IB GRADE SCALE
Each academic subject is assessed on a scale of 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum) with 4 considered the "passing grade". In all IB subjects this grade is arrived at through internally as well as externally assessed or moderated work, throughout the two-year program with the final examination. Following are the approximate grade scales used by the IB:
IB Grade % Range Description
7 80 - 100 Excellent
6 68 - 79 Very Good
5 55 - 67 Good
4 45 - 54 Satisfactory
3 35 - 44 Mediocre
2 25 - 34 Poor
1 0 - 24 Very Poor
To achieve the IB Diploma, therefore, a student should achieve a minimum of 24 IB points (IB grade 4 in 6 subjects) with the maximum possible diploma score being 45 points (IB grade 7 in 6 subjects plus 3 bonus points). However, there are specific IB requirements which mean that a student scoring a 1 in any subject is not awarded the Diploma, even if the total score is 24 or greater. Similarly, a student scoring a 3 in one subject at HL still needs to reach a total of 12 points at HL, or an overall Diploma total of 28 points.
For this reason, for school purposes, we recommend that students aim for a total of 28 points with no failing conditions in order to be considered strong IB Diploma candidates.
