IBO International Baccalaureate Higher Level Chart
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You can apply a maximum of 45 quarter units of advanced testing credit or coursework transfer credit toward your undergraduate degree. If you are considering applying for credit for IB exams, you should be aware of the following:
- Only higher-level IB exams with scores of 5 or higher, in the subjects listed below, are eligible for credit.
- Subjects not listed on this chart are not eligible for IB credit.
- Scores of 5 or higher on language IB exams fulfill the language requirement.
- Stanford may remove credit for IB work from your record if your subsequent Stanford coursework duplicates IB credit course content.
- If you take a Stanford course below the level of the placement course, Stanford removes the corresponding IB units from your student record. Courses taken below the level of placement are considered duplicating courses.
- Stanford only accepts exams taken for Higher Level (HL) we do not accept (SL) exams and below.
- You may not receive duplicate unit credit for AP and IB exams in the same discipline. Stanford will remove AP credit from your student's record if you earn duplicate credit through the IB exam in the same discipline.
- Stanford allows up to 10 units of credit per discipline or some of the IB exams.
- If you are a transfer student who has not met the 90 unit maximum with incoming transfer credit, you may request additional units in external test credit (e.g., Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, etc.) by submitting your scores directly to Stanford.
See below for charts (PDFs) from previous years.
Effective for Undergraduates Matriculating 2021-22
| SUBJECT | SCORE | PLACEMENT | QUARTER UNITS | DUPLICATING COURSES |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | 5 or higher | CHEM 33 or higher. Placement above Chem 33 requires department-administered placement test. Email chemistry-studentservices@stanford.edu | 10 | CHEM 31A & 31B |
| Computer Science | 5 or higher | CS 106B or CS 106X | 5 | CS 101, CS 105, 106A |
| Chinese (A or B)* | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | CHINLANG 1, 2, 3, 1A, 2A |
| Classical Greek (HL) | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | CLASSICS 1L, 2L, 3L |
| French (A or B)* | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | FRENLANG 1, 2, 3, 1A, 2A |
| German (A or B)* | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | GERLANG 1, 2, 3, 1A, 2A |
| Japanese (A or B)* | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | JAPANLNG 1, 2, 3, 1A, 2A |
| Korean (A or B)* | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | KORLANG 1, 2, 3, 1A, 2A |
| Latin (A or B)* | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | CLASSICS 1L, 2L, 3L |
| Mathematics | 6 or higher. HL exam taken November 2020 or earlier | Take placement diagnostic, see the Math Placement web site | 10 | MATH 19, 20, 21 |
| Mathematics: Analysis & Approaches* | 6 or higher. HL exam taken from May 2021 and later | Take placement diagnostic, see the Math Placement web site | 6 | Math 19, 20 |
| Physics | 6 or higher | Placement diagnostic required. Contact the Physics Department for additional placement information | 8 | PHYSICS 21, 23 |
| 5 | Placement diagnostic required. Contact the Physics Department for additional placement information | 4 | PHYSICS 21 | |
| Portuguese (A or B)* | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | PORTLANG 1, 2, 3, 1A, 2A |
| Russian (A or B)* | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | SLAVLANG 1, 2, 3, 1A, 2A |
| Spanish (A or B)* | 5 or higher | Take placement exam if continuing in this language | 10 | SPANLANG 1, 2, 3, 1A, 2A |
|
* A score of 5 or higher on this test fulfills the Language Requirement. *Mathematics: applications and interpretations HL exam taken from May 2021 and later does not receive credit |
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To request IB credit at Stanford, contact the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to request that your IB scores be sent to Stanford. For incoming freshman, the credit will be posted to your student record in mid-September.