What is the maximum possible IB Diploma score?

The maximum IB Diploma score is 45 points. Six subjects can each contribute up to 7 points, producing a maximum subject total of 42. Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay can add up to 3 core points. Creativity, Activity, Service is compulsory but does not contribute numerical points. A score of 45 therefore requires six subject grades of 7 and the maximum core-point combination.

Is 24 points enough to pass the IB Diploma?

A total of 24 points is necessary, but it is not sufficient by itself. The student must also complete CAS, receive grades for all required components, and avoid an E in TOK or the Extended Essay. No subject may receive a grade 1, and there are limits on the number of grades at 2 or 3 and below. Minimum totals must also be achieved across the contributing HL and SL subjects. A student can consequently earn 24 points or more without being awarded the diploma if another condition is not met.

Is a grade 4 considered a passing IB subject grade?

The IB does not define one universal passing grade for every individual Diploma Programme course. A grade 4 broadly represents satisfactory achievement and is often treated as a practical benchmark by schools or universities. However, an institution may require a 5, 6, or another specified result, particularly in an HL subject related to a degree. For the full diploma, the total score and all award conditions are considered together. A grade 4 should therefore be interpreted in the context of the student's diploma profile and external admission requirements.

Do Higher Level subjects contribute more diploma points than Standard Level subjects?

HL and SL subjects use the same 1-7 scale and contribute the same number of points to the total. A grade 6 at SL and a grade 6 at HL each add six diploma points. HL courses generally involve more recommended teaching time and greater depth, but this does not create a numerical multiplier. The diploma rules nevertheless require minimum totals across the contributing HL and SL subjects. Universities may also place particular emphasis on HL results when assessing subject preparation.

Why do IB grade boundaries change between examination sessions?

Grade boundaries can change because each examination session uses new papers that may differ slightly in difficulty. The IB reviews marked work against established grade standards and considers examiner judgment, statistical evidence, grade descriptors, and teacher feedback. This process is intended to keep the meaning of a grade reasonably consistent over time. It does not mean students are simply ranked against one another through a fixed curve. Historical boundaries are useful for estimating performance, but students should aim above them rather than assuming they will be repeated.

How should students estimate an IB grade from practice marks?

Students should begin with timed, independent work that closely matches the relevant syllabus and assessment format. Marks from each component should be scaled according to the official weighting before they are combined. The resulting total can then be compared with grade boundaries from recent, relevant examination sessions. Several results provide a more reliable estimate than one mock examination, especially when performance varies. A calculator can organize the evidence, but the output remains an estimate because future boundaries and final moderation outcomes are not known.

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IB Breakdown of Grades: 1-7 and 45-Point System

IB Grading IB

• 21 Aug 2026•11

IB Breakdown of Grades: 1-7 and 45-Point System

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IB Breakdown of Grades: 1-7 and 45-Point System | RevisionDojo

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IB Breakdown of Grades: 1-7 and 45-Point System

IB Grading IB

• 21 Aug 2026•11

The IB breakdown of grades has two connected parts. Each of the six Diploma Programme subjects receives a grade from 1 to 7, while Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and the Extended Essay (EE) can contribute up to 3 additional points. The maximum IB Diploma score is therefore 45 points.

A total of 24 points is necessary for the diploma, but it does not guarantee the award. Students must also complete Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) and satisfy conditions involving individual grades, Higher Level (HL) points, Standard Level (SL) points, TOK, and the EE.

IB breakdown of grades at a glance

The final diploma score combines six subject grades with the TOK and EE core points. CAS is compulsory but does not add numerical points.

Diploma component	Grading system	Maximum contribution
Six academic subjects	Each subject graded 1-7	42 points
Theory of Knowledge and Extended Essay	Each graded A-E, then combined	3 points
Creativity, Activity, Service	Completion requirement	0 points
Maximum diploma total	Subjects plus core	45 points

The calculation is:

Six subject grades + TOK/EE core points = final IB Diploma score out of 45

For example, HL grades of 6, 6, and 5 combined with SL grades of 5, 5, and 4 produce 31 subject points. If the student earns 2 core points, the final diploma score is 33.

Understanding the 1-7 IB subject grades

Every completed DP subject receives a final grade between 1 and 7, with 7 representing the highest achievement. These grades are not percentages: a 7 does not mean 70%, and a 4 does not automatically mean 40%.

IB grade	Broad level of achievement
7	Excellent
6	Very good
5	Good
4	Satisfactory
3	Limited or mediocre
2	Poor
1	Very poor

These descriptions are broad. The IB's official grade descriptors explain the expected quality of knowledge, analysis, evaluation, communication, and subject-specific skills.

A grade 4 is often treated as a practical benchmark, but the IB does not designate a universal passing grade for an individual DP course. The IB assessment FAQ confirms that schools and universities may set their own requirements for admission, credit, or progression.

How assessment marks become a subject grade

Most IB subjects contain several assessment components. Depending on the course, these may include examination papers, internal assessments, oral tasks, practical work, or externally assessed coursework.

