Which IB Maths does each degree require?
AA or AI, HL or SL: the maths choice in Grade 10 decides which university courses are open two years later. I checked the official 2027 entry requirements for 45 courses in the UK, Singapore and Australia, and what US universities expect.
Four things to know
AA HL keeps almost every door open
Cambridge Engineering, Computer Science, Economics and physical Natural Sciences, Warwick Mathematics, LSE's maths programmes, Edinburgh Engineering and NUS Engineering accept AA only.
AI HL is accepted more widely than many families think
Oxford accepts it for every course that requires Mathematics. UCL Economics, Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering, Imperial Computing, Warwick Economics, Manchester Mechanical Engineering, Bristol Economics and NTU accept it too.
Medicine asks for Chemistry, not maths
Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, King's and NUS set no maths condition for Medicine; HL Chemistry is the key subject. Edinburgh asks for SL Maths at 6 (AA or AI).
Australia and the US work differently
Australian prerequisites are low (Monash: AA SL 4 or HL 3), and at UNSW maths is only assumed knowledge. US universities expect calculus and do not separate AA from AI.
UK: maths conditions by course
Typical offers for September 2027 entry. Select a course to open the official page. Minimum and contextual offers can be lower.
| Course | Typical IB offer | Maths condition | AA / AI | Admissions test |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Cambridge | ||||
| Engineering | 41–42 · HL 776 | HL Maths (AA) + HL Physics | AA only | ESAT |
| Computer Science | 41–42 · HL 776 | HL Maths (AA) | AA only | TMUA |
| Economics | 41–42 · HL 776 | HL Maths (AA) | AA only | TMUA |
| Natural Sciences (physical) | 41–42 · HL 776 | Maths required, AA expected at HL, plus two sciences or maths at HL | AA only | ESAT |
| Natural Sciences (biological) | 41–42 · HL 776 | Maths required; AA recommended, AI also considered | AA preferred, AI possible | ESAT |
| Medicine | 41–42 · HL 776 | No maths condition (HL Chemistry + 1–2 of Maths, Biology, Physics) | No maths condition | UCAT |
| University of Oxford | ||||
| Engineering Science | 40 · HL 776 | HL Maths 7 + HL Physics 7 | AA or AI | ESAT |
| Computer Science | 39 · HL 766 | HL Maths 7 | AA or AI | TMUA |
| Economics and Management | 39 · HL 766 | HL Maths 6 or 7 | AA or AI | TARA |
| Medicine | 39 · HL 766 | No maths condition (HL Chemistry + one of Biology, Physics, Maths) | No maths condition | UCAT |
| Imperial College London | ||||
| Mechanical Engineering | 40 (typical: HL Maths 7, Physics 7) | HL Maths + HL Physics, at least 6 each | AA preferred, AI possible | ESAT |
| Computing | 41 minimum · typical 42 | HL Maths 7 + 7 in another relevant HL subject | AA or AI | TMUA |
| Economics, Finance and Data Science | 39 | HL Maths 7 + 6 in two more HL subjects | AA or AI | TMUA |
| Medicine | 38 minimum · typical 39 | No maths condition (HL Biology 6, HL Chemistry 6) | No maths condition | UCAT |
| London School of Economics (LSE) | ||||
| Economics | 39 · HL 766 | HL Maths 7 | AA preferred, AI possible | TMUA |
| Finance | 39 · HL 766 | HL Maths 7 | AA preferred, AI possible | — |
| Mathematics and Economics, Data Science, Actuarial Science and other maths programmes | See course pages | HL Maths (AA) | AA only | TMUA recommended |
| University College London (UCL) | ||||
| Economics | HL 19 incl. Maths 7 | HL Maths 7 | AA or AI | TMUA |
| Computer Science | HL 20 incl. Maths 7 | HL Maths 7 | AA preferred, AI possible | TARA |
| Mechanical Engineering (BEng) | HL 19 incl. Maths and Physics 7, 6 | HL Maths + HL Physics | AA or AI | TARA |
| University of Warwick | ||||
| Economics | 38 incl. HL Maths 6 | HL Maths 6 | AA or AI | TMUA optional |
| Mathematics | 39 · HL 666 | HL Maths (AA) 6 | AA only | TMUA (or STEP) |
| University of Manchester | ||||
| Mechanical Engineering | 38 · HL 776 incl. Maths and Physics | HL Maths + HL Physics | AA or AI | — |
| Economics | 36 · HL 666 incl. Maths | HL Maths | Not stated | — |
| University of Bristol | ||||
| Economics | 38 · HL 18 | HL Maths 6 (AA or AI) or AA SL 7 | AA or AI | — |
| University of Edinburgh | ||||
| Mechanical Engineering | 37 · HL 666 (minimum 32 · 655) | HL Maths (AA) 5 + a science at HL | AA only | — |
| Economics | 37–40 · HL 666–766 | Maths HL 5 or SL 6 | Not stated | — |
| Medicine | 38 · HL 666 | SL Maths 6 (AA or AI) if not at HL; HL Chemistry + one of Biology, Maths, Physics | AA or AI | UCAT |
| King's College London | ||||
| Medicine | 38 (or HL 19) | No IB maths condition (HL Biology 6, HL Chemistry 6) | No maths condition | UCAT |
Oxford accepts AA or AI at HL for every course that requires Mathematics. Cambridge expects AA at HL for most courses that require Mathematics; for Medicine, biological Natural Sciences and Psychological and Behavioural Sciences, AI is also considered.
