Stanford
Student Services

IBO International Baccalaureate Higher Level Chart

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.

See below for charts (PDFs) from previous years.

Effective for Undergraduates Matriculating 2022-23

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: 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

*  'Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations' HL exam taken from May 2021 and later does not receive credit. More information about Introductory Math Courses is available on the Department of Mathematics website, please see the detailed Topics List.

To request IB credit at Stanford, contact the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to request that your IB scores be sent to Stanford. Students who do not see IB credit on their record after Autumn quarter of their first year and are expecting to should submit a help request. 

Previous Years’ Charts (PDFs)