IB retake registration is completed by the Diploma Programme coordinator through IBIS, not by the student or family. The coordinator must confirm that the school can accept responsibility for the candidate, select the correct subjects and components, collect fees, meet the applicable deadline, and support the candidate throughout the examination session.
A six-month retake follows a different fee timetable from an ordinary registration. Schools should therefore open each case immediately after results are issued and set an internal deadline before the relevant IB cutoff.
The coordinator's responsibility
Under the IB's Diploma Programme general regulations, registration must be completed by the school's DP coordinator through IBIS. Students and legal guardians cannot register directly or amend an entry themselves.
A school is not required to accept an external retake candidate. Once it does, the school assumes responsibility for accurate registration, fee payment, assessment arrangements, examination administration, communication, and compliance with current IB procedures.
Before accepting a candidate, confirm that the school can provide:
- The required subject, level, language, and examination session
- Appropriate examination accommodation and supervision
- Any necessary teaching or coursework support
- Approved inclusive access arrangements, where applicable
- Secure handling of assessment materials and candidate data
- A named contact through the release of results
The IB guidance on retaking examinations states that students may retake subjects through an IB World School, subject to current restrictions. The highest grade achieved for a retaken subject or core requirement contributes to the diploma award.
IB retake registration deadlines
These dates reflect the recurring timetable in recent DP assessment procedures. Coordinators must verify them against the current session's Assessment procedures, IBIS calendar, and coordinator communications.
| Registration milestone | May session | November session |
|---|---|---|
| Standard registration deadline | 15 November | 15 May |
| Standard late-registration period ends | 15 January | 15 July |
| Six-month retake fee deadline | 29 January | 29 July |
Standard deadlines generally apply to ordinary registrations and candidates returning at least a year after their previous session. A student moving directly from November to the following May should normally be registered by 29 January. A student moving from May to the following November should normally be registered by 29 July to receive the lower applicable retake fees.
These dates are not necessarily the final points at which IBIS can accept an entry. Later registration may be possible, but higher fees or operational approval may apply. Set the school's deadline several working days earlier to resolve payments, candidate details, pending Enquiry Upon Results decisions, and IBIS errors.
A reliable registration workflow
1. Open the case after results
Record the candidate's legal name, date of birth, previous session number, personal code, former school, results, diploma status, and contact details. Confirm whether the objective is to satisfy a diploma condition, meet a university requirement, or improve a subject grade.
The RevisionDojo guide to IB retake policy can help families understand their options, but current IB documentation and IBIS remain authoritative.
2. Consider any Enquiry Upon Results
A candidate near a grade boundary may request an Enquiry Upon Results, or EUR. Do not pause the registration process while an EUR is pending. Recent procedures indicate that a six-month retake should be registered by the relevant 29 January or 29 July deadline even if the enquiry outcome has not arrived.
Explain the possible costs of registration, withdrawal, and later amendments. The RevisionDojo EUR guide supports family discussions, while coordinators must follow current IB consent, fee, and deadline rules.
3. Check availability and curriculum changes
Do not assume every subject, level, option, or response language is offered in both sessions. Check the official IB examination schedule and subject information in IBIS.
If the curriculum has changed since the original attempt, the candidate must follow the new curriculum. This may affect papers, prescribed content, permitted materials, assessment weighting, and coursework eligibility.
4. Review every assessment component
Identify whether the candidate is retaking a subject, TOK, the extended essay, or another core requirement. Document which external assessments must be completed and whether an existing internal assessment result may be carried forward.
Never promise that an IA will transfer automatically. Eligibility depends on the subject, session, curriculum version, component history, and current procedures. If new work is required, arrange supervision, authentication, teaching, assessment, and submission support before accepting the entry.
5. Confirm fees and authorization
Give the family an itemized estimate covering IB charges and any school administration, invigilation, teaching, or venue costs. The IB's assessment fees page explains that late registrations and amendments can attract additional charges.
Obtain written authorization confirming the subjects, levels, session, costs, payment terms, and school conditions. Do not rely on historical online fee figures.
6. Enter and verify the IBIS registration
Use the appropriate retake category and check every field against the previous session record and signed request. Verify:
- Legal name, date of birth, and personal code
- Previous session details
- Subject, level, language, and option
- Core and assessment components
- Carry-forward status
- Inclusive access arrangements
Save the relevant IBIS report and arrange a second-person check. Send the candidate written confirmation and require prompt reporting of discrepancies.
What to track after registration
Maintain a live tracker covering payment, coursework decisions, submission dates, examination timetable, access arrangements, contact history, and responsible staff. Include checkpoints for assessed work, eCoursework uploads, timetable and venue instructions, examination administration, results access, and transcript requests.
The official assessment FAQ confirms that students receive separate candidate website credentials for each session. A previous PIN should not be assumed to provide access to retake results.
Common administrative mistakes
Frequent errors include entering the wrong level, overlooking a curriculum change, assuming coursework can be carried forward, waiting for an EUR, or failing to confirm that the school offers the subject in the target session. Families should receive an earlier school deadline, not only the IB deadline, so the coordinator has time to verify information and collect payment.
Registration and preparation should also remain distinct. RevisionDojo's targeted IB retake study plan can support preparation after entry confirmation, but it cannot register candidates or replace school and IB instructions.
Conclusion
Effective IB retake registration requires early case opening, accurate IBIS data, transparent fees, component-level checking, and an internal deadline. Coordinators must distinguish standard registration dates from the 29 January and 29 July six-month retake fee deadlines and verify every session against current IB documentation.
Once registration is secure, students can prepare with RevisionDojo Study Notes, Questionbank, Mock Exams, and Jojo AI. The coordinator should maintain an auditable process in which every entry, payment, component, and deadline has a named owner.