The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (casually referred to as “IB”) is offered in many schools around Australia as an ATAR alternative.
Students heading into Years 11 and 12 soon may be considering if the IB could be the right fit for them. There are lots of things to consider in the IB vs ATAR debate:
- What is the IB and how does it work?
- What are the key differences between IB and ATAR?
- How do students get into the IB Diploma Programme and what schools offer it?
- Does IB help students get into university in Australia?
- Does UQ accept IB students?
Read on for a full breakdown on the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in Australia, and who might be suited to pursuing it over the more traditional ATAR pathway.
What is the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme?
The International Baccalaureate Organisation is a non-profit education foundation offering 4 well-respected global schooling programmes, one of which is the Diploma Programme aimed at students aged 16-19 (in Australia, those commencing Years 11 and 12). It provides an alternative to the standard ATAR pathway through senior school in Australia and incorporates a different learning style aimed at cultivating a more global perspective.
How does the International Baccalaureate work?
Like the ATAR, students begin studying for IB in Years 11 and 12. However, the curriculum looks quite different to what you’d find in other secondary education credentials in Australia such as the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) or the Higher School Certificate (HSC) in NSW. The IB Diploma Programme remains the same across all states and territories in Australia, but only select schools offer it.
As of 2026, 100 schools across Australasia offer the IB Diploma Programme.
At the end of Year 12 and upon successful completion of the IB Diploma Programme, students receive an International Baccalaureate Admission Score (IBAS), which they can use to gain entry into universities in Australia and abroad.
“Each year, over 4,500 universities in more than 110 countries/territories receive IB students’ admission applications and transcripts.”
The IB Diploma Programme curriculum
The IB is made up of:
- The Diploma Programme core
- 6 subject groups.
The Diploma Programme core
There are 3 required components to the IB Diploma Programme core:
- Theory of knowledge (Tok): this is a critical thinking course that explores the question ‘how do we know what we know?’. It’s assessed through a presentation (“exhibition”) and a 1,600-word essay on a prescribed topic (chosen from 6 options).
- Extended essay (EE): this 4,000-word essay requires students to independently research a topic of their choice within 1 of the 6 subject groups. It’s often commended for preparing students for undergraduate university studies, especially at an honours level, and is carried out under the guidance of a supervisor.
- Creativity, activity, service (CAS): sometimes compared to the Duke of Edinburgh program, CAS requires students to undertake and reflect on a range of extracurricular activities from creative pursuits to community service. It requires students to complete a project, and the final grade of this component is pass or fail.
6 subject groups
Students are required to choose 1 subject from each of these 6 groups:
- Studies in Language and Literature (English)
- Language Acquisition (Foreign Languages)
- Individuals and Societies (Humanities)
- Sciences
- Mathematics
- The Arts.
However, they can choose to study an additional subject in Sciences, Individuals and Societies or Languages Acquisition instead of a subject in The Arts if they wish.
Some subjects are offered at a higher level and some at a standard level. Higher level subjects involve more hours of study and delve deeper into the subject area. Students choose a minimum of 3 and maximum of 4 subjects to study at a higher level, while the rest are taken at a standard level.
Discover the specific subjects that can be studied in each of the 6 subject groups.
IB vs ATAR: what’s the difference?
Curriculum and assessment
The IB Diploma Programme differs in curriculum to the standard secondary education credentials offered by Australia’s states and territory. It provides a holistic approach to learning, where students cover a broad range of subjects rather than focusing solely on their core interests.
A key difference between the IB Diploma Programme and other secondary education credentials in Australia is subject choices. If a student knows they want to pursue a career in the arts and has little to no interest in science or mathematics, then the standard ATAR pathway through high school may be preferable to them, as they have the freedom to choose only arts-related subjects. If this same student was to undertake the IB, they’d be required to take at least 1 subject in science and 1 in maths, which may not align with their future goals or play to their strengths.
But there are some similarities between the 2 types of credentials. For example, the IB Diploma Programme and standard secondary school certificates across Australia both use internal and external assessments to arrive at a student’s final grade. This means students have a chance to prove themselves both under the time pressures of exam conditions, and through thoughtful, self-paced assessments.
In terms of what a student needs to do to get an IBAS vs an ATAR in Queensland, the table below helps to break down the facts.
| IBAS requirements | ATAR requirements |
Completion of the Diploma Programme 3 core components:
AND Earn a minimum of 24 points total across their 6 subjects (which are each graded from 1-7), at least 3 of which were studied at a higher level. | Achieve a grade C or higher in an English subject. AND Complete either:
OR
|
Final results
There are 2 key differences when it comes to IB vs ATAR final results. Firstly, when students take an ATAR pathway through high school, their Year 11 studies, while contributing to subject area knowledge, do not count towards their final ATAR. When studying IB, grades from both Year 11 and 12 count towards the final score.
