Change OpenGL version?

Question

linux

Good day! I am a student and this semester we are going through the comp. graphics. The instructor requires the use of OpenGL 3.3 and above, but I only have 3.0 by default.
I am using Elementary os which is based on Ubuntu 16.04. I have 2 graphics cards on my laptop: intel hd graphics and nvidia 710M.

λ dikiigr [~] ➜ lspci | grep -E "VGA|3D" 
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation 3rd Gen Core processor Graphics Controller (rev 09)
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GF117M [GeForce 610M/710M/810M/820M / GT 620M/625M/630M/720M] (rev a1)

Actually here is the information about OpenGL:

λ dikiigr [~] ➜ glxinfo | grep -i opengl
OpenGL vendor string: Intel Open Source Technology Center
OpenGL renderer string: Mesa DRI Intel(R) Ivybridge Mobile 
OpenGL core profile version string: 3.3 (Core Profile) Mesa 12.1.0-devel
OpenGL core profile shading language version string: 3.30
OpenGL core profile context flags: (none)
OpenGL core profile profile mask: core profile
OpenGL core profile extensions:
OpenGL version string: 3.0 Mesa 12.1.0-devel
OpenGL shading language version string: 1.30
OpenGL context flags: (none)
OpenGL extensions:
OpenGL ES profile version string: OpenGL ES 3.0 Mesa 12.1.0-devel
OpenGL ES profile shading language version string: OpenGL ES GLSL ES 3.00
OpenGL ES profile extensions:

I looked on Wikipedia that mesa 12.1.0 supports OpenGL up to 4.3, but I use OpenGL 3 versions accordingly, since it is the built-in video card that renders graphics by default. Is it possible to forcibly change OpenGL by specifying a discrete graphics card as the rendering card?
P.S Updated drivers for both video cards

Answer 1

Yes, you need to run on a discrete (via bumblebee or primus).

Answer 2

Alternatively, you can disable the integrated graphics and use only discrete graphics (this is done through the BIOS / UEFI settings). But not all laptops have this option, unfortunately.

Answer 3

It is also possible that your teacher is a good person and will teach OpenGL 3.3 Core profile - this is a version without obsolete functionality that you support.

OpenGL core profile version string: 3.3 (Core Profile)