Sources: each university's course page and IB qualifications page for 2027 entry, checked 12 October 2026.
Singapore: NUS and NTU
NUS sets subject prerequisites instead of publishing IB scores, and does not say which IB grades count as a pass, good pass or very good pass. NTU states that it has no preference between AA and AI.
| Course | Maths prerequisite | AA / AI |
|---|---|---|
| National University of Singapore (NUS) | ||
| Engineering | Pass in HL AA | AA only |
| Computer Engineering | Pass in HL AA (Physics bridging course without HL Physics) | AA only |
| Computer Science | Pass in HL CS, HL AA or HL Physics; or good pass in AA SL or AI HL | AA preferred, AI possible |
| Business Administration (BBA) | Pass in HL AA, AA SL or AI HL | AA or AI |
| Data Science and Economics | Very good pass in HL AA | AA only |
| Economics | No maths prerequisite | No maths condition |
| Medicine | No maths prerequisite (HL Chemistry + HL Biology or Physics) | No maths condition |
| Nanyang Technological University (NTU) | ||
| Engineering | Maths at HL + a science or Computer Science at HL | AA or AI |
| Business | Maths at SL (AA or AI) | AA or AI |
NUS figures come from its IB prerequisites document dated December 2025; NUS says prerequisites can change every year.
Sources: NUS IB Diploma single-degree prerequisites (December 2025); NTU IB Diploma admission guide for AY2027-28.
Australia: low prerequisites, and some are only assumed
A prerequisite must be met. Assumed knowledge is what the course expects you to know, but it is not an entry requirement.
| Course | Maths condition | AA / AI |
|---|---|---|
| Monash University | ||
| Engineering (Honours) and Commerce | Prerequisite: AA SL 4+, or AA HL or AI HL 3+ | AA or AI |
| University of Melbourne | ||
| Commerce and Science | Prerequisite: 4+ in AA SL, AA HL or AI HL (Science also needs a science at 4+) | AA or AI |
| UNSW Sydney | ||
| Engineering (Honours) and Commerce | Assumed knowledge only, not an entry requirement | Not required (assumed knowledge) |
| University of Sydney | ||
| Engineering (Honours) | Maths prerequisite stated for IB taken in Australia (AA SL 5, or AA HL or AI HL 4); assumed knowledge otherwise — confirm with Sydney | Not required (assumed knowledge) |
Monash, Melbourne (except Agriculture) and Sydney do not list AI SL as meeting the maths condition.
Sources: Monash, Melbourne, UNSW and Sydney course and admissions pages for international IB applicants, checked October 2026.
US: calculus matters, AA vs AI does not
- MIT
No required classes; recommends at least the fundamentals of calculus, and lists Higher Level Mathematics as an example.
Official page - Stanford
Recommends four years of rigorous mathematics including calculus; no set of required courses.
Official page - Caltech
Requires one year of calculus, and lists a 6 or 7 in IB Mathematics HL as meeting it — without separating AA from AI.
Official page
US universities read the whole transcript, so taking the most demanding maths your school offers matters more than the AA or AI label.
What this means for subject choice
Engineering, physics, computer science
AA HL. Oxford, UCL, Imperial Computing and NTU accept AI HL, but Cambridge, NUS Engineering, Warwick Mathematics and Edinburgh Engineering accept AA only.
Economics
AA HL for the most selective courses: Cambridge requires it and LSE prefers it. UCL, Warwick and Bristol accept AI HL, and Bristol also accepts AA SL at 7.
Business, management, commerce
AA SL is often enough (NUS Business, Monash and Melbourne Commerce, NTU Business at SL), but LSE Management and Finance ask for HL Maths.
Medicine
HL Chemistry comes first. Most medical schools here set no maths condition; Edinburgh asks for SL Maths at 6 (AA or AI).
Not sure yet
If the student can score 5 or more, AA HL keeps the most doors open. A strong AA SL keeps business routes open; AI SL closes most courses that ask for maths (NTU Business is an exception).
How hard is a 7 at HL and SL? See IB Mathematics, by the numbers
Plan the subject choice around the degree
In the IB Pathway Diagnostic (90 minutes, S$500), we match the student's intended courses and countries to a subject combination and target grades.
Requirements change every year and can differ by college or campus. Always check the official course page before applying. This is an independent summary by Math with Alex, not affiliated with the IB or any university.
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