Is freshman year actually part of the IB Diploma Programme?

Usually, freshman year is not part of the two-year IB Diploma Programme, which is intended for students aged 16 to 19. A ninth-grade student at an IB school may instead be enrolled in the Middle Years Programme, a pre-IB pathway, or a locally designed curriculum. Schools sometimes use “IB student” broadly even when formal DP courses begin in eleventh grade. This distinction matters because DP materials, such as particular calculators and examination resources, may not be needed yet. Ask your coordinator for the official name of your current programme and the year in which DP course selection begins.

How many binders and notebooks should a freshman IB student buy?

Start with one notebook or paper section per subject, but avoid buying a large binder for every class before seeing how teachers distribute work. A practical alternative is one slim transport binder with dividers, supported by larger archive folders at home. Mathematics often benefits from its own notebook because calculations and corrections need to remain in sequence. Laboratory sciences may also require a specific bound notebook, so wait for the teacher's instructions. After two weeks, adjust the number of notebooks and folders based on the actual volume of paper in each class.

Do I need a graphing calculator for freshman year IB?

Not necessarily, because calculator requirements depend on your mathematics course and school rather than the IB label alone. Many freshmen use a scientific calculator, while later DP courses commonly require access to a suitable graphic display calculator. The IB restricts calculator models and features used in examinations, and schools may lend approved devices. Buying the same model your teacher demonstrates can make learning its functions substantially easier. Confirm the exact model with your mathematics department before making an expensive purchase.

Should I take notes on paper or on a laptop in IB?

Both methods can work, and a hybrid system is often the most practical choice. Paper is particularly effective for mathematics, scientific diagrams, annotation, and tasks that require handwritten working. Digital notes are searchable, easy to reorganize, and useful for research or long written assignments. The important requirement is to decide where each type of work belongs and to back up digital files regularly. Follow individual teachers' device policies because some classrooms or laboratories may restrict laptop use.

Should I buy IB textbooks before freshman year starts?

Wait until the school or teacher provides an exact title, author, edition, and ISBN. Schools frequently lend textbooks, provide licensed digital resources, or use teacher-created materials instead of a single book. Literary works may need a specific translation or edition so that page references match during class. Buying a general “IB” textbook is also risky if you are in the MYP or a pre-IB course rather than the Diploma Programme. Use only lawful school-provided or purchased copies, and order additional resources later if you identify a genuine need.

What is the most important supply for staying organized in IB?

The most important supply is a planner combined with a filing routine that you will actually maintain. Record deadlines immediately, then divide longer assignments into research, planning, drafting, revision, and submission stages. Keep a clearly labeled physical or digital folder for each subject and use consistent file names. Set aside about ten minutes each week to file papers, check future deadlines, and back up important work. An inexpensive system used consistently will outperform an elaborate collection of stationery that is rarely maintained.

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What Supplies Should I Get for Freshman Year IB?

• 5 Aug 2026•13

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What Supplies Should I Get for Freshman Year IB? | RevisionDojo

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What Supplies Should I Get for Freshman Year IB?

• 5 Aug 2026•13

The short answer is: buy reliable basic stationery, one clear organization system, a planner, and the technology required by your school. Do not immediately purchase expensive textbooks, laboratory equipment, a graphing calculator, or a tablet until your teachers confirm the exact requirements.

Freshman year usually does not mean the first year of the IB Diploma Programme (DP). The DP is designed for students aged 16 to 19, whereas ninth-grade students at an IB school are commonly enrolled in the Middle Years Programme (MYP) or a school-designed pre-IB course. Your supply list therefore depends more on your school's classes and policies than on a universal IB requirement.

The essential freshman IB supply list

A sensible starter kit should support writing, organization, mathematical work, and digital assignments without filling your backpack with unnecessary materials.

