Will my child's diploma be accepted abroad? IB, French bac, A levels, Abitur and others

"Direct" = accepted for first-year entry with no extra exam or year (the course's grades and subjects still apply). "Conditions" = accepted only with specific subjects, levels or minimum grades, or after a conversion step. "Extra step" = a foundation year, entrance exam or first year of college is usually needed.

Sources for each cell are in the sections below and in the country guides (§5 "Entry requirements for foreign qualifications"). cells were not confirmed on an official page.

Germany is where foreign diplomas fail most often. Each federal state recognises diplomas according to rules agreed by the KMK (the conference of the states' education ministers); the university checks them itself or through uni-assist, the application service used by many of them.

The IB Diploma: the classic trap

The IB gives direct access to all subjects only if the six exam subjects follow the KMK pattern (agreement of 1986, version of 15 June 2023, annexes of March and May 2026): ¹

• Two languages at level A or B. If both are Language B, one of them must be taken at Higher Level. An ab initio language does not count. ¹
• One natural science: Biology, Chemistry or Physics. Environmental Systems and Societies, Computer Science, Design Technology and Sports, Exercise and Health Science count only as the sixth subject, not as the science. ¹
• Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretation. ¹
• One social science: History, Geography, Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Social and Cultural Anthropology, Business Management or Global Politics. ¹
• A sixth subject from the lists above, or Visual Arts, Music, Theatre, Film, Literature and Performance, a further language, Latin, Classical Greek, Computer Science, ESS, Design Technology, World Religions, SEHS or Digital Society. ¹
• Among the three Higher Level subjects, at least one must be a language, maths or a natural science (rule in force from the May 2025 exams). ¹
• All six subjects taken for the full two years and passed with at least 4. A single 3 can be offset by a 5 in another subject at the same level (HL or SL), with a total of at least 24 points. ¹

The maths level is the trap that catches most families. With maths at Standard Level (AA SL or AI SL), the KMK grants only subject-restricted access: to programmes outside maths, sciences and engineering. The exception is students of the several hundred IB schools listed in the agreement's two annexes (schools with a separate agreement with the IBO, in Germany and abroad, and German schools abroad offering the bilingual IB), whose graduates get full access with maths SL. Check whether the school is on the list. ¹

If the conditions are not met, the IB gives access only after the Feststellungsprüfung (the Studienkolleg exam), or after one successful year of university in a country whose diplomas give access in Germany (subject-restricted). ¹

IB points to a German grade. For ranking in restricted programmes, the IB total (bonus points included) is converted to the German 1.0–4.0 scale: grade = 1 + 3 × (42 − points) / 18, and 42 to 45 points = 1.0. ¹ Examples: 39 points = 1.5; 36 = 2.0; 33 = 2.5; 30 = 3.0.

The French bac, A levels and other diplomas

• French baccalauréat général: generally recognised for direct access; the AbiBac gives both diplomas. ³ For restricted programmes, the bac average is converted to the German scale with the KMK formula (the "modified Bavarian formula"). The exact best and pass marks used for the bac (20 and 10?) are to be confirmed.
• uni-assist asks for the relevé de notes of the bac with a certified translation into German or English. ²
• UK A levels: predicted grades are not accepted; the A level results must be published before the university's deadline; AS levels do not count. uni-assist decides which A levels count for each application. ² The number and subjects required are in anabin.
• US high-school diploma: not enough on its own. uni-assist checks it against the ZAB rules; if they are met, it leads to the Studienkolleg. Direct study is possible only with AP exams (College Board results, taken during high school) with set results. ² The usual rule is 4 APs at grade 3+ in set subjects, giving access restricted to related fields, and an unweighted GPA of about 3.0. ³

The Studienkolleg

A one-year preparatory course (two semesters) for applicants whose diploma does not give direct access, ending with the Feststellungsprüfung. ² It is taught in German, with courses by field (T for engineering and sciences, M for medicine and biology, W for economics, G for humanities, S for languages). Places, entrance tests and the German level required vary by Studienkolleg. For a family abroad it means one more year and a high level of German at 17–18: worth avoiding by choosing the right subjects early.

UK universities do not "recognise" diplomas in a formal sense: each publishes a country equivalence page, and offers are written directly in the child's qualification. ⁹

• IB: offers in points with Higher Level grades, e.g. Oxford 38–40 points including the core, with 6s and 7s at HL. ⁹
• French bac: an "AAA" offer becomes 15/20 at Manchester (13 in maths and English) and 14/20 at Liverpool (14 in named subjects). The spécialités count as the subjects: maths for economics, maths and physics for engineering. ⁹
• German Abitur: about 1.5–1.6 for an AAA offer, with subject minimums. ⁹
• US diploma: not enough on its own; typically 3 AP exams at grade 5 for AAA. ⁹
• Subject requirements weigh as much as the overall grade. A good overall bac without maths closes economics at most leading universities.

