architecture (B.Sc.Arch.) |
Credits are granted for equivalent math, science and humanities/social science subjects (tbd) |
TBD |
See charts below for specific McGill course exemptions |
|
Bachelor of Arts & Science |
|
30 credits |
See charts below for specific McGill course exemptions |
|
Education (B.Ed.) |
|
30 credits |
See charts below for specific McGill course exemptions |
|
Engineering (B.Eng.) |
Credits are granted for equivalent math and science subjects, as well as 3 credits for one humanities/social science subject, as per the charts below. |
8 - 26 credits |
See charts below for specific McGill course exemptions |
|
Kinesiology (B.Sc.Kines.) Note: This program allows a maximum of 24 credits for non-math/non-science courses |
Dependent on the Exams Board and exemptions granted |
24– 30 credits |
See charts below for specific McGill course exemptions |
|
Management (B.Com.) |
AL Math completed with a ‘B’ or better |
30 credits |
See chart below for specific McGill course exemptions |
|
Nursing (B.Sc.N.) |
Credits are granted for equivalent math and science subjects, plus a possible 6 elective credits. |
9 - 26 credits Dependent on the math/science subjects written and Exams Boards |
See charts below for specific McGill course exemptions |
|
Science (B.Sc.) Note: This program allows a maximum of 18 credits for non-math/non-science |
A-Levels include math and at least one of biology, chemistry, physics |
30 credits |
See charts below for specific McGill course exemptions |
Subjects that qualify
Use the tables below to see if you have passed a subject that is equivalent to a McGill course. If so, you may be exempt from that McGill course in accordance with faculty policy and you will be granted transfer credits.
Please use this legend to interpret the abbreviations in the charts:
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Math and science subjects exemptions list
In this section:
AQA | Int’l AQA | Cameroon | CCEA | CIE | CXC | NECTA | OCR | Pearson Edexcel | SEAB | SQA | UNEB | WJEC | ZIMSEC
Notes:
- If the qualification you completed is not listed below, please contact Service Point for information regarding credit and exemption.
- In the tables below, some maths subjects marked with asterisk (*) have additional information required. This information can be presented/submitted to Service Point in the form of a school-attested copy of your Statement of Results or, if presenting in person, you may show your original copy. Your record can then be evaluated for possible exemption.
- Engineering students (including B.Sc.Arch) who receive credit for PHYS 101 and PHYS 102 will not be required to complete PHYS 131 or PHYS 142
- BEng (Software) only can be granted either BIOL 112 OR CHEM 110
- Students at Macdonald Campus can view equivalent course codes at AES Course Equivalencies
Edexcel |
See Pearson Edexcel |
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Other subjects exemptions list
Board |
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AQA |
AL Accounting 7127 | TBD | ARCH, EN | |
CIE |
AL Accounting 9706 |
MGCR 211 (3cr) |
ARCH, EN |
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Pearson
|
IAL Accounting YAC11 | TBD | ARCH, EN |
Notes:
- Students in Engineering will be granted a maximum of three credits for any of the following which are eligible.
- Students presenting an AS result in a subject(s) below, and where that subject is not carried through to A-Level, may be granted 3 credits for the same exemption as noted in this table.
- Any credit granted for AS will not exceed the total credits indicated in the section The number of credits you will be granted
GCE Subject |
McGill General Departmental Exemption |
Excluded Faculty/Program |
Entry updated |
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AL Art & Design |
EDEA 1XX |
AES, ARCH, EN, SC |
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AL Art History |
ARTH 1XX |
EN |
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AL Arabic |
ISLA 1XX |
EN |
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AL Business AL Business & Management AL Business Studies |
BUSA 1XX |
ARCH, EN |
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AL Chinese |
EAST 1XX |
EN |
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AL Classical Studies |
CLAS 1XX |
EN |
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AL Computer Science |
COMP 1XX |
B.Eng.Civil |
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AL Design & Technology |
TRNS 1XX |
ARCH, EN |
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AL Drama AL Drama & Theatre |
ENGL 1XX |
EN |
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AL Economics |
ECON 1XX |
(Engineering: max of 3 credits) |
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AL English AL English Literature |
ENGL 1XX |
EN |
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AL Environmental Science |
ENVR 1XX |
EN |
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AL Film Studies |
ENGL 1XX |
EN |
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AL French |
FRSL 1XX |
ARCH (TBD) |
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AL Geography |
GEOG 1XX |
EN |
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AL German |
GERM 1XX |
EN |
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AL Government & Politics |
POLI 1XX |
(Engineering: max of 3 credits) |
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AL History |
HIST 1XX |
(Engineering: max of 3 credits) |
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AL History of Art |
ARTH 1XX |
EN |
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AL Italian |
ITAL 1XX |
EN |
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AL Japanese |
EAST 1XX |
EN |
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AL Latin |
CLAS 1XX |
EN |
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AL Music |
MUAR 1XX |
EN |
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AL Philosophy |
PHIL 1XX |
(Engineering: max of 3 credits) |
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AL Philosophy & Theology |
PHIL 1XX |
(Engineering: max of 3 credits) |
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AL Politics |
POLI 1XX |
(Engineering: max of 3 credits) |
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AL Psychology |
PSYC 1XX |
(Engineering: max of 3 credits) |
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AL Religious Studies |
RELG 1XX |
EN |
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AL Russian |
RUSS 1XX |
EN |
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AL Sociology |
SOCI 1XX |
(Engineering: max of 3 credits) |
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AL Spanish |
HISP 1XX |
EN |
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