This pilot allows International Baccalaureate (IB) students to complete the Diploma Programme (DP) over three years instead of the standard two years, providing additional flexibility to complete school-specific additional study alongside the DP.
As part of its ongoing review of the DP and Career-related Programme (CP), the IB is exploring increased programme flexibility.
A small-scale pilot at the American International School of Budapest and the International School of Luxembourg allows a small number of pilot students early access to two standard level (SL) courses. By studying these two SL courses from age 15-17 (instead of 16-18), the intention is to create additional flexibility for the pilot students to engage with school-specific additional study alongside the demands of the DP.
Students in the pilot complete all of the required elements of the DP: Three higher level (HL) subjects, three SL subjects and the DP core. However, they take two of their SL subjects across Grades 10 and 11 with exams at the end of Grade 11; then, they take their remaining SL and three HL subjects across Grades 11 and 12, with the respective exams at the end of Grade 12. This creates space for additional learning, such as school-developed elective courses, during their final two years of high school.
About the schools
Both the American International School of Budapest and the International School of Luxembourg are accredited by the Council of International Schools and the Middle States Association, and students therefore also receive American high school diplomas upon graduating. Students in the DP flexible implementation pilot also have the flexibility to dually study Global Impact Diploma (GID) courses, which provide competency-based study with a focus on real-world learning.
Examination and transcripts
The flexible implementation pilot launched in 2025, and the first students in the pilot will complete their DP exams in May 2028. They will enrol at university beginning in August 2028.
IB examinations in the flexible implementation pilot will be the same as exams taken in the standard DP—the only difference is the year students take them. Exams still will be taken under strict invigilation requirements in an examination hall, marked by IB appointed examiners, graded to IB standards and awarded on the same grading scale.
The IB will advise schools on which countries are most likely to accept the pilot for admission to university. The IB will work with the schools offering the pilot to understand university recognition and acceptance of the pilot.
IB transcripts show the exam sessions which students sat each of their DP subjects. Universities should therefore also look at a student’s high school transcripts to understand if a student has taken the DP over three years.
Precedent for delivering the DP over three years
The IB already allows some IB World Schools to deliver the DP over three years for elite student athletes through the Athlete Friendly Education Centres (AFEC) scheme. Since 2018, more than 20 schools have been given permission to offer the DP over three years to some of their students. This also has been in place for the CP since 2020.
Contact us
Educators who are interested in learning more about the flexible implementation pilot can contact the 16+ review team via IB Answers.
Universities that would like to know more about the flexible implementation pilot can contact [email protected].
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