Exam sessions and timezones

May and November

The IB runs two exam sessions a year. Most schools sit the May session. A smaller number, many of them in the southern hemisphere, sit the November session. Your school's session is fixed, so you sit your exams in the one your school uses.

Sessions are named by month and year: the May 2027 session, the November 2027 session.

The May 2027 dates

The IB has announced that the May 2027 exams will start on Friday 23 April 2027 and end on Wednesday 19 May 2027, with no exams on 1 May, subject to confirmation. The November 2027 exams are planned for 22 October to 12 November 2027.

The timetable for your own papers comes from your school. The exam countdown shows how long is left.

Exam zones and paper variants

The IB's schedules place every school in an exam zone, A, B or C, each split into smaller zones with fixed local start times. Your school's zone doesn't change between sessions.

For many subjects, students in different zones sit different versions of the same paper, so a paper can't be passed on from one part of the world to another while others are still waiting to sit it. Past papers are labeled with their variant, such as TZ1 or TZ2. Since May 2025, the IB has added more variants, a minimum time students stay under supervision, and clearing of graphic calculator memories before exams.

Because the versions differ, grade boundaries can differ between them too.

Results day

The IB's assessment FAQ says results for May sessions are released from 12:00 GMT on 6 July. Results for the November session are released in December, in stages by time zone. Your school gives you the details you need to log in and see them.

If you have a university offer, ask your coordinator how your results will be sent to the university.

If a result looks wrong, see asking for a re-mark.

Retaking a subject

You can retake a subject in any later session, and the highest grade counts. The IB removed its old limit of three sessions in 2023.

• If the subject's syllabus has changed since you first sat it, you retake it under the new syllabus.
• Whether your internal assessment mark can be carried forward depends on the subject and the circumstances. Ask your coordinator.
• You register for a retake through a school, so start with your coordinator.

A retake is a big decision late in the year. Your coordinator knows what's possible at your school and what it costs.

Sources

• International Baccalaureate. May 2026 examination schedule, page 7: the provisional dates for May 2027, and exam zones.
• International Baccalaureate. November 2026 examination schedule: the provisional dates for November 2027.
• International Baccalaureate. Assessment FAQ. Results release.
• International Baccalaureate. IB updates assessment procedures for May 2025 exams.
• International Baccalaureate. Retaking examinations.
• International Baccalaureate. Diploma Programme general regulations (2026).