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Learn IB Diploma

Plan and study for the IB Diploma, subject by subject and component by component.

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The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two-year pre-university program for students around 16 to 19. You take subjects from six groups, some at Higher Level and some at Standard Level, alongside a core of Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service. Each subject mixes final exams with internal assessments marked by your teachers and moderated by the IB. Learnr is not associated with the International Baccalaureate; it builds courses on any subject content you need, from HL Chemistry to Language A literature.

How to learn IB Diploma, step by step

Choose HL subjects with your goals in mind. Higher Level courses go deeper and demand more time. Pick them based on strengths and on what universities in your target country require for your intended course, and check those requirements early with your coordinator.
Learn the assessment criteria for every component. IB marking is criterion based. Read the published criteria for each internal assessment, the Extended Essay and the TOK essay, and check your drafts against them line by line rather than guessing what examiners want.
Start the Extended Essay with a narrow question. A precise research question, such as one specific variable or text, makes the independent essay manageable. Meet your supervisor regularly, keep a research log, and leave months for drafting and reflection.
Practice TOK by asking knowledge questions. Theory of Knowledge asks how we know what we claim to know across areas such as the natural sciences, history and the arts. Practice turning a real-world situation into an open knowledge question and arguing both sides with examples.
Spread content review across both years. Six subjects plus the core make cramming impossible. Short daily review of content, like a Learnr course with streaks for each subject, keeps first-year topics fresh for final exams in the second year.
Use past papers under timed conditions. Past papers and markschemes, available through your school, show command terms such as evaluate, discuss and explain. Practice answering exactly what each command term asks, then mark your work against the markscheme.

What you'll learn

Understand how subject groups, HL and SL levels and the core fit together
Plan and write an Extended Essay with a focused research question
Discuss knowledge questions confidently for Theory of Knowledge
Design and complete internal assessments that meet the criteria
Build a two-year revision plan for final exams

What's inside your IB Diploma course

A sample path Learnr builds for IB Diploma. Your real course adapts to your goal and level.

1. How the Diploma Programme is structured
2. Choosing Higher Level and Standard Level subjects
3. Internal assessments and assessment criteria
4. Theory of Knowledge
5. The Extended Essay
6. CAS, time management and final exam revision

How long does it take to learn IB Diploma?

The Diploma Programme itself takes two years. Within that time, most students find internal assessments and the Extended Essay demand steady work across several months each, so starting early matters more than any single crunch period.

What you need before you start

Enrollment at an IB World School that offers the Diploma Programme. Strong study habits and some preparation, such as a pre-IB year, help with the workload.

Common mistakes to avoid

Leaving internal assessments and the Extended Essay to the last minute. These pieces overlap with exam revision, so plan deadlines from the start of the program.
Writing TOK essays that just describe facts. Examiners want analysis of how knowledge is produced, with real examples and counterclaims.
Ignoring command terms. "Evaluate" and "describe" ask for very different answers, so practice matching your response to the term.

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IB Diploma questions, answered

Is the IB Diploma harder than AP?

They are structured differently. AP courses are individual and can be taken one at a time, while the IB Diploma is a full two-year program with a required core. Many students find the IB workload heavier because everything runs at once.

Can I study IB subjects with Learnr?

Yes. Learnr builds a course on any topic, so you can learn the content for subjects like IB Biology or Economics. It is not an official IB resource, so always use your school's materials and the IB criteria alongside it.