The IB Diploma prep guide
Everything you need for IB Diploma success: exam dates, free resources, Extended Essay and TOK guidance, IA tips, programme updates and an IB vs AP comparison.
1.IB exam dates and key milestones
Key dates for the IB exam sessions. Plan your revision timeline around these milestones.
next up, in 5 days
November 2026 exams begin
- Date
- October 23, 2026
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| November 2026 exams end | November 13, 2026 |
| November 2026 results issued to schools | December 16, 2026 (from 9pm GMT) |
| May 2027 exams begin | April 23, 2027 |
| May 2027 exams end | May 18, 2027 |
| May 2027 results released to students | July 6, 2027 (from 12pm GMT) |
- Event
November 2026 exams end
DateNovember 13, 2026
- Event
November 2026 results issued to schools
DateDecember 16, 2026 (from 9pm GMT)
- Event
May 2027 exams begin
DateApril 23, 2027
- Event
May 2027 exams end
DateMay 18, 2027
- Event
May 2027 results released to students
DateJuly 6, 2027 (from 12pm GMT)
Exact dates vary by subject. Check your school's IB coordinator for your personal exam timetable. Deadlines for the Extended Essay, TOK and internal assessments are set by your school, ahead of the IB's own submission dates.
2.Free IB Diploma resources
The best free IB prep materials: question banks, revision notes, formula booklets, IA examples and past paper solutions across all subject groups.
Revision Village
Free tier
Hundreds of IB Math questions, video solutions, and revision resources. Free tier available with premium options.
Visit resource(opens in a new tab)RevisionDojo
Free tier
IB question bank with AI-powered feedback across multiple subjects. Free plan available with paid upgrades.
Visit resource(opens in a new tab)Knowt IB Hub
Free
Free IB study guides, flashcards, and practice questions organized by subject.
Visit resource(opens in a new tab)Save My Exams IB
Free tier
Comprehensive IB revision notes, topic questions, and past paper solutions.
Visit resource(opens in a new tab)Clastify
Free tier
Examiner-marked EE, IA, and TOK examples. See what top-scoring work looks like.
Visit resource(opens in a new tab)Math AA Formula Booklet
Free
Official IB Math Analysis & Approaches formula booklet — provided during exams.
Visit resource(opens in a new tab)IB Chemistry Data Booklet
Free
The IB Chemistry data booklet for the current course (first assessment 2025), used in class and in the exams.
Visit resource(opens in a new tab)BioNinja
Free
Comprehensive IB Biology notes organized by topic with diagrams and explanations.
Visit resource(opens in a new tab)
3.Extended Essay (EE)
The Extended Essay is a 4,000-word independent research paper — one of the most challenging components of the IB Diploma. Our tutors guide you through every stage, from choosing your research question to final submission.
Stuck on your research question? We can help
Tips for a top-scoring Extended Essay
- Choose a focused research question in a subject you're passionate about — vague questions lead to unfocused essays
- Start research early (ideally 6+ months before your school's deadline) and keep notes on how your thinking develops — reflection is one of the assessed criteria
- Use the official EE assessment criteria to structure your work — a redesigned set of five criteria applies from the May 2027 session
- Include both primary and secondary sources, and engage critically with your evidence
- Review examiner-marked examples on Clastify to understand what earns top marks
further reading
4.Theory of Knowledge (TOK)
TOK challenges you to reflect on the nature of knowledge across disciplines. Together with the Extended Essay, TOK contributes up to 3 bonus points to your Diploma score.
Want to talk your TOK essay through with someone?
May 2027 session: The IB has released the six prescribed titles. Students choose one for their 1,600-word essay.
Tips for a strong TOK essay and exhibition
- Structure your essay around a clear thesis that directly addresses the prescribed title
- Use specific, well-developed real-life examples from the areas of knowledge your title asks about
- For the TOK exhibition, choose three objects that genuinely connect to your chosen IA prompt
- Engage with multiple perspectives — the strongest TOK essays acknowledge complexity and nuance
- Read all six prescribed titles before choosing one, and check the exact wording with your TOK teacher
further reading
5.Internal Assessment (IA) guides
IAs contribute 20–30% of your final grade in most subjects. These subject-specific guides cover key strategies to help you maximise your IA marks.
