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Information for:

International Baccalaureate


Acceptance Policy

Rice University awards transfer credits for International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations for students who have met the following criteria:

  • The student completed and was awarded the International Baccalaureate Diploma.  Students who completed IB certificates will not be awarded transfer credit at Rice University.
  • The student obtained a score of 6 or 7 on higher level exams.   

Receiving International Baccalaureate Credit

To receive IB credit, you will need to request an official IB score report be sent to the Office of the Registrar.  Generally, scores arrive in early August.  Rice will automatically evaluate any eligible IB examinations when the scores arrive.  Students will receive an email at their Rice email address if credits are awarded.   


IB Credit List

The following credits are awarded for higher level exams with a grade of 6 or 7.  

IB EXAM   

RICE CREDIT AWARDED

 

COURSE

COURSE TITLE

CREDIT HOURS

APPLICABLE DISTRIBUTION CREDIT

BIOLOGY

BIOS 201

INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY

3

D3

 

BIOS 202

INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY

3

D3

CHEMISTRY

CHEM 121

GENERAL CHEMISTRY I

3

D3

 

CHEM 122

GENERAL CHEMISTRY II

3

D3

 

CHEM 123

GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB I

1

D3

 

CHEM 124

GENERAL CHEMISTRY LAB II

1

D3

ECONOMICS

ECON 111

AP/OTHER CREDIT IN MICROECONOMICS

3

 

 

ECON 112

AP/OTHER CREDIT IN MACROECONOMICS

3

 

ENGLISH

ENGL 121

AP CREDIT IN ENGLISH

3

 

 

ENGL 122

AP CREDIT IN ENGLISH

3

 

FRENCH B

FREN 222

AP CREDIT IN FRENCH LANGUAGE

4

 

 

FREN 223

AP CREDIT IN FRENCH LANGUAGE

4

 

HISTORY AMERICAS

HIST 117

AMERICA TO 1848

3

D2

 

HIST 118

THE UNITED STATES, 1848-PRESENT

3

D2

HISTORY EUROPE

HIST 101

MODERN EUROPE, 1450-1789

3

D2

 

HIST 102

MODERN EUROPE, 1789-PRESENT

3

D2

MATHEMATICS

MATH 101

SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS I

3

D3

 

MATH 102

SINGLE VARIABLE CALCULUS II

3

D3

MUSIC

MUSI 317

THEORY FOR NON-MAJORS

3

D1

PHYSICS

PHYS 141

CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS

3

D3

 

PHYS 142

CONCEPTS IN PHYSICS

3

D3

PSYCHOLOGY

PSYC 101

INTRO TO PSYCHOLOGY

3

D2

SPANISH B

SPAN 222

AP CREDIT SPANISH LANGUAGE

3

 

 

SPAN 223

AP CREDIT SPANISH LANGUAGE

3

 

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FAQs 

 

What if my IB credit does not show up when I log onto ESTHER and view my unofficial transcript?

Check with the IB Organizationexternal_link to be sure your official scores were sent to Rice, and please allow ample time for the credit to be posted.  You must also allow at least 6 weeks for us to receive the scores from the IB Organizationexternal_link.  

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What if I took a higher level IB exam that is not on the list above?

Contact the Office of the Registrar.  In certain cases students may be able to get transfer credit with the approval of the appropriate department. 

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How long should I expect to wait for IB credit to show up on my academic record?

Generally, once you order the scores from the IB Organization, you should allow 6 to 8 weeks. Peak periods may require a longer turnaround time.

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I’m not sure I will need my IB credit. Could I have the scores sent to Rice later?

 Even if you think you won’t need your IB credit, you should have the scores sent to Rice during your first semester.

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Will I be able to register for classes even if my IB credit has not yet been posted?

Yes. Your advisor, however, will want to see a copy of your IB scores. You can anticipate specific course credit as indicated on the list above.

Students should be aware that until their IB credits have been articulated to their Rice transcript, they may not be able to register online for some courses that require a prerequisite. In those instances, the student will need to obtain the instructor's approval signature via a Special Registration Form and submit that form to the Office of the Registrar.

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What will happen if I take courses at Rice which are equivalent to the IB course credit I received?

Both your IB credit and your Rice enrollment will appear on your transcript, but the IB credit will be excluded from your earned hours. You cannot, for instance, retain IB credit for PHYS 141 and complete Rice enrollment in PHYS 101, PHYS 111, or PHYS 125. The Physics department considers these courses equivalent and does not allow “repeated” credit. If you receive IB credit for the PHYSICS exam (PHYS 141 and 142), and then take PHYS 101 at Rice, your credit in PHYS 141 will be excluded after you receive a final grade for PHYS 101.

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What is the maximum amount of IB credit that can be awarded?

Currently, Rice does not limit the amount of IB credit that can be awarded. However, this policy could change in the future. Be sure to check the IB policies for the year of your matriculation at Rice. 

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Does IB credit for English satisfy the English/Communication Composition requirement?

No. All students must take the English/Communication Composition exam, even if they receive IB credit for English. 

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What if I have questions that are not answered on this website?

Please contact Erin Jones, Transfer Credit Specialist, at erin.e.jones@rice.edu.

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IB List for Previous Years

Fall 2008 - Spring 2009
Fall 2007 - Spring 2008
Fall 2006 - Spring 2007
Fall 2005 - Spring 2006**
Fall 2004 - Spring 2005**
Fall 2003 - Spring 2004**
Fall 2002 - Spring 2003**
Fall 2001 - Spring 2002**

**Lists from these years are combined with Advanced Placement exam lists. 


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Last Revised : September 23, 2009