The International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma has grown in popularity across Sydney for students looking to challenge themselves, diversify their final years at school and position themselves for acceptance into highly sought-after tertiary education positions.

With its global recognition and unique approach to education, many parents are curious about the challenges and benefits their children might face during the IB. Understanding the IB’s diploma requirements (including scoring, workload, and assessment methods) is essential for making informed decisions about senior schooling pathways and what it will take for students to achieve their desired results.

This guide provides parents and students insight into what to expect from the IB and answers the most common questions and concerns.

How Hard Is The IB?

The IB Diploma Program is widely regarded as challenging, yet also highly supportive of well-rounded development. Unlike the HSC, which is largely focused only on academic results, IB students balance rigorous academics with extracurricular and community engagement. This can make IB seem more demanding at first glance, as students are assessed both internally and externally across six subject groups plus the core components.

Many students want to know how hard the IB is because it’s a common misconception that only 'geniuses' can succeed in IB. While the program has high expectations, structured support from teachers and tutors, real-world applications, and a focus on time management mean that dedicated, organised students of varied abilities can do well.

IB Diploma Requirements in Detail

The IB curriculum is built around six subject groups, each with its own set of assessments. Students choose:

Three subjects at Higher Level (HL)
Three at Standard Level (SL)
Complete the core requirements (TOK, EE, and CAS)

The core requirements contribute to overall points and must be passed satisfactorily for the diploma to be awarded. They are:

Theory of Knowledge (TOK): An essay (on one of the seven titles released each year by IBO), and oral presentation ( TOK Exhibition) encouraging critical thinking about knowledge itself
Extended Essay (EE): An independent, 4,000-word research paper on a chosen subject
CAS: Participation in creative, physical, and community service activities

IB Passing Grade: What You Need to Know

Scoring in IB is based on a combination of subject grades and core assessments, with a maximum achievable score of 45 points. Each subject is graded from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest), while TOK and EE contribute up to 3 additional points. A pass in CAS is also required.

Minimum Passing Requirements

To receive an IB passing grade and the diploma, a student must achieve:

A total of at least 24 points out of 45 (24 is the lowest achievable mark for IB)
Completion of all requirements in TOK, EE, and CAS
At least 12 points in Higher Level (HL) subjects, with no score below 3
At least 9 points in Standard Level (SL) subjects
No more than two grades of 2 (at HL or SL)
No more than three grades of 3 or lower
No grade 1 in any subject
No failing condition in core requirements

Average Pass Rates and Scores

Globally, about 81% of IB students achieve an IB passing grade and receive their diploma. In Australia, this number often sits higher - a 92% pass rate was recorded in 2024. The average scores in Australia sits between 34-35, while almost 20% of Australian IB students achieve a score of 40 or above (compared to 8-9% globally).

IB Exams 2025 and Recent Scoring Changes

From 2022 onwards, the IB made several adjustments to ensure fairness and clarity in the scoring system, especially when it came to translating IB scores into ATARs. For parents and students in Sydney preparing for IB exams in 2025 and beyond, it’s important to be aware of the following:

Standardised grade boundaries have been clarified across subjects
Increased transparency in assessment criteria for internal coursework
Greater emphasis is placed on consistent performance across subjects and core components

Here is an overview of how higher-end IB scores translate to ATARs in 2025:

IB Score	ATAR
45.75	99.95
43.00	98.90
40.00	96.30
37.00	93.00
35.00	89.75
32.00	84.00

You can read our full IB vs. HSC comparison for more in-depth information about the updated scoring and how it impacts HSC and IB students.

How The IB Compares To The HSC

The IB is often described as uniquely intense due to its combination of breadth, depth, and focus on active, independent learning. While the HSC allows for more specialisation, the IB’s compulsory core, language, and humanities requirements push students outside their comfort zones.

Some of the key factors that can affect IB difficulty include:

Time Commitment

The average weekly homework and project time for an IB student is about 15-20 hours, with additional time required for the core requirements. Depending on the units of study, the average study time for HSC students can be as low as 7 hours per week.

Subject Combinations

STEM-heavy students may find maths and sciences at HL considerably challenging, while humanities students benefit from essay-driven assessments but still must complete at least one science and a maths component. HSC students have more choice over the subjects that they complete and therefore more choice around combinations.

Assessment Types

IB students are required to complete a range of assessment types, including written exams, internal coursework (e.g., science experiments, oral language presentations, essays) and reflective journals and logs, which is much more diverse than most HSC students. While marks for HSC subjects are generally split across a number of assessments and exams throughout the year, up to 80% of IB marks come from the final external exams. Internal assessments make up the other 20-30%. (Science and math subjects generally have a higher percentage of marks coming from final exams, while Arts subjects are slightly lower).

Making IB Manageable For Your Kids

IB is unique in its comprehensive structure. However, recognition, especially for international university admissions, can provide distinct advantages, making the effort worthwhile for students with broad interests or ambitious tertiary study goals.

For students (and parents) concerned about the demands of the IB, structured support from IB online tutors can help immensely with:

Time management strategies that prevent overwhelm during busy periods.
Assistance with comprehension, concept mastery, and study tips for exams and assessments.
Guidance on core components (TOK, EE, and CAS) to ensure full completion and strong scores.

You can be confident that with the right coaching, organisation, and perspective, the IB Diploma is a challenging but achievable path-even for students who may not consider themselves “geniuses” at the start.

Little Geniuses offers specialised IB tutoring in Sydney for students of all ages and skill levels to help them prepare and excel through their studies with confidence.

A Comprehensive Guide: IB Exams Passing Requirements