For M28 students, who started DP1 in August 2026 and expect to take IB examinations in May 2028, reading your timetable begins with three checks: identify your six subjects, confirm which lessons apply to your HL or SL level, and locate compulsory core sessions and study periods.
Extra HL lessons reflect the greater teaching time required at Higher Level. Study periods, rotating weeks, room codes and core sessions are organised by individual schools, so your timetable must be read alongside its school-specific key.
What the labels on an IB timetable mean
Most schools abbreviate subject names, but there is no universal timetable format across IB school systems. Begin with the key supplied by your school and check teacher initials, classroom numbers and campus locations.
| Timetable label | Likely meaning | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Bio HL | Biology Higher Level | Whether only HL students attend |
| Bio SL/HL | Combined Biology class | Whether HL students have additional lessons |
| TOK | Theory of Knowledge | Room, teacher and attendance requirements |
| Study or Independent Study | Period without a normal lesson | Location, supervision and attendance rules |
| CAS or EE | Core meeting or workshop | Whether it occurs regularly or occasionally |
| Wk A/Wk B | Alternating timetable week | Which week applies on a given date |
If your school uses a six-day cycle instead of a Monday-Friday pattern, follow the numbered day. A missed school day may move the cycle forward rather than cancel that day's lessons.
IB timetable HL SL differences
The official Diploma Programme curriculum recommends 240 teaching hours for each HL subject and 150 teaching hours for each SL subject. HL courses therefore require substantially more teaching time and involve greater breadth, depth or both, depending on the subject.
A full Diploma Programme student normally takes six subjects, with three or four at HL and the remainder at SL. Schools may provide the extra HL time through:
- Separate HL and SL classes
- Shared lessons followed by HL-only periods
- Longer HL lessons on selected days
- Additional laboratory, seminar or problem-solving blocks
- Different allocations across DP1 and DP2
For example, Biology SL and HL students might share four periods while HL students attend two additional periods. Another school may teach the levels separately. Your timetable shows your school's delivery model, not a universal IB weekly pattern, so ask your teacher or DP coordinator if you cannot identify which periods are compulsory.
How to read TOK and core periods
Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a required part of the DP core alongside the Extended Essay (EE) and creativity, activity, service (CAS). TOK is a taught course, not an optional study hall, even if it appears only once or twice in a timetable cycle.
EE and CAS responsibilities may not appear as weekly lessons. Schools can organise briefings, workshops, conferences and supervisor meetings differently. Record their deadlines separately so that the absence of a regular timetable box does not cause you to overlook required work.
Advisory, homeroom and university guidance are school arrangements rather than additional IB subjects. They may nevertheless be compulsory under school rules.
What to do during study periods
A study period is not an IB-mandated timetable category. Your school decides whether it is supervised, where students work, whether attendance is recorded and whether students may leave campus.
Give each study period one specific purpose before it begins. Productive options include:
- Reviewing the most recent HL topic
- Completing one defined homework task
- Practising active recall with IB Flashcards
- Answering a short set from the IB Question Bank
- Updating CAS evidence or an EE reading list
A task such as “complete five functions questions” is easier to start and measure than a vague instruction to “revise mathematics.”
Separate your timetable from other DP calendars
Students commonly confuse three documents:
- Weekly lesson timetable: where you must be during the school day.
- Assessment calendar: tests, internal deadlines, oral assessments and draft submissions.
- Official examination timetable: final IB examination dates for your session.
Most DP1 assessment dates are set locally. The official May 2028 examination timetable is a separate document used later and should not be used to interpret current lessons. The RevisionDojo guide to understanding a school IB assessment calendar explains how local deadlines fit together.
A five-minute timetable check
Before your first full week:
- Highlight all six subjects and label each HL or SL.
- Circle every HL-only lesson that applies to you.
- Mark TOK, homeroom and compulsory core sessions.
- Identify study periods and confirm attendance rules.
- Add rooms, teachers and travel time between buildings.
- Check for rotating weeks, numbered days or semester changes.
- Compare the result with your subject registration.
Report missing, duplicated or incorrectly levelled classes promptly. For wider context, consult the IB DP timetabling guide and the guide to the first month of the IB Diploma.
Common timetable mistakes
The most serious mistake is attending only shared SL/HL lessons when you are registered for HL. Missing extension periods can create gaps that remain hidden until an assessment.
Students also overlook alternating weeks, assume study periods permit leaving campus, or expect CAS and EE work to appear automatically. Confirm uncertain arrangements with your DP coordinator, especially when a printed timetable conflicts with the school portal or your registration.
Conclusion
Your IB timetable translates programme requirements into your school's weekly structure. Check the level beside every subject, expect additional HL teaching, treat TOK as compulsory and verify local study-period rules.
RevisionDojo can help convert open periods into focused study blocks. Use the Study Planner, Flashcards or Question Bank to assign a realistic task to each available period.