Supply	Suggested starting amount	Why it is useful
Blue or black ballpoint pens	3 to 5	Reliable for classwork and handwritten assessments
Pencils, eraser, and sharpener	2 to 3 pencils	Needed for diagrams, graphs, planning, and corrections
Highlighters	2 to 4 colors	Useful for annotating texts and separating types of information
30 cm ruler	1	Needed for graphs, tables, diagrams, and design work
Lined notebooks or loose-leaf paper	One system per subject	Keeps class notes and practice work organized
Graph or squared paper	One pad or notebook	Particularly helpful in mathematics and sciences
Folders or binder dividers	One section per subject	Prevents worksheets and assessed work from being lost
Planner or calendar	1	Tracks homework, deadlines, tests, and longer projects
Index cards or digital flashcards	One pack or app	Supports active recall of vocabulary, formulas, and definitions
Laptop and charger	If required by the school	Used for research, writing, collaboration, and learning platforms
Calculator	Only after teacher confirmation	The required model depends on your course and school

Add a pencil case, refill paper, glue stick, scissors, colored pencils, and sticky notes if your classes regularly use them. A durable backpack and reusable water bottle are practical, but they are not IB-specific requirements.

Why there is no universal IB school supply list

The IB establishes curriculum frameworks and assessment expectations, but individual schools determine classroom routines, technology platforms, textbooks, and everyday materials. The official MYP curriculum overview includes eight subject groups: language acquisition, language and literature, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical and health education, and design.

Because schools implement these subjects differently, one freshman might need a laboratory notebook and art portfolio, while another completes much of the same work digitally. The MYP can also be offered in two-, three-, four-, or five-year formats, according to the official MYP programme overview. A school's own supply list and teacher instructions therefore take priority over any general online checklist.

Choose an organization system before buying notebooks

IB-style learning produces more than ordinary class notes. You may collect source analyses, laboratory work, reflections, drafts, feedback sheets, interdisciplinary tasks, and project evidence. A consistent filing system matters because you will often need to return to earlier work and show how your thinking developed.

Two systems work particularly well:

System	Best for	Main risk
Separate notebook and folder for every subject	Students who like clear physical separation	A heavy backpack and many items to manage
One transport binder plus archive binders at home	Students who receive many worksheets	Papers must be filed at home every week
Mostly digital notes with one paper folder	Schools that regularly use laptops	Distraction, poor file names, or lost work without backups
Hybrid paper and digital system	Most IB students	Confusion if there is no rule for what goes where

For a hybrid system, use paper for mathematics, diagrams, quick annotations, and tasks your teacher collects. Use digital folders for typed essays, research, presentation files, and scanned feedback. RevisionDojo's guide to organizing IB notes and materials offers useful routines for labeling folders and summarizing work weekly.

Create the same digital structure for every course: Subject > Unit > Notes, Assignments, Assessments, Feedback. Name files precisely, such as Biology_Cell_Structure_Lab_Draft_1, rather than science thing. Back up the main school folder through an approved cloud service and follow your school's privacy rules.

Technology: what you need and what you can skip

A laptop or Chromebook is useful when your school assigns online research, presentations, essays, spreadsheets, or digital portfolios. However, the device should meet your school's requirements, not an imagined standard for IB students. Ask which operating systems, examination software, filtering tools, and learning platforms the school supports.

You usually do not need:

A high-end gaming laptop
Both a laptop and a tablet
A paid note-taking application
A personal printer if school printing is readily available
Large amounts of local storage when approved cloud storage is provided

A basic laptop that runs the school's required browser and applications reliably is normally more valuable than an expensive tablet. Also carry the correct charger and, if permitted, inexpensive wired headphones. The RevisionDojo guide to digital note organization can help you compare digital filing approaches before committing to one application.

Do not buy a calculator until your teacher confirms the model

Freshmen often buy the wrong calculator because they assume every IB student needs the same graphing calculator. That is not correct. A ninth-grade mathematics class may require only a scientific calculator, while a later DP mathematics course may use an approved graphic display calculator (GDC).