Dutch universities decide themselves, publishing a list of diplomas "equivalent to VWO" (the Dutch pre-university diploma) and then subject requirements per programme. Maastricht's list for 2027-28: ⁸

• IB Diploma with at least 3 Higher Level subjects.
• French bac général and the BFI accepted, with a statement of the spécialités taken in Première and Terminale; the bac technologique case by case.
• Abitur accepted (also the fachgebundene Hochschulreife).
• A levels: three A levels in academic subjects at A, B or C, plus three GCSEs in different subjects; AS levels cannot replace a missing A level.
• US: 4 AP exams at 3+, or 3 APs at 4+, or the full first year of a bachelor's programme completed before starting.
• Spain: Título de Bachiller with an average of at least 7.0 in the final year and a passed PAU; Spanish homologation is not accepted.
• Foundation programmes are not accepted, nor equivalence statements: the last two school years are assessed (both must be VWO-level if the curriculum changed).

The real filter is the subjects. Engineering programmes at TU Delft (aerospace, mechanical engineering…) ask a French bac holder for spécialité maths (or maths expertes) and physique-chimie in Première and Terminale, and a US applicant for AP Calculus and AP Physics. ¹⁰ A missing subject can sometimes be made up with a test before the programme starts. (see Netherlands guide §5)

Spain sorts foreign diplomas into two groups. ^{6 7}

EU diplomas, the IB and the European Baccalaureate (and countries with a reciprocity agreement): no Spanish entrance exam and no homologation. The student applies to UNEDasiss (the UNED's service for international students) for an acreditación that converts the school grades into a Spanish access grade between 5 and 10. ⁶

Other systems (US diploma and most non-EU diplomas): first the homologación of the diploma to the Spanish bachillerato by the Ministry of Education (applied for in Spain or at a Spanish embassy), then UNEDasiss. ⁷ The access grade is then (0.2 × school average + 4) + 0.1 × each of up to 4 subject exams, capped at 10: without subject exams, a perfect school record gives only 6. ⁷ Non-Spanish speakers from non-Spanish-speaking systems may have to prove Spanish at B2. ⁷

The grade out of 14. Cut-offs for popular degrees are published out of 14: the access grade (up to 10) plus up to 4 points from the PCE (Pruebas de Competencias Específicas, UNEDasiss subject exams), each weighted ×0.1 or ×0.2 by the university for the chosen degree; the two best weighted results count. ⁷ Medicine at Complutense needed 13.100 in 2026, so a foreign applicant must sit the right PCE (biology, chemistry) and do very well. (see Spain guide §5)

Traps:

• Without PCE, an EU applicant tops out at 10 and a non-EU applicant at 6: not enough for competitive degrees.
• Some universities accept recognised results from the student's own final exams (e.g. IB HL subjects) in place of PCE, for exams taken that year or the year before. ⁶ (2022/23 rules)
• UNEDasiss accreditations are valid for two years. ⁷
• UK A levels: Complutense's guide for non-EU students (2023) lists the UK with the non-EU systems, which would mean the homologation route. ⁷ Check with UNEDasiss for 2027.

Italy asks for a secondary diploma that gives access to university in its own country, after at least 12 years of schooling. ¹¹

• Documents: the diploma, translated into Italian and legalised, with a dichiarazione di valore (declaration of value) from the Italian embassy or consulate in the country where it was issued; or a statement of comparability and verification from CIMEA (the Italian ENIC-NARIC centre). ¹¹ Many universities accept the CIMEA statements in place of the embassy declaration; check each university.
• If the home system has 11 years, the first year of university must have been passed; with 10 years, the first two. ¹¹
• If the home country requires an entrance exam for university, proof that it was passed. ¹¹
• The IB, French bac, Abitur and A levels are accepted on this basis; a US diploma may need APs or a year of college. (see Italy guide §5)
• Start early: the embassy route can take weeks to months, and selective programmes (medicine, Bocconi, Politecnico) add their own tests (IMAT, TOLC, SAT).