The process normally follows four stages:

Marks are awarded using assessment criteria or a markscheme.
Component marks are scaled according to the weighting in the subject guide.
Scaled marks are combined into an overall mark.
That mark is compared with the session's grade boundaries to produce a grade from 1 to 7.

Exact weightings vary by subject, level, and curriculum version. Students should therefore use the guide and assessment model for their specific course rather than assuming that every internal assessment has the same value.

The IB uses both internally and externally assessed work. As explained in the official assessment overview, school-marked tasks may be moderated to keep standards comparable across schools.

What IB grade boundaries mean

A grade boundary is the cut-off that converts an overall assessment mark into a subject grade. If a hypothetical grade 6 boundary is 68, a mark of 68 receives a 6, while 67 remains in the grade below.

There is no fixed percentage that always produces a particular grade. Boundaries can differ according to:

subject and course level
examination session
assessment component
syllabus or assessment model
examination variant, where applicable

IB assessment is criterion-related, meaning performance is judged against established standards rather than determined by a simple ranking of classmates. Examiners and IB staff consider grade descriptors, marked student work, statistical evidence, examiner judgment, and teacher feedback when setting boundaries.

Boundaries may change when papers differ in difficulty. Their purpose is to preserve a comparable achievement standard, not to reward or penalize a cohort. The RevisionDojo guide to IB grade boundaries explains the relationship between raw marks, scaled marks, and final grades.

Historical boundaries can help interpret mock results, but they do not predict future cut-offs. The RevisionDojo IB Grade Calculator can estimate grades when students select the correct subject, level, session, and available examination variant.

Higher Level and Standard Level grades

HL and SL subjects both use the 1-7 scale. A grade 7 at SL contributes the same 7 diploma points as a grade 7 at HL, although HL courses normally involve greater depth, breadth, and recommended teaching time.

For students taking the usual three HL and three SL subjects, at least 12 points across HL and 9 points across SL are required. If four HL subjects are registered, the three highest HL grades count toward the minimum. A student registered for two SL subjects needs at least 5 SL points.

Universities may impose higher conditions, such as a specified overall total and particular HL grades. These admission requirements are separate from the IB's diploma award rules.

TOK, the Extended Essay, and core points

TOK and the EE are each graded from A to E. Their grades are combined through the official core points matrix to contribute between 0 and 3 points.

Extended Essay / TOK	A	B	C	D	E
A	3	2	2	2	Failing condition
B	2	2	2	1	Failing condition
C	2	2	1	0	Failing condition
D	2	1	0	0	Failing condition
E	Failing condition	Failing condition	Failing condition	Failing condition	Failing condition

A B in TOK and a C in the EE earn 2 core points. Two D grades add no points but do not by themselves cause failure. An E in either TOK or the EE is a failing condition, regardless of the student's numerical total.

CAS is not graded from 1 to 7 or A to E. It contributes no points, but its requirements must be completed. The official DP passing criteria and core points matrix is the definitive reference.

Requirements for passing the IB Diploma

Students need at least 24 total points, but the diploma is not awarded if any of these conditions applies:

CAS requirements have not been met.
The total is below 24 points.
A required subject, TOK, or the EE has no grade awarded.
TOK or the EE receives an E.
Any subject receives a grade 1.
A grade 2 is awarded in three or more subjects.
A grade 3 or below is awarded in four or more subjects.
The required HL or SL point total is not achieved.

A student could therefore exceed 24 points but fail because CAS is incomplete, the EE receives an E, or the HL total is too low. Students who complete individual courses without meeting every diploma condition receive Diploma Programme course results recording the grades awarded.

Predicted grades compared with final grades

A predicted grade is a teacher's evidence-based estimate, often informed by mock examinations, timed assessments, coursework, and class performance. It is not an official final result.

Final grades are determined after assessed work has been marked, moderated where necessary, weighted, and converted using the applicable boundaries. The RevisionDojo comparison of predicted and final grades explains why the two may differ. Reliable predictions should use several recent performances rather than one unusually strong or weak test.

Using the grade breakdown to improve results

Effective planning begins with component-level evidence. Rather than recording only a total, students should classify lost marks as knowledge gaps, application errors, weak evaluation, misunderstood command terms, or timing problems.

A practical process is to:

complete a timed paper or substantial section
mark it with the relevant markscheme
calculate performance by topic and question type
identify components near the next boundary
correct recurring weaknesses
retest under similar conditions

Aim several marks above historical boundaries because future cut-offs are unknown. RevisionDojo's IB subject resources can support targeted review, while RevisionDojo Mock Exams provide timed practice. Jojo AI and the Questionbank are most useful when students analyze errors rather than completing questions without reflection.

Conclusion

The IB grading system combines six subject grades worth up to 42 points with up to 3 core points from TOK and the EE. Although 24 points is the minimum total, students must also meet the individual-grade, HL, SL, core, and CAS conditions.

Use RevisionDojo's Grade Calculator to estimate current performance, then apply the Questionbank, Mock Exams, Study Notes, and Jojo AI to the weaknesses most likely to produce the next point.