Need help with an IA in a particular subject?
Science IAs (Physics, Chemistry, Biology)
- Choose a research question that allows for measurable, controlled variables
- Include raw data tables AND processed data with proper uncertainty calculations
- Discuss systematic and random errors — examiners reward honest evaluation of methodology
- Connect your conclusion back to established scientific theory and explain any discrepancies
- Review examiner-marked IA examples on Clastify to calibrate expectations
Math IAs
- Select a topic that genuinely interests you — personal engagement is an assessed criterion
- Go beyond textbook mathematics — explore a real-world application or mathematical modeling
- Show clear mathematical reasoning with proper notation and proof structure
- Include both mathematical analysis and personal reflection on the process
- The IA should be 12-20 pages — quality of mathematical exploration matters more than length
Humanities IAs (History, Economics, Psychology)
- Formulate a specific, debatable research question rather than a descriptive one
- Use a range of primary and secondary sources with critical evaluation of reliability
- Apply relevant subject-specific methodology (historical analysis, economic modeling, psychological research methods)
- Maintain objectivity while developing a sustained argument supported by evidence
- Follow the word count strictly — History IAs are 2,200 words max, Economics commentaries 800 words each
Language & Literature IAs
- For the Individual Oral (IO), choose texts that offer rich material for your selected global issue
- Practice your 10-minute oral presentation until it flows naturally within the time limit
- In Paper 1 and the HL essay (1,200-1,500 words), demonstrate close textual analysis with specific quotations
- Connect literary techniques to meaning — don't just identify devices, explain their effects
- Review Clastify IA examples for your specific Language A course (Literature vs. Lang & Lit)
6.IB Diploma programme updates
Changes to the IB Diploma, from digital exams to curriculum redesigns. Here's what you need to know.
Digital exams
The IB began offering on-screen exams alongside paper in 2026, starting with a small number of subjects. Digital exams are taken on computers at school and initially mirror the paper exams. It's the first stage of a multi-year transition, and schools can keep running paper exams until they're ready, so ask your IB coordinator whether any of your papers will be on screen.
New History course
First teaching August 2026, first assessment May 2028. Paper 1 stays source-based but is framed around an inquiry question, Paper 2 adds a section on historical concepts, HL Paper 3 asks for two essays instead of three, and the IA drops its reflection section and allows a maximum of seven sources.
New Psychology course
First teaching August 2025, first assessment May 2027. The course is built around four contexts (health and well-being, human development, human relationships, and learning and cognition) with class practicals in each, and the IA is now a research proposal.
New Computer Science course
First teaching August 2025, first assessment May 2027. Students can program in Java or Python, the option papers have been folded into the core syllabus, the case study is now assessed in Paper 1 at both SL and HL, and there's a new topic on machine learning.
New Extended Essay
First assessed in May 2027. It's still a 4,000-word essay, now with two research pathways (subject-focused or interdisciplinary, which replaces the world studies EE) and five redesigned criteria worth 30 marks, including reflection. New Design Technology and Visual Arts courses are also first assessed in May 2027.
Next: Mathematics, languages and more
New Mathematics: analysis and approaches and applications and interpretation courses start first teaching in August 2027, with first assessment in May 2029. Language B, Language ab initio, Dance and a new Religion and Society course (replacing World Religions) follow the same timeline.
7.IB Diploma vs AP: how they compare
Considering both programmes? Here's a side-by-side look at how the IB Diploma and AP compare across key dimensions.
Our take:Both programmes are respected by universities. The IB Diploma offers breadth and international recognition, while AP offers flexibility and depth in chosen subjects.
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- AP exam prep guideThe May exam schedule, free practice resources and how to score a 5.Read the guide
Frequently asked questions about the IB Diploma
Answers to the questions students and parents ask most about the IB Diploma Programme.
Need personalised help?
If you'd like 1-on-1 support, our IB tutors can help with any subject group, Extended Essay, TOK, and Internal Assessments.