The International Baccalaureate, more commonly known as the IB, is a secondary school credential founded in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland. It is different from the ATAR, but widely popular in Australia due to its universal application. If you are planning on getting an IB diploma in South Australia, this article has all the information you need to know.
- What is the IB?
- How is the IB different from the ATAR?
- Can I apply to Australian Universities with an IB Diploma?
- Which High Schools offer the IB Diploma?
- FAQs
What is the IB?
The International Baccalaureate was designed to provide a universal, standardised and more importantly, transferable diploma for students who would move abroad.
Upon entering year 11, Australian students can choose the educational curriculum (ATAR or IB) they would like to pursue in order to complete their high school diploma. Whilst the ATAR used to be more popular, more and more students are now opting to undergo the IB program due to its challenging curriculum, and potential benefits upon applying for university.
Find out more about the IB curriculum in this KIS Academics blog:
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How is the IB different from the ATAR?
The IB curriculum is known to be more vigorous and demanding than the traditional Australian certificates.
- For starters, in certificates such as the VCE and HSC, 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). On the other hand, in the IB, students must study one subject from six different subject areas.
To find out ore about their differences, check out this KIS Academics article below:
Manoj Arachige
Can I apply to Australian Universities with an IB Diploma?
Australian Universities definitely accept students who completed the IB Diploma. Some even provide credit exemptions, such as University of Adelaide.
For university admission in Australia, your IB scores will be converted into ATARs. Over the years, this conversion has caused some controversy, with some arguing that the conversions are overly generous, while others say otherwise.
This is the most updated version of the conversion table released by QCAA:
| IBAS | Rank |
| 45.75 | 99.95 |
| 45.50 | 99.95 |
| 45.25 | 99.85 |
| 45.00 | 99.75 |
| 44.75 | 99.60 |
| 44.50 | 99.50 |
| 44.25 | 99.40 |
| 44.00 | 99.30 |
| 43.75 | 99.15 |
| 43.50 | 99.05 |
| 43.25 | 98.90 |
| 43.00 | 98.75 |
| 42.75 | 98.55 |
| 42.50 | 98.40 |
| 42.25 | 98.15 |
| 42.00 | 97.95 |
| 41.75 | 97.70 |
| 41.50 | 97.45 |
| 41.25 | 97.25 |
| 41.00 | 97.05 |
| 40.75 | 96.80 |
| 40.50 | 96.60 |
| 40.25 | 96.30 |
| 40.00 | 96.05 |
| 39.75 | 95.75 |
| 39.50 | 95.45 |
| 39.25 | 95.25 |
| 39.00 | 95.00 |
| 38.75 | 94.80 |
| 38.50 | 94.55 |
| 38.25 | 94.25 |
| 38.00 | 93.95 |
| 37.75 | 93.60 |
| 37.50 | 93.30 |
| 37.25 | 92.90 |
| 37.00 | 92.55 |
| 36.75 | 92.15 |
| 36.50 | 91.75 |
| 36.25 | 91.40 |
| 36.00 | 91.00 |
| 35.75 | 90.65 |
| 35.50 | 90.25 |
| 35.25 | 89.90 |
| 35.00 | 89.55 |
| 34.75 | 89.15 |
| 34.50 | 88.80 |
| 34.25 | 88.40 |
| 34.00 | 88.00 |
| 33.75 | 87.55 |
| 33.50 | 87.15 |
| 33.25 | 86.70 |
| 33.00 | 86.30 |
| 32.75 | 85.85 |
| 32.50 | 85.40 |
| 32.25 | 84.90 |
| 32.00 | 84.40 |
| 31.75 | 83.85 |
| 31.50 | 83.35 |
| 31.25 | 82.90 |
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Which High Schools offer the IB Diploma?
- Anglican Church Grammar School: Churchie (East Brisbane, QLD)
- Calamvale Community College (Calamvale, QLD)
- Cleveland District State High School (Cleveland, QLD)
- IES College (Spring Hill, QLD)
- Indooroopilly State High School (Indooroopilly, QLD)
- Mountain Creek State High School (Mountain Creek, QLD)
- Queensland Academy for Creative Industries (Kelvin Grove, QLD)
- Queensland Academy for Health Sciences (Southport, QLD)
- Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology (Toowong, QLD)
- Somerset College (Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast, QLD)
- St Peter's Lutheran College (Indooroopilly, QLD)
- Townsville Grammar School (Townsville, QLD)
Candidate Schools: Schools that have applied to the IB Organisation for permission to teach the IB programs and are awaiting authorisation.
- Brisbane South State Secondary College (Dutton Park, QLD)
- Somerville House (South Brisbane, QLD)
To find out more about the IB curriculum in each school, please refer to the official school websites.
Conclusion
To end off, the IB curriculum is very different from the ATARs. If you are unsure which one is for you, you can find out more in this KIS Academics article. You can also get a tutor from KIS Academics and find out more about which curriculum best suits you!
FAQs
Can I convert my IB scores to an ATAR?
- Yes you can! Find out more here.
- This also means you can apply for Australian Universities with your IB scores.
How is the IB Assessed?
- Assessment includes a mix of internal tasks (marked by teachers and moderated externally) and external exams (marked by international IB examiners).
- Each subject is graded from 1 to 7. Up to three extra points can be earned for the core (TOK and EE), making 45 the highest possible score.
- Find out more in this article by KIS Academics.
Can I switch from IB to SACE, or vice versa?
- Most schools allow students to transfer between IB and SACE at the end of Year 11, but this may affect subject credits and university eligibility.
- It’s advisable, and important, to first discuss options with your IB coordinator/ school advisor.
Want more personalized study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor from KIS Academics can make the biggest difference!
