ATTN: Students admitted to ILS for Fall 2024

Congratulations on your acceptance to the University of Maryland Honors College and invitation to the Integrated Life Sciences program!  Important information is below, please read carefully:

Transfer Credit:

We have gotten several questions about AP scores and transfer credit. During your first semester, you must complete either BSCI170/171 or HLSC280. To be able to register for HLSC280, you need to be able to transfer in credit for the first two semesters of college biology (BSCI 160/161 and BSCI 170/171). AP Biology scores of 4 or 5 are the most common way our students earn this credit, and other options include HL IB Biology scores of 6 or 7 and community college or other college transfer credit determined to be equivalent by the transfer office. If you have received credit for freshman biology through either of the mechanisms above, you will register for HLSC280 during your first semester. If you have not, you will register for BSCI170/171 and will complete HLSC280 in a later semester.  To transfer in this coursework:

1)    If you were planning to, but not yet taken your AP or IB HL Biology exam, please take your exam.  Afterwards, have the AP Board or IB coordinator send your scores sent to UMD so they can be evaluated as transfer credit. 

2)    If you are currently taking a college course, which is the equivalent of BSCI 170/171, then please finish your course and have your transcripts sent to UMD for transfer evaluation.

3)    If you have already taken your AP, IB or college course, please have your scores or transcripts sent to UMD for evaluation.  We don’t automatically get a copy of your scores, so you will need to tell the college board or IB coordinator to send them.   

If you had already completed and reported the equivalent credit by the time you applied to Maryland, you do not need to take further action regarding your scores as they were reported when you applied. To confirm if the University has received your scores or transcripts, you can email the Registrar’s Office directly (registrar-help@umd.edu).  

Housing:

All first-year ILS students must live on campus in LaPlata Hall in our designated spaces for our community, so please complete your housing and dining contracts.  After the first year, ILSers can live wherever they wish, but the first year must be with us.  The residential component is often the most enjoyable piece of ILS for our students and crucial to their success.

Finally, all students invited to ILS have until May 1, 2024 to accept or decline your UMD offer, which includes your ILS invitation.  There is not a separate process; by accepting Maryland and submitting your deposit you also secure your spot in the ILS program.

We can’t wait to welcome you in the fall!

Best wishes,

The ILS Team