Rules for Using International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit for the Associate Degree

Oxnard College faculty have established minimum qualifying scores and, where appropriate, local General Education (GE) certification areas for International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations as outlined below:

1. Students who complete the IB Diploma with a score of 30 or higher will be awarded 20 semester units of credit.
2. Students completing IB Higher Level (HL) examinations with scores of 5, 6, or 7 will receive credit for each exam as specified below. 
3. Standard Level (SL) examinations do not qualify for credit.
4. For GE certification purposes, an acceptable IB score is equivalent to 3 semester or 4 quarter units of credit, unless otherwise noted. 
5. Students who receive credit for an IB examination should not enroll in a comparable college course, as duplicate credit will not be awarded.
6. Credit awarded for IB examinations will not affect a student’s grade point average (GPA), nor may the units be applied toward financial aid eligibility or the 12-unit residency requirement.
7. Units awarded for IB credit are not subject to district limits on Credit for Prior Learning or Pass/No Pass grading.

Reference:

1. VCCCD AP 4235 Credit for Prior Learning January 2025.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Credit for Transfer and Cal-GETC

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Organization awards either an IB Diploma or a certificate for individual IB examinations. The University of California (UC) system grants students who complete the IB diploma with a score of 30 or higher with 6 quarter (4 semester) units toward the UC degree, in addition to the units earned for individual Higher Level (HL) examinations (usually 24 quarter/16 semester units). Students who earn scores of 5, 6 or 7 on designated IB Higher Level examinations will receive 8 quarter (5.3 semester) units per examination, as determined by the receiving institution.

Designated IB Higher Level examinations completed with a score of 5 or higher may be used to satisfy portions of the seven-course pattern for transfer admission; however, IB examinations may not be used to satisfy the English composition requirement.

IB examinations may also be awarded elective credit applicable toward graduation, major preparation, and/or general education or breadth requirements at the California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC), as determined by each individual campus.

Units awarded for IB examinations are not counted toward the maximum number of units allowed for declaration of a major or accumulated prior to graduation. Students entering a UC campus with IB credit are not required to declare a major earlier than other students or graduate sooner as a result of earned IB credit.

Rules for IB Credit and Transfer

Students should consult the CSU and UC system office websites, as well as individual campus catalogs for information regarding the application of IB subject credit. The following rules and chart identify IB examinations that may be applied toward transfer and Cal-GETC certification.

• A minimum score of 5 on an IB Higher Level (HL) examination is required for Cal-GETC certification. Standard Level (SL) examinations do not qualify for Cal-GETC certification.
• For Cal-GETC certification purposes, an acceptable score is equivalent to 3 semester units or 4 quarter units, unless otherwise specified.
• Students who receive credit for an IB examination should not enroll in a comparable college course, as duplicate credit will not be awarded.
• The IB curriculum includes language coursework designed for both native and non-native speakers. Language B courses are intended for students with intermediate proficiency who are non-native speakers of the language.
• IB courses that have been discontinued are not included in the table below. Students with catalog rights may be eligible to use a discontinued examination if it was approved under the directly comparable IGETC pattern or Cal-GETC requirements in effect at the time the examination was completed.
• Final determination of transfer credit, including any unit differences beyond those applied to Cal-GETC certification, is made by the receiving CSU or UC campus at the time of admission.
• Duplication of credit: College coursework completed before or after transfer may duplicate IB, AP, and/or A-Level examinations. When duplication occurs between examinations of similar subject content or between an examination and a college course, credit will be awarded only once.
• For additional information regarding IB credit, refer to the University of California (UC) policy on International Baccalaureate (IB) credit. Students may also refer to the California State University (CSU) systemwide minimum standards, CSU Systemwide Credit for External Examinations, which govern the use of IB and other external examinations for awarding general education credit.

¹

IB exam may be used in either area regardless of where the certifying CCC's discipline is located.

²

Credit may not be granted at all UCs.

Reference:

• UC Admissions and IB Credit
• 2025 Cal-GETC Standards, Policies, and Procedures. Version 1.3