Assessment FAQ (2024)

When are results available on the candidate website candidates.ibo.org?

DP and CP Results are released on the candidate website from 12.00 GMT on 6 July for May exam sessions.

For November exam sessions, results are issued to schools on 2 January from 12.00 GMT (noon). Results are released at staggered time intervals based on time zone. If you are unsure of the time that your results will be released, please contact your programme coordinator. To view the actual time results will be released, a candidate can do the following:

• Refer to the Individual PIN report provided by the school’s DP/CP coordinator
• Select the Results tab on the candidate website
• Contact the school’s DP/CP coordinator for further information

The personal code is case-sensitive but the PIN is not. If a candidate entered the wrong personal code and/or PIN, attempt to access the site will be blocked after three attempts. Access will be restored after 30 minutes of inactivity. We also recommend that login credentials are typed, not copied and pasted.

Subject grades, total points and EE/TOK bonus points are available for viewing. Component marks/grades are not. Candidates may also have access to a more detailed view of results for each subject which includes: scaled total mark, lower grade boundary, upper-grade boundary and the number of marks required for a grade increase. This may be useful for considering a re-mark request. Access to this information is provided at the discretion of the school's IB coordinator. In the event that a candidate has forgotten their login credentials, they can click here to find out how to retrieve the information.

If a candidate is still unable to access the website, please note that access to this website may not have been provided. DP and CP coordinators have the right to withhold access details at their discretion. Candidates and /or graduates should contact their school’s DP/CP coordinator directly for further information. The IB will not be able to provide login credentials to candidates nor intervene if access is withheld. A candidate website is not available for MYP candidates.

Is there a deadline by which candidates must access their results on the candidate website candidates.ibo.org?

For now, access to candidates.ibo.org is available indefinitely.

If a candidate lost their personal/candidate code and/or personal identification number (PIN), how do they retrieve this information?

If a candidate has lost their candidate/personal code and/or PIN, he/she should contact the school’s DP coordinator. For data privacy reasons, the IB cannot provide this information. For graduates from a previous session (November 2004 and later) who do not have their login credentials anymore, the school will still be able to access and provide this information even if the DP/CP coordinator has changed. For graduates from sessions prior to November 2004, results are not available via the candidate website. Instead, they should contact the current DP coordinator of the school they attended for information or request replacement versions of their results documentation via rrs.ibo.org. Under no circ*mstances should a candidate/graduate provide their codes and PIN to universities to access their results.

Note: If the school’s DP coordinator states that they are unable to locate a candidate/personal code and/or PIN, please request that they contact IB Answers directly by emailing support@ibo.org.

Can a request be made for a re-mark of a DP or CP candidate’s work, and can a grade go down if re-mark is requested?

If a candidate would like the IB to re-mark their work, they should approach their school’s DP/CP coordinator to discuss available options since he/she would need to place the request (called enquiry upon results, EUR) on the candidate’s behalf. Please note that this service is not free of charge and it is the coordinator’s duty to inform the candidate (and/or legal guardians) of the fee involved. The IB will not accept requests for re-mark from candidates or their parents/legal guardians directly. In addition, the IB will not communicate the outcome of an EUR request to anyone other than the school’s DP/CP coordinator. As there is a possibility that a grade is lowered, written consent from the candidate (or legal guardian) is required. Should a school not obtain a candidate’s/legal guardian’s consent prior to placing this request and the grade is lowered, the original grade will not be reinstated.

Will the change appear on the candidate website candidates.ibo.org?

If there is a grade change, the new grade will be reflected on the candidate website once the EUR is completed. However, it will be up to the school’s DP/CP coordinator to let the candidate know when that is. Please note that there is a deadline for placing a re-mark request so please approach your child's school DP/CP coordinator as soon as you can to discuss whether this is an option that you would like to explore. Please note that the IB will not be able to advise regarding which EUR category is suitable for individual situations.

Can a candidate appeal their results?

To understand the scope of the IB appeals procedure and the steps involved, please read Article 22 of the General regulations: Diploma Programme.

What are grade boundaries?

IB assessments are comprised of several components. Each of these components is assigned a number value and weight. After these points are aggregated to total scores, they are divided along the IB’s one-to-seven point marking scheme. These ranges are known as grade boundaries. The principal means of setting grade boundaries is by a review of the quality of candidate work against grade descriptors. Grade descriptors are generic descriptions of the standard work expected of each candidate for a given grade. Descriptors are also intended to give some guidance to classroom teachers on how to prepare their students and how to make candidate grade predictions. A candidate is encouraged to approach their school’s DP/CP coordinator if they would like to know more about grade boundaries and how this can affect their marks.

What is the difference between the IB diploma score and the IB diploma course results?

The IB Diploma Programme (DP) is a rigorous, academically challenging and balanced programme of education designed to prepare students aged 16 to 19 for success at university and life beyond. To ensure both breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding, students must choose at least one subject each from the following groups:

• Group 1: Language and literature

• Group 2: Language acquisition

• Group 3: Individuals and societies

• Group 4: Sciences

• Group 5: Mathematics

• Group 6: The arts (or a second subject from groups 1 to 5 in lieu of a group 6 subject)

In addition, the following must be met:

1. 3-4 higher level (HL) subjects – 240 recommended teaching hours for each subject

2. The rest at standard level (SL) – 150 recommended teaching hours for each subject

3. Completion of the core elements: extended essay (EE), theory of knowledge (TOK) and creativity, activity, service (CAS)

