International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit Policy 2023-2024

The International Baccalaureate (IB) exam assesses student work and measures students’ academic, intercultural and basic skills.

Credit may be earned for the International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations with scores of 4 or higher.

A score of 5, 6, or 7 on Higher Level exams is required to grade credit for IGETC certification.

If you took an IB exam and received a minimum score of 4 or higher in a subject matter, you can:

Request your official IB Score Reports to be sent to your SMCCCD college
Please Note: If you have submitted your scores to another institution outside our district, you will need to submit your scores again to SMCCCD.

Upon receipt of your official IB scores, course/unit equivalencies will be determined according to the SMCCCD IB Credit equivalency guide, and post coursework and units to your SMCCCD transcripts. You should meet with a counselor upon notification to determine if you wish to accept, decline or appeal the IB course equivalency.

The following chart outlines the application of credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) towards each SMCCCD College’s Coursework, Associate Degree General Education (GE) requirements, California State University General Education (CSU GE) Breadth Certification, and Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) Certification.

If your SMCCCD college does not offer a course similar in content to an IB exam, the college will award credit in the General Education area shown on the California Community College General Education IB List. If there is no General Education area that aligns to the IB exam, the College may award elective credit.

Please Note: 

  • Grades and Grade Points will not be assigned to IB Credit.
  • The catalog year of the International Baccalaureate Credit Policy at the time in which the exam was taken, will be applied when determining credit earned.
  • An acceptable IB scores for IGETC equates to either 3 semester or 4 quarter units for certification purposes.
  • Students who have earned credit from an IB exam should not take a comparable college course because transfer credit will not be granted for both.
  • If you have any questions regarding Math and English placement or International Baccalaureate (IB) credit please contact your counselor.
  • If you plan to transfer to another institution, please be aware that every college/university has their own policies about Credit for Prior Learning.  What was accepted at SMCCCD may not be accepted at another institution. Please consult your intended transfer institution. 

All units listed are semester units.

SMCCCD IB Credit Equivalency Guide

IB Examination HL

SMCCCD Course Equivalent 

SMCCCD Associate Degree GE Area (3 semester units with a minimum score of 5, unless otherwise indicated)

CSU Credit Units (A minimum score of 5, unless otherwise indicated) (Units not applied at SMCCCD)

CSU GE Breadth Area (3 semester units with a minimum score of 5, unless otherwise indicated)

IGETC Area (3 semester units with a minimum score of 5)

UC Credit Units (Units not applied at SMCCCD)

Biology 

N/A

Skyline & Cañada: B2 and B3 (4 units)

CSM: E5A (4 units)

6

B2

5B 

5.3

Chemistry 

CHEM 192 (score: 5,6) CHEM 210 (score: 7)

Skyline & Cañada: B1 and B3

CSM: E5A


AA/AS Units: CHEM 210 (5 units), CHEM 192 (4 units)

6

B1

5A

5.3

Economics

N/A

Skyline & Cañada: D

CSM: E5B

6

D

4

5.3

Geography 

GEOG 100

Skyline & Cañada: D

CSM: E5B

6

D

4

5.3

History (any Region) 

N/A

Skyline & Cañada: C2 or D

CSM: E5B or E5C

6

C2 or D

3B or 4 

5.3

Language A Literature (Any Language)

N/A

Skyline & Cañada: C2 (Minimum Score of 4)

CSM: E5C (Minimum Score of 4)

6 (Minimum Score of 4)

C2 (Minimum Score of 4)

3B (1)

5.3

Language A Language and Literature (Any Language)

N/A

Skyline & Cañada: C2 (Minimum Score of 4)

CSM: E5C (Minimum Score of 4)

6 (Minimum Score of 4) 

C2 (Minimum Score of 4)

N/A

5.3

Language B (any language)  

N/A

N/A

6 (Minimum Score 4)

N/A

6A

5.3

Mathematics

MATH 251

Skyline & Cañada: A3 (Minimum Score of 4) Meets Math Competency Requirement (5 units)

CSM: C1 and E2C (Minimum Score of 4) (5 units)

6

B4 (Minimum Score of 4)

2

5.3

Physics

PHYS 210, PHYS 220

Skyline & Cañada: B1 (4 units)

CSM: E5A (4 units)

6

B1

5A

5.3

Psychology 

PSYC 100

Skyline & Cañada: D

CSM: E5C

3

D

4

5.3

Theatre

N/A

Skyline & Cañada: C1 (Minimum Score of 4)

CSM: E5C (Minimum Score of 4)

6

C1 (Minimum Score of 4)

3A

5.3

(1) Students earn IGETC area 3B and 6A if they pass IB Language A Literature or Language A Language and Literature with any language except English.