What is a Good International Baccalaureate (IB) Score? | World Schools (2024)

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What is a Good International Baccalaureate (IB) Score? | World Schools? ›

All IB students are required to score a minimum of 24 points for six subjects. The average IB scores throughout the years have varied between 28-30 points.

SINGAPORE – Students who sat the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma exams in Singapore in November 2023 once again outperformed their peers worldwide. Their average score was 37.76 out of 45, higher than the global average of 29.06.

A score of 40 or above out of a maximum of 45 is considered a strong IB score that can enhance a student's chances of being admitted to top universities.

Unlike their UK counterparts, US universities don't release official cut-off scores for the IB Diploma. Based on what the Oxbridge universities in the UK expect from IB applicants, an overall grade of 38+ would be well received by the Ivy Leagues. For the more selective universities, you're looking at around 40+.

Harvard University IB requirements

Harvard University in United States of America requires students to maintain a minimum IB of 40 in order to stand a good chance to get admission into Harvard University.

A total score in the 40s will make you a more competitive candidate academically (note: a lot of non-academic factors are at play), but a 38+ is considered a good IB score. If you're aiming for the Ivies, you certainly don't want to be dipping below the 36 mark.

Yale University's IB score range is 39-44.

Competitive applicants typically achieve high marks, primarily A1 grades or scores above 90. International Baccalaureate (IB): Students enrolled in IB schools are expected to earn scores of 5 or higher on IB exams, and most admitted students score 38+/42 points on the IB Diploma.

What is considered a Good Score? Generally, a good IBDP score for university admission is considered to be between 34-38 points. This score range is highly competitive and is usually required for admission to prestigious universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and MIT.

What IB score do I need for Oxford? ›

International Baccalaureate

A total score of 38, 39 or 40 points (depending on the course) including core points, with 6s and 7s in subjects taken at the Higher level. Please visit the individual course pages for details.

Students who take IB classes in high school have higher acceptance rates into Ivy League schools, but this doesn't necessarily mean a higher acceptance rate than AP students; it just means that IB students have a higher acceptance rate than the general application pool.

Difficulty. While HL (“High Level”) IB courses are generally considered to be more difficult than equivalent or similar AP classes, SL (“Standard Level”) IB courses are typically seen as similar or easier than their AP counterparts.

Although you might believe that the number is 50% or less, there was around a 78% pass rate in the IB last year! That's around 4 out of every 5 students who are able to pass. The good news? That means you're quite likely to pass the IB as well!

Average IB Score Requirements for US Universities

From my experience, top-tier universities often expect scores of 38 to 45. For instance, an Ivy League school requires at least a 40, while other prestigious institutions consider applicants with scores in the mid-30s.

Achieving a perfect score in IB is hard but not impossible! Less than 1% of IB candidates achieve an IB 45 world-wide.

Good IB scores—as with any academic qualifications—are subjective, being highly dependent on a student's target university (and country) and preferred course. All IB students are required to score a minimum of 24 points for six subjects. The average IB scores throughout the years have varied between 28-30 points.

A score in the 40s will increase your academic competitiveness (note that many non-academic elements are in play), but a 38 or higher is still regarded as a strong IB score. You don't want to drop below the 36-point threshold if you're going for the Ivies.

A score of 41 points suggests an at- average likelihood of a II. 1 or a First; a score of 42 points suggests a better-than-average likelihood. The likelihood of a II. 1 or a First increases noticeably for scores above 42.