The diploma is awarded to candidates who achieve a minimum score of 24 (out of 45) and fulfil the other minimum requirements. Students may choose to not enrol in the full DP but take only particular DP subject courses (eg Mathematics HL or Economics SL) or any of the core components (TOK, EE and CAS) of their choosing. A student may take as many or as few DP courses as they wish and their school allows. The award for each of these courses is not the diploma, but a series of scores from one to seven. These individual subject results are referred to as Diploma Programme course results (formerly called a certificate of results). Additionally, students who enrolled in and attempted the full Diploma Programme, but did not meet all the requirements, also receive DP course results (DPCR). Consequently, the DPCR can include all the Diploma Programme components but the diploma was not awarded. The student has, however, been examined and assessed according to the same DP standards and principles. The difference between the award of the diploma or the DPCR can depend on 1 point (eg 23 instead of 24), or a student not meeting one of the minimum conditions for being awarded the diploma (eg a failing grade on the EE or non-completion of the CAS component). Thus, a student with a total score far exceeding 24 points may not necessarily be awarded the diploma.

If a candidate is unsuccessful in earning the diploma, are they eligible to attend university?

In order to find out if a candidate/graduate is eligible for admission into a university, they should check admission requirements with individual universities directly.

What does a grade of ‘P’/’N’ mean?

A ‘P’ right next to any subject taken means that the grade is still pending. An ‘N’ right next to any subject taken means that the IB has not been able to provide a grade for this subject as all requirements have not been met. Candidates should contact their school’s DP/CP coordinator for further information and assistance. The IB will not be able to discuss grades with students/graduates/parents/guardians.

What is a passing DP course score?

The IB does not assign passing scores for individual courses. A student simply receives a course score between one and seven. The grade descriptions for each course give an indication of the level of achievement a student reached for any given score. Detailed descriptors for each subject group are available here. Many universities often use a score of “4” or “5” as the minimum for granting admission or advanced placement. For the full Diploma Programme, which is different from an individual DP course score, the minimum passing score is 24 points, assuming all other passing conditions have been met.

How many sessions does a candidate get to complete the diploma?

A diploma candidate has a maximum of three examination sessions in which to obtain the diploma. The sessions can be as follows:

• Anticipated (A)/Diploma (D)/Retake (R)

OR

• Diploma (D)/Retake (R)/Retake (R).

Can any subjects be retaken? Can retake subjects only be taken in the school where the candidate originally tried to obtain the diploma?

If a candidate wishes to retake a subject, he/she can do this in any future examination session and at any IB World School offering the Diploma Programme. However, there are restrictions that apply so he/she must consult with the DP coordinator at the school where he/she wishes to register. In addition, an IB World School is under no obligation to accept retake candidates. You can find IB World Schools here.

If a student took the exams over the course of several sessions (anticipated/retake/course candidate), are separate PINs needed to access results on candidate website candidates.ibo.org?

Yes. They will have a separate PIN for each session that they are registered. Candidates and/or graduates should contact their school’s DP/CP coordinator directly to obtain their PINs for each session. For data privacy reasons, the IB does not have access to this information.

What is the advantage of doing the bilingual diploma and how is it obtained?

There could be advantages for non-native students applying to study at universities who require evidence of proficiency in the language of instruction. There are also the general benefits of demonstrating proficiency in more than one language. Read the 2014 research study on the Bilingual Diploma to learn more.

Candidates interested in obtaining a bilingual diploma should approach their school’s DP coordinator directly for further details.

A candidate will be changing schools mid-way through earning a diploma. If one of his/her current subjects is not taught in his/her new school, will he/she be able to complete that subject online?

It is potentially possible if the following conditions are met:

1. It is supported by the candidate’s new school

2. The subject he/she needs to take is available online.

In order to find out if he/she can take a subject online, please contact the candidate’s prospective school’s DP coordinator.

Can a candidate transfer from one Diploma Programme (DP)/Career-related Programme (CP) school to another?

Yes, but while the Diploma Programme (or Career-related Programme) itself is the same from school to school, the subject choices available to students will vary. In addition, IB World Schools are entirely independent from the IB and create and implement their own school policies including those relating to student admissions. For this reason, students (or their guardians) are encouraged to contact the school/s they wish to transfer to directly for further information.

My child currently does not study in an IB World School/ is home-schooled. Can he/she earn an IB diploma online?

Currently, only students that are enrolled in authorized IB World Schools are able to earn an IB diploma, with subjects taken either at the school or online. There are some subjects that are available online but these are only for students that are already registered in an IB World School. It is not possible to earn the full diploma online.

Is there a minimum or maximum starting age for the Diploma Programme (DP)?

The IB has developed the DP as a pre-college/pre-university programme aimed at students in the 16–19 age range. It is implemented in the last two years of secondary education. Students, whether studying for the IB Diploma or DP Course Results, must complete all requirements within the two-year period of the programme or within an extended period of study if a student retakes one or more subjects. If a student outside this age range is enrolled in the last two years of secondary education and wishes to study the DP, this is at the school's discretion. It is the responsibility of the school to ensure that the student is sufficiently mature to cope with the demands of the course.

Which is the best-ranked IB World School?

The IB does not rank IB World Schools nor do we provide statistics on individual school performance. However, we do publish statistical bulletins for both the Diploma Programme (DP) and the Middle Years Programme (MYP). IB World Schools generally make their own performance available to the public and parents can use these statistical bulletins as a tool to make your own comparison.

What is a language policy?

A language policy is derived from the school’s language philosophy and is a statement of purpose that outlines goals for language teaching and learning. All IB World Schools authorized to offer an IB programme is required to have a written language policy so parents should contact their child’s school directly to learn more about this.