The IB states that DP students need a calculator for one or more subjects, but not every calculator or application is suitable in examinations. Its official exam calculator policy directs schools to current approved-calculator information in the Programme Resource Centre. Examination rules and calculator operating-system requirements can change, so confirmation from your mathematics teacher or IB coordinator is essential.

Before purchasing, ask:

Does the school lend calculators?
Which exact make and model does the teacher demonstrate?
Is a scientific calculator sufficient this year?
Will this model remain useful in the DP?
Does it satisfy current school and examination rules?

Using the same model as your teacher makes classroom instruction easier. Buying a costly model early provides little benefit if your school supplies another one or requires different functionality.

Subject-specific supplies to confirm

Wait for teacher instructions before buying specialized materials. Requirements vary considerably even between authorized IB schools.

Mathematics and sciences

You may need graph paper, a geometry set, a laboratory notebook, safety goggles, or a lab coat. Schools often provide safety equipment, and teachers may require a particular notebook format so pages cannot be removed. Never purchase laboratory chemicals or equipment for independent use.

Language and literature

A teacher may request sticky flags, an annotation notebook, or specific editions of literary works. Do not buy novels in advance because pagination, translation, and edition can matter during class discussion. A small vocabulary notebook can also be useful for language acquisition.

Arts and design

These subjects may require sketchbooks, portfolios, pencils, paint, modeling materials, or software. Wait for the course list because size, medium, and format are often part of the teacher's expectations.

Physical and health education

Confirm uniform, footwear, swimwear, and equipment rules with the school. Label clothing and reusable equipment clearly.

Supplies that support IB learning habits

The most valuable supplies are the ones that help you practise the MYP approaches to learning (ATL) skills. The IB identifies communication, social, thinking, research, and self-management as ATL skill categories. A planner and filing system directly support self-management, while a research notebook helps you record questions, sources, and conclusions.

Use your planner for more than due dates. Break a project into smaller actions such as selecting a topic, locating sources, outlining, drafting, revising, and submitting. A digital RevisionDojo Study Planner can serve this purpose if you prefer scheduled online tasks.

Flashcards are useful for vocabulary, formulas, scientific terminology, dates, and command terms, but they should not replace explanation and application. You can use physical index cards or RevisionDojo's active-recall flashcard system. Jojo AI can help turn a topic into review questions, while the Questionbank and Study Notes are more appropriate when you need to apply knowledge rather than merely remember it.

What not to buy before school begins

Avoid a large back-to-school purchase based only on the IB label. In particular, postpone buying:

Unconfirmed textbooks or literary editions
An expensive graphing calculator
Subject-specific laboratory equipment
Premium productivity subscriptions
Large binders for every subject
A tablet when your school requires a laptop
Decorative stationery that does not improve organization
Exam-preparation books for courses you have not started

Begin with a one- or two-week supply of essentials, then adjust after meeting your teachers. This prevents waste and gives you time to learn how much paper each class produces, which assignments are digital, and what the school provides.

A practical setup for the first week

Pack a lightweight starter kit containing two pens, two pencils, an eraser, a ruler, two highlighters, one general notebook, loose-leaf paper, a temporary folder, your planner, and the school-approved device. Bring the calculator you already own, but do not replace it until mathematics staff give instructions.

During the first week, record each teacher's requirements and create one physical and digital section for every subject. At the end of the week, purchase only the missing items. Review the system every Friday by filing papers, checking deadlines, backing up files, and clearing unnecessary material from your backpack.

Conclusion

For freshman year IB, start with basic stationery, a dependable folder and note system, a planner, and whatever device your school officially requires. Confirm calculators, textbooks, laboratory materials, art supplies, and software with teachers before spending significant money. The goal is not to own more supplies, but to build a system in which every assignment, deadline, note, and piece of feedback can be found quickly.

Once classes begin, RevisionDojo's MYP revision guide and IB resource library can help you connect that organization system to Study Notes, Flashcards, the Questionbank, and Jojo AI.

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