IB retake registration is managed by the Diploma Programme coordinator through an IB World School. Students and parents cannot enter examinations or amend registrations directly with the IB. Coordinators must verify eligibility and assessment details, register the candidate accurately in IBIS, collect fees, and complete each step before the relevant school and IB deadlines.
This guide explains the administrative sequence, recurring deadlines, and checks that prevent consequential errors. Exact dates and fees can change, so the current Diploma Programme Assessment procedures in the Programme Resource Centre remain the controlling source.
Establish the school's retake policy
An IB World School is not required to accept a retake candidate, including a former student. Before accepting applications, the school should establish a written policy covering capacity, examination sessions, available subjects, administrative charges, payment terms, teaching support, facilities, and coursework responsibilities.
The registering school assumes academic and administrative responsibility for the candidate. Its policy should clarify:
- whether former and external students are accepted
- which sessions, subjects, levels, languages, and formats are supported
- whether candidates receive teaching or examination entry only
- deadlines for forms, evidence, payment, and confirmation
- procedures for withdrawals and Enquiries Upon Results
The IB's official retaking examinations guidance confirms that candidates may retake a subject at an IB World School offering the programme, but no school is obliged to accept them.
Build an IB retake registration timeline
Internal deadlines should fall earlier than IB deadlines. Coordinators need time to resolve identity mismatches, obtain records, confirm subject availability, collect cleared payment, and audit IBIS entries.
Recent DP assessment procedures have used this recurring schedule. Verify every date against the procedures for the relevant session before publishing it.
| Milestone | May examination session | November examination session |
|---|---|---|
| Standard registration deadline | 15 November in the preceding year | 15 May |
| Late registration period ends | 15 January | 15 July |
| Six-month retake lower-fee deadline | 29 January after November | 29 July after May |
| Relevant withdrawal deadline | 20 April | 20 October |
The six-month deadline matters because results arrive after the ordinary registration cycle has progressed. Contact May candidates considering November immediately after July results, and November candidates considering May after December results. Late registration should not be treated as extra planning time because higher fees apply and some amendments may be unavailable.
Complete the administrative checks
Confirm identity and the intended outcome
Obtain the candidate's legal name, date of birth, personal code, candidate session number, original school code, previous session, and results documentation. Match these details against IBIS rather than creating a new identity unnecessarily. For external candidates, obtain permission for required record transfers and check that another school is not simultaneously registering them without IB authorization.
Clarify whether the candidate wants to earn the diploma, improve a subject grade, meet a university condition, or improve a DP course result. The IB states that when a DP candidate retakes a subject or core requirement to improve a diploma result, the highest grade contributes to the award. The former three-session restriction was removed in 2023, as explained in the IB assessment FAQ.
Verify the subject entry and components
For each retake, confirm the subject and code, SL or HL, response language, session availability, syllabus, required options, and examination format. Curriculum changes may require the candidate to follow new assessment requirements, so never copy the previous registration automatically. Check the current subject guide and official examination schedule before accepting the entry.
A candidate generally resits all required examination papers for a registered subject, rather than selecting one paper. Internal assessment and other non-examination components require a separate decision. An existing component result may be eligible for carry-forward depending on the subject, syllabus continuity, and registration circumstances. New work may require teaching, authentication, supervision, marking, and submission, so do not promise that an IA can be reused or replaced before consulting the current procedures.
Review access arrangements and logistics
Do not assume that previous inclusive access arrangements continue automatically. Check their authorization, supporting evidence, application requirements, and deadlines. Confirm rooms, invigilation, examination materials, timetable conflicts, digital assessment readiness where applicable, and a reliable communication channel with the candidate.
Register and audit the IBIS entry
Only the coordinator or an authorized colleague should complete registration. The 2026 DP general regulations state that students and legal guardians cannot register or amend entries themselves.
Use a second-person check wherever possible. Compare the IBIS registration report with the signed request, previous results, payment record, and component decision. Give the candidate written confirmation of the session, subjects, levels, response languages, components, payment status, and examination arrangements.
Keep results reviews separate
An Enquiry Upon Results, or EUR, and a retake are separate processes. A candidate may request a remark while protecting the option to register for the next session. Do not delay a six-month retake entry if waiting could trigger higher fees or prevent registration.
Record the EUR consent, payment, outcome, retake entry, and any withdrawal separately. A Category 1 remark can raise or lower a grade, so informed written consent is required. If the result makes the retake unnecessary, follow the applicable withdrawal and refund procedure rather than assuming the entry disappears automatically.
Track the registration and avoid common errors
Maintain an access-controlled tracker containing candidate identifiers, previous and target sessions, subject details, component treatment, access arrangements, fees, IBIS status, examination dates, and communications. Useful statuses include awaiting documents, eligibility checked, payment cleared, entered in IBIS, independently verified, and candidate confirmed.
Common mistakes include entering the wrong level or language, overlooking a curriculum change, assuming an IA automatically carries forward, waiting too long for an EUR, treating payment as proof of registration, and failing to issue written confirmation. A signed request does not transfer responsibility away from the registering school.
Once registration is secure, students can use RevisionDojo's retake study plan to diagnose weaknesses and the IB Questionbank for targeted practice. Schools can also consult the RevisionDojo guide for IB coordinators.
Conclusion
Effective IB retake registration requires early decisions, accurate candidate data, current-session checks, and an auditable approval sequence. Coordinators should set an earlier school deadline, verify each subject and component, audit the IBIS entry, and keep EUR activity separate. After confirmation, RevisionDojo Questionbank, mock examinations, and Jojo AI can support focused preparation.