Structure and grading – for the IB Diploma Programme
Facts teachers need about the IB Diploma Programme, in our own words with links to the IB.
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- Programme
- Diploma Programme (DP)
- Ages
- 16–19
- Length
- 2 years
- Last checked
- 2026-10-20
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Subject groups
- Studies in language and literature
- Language acquisition
- Individuals and societies
- Sciences
- Mathematics
- The arts
Six subjects plus the core. At least one course from each of groups 1–5 (studies in language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics); two group 1 courses can replace the group 2 course.
Minimum three, maximum four subjects at higher level (HL), the rest at standard level (SL). SL = 150 teaching hours, HL = 240.
The core
| Part | Graded | What it is (our summary) |
|---|---|---|
| Theory of knowledge (TOK) | A–E | Course on the nature of knowledge; graded A–E and combined with the EE grade for up to 3 points. |
| Extended essay (EE) | A–E | Mandatory independent research project ending in a 4,000-word paper. |
| Creativity, activity, service (CAS) | not graded (school confirms completion) | Experiential programme alongside academic study; must be completed to get the diploma. |
Points and grading
- Subject grades: 1–7 (7 highest)
- Core points: up to 3
- Maximum: 45 points (6 subjects × 7 + 3 core points)
- Minimum for the diploma: 24 points
Core points (extended essay × theory of knowledge)
| EE \ TOK | A | B | C | D | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | Fail |
| B | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Fail |
| C | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Fail |
| D | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Fail |
| E | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
Conditions for the diploma (our wording)
- CAS requirements met
- At least 24 points
- A grade awarded in all subjects, TOK and EE
- No grade 1 in any subject
- No more than two grade 2s
- No more than three grades of 3 or below
- At least 12 points on HL subjects (with four HL, the best three count)
- At least 9 points on SL subjects (with two SL, at least 5)
- No E in TOK or EE
May 2025 results
128,398 diploma candidates; pass rate 81.9%; mean 30.6 points. Source
Most-entered subjects, May 2025
| Subject | HL | SL | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| English A: Language and Literature | 43,338 | 31,216 | 74,554 |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 24,966 | 42,358 | 67,324 |
| Biology | 33,102 | 21,939 | 55,041 |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation | 8,527 | 42,968 | 51,495 |
| History | 37,228 | 9,253 | 46,481 |
| Business Management | 24,513 | 13,304 | 37,817 |
| Chemistry | 20,095 | 17,646 | 37,741 |
| English A: Literature | 30,239 | 5,734 | 35,973 |
| Physics | 17,984 | 14,442 | 32,426 |
| Economics | 20,089 | 10,797 | 30,886 |
| Spanish B | 8,520 | 22,140 | 30,660 |
| Psychology | 15,094 | 13,565 | 28,659 |
| English B | 23,089 | 4,648 | 27,737 |
| Environmental Systems and Societies | 0 | 22,078 | 22,078 |
| Visual Arts | 10,312 | 6,080 | 16,392 |
| Geography | 5,218 | 4,528 | 9,746 |
| Computer Science | 4,751 | 4,402 | 9,153 |
Subject packs
English A: Language and Literature SL and HL · Biology SL and HL · Chemistry SL and HL · Physics SL and HL · History SL and HL · Economics HL
Not in our packs yet: mathematics-analysis-approaches, mathematics-applications-interpretation, business-management, english-a-literature.
Facts checked against: ibo.org, ibo.org, ibo.org, ibo.org.
More packs
Overview – for the IB Middle Years Programme · Overview – for the IB Primary Years Programme · All international packs
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Exam details checked against the IB subject brief or guide on 2026-10-20. Always check the current version on the IB website. We store facts only (codes, papers, times, marks, weightings) with summaries in our own words; no syllabus, guide or paper text is reproduced, and past papers are linked, never re-hosted.
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