When you receive your IB results, your final grades don’t come out of thin air — they’re calculated using official IB grade boundaries. For students completing the May 2025 session, understanding these boundaries can help you make sense of your scores and decide on next steps. Let’s break down what grade boundaries are, how they work, and why they matter.
What Are IB Grade Boundaries?
IB grade boundaries:
- Define the minimum score you need to achieve each grade (1–7) in a subject.
- Are set after each exam session by IB examiners, based on performance across the world.
👉 They ensure fairness by adjusting for the difficulty level of that year’s papers.
How Do Grade Boundaries Work?
Here’s an example of how they might look:
Total Marks PossibleGrade 7 BoundaryGrade 6 BoundaryGrade 5 Boundary100857565
📌 If you score 85 or above → Grade 7
📌 If you score 75 to 84 → Grade 6
📌 If you score 65 to 74 → Grade 5
Each subject and level (HL or SL) has its own boundaries.
Where Can You Find IB Grade Boundaries 2025?
✅ After results day, schools receive official grade boundaries from the IBO.
✅ Some schools share them with students — ask your IB coordinator.
✅ Unofficial copies often circulate online, but it’s best to use your school’s confirmed data.
Why Do Grade Boundaries Change Each Year?
Grade boundaries:
- Reflect how students worldwide performed on that session’s papers.
- May go up if the exam was considered easier, or down if it was harder.
Do Grade Boundaries Affect Your Component Scores?
Yes — grade boundaries apply:
- To overall subject totals (including exams, IAs, orals, EE, TOK).
- To each paper where applicable (for remarks or EUR requests).
What If I’m Just Below a Grade Boundary?
If you’re close:
- Remarking (Enquiry Upon Results) may be worth considering — but know the risks.
- Discuss with your coordinator before applying for a remark.
IB Grade Boundaries and University Offers
💡 Understanding boundaries can:
- Help explain narrow misses to universities (e.g., “I was 1 mark off a 7”)
- Support appeals or additional consideration if your results fall short of conditions
FAQs About IB Grade Boundaries
Q1: Are grade boundaries the same for all subjects?
No — each subject, level, and component has its own boundaries.
Q2: Are boundaries released to the public?
Not officially. Boundaries are sent to schools, but they may be shared later via unofficial sources.
Q3: Can grade boundaries change after results day?
No — once set and results are issued, boundaries stay the same.
Q4: Do grade boundaries apply to TOK, EE, and CAS?
TOK and EE have their own assessment grids. CAS is pass/fail without grade boundaries.
Conclusion: Grade Boundaries Are Key to Understanding Your IB Results
Understanding IB grade boundaries 2025 gives you a clearer picture of how your marks became your final grades — and helps you plan any remarks or appeals. Make sure you ask your school for the official boundaries after results day!
Speak with your IB coordinator about accessing official 2025 grade boundaries to interpret your results accurately!
