Frequently asked questions

The Diploma Programme (DP) is a curriculum framework designed by the International Baccalaureate (IB) for students in the last two years of high school. 

IB students graduating with the IB diploma are able to study at universities all around the world. Students report that their involvement with the IB has given them the tools needed to succeed at college. In particular, students comment on their sense of preparedness, self-confidence, research skills and their ability to manage their time. Even more important, they have developed a sense of the world around them and their responsibility to it. 

Diploma Programme students study six subjects (three at standard level and three at higher level) over two years and complete three additional requirements: the theory of knowledge (TOK), the extended essay and CAS—creativity, activity and service tasks outside of the classroom. In addition to these requirements, students must earn a minimum of 24 points out of a possible 45 points on the final assessments which are externally marked and moderated by the IB, in order to receive an IB diploma.

The DP is a rigorous course of study for motivated students. That said, prior academic success is less an indicator of ability to earn the diploma than are a student’s determination to do his or her best, willingness to be organized in order to complete the work while leading a full, balanced life, and a strong commitment to learning in and beyond the classroom.

Absolutely. Most successful Diploma Programme students lead very full lives. They are often members of athletic teams and involved in a wide range of activities. Time management and organization are key skills the IB develops in students.

All DP teachers receive professional development in the IB’s approaches to teaching and approaches to learning from certified IB workshop leaders. This is a requirement for IB World Schools implementing the DP.

The IB programme develops the leaders of the future– people who know how to collaborate and who know the value of teamwork, people who are capable of critical and analytical thinking, who are versatile and take initiatives on a local and global scale. It is a broad curriculum with the emphasis on the development of skills fit for the 21st Century workplace and for employment in careers yet to be defined and created.

Learner profile is one of the key elements of the DP programme. It is committed to fostering a set of values and attributes outlined in the learner profile. The IB graduates are thinkers, inquirers, communicators, principled (acting with integrity and honesty), open-minded, caring (showing compassion and respect to others), while at the same time being risk-takers, reflective and understanding the need for balance in their lives. Throughout the two-year course students are developing above-mentioned attributes in order to put them in practice and become well- rounded individuals.

The main job of a librarian in the Diploma Programme is to ensure that students have access to up-to-date and reliable sources, both physical and online, such as books, articles, or other educational materials. The librarian also supports students when it comes to avoiding plagiarism and correctly quoting other people’s texts in their own works. In DP, it is very important to adhere to the academic requirements of integrity, so the help of a librarian in those matters is essential.

• Visit the IB website at www.ibo.org
• Attend school meetings and events
• Speak with your school’s DP coordinator
• Speak with your child’s DP coordinators and classroom teachers

Admission to the DP programme is based on diagnostic tests and interviews in the subjects chosen by the student. Completing the MYP programme will make it easier for a student to enter the programme with knowledge of the entire IB curriculum, but you don’t have to worry. If you just want to start your international education in the IB DP programme, this is the perfect place for you!