A foreign diploma must broadly match the Swiss Maturité/Matura in aims, content and length. swissuniversities publishes a country list, valid for one year only (now 2026/27). For most countries the diploma must include, over the last three years, a first language, a second language, mathematics, a natural science (biology, chemistry or physics), a humanities or social science, and an elective. ⁴

Then each university adds its own conditions. For the French bac général (2026/27): ⁴

• Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg, Lucerne, USI: spécialités maths and SVT or physique-chimie in Première and Terminale (Geneva accepts maths complémentaires in Terminale) and an average of at least 12/20.
• Basel, Bern, Zurich: an average of 12/20 (or a French university admission for the subject); enseignement scientifique does not count as the science.
• ETH Zurich: maths (spécialité or expertes), SVT or physique-chimie and a language, passed with at least 14/20, and an overall average of 16/20; otherwise a reduced entrance exam.
• EPFL: spécialités maths and physique-chimie, at least 16/20 in both and 16/20 overall. ^{4 5}

EPFL (the clearest published example): ⁵

• IB: maths, physics and chemistry, biology or computer science at HL; 38/42 points (without bonus) and 6 in maths and physics.
• A levels: maths, physics and chemistry, biology or computer science at A level, each at least A.
• EU diplomas: maths and physics at the highest level, at least 80% of the maximum grade in both and overall.
• Non-EU diplomas (US, Canada…): only the one-year Cours de mathématiques spéciales (foundation year) or the entrance exam.
• Since 2025 EPFL caps first-year places at 3,000 and ranks foreign applicants by their overall grade.

US diploma: most Swiss universities ask for 6 AP exams at 3+ in the six required areas; ETH a reduced entrance exam with 3 APs at 3+, otherwise the full exam; EPFL the entrance exam. ⁴ The ECUS exam (Fribourg) is the general route for diplomas that only partly match. (see Switzerland guide §5)

• France: foreign diplomas that give university access in their own country are generally accepted through Parcoursup (EU) or Études en France (most non-EU). Selective routes (prépas, Sciences Po) look at the subjects and grades of the last two years. See Prépas, grandes écoles and Sciences Po.
• Ireland: each university sets minimum entry requirements (a number of subjects at a set level, English and often maths), then converts foreign results to CAO points. (see Ireland guide §5) Offers come in August after final results.
• Singapore: IB, A levels and the French bac accepted; competitive courses need specific HL subjects (NUS Medicine: HL Chemistry and HL Biology or Physics). US applicants need the SAT or ACT plus 3 APs, or 5 APs. (see Singapore guide §5)

• United States: no official equivalence. Colleges read the transcript in context: the rigour of the courses taken and the results compared with classmates. Send the school transcript with a certified English translation and a school profile that explains the grading ("15/20 is top 10% here"). Most selective colleges evaluate in-house; some ask for a credential evaluation from WES (World Education Services) or a similar service. ¹²
• Canada: universities publish minimum grades and required subjects per programme for each diploma. McGill, for example, asks for typical IB totals of 33 (Arts) to 39 (Architecture), with at least 5 in each subject. ¹³ Polytechnique Montréal asks French bac holders for an average of at least 13/20, spécialité maths in Première and a science; they enter an integrated preparatory year. ¹³ Some universities may ask for a WES evaluation for less familiar diplomas; check each university.
• Trap: course credit for IB, A levels or APs (which can save a semester) varies by college.

Australian universities rank applicants on the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, 0–99.95) or an equivalent "selection rank". Overseas qualifications are converted to an ATAR equivalent. ¹⁴

• IB: UAC's official table (offers from August 2026): 45 = 99.95, 42 = 98.65, 40 = 96.85, 38 = 94.65, 36 = 92.25, 34 = 89.00, 30 = 79.30, 24 = 64.60. ¹⁵
• University of Sydney, 2027 entry: an ATAR of 85 = IB 31 = A levels 14 points (three subjects, A* = 6, A = 5, B = 4…); ATAR 96 = IB 38 = A levels 17. The guide also converts the French bac, the Abitur, the SAT and the ACT. ¹⁴ Sydney says these converted scores are indicative.
• Prerequisites (maths for engineering, chemistry for health) apply on top of the rank.

The choice made at the end of Seconde, before the IB Diploma Programme or before A levels decides more than the final grade. To keep every country and most fields open:

A dropped subject usually cannot be recovered later. The safer path is to keep maths and a science at the higher level until the target countries are known, and to check the rules for those countries before the subject choices are final.

1. List the 2–4 countries under consideration and open each one's official page for the year of entry (links in the Sources).
2. Compare the child's planned subjects and levels with each rule: maths level, science, languages, number of subjects.
3. For an IB student aiming at Germany, check the KMK pattern and whether the school is on the annex list. ¹
4. For Spain, plan the PCE (dates in May–June) and the UNEDasiss application; for a non-EU diploma, start the homologation early. ⁷
5. For Italy, request the declaration of value or the CIMEA statement several months ahead. ¹¹
6. Keep certified translations of transcripts and a school profile ready for the US, Canada and anywhere that reads transcripts.