IB Exam Credit at USC
Credit Summary
Effective May 2011, USC awards either:
- Six (6) semester units of elective credit for each score of 5, 6, or 7 on the IB Higher Level exams, up to a maximum of four exams; or
- Twenty (20) semester units of elective credit to students who earn the International Baccalaureate Diploma with a score of 30 or above, whichever is higher.
Return to the general Exam Credit page for information on other types of exams.
Restrictions
- No credit is given for Standard Level exams.
- IB exams do not earn course equivalence.
- Students may not receive credit for both an IB exam (or AP or other exam) and a college course taken before high school graduation covering the same subject matter, nor for an AP and IB exam covering the same subject matter.
- Students may receive a combined maximum of 32 elective units for college courses taken before high school graduation and/or examinations (e.g., AP, IB, or other international exams) taken before matriculation at a two-year or four-year college.
General Education
In addition to elective credit, select IB examinations will satisfy the following General Education requirements:
| GE-A: Arts | Dance Film Music Theatre Visual Arts |
| GE-D: Life Sciences | Biology |
| GE-E: Physical Sciences | Chemistry Physics |
| GE-F: Quantitative Reasoning | Economics Math Analysis and Approaches Math Applications and Interpretation |
| GE-G: Citizenship in a Diverse World | Global Politics |
| GE-H: Traditions and Historical Foundations | History of Africa & the Middle East History of Asia/Oceania History of the Americas History of Europe |
Waivers
Some departments may use IB scores for placement purposes, such as waiving a course prerequisite or certain degree requirements. Contact your academic advisor for assistance regarding these waivers.
Reporting IB Scores
Students must have their scores sent directly to USC from the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), not from their high school or in any other format. Before July 5 in the year you complete the IB program, order your scores through your school’s IB coordinator. To order scores later than July 5, please visit the IBO website and follow the instructions to order transcripts. To avoid possible delays, please include your USC ID, if known, with your order.
If official scores were sent in July but do not appear on your TCR by August, email Transfer Credit Services by logging in to askUSC with your USC NetID.