Exams / IB Diploma
The IB Diploma is a demanding two-year pre-university programme known for its breadth, requiring students to study six subjects alongside three core components that no other qualification on this list includes.
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Students take six subjects — one each from six groups spanning languages, humanities, sciences, maths and the arts — at either Higher or Standard Level. On top of that, every student completes the core: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), an Extended Essay (a 4,000-word independent research paper), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) hours outside the classroom.
Each subject is scored 1–7, for a maximum of 42 points, plus up to 3 additional points from TOK and the Extended Essay combined — a maximum total of 45. Most universities set offers well below the maximum, but the core components are compulsory: missing them can prevent the diploma being awarded even with strong subject grades.
The Extended Essay and TOK essay are usually the most underestimated parts of the Diploma — starting them early, rather than late in the second year alongside final exam revision, avoids the single most common cause of IB stress. For subject exams, IB rewards structured, evidence-based responses similar to A-Level, so past-paper practice against official mark schemes is just as valuable here.