The International Baccalaureate, more commonly known as the IB, is a secondary school credential founded in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland. It was designed to provide a universal, standardised and more importantly, transferable diploma for students who would move abroad. The IB program is different from the ATAR, Australia's conventional secondary education scheme.
Upon entering year 11, students can choose the educational curriculum (ATAR or IB) they would like to pursue in order to complete their high school diploma. While in the past most have found themselves sitting the ATAR, more and more students are now opting to undergo the IB program for its challenging curriculum.
- What is the Difference between IB and ATAR?
- What schools in ACT offer the IBDP?
- FAQs
What is the Difference between IB and ATAR?
While the actual content of most IB subjects is similar to the equivalent subject taught in standard credentials (e.g., VCE Biology and IB Biology have a lot of overlap in terms of the content they cover), the IB program has a very specific structure and some extra requirements.
- For starters, in certificates such as the VCE and HSC, year 11 subjects lay the foundations for year 12 study, but only results from year 12 assessments count towards a student’s ATAR. In the IB, however, both year 11 and 12 content counts towards the final grade.
- Secondly, the only compulsory subject in standard credentials in English (or a related subject such as Literature), with students free to choose up to five other subjects that will contribute towards their ATAR. On the other hand, in the IB, students must study one subject from each of the six compulsory subject areas.
Find out more in this article:
Manoj Arachige
What Schools in ACT Offer the IBDP?
- Canberra Girls Grammar School (Deakin, ACT)
- Canberra Grammar School (Red Hill, ACT)
- Merici College (Braddon, ACT)
- Narrabundah College (Kingston, ACT)
- Radford College (Bruce, ACT)
FAQs
Is IB or ATAR Better?
- That depends on what university you wish to go to, and what you excel at.
- Find out more here.
Is IB Recognised in Australia?
- Yes, IB is an internationally recognised credential, and Australian universities also recognise it.
- Find out how IB scores are converted to an ATAR here.
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