A retake is not just a second attempt at a paper. Your final grade can involve external exams, Internal Assessment, and sometimes core components. This guide explains the pieces clearly so you know what a host school can register and what must be confirmed separately.
External assessment consists of written examinations held at the end of the course. These are set and marked by IB examiners worldwide, not by your school's teachers. Depending on the subject, you may have 1, 2, or 3 exam papers, each testing different skills.
External assessment typically accounts for 70 to 80% of your final grade. Papers may include essays, structured questions, data analysis, and multiple choice components.
Internal Assessment is work completed during the course and initially marked by your teacher. The IB then moderates these marks to ensure global consistency. IA formats vary widely:
Diploma candidates must also complete three core components:
You can retake individual subjects without retaking the entire Diploma. Many candidates retake just one or two subjects where they need a higher grade for university admission.
IBretake helps students find schools that can host selected retake exams. It does not arrange new IA, coursework, tutoring, oral preparation, or coursework supervision. If an existing IA mark or coursework component matters for your retake, confirm that separately with your previous school or the accepting IB coordinator.
Don't assume a retake will be easier or harder than your original session. Grade boundaries are set independently for each session based on exam difficulty and global performance. Your preparation should focus on mastering the subject, not gaming the boundary.
The IB Diploma is scored out of 45 points: up to 7 points per subject (6 subjects = 42 points) plus up to 3 bonus points from the TOK/EE matrix. A score of 24 points or above (with certain conditions) is required to earn the Diploma.
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