International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes have an emphasis on students' personal development as well as on academic rigour. There are different IB programmes for young people aged 3 to 19, but the original and most popular IB qualification in the UK is the Diploma Programme (DP) for students aged 16-19.
There are six subject Groups, each containing a number of courses from which you choose your preferred subjects. The Groups are as follows:
Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature
Group 2: Language Acquisition
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
Group 4: Experimental Sciences
Group 5: Mathematics
Group 6: The Arts
Only schools & colleges that have been authorised by IB to implement the Diploma Programme can offer the course as an option. Every school authorised to offer IB programmes is known as an IB World School. Check with your local Post 16 providers to check whether they offer IB programmes.
Students usually complete the IB Diploma Programme over 2 years of Post 16 study.
The International Baccalaureate® (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is recognised by the world’s leading universities, and evidence suggests that higher rates of DP students go on to university and higher education study than non-IB students.