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International Baccalaureate (IB)

The International Baccalaureate (IB) exam assesses student work and measures students’ academic, intercultural and basic skills. Each campus in the CSU system determines how it will apply external examinations toward credit in the major. For students not already certified in GE (​​General Education) and/or ​​American Institutions, the campus also determines how to apply credit from such exams toward the local degree requirement. Use the chart below to find the passing score for each IB course.​

International Baccalaureate (IB)Passing ScoreMinimum Semester Credits Earned1Semester Credits Toward GE Breadth CertificationAmerican Institutions and/or GE Breadth Area2Removal Date for GE Breadth3
IB Biology HL563B2
IB Chemistry HL​563B1
IB Economics HL563D2
IB Geography HL563D5
IB History (any region) HL563C2 or D6
IB Language A Literature HL463C2
IB Language A Language and Literature HL463C2
IB Language A1 (any language) HL463C2F13
IB Language A2 (any language) HL463C2F13
IB Language B (any language) HL8460n/a
IB Mathematics HL463B4F22
​IB Mathematics HL: Analysis and Approaches
​4​6​3​B4
​IB Mathematics HL: Applications and Interpretation
​4​6​3​B4
IB Physics HL563B1
​IB Psychology HL533D9
IB Theatre HL463C1

​For more information on the CSU's External Exam policy download a copy of the CSU Systemwide Credit for External Examinations in PolicyStat.​​


1These units count toward eligibility for admission. The units may not all apply toward certification of the corre​s​ponding GE-Breadth area. See Executive Orders 1036 and 1100 for details.​

2Areas of GE Breadth (A1 through E) are defined in EO 1100. Ar​eas of American Institutions (US-1 through US-3) are set forth in Sections IA and IB of EO 1061, and at assist.org.

3Students seeking certification in GE Breadth prior to transfer must have passed the test before this date.

4If a student passes more than one AP exam in calculus or computer science, only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate.

5Students who pass AP Environmental Science earn 4 units of credit. Tests prior to Fall 2009 may apply to either B1+B3 or B2+B3 of GE Breadth. Fall of 2009 or later, those credits may only apply to B1+B3.

6If a student passes more than one AP exam in physics, only six units of credit may be applied to the baccalaureate, and only four units of credit may be applied to a certification in GE Breadth.

7If a student passes more than one CLEP test in the same language other than English (e.g., two exams in French), then only one examination may be applied to the baccalaureate. For each test in a language other than English, a passing score of 50 is considered “Level I” and earns six units of baccalaureate credit; the higher score listed for each test is considered “Level II” and earns additional units of credit and placement in Area C2 of GE Breadth, as noted.

8The IB curriculum offers language at various levels for native and non-native speakers. Language B courses are offered at the intermediate level for non-natives. Language A1 and A2 are advanced courses in literature for native and non-native speakers, respectively.​