Award of the IB Diploma

Students who obtain 24 points or more in the exams and have completed their CAS (Creativity, Action and Service) pass the IB Diploma. The maximum number of points a student can be awarded on his or her diploma is 45 points – 7 points in each of the six subjects and 3 bonus points. 

However, this total must be achieved in compliance with the following set of rules:

1.	Higher Level subjects: Candidates must achieve a Grade 4 or above in each HL subject. Nevertheless, ONE grade 3 (but not a Grade 2 or a Grade 1) will be acceptable if compensated by a Grade 5 or above in another subject offered at Higher Level.
2.	Standard Level subjects: Results of subjects offered at this level must not include: a. A Grade 1 b. More than ONE grade 2.
3.	The overall result must not include: a. More than THREE grade 3’s. b. More than ONE grade 2 (at SL). However, the overall result must not include: c: More than ONE grade 3, if a grade 2 on Standard Level is awarded.

Bonus points
The maximum number of points a student can obtain in each course is 7 points. However, 3 extra bonus points can be awarded for the Extended Essay and the Theory of Knowledge paper.

Each of these papers is graded on one of the five bands below:

Band A	Work of an excellent standard
Band B	Work of a good standard
Band C	Work of a satisfactory standard
Band D	Work of a mediocre standard
Band E	Work of a poor standard

 

The total number of bonus points awarded is determined according to the following matrix:
 

	Theory of Knowledge
Extended Essay	A B C D E A +3 +3 +2 +2 +1 B +3 +2 +1 +1 F* C +2 +1 +1 0 F* D +2 +1 0 0 F* E +1 0 0 0 F

As an example, a student who achieves a level C for Theory of Knowledge and a level B for the Extended Essay will be awarded one bonus point.

NOTE:

1. A student who achieves a level E for both Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay will be awarded F for their bonus score. An F is a failing condition for the Diploma.
2. A student who achieves a level E for EITHER Theory of Knowledge OR the Extended Essay must achieve 28 points overall in their subjects to pass the IB Diploma.
3. An ‘A’ in one of the papers earns the student one point, EVEN if the other paper is awarded an E.

Source: Tables from: http://www.stclares.ac.uk/ib/ibgrading.php. Last accessed October 15, 2010