Secondly, the type of final grade received is different between IB and ATAR. When finishing the IB Diploma Programme, students receive a score out of 45. Those who undertake an ATAR pathway through their schooling will receive a rank out of 99.95. This is important to note because only a certain number of students can receive a 99.95 ATAR, while there is technically no restriction on how many IB students can get a top score. Rather than being ranked against the performance of other students in an Australian state or territory, IB students gain a score that is the result of their individual performance only.
Learn more about ATAR and how it’s calculated.
International objectives
A main drawcard of the IB Diploma Programme is that it is internationally recognised. If a student wishes to pursue university education outside of Australia, they will likely find it easier to gain entry to their desired institution and program with an IBAS rather than an ATAR.
Is IB harder than ATAR?
While the IB is generally considered more challenging than an ATAR pathway through high school, this really depends on a student’s learning style and where their strengths lie. Students who excel across all subject groups can really thrive in the IB curriculum, whereas those whose strengths lie in a particular area may struggle to gain high marks across the board.
While the IB curriculum undoubtably teaches practical skills, one of its core focuses is on critical thinking, especially via the theory of knowledge component. Students who struggle with theoretical concepts and reflective processes may find some of the core components of the IB difficult.
The Australasian pass rate for the 2025 IB Diploma and Career Related Programmes was 94%.
How to get into the International Baccalaureate Programme
Not all schools offer the IB Diploma Programme. Some will allow students to choose between ATAR or IB, whereas others may offer only ATAR or IB.
Check which Australian schools offer the IB Diploma Programme.
How much does the International Baccalaureate cost?
Schools pay to operate as an IB World School. So, the cost of undertaking the IB for students and their families depends on the school they are attending. Some public schools do offer IB, but it’s more prevalent in private or independent schools, which come with higher tuition costs.
International Baccalaureate high schools in Queensland
As of March 2026, the following 12 schools in Queensland are listed as offering the IB Diploma Programme:
- Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie)
- Brisbane South State Secondary College
- Calamvale Community College
- Cleveland District State High School
- Humanitas High School
- Indooroopilly State High School
- Queensland Academics Creative Industries Campus (QACI)
- Queensland Academy for Health Sciences
- Queensland Academy for Science Mathematics and Technology
- Somerville House
- St Peter’s Lutheran College
- Townsville Grammar School.
In 2025 742 Queensland students undertook the IB Diploma and Career Related Programmes, compared to the 30,167 Queensland students who received an ATAR.
Can you do the International Baccalaureate online?
The International Baccalaureate Organisation has launched an online Diploma Programme pilot with a select number of schools globally. Currently, students undertaking this pilot programme are still required to sit exams at the associated physical IB school. Only one of the schools in the pilot program is located in Australia (WA).
There are a wide range of singular IB Diploma Programme courses that can be taken online, however, should a student’s school not offer them in person.
Does IB help students get into university in Australia?
While a key focus of the IB Diploma Programme is to increase international higher education opportunities, it can also be used to gain entry to a university in Australia. In fact, some Australian universities offer entry schemes and benefits such as course credits specifically for IB students.
IB to ATAR conversion
Most Australian tertiary admission centres will convert an IBAS into an ATAR-like value using the national IB Combined Rank schedule. This is so students with an IBAS can be fairly compared to students who received an ATAR for entry into university.
Students completing the IB Diploma Programme outside of Australia may have their IBAS converted differently, depending on the location of the Australian university they’re applying to. Contact the local tertiary admission centre for guidance on IB to ATAR conversion for international students.
How to send IB results to a university in Queensland for admission
An application to study an undergraduate program in Queensland will typically go through the Queensland Tertiary Admission Centre (QTAC). Year 12 students need to authorise the International Baccalaureate Organisation to release their results to QTAC, so their selection rank can be calculated and they can receive any Queensland university offers via QTAC. Students should contact the IB Diploma Coordinator at their school to arrange this.
Applying to UQ with an IB
IB students can apply for any undergraduate program at UQ. There are benefits to applying to UQ with an IB, including the opportunity to gain up to 1 semester of academic credits.
Find out more about IB benefits at UQ (PDF, 691.2 KB)
Students can find out what IBAS they should be aiming for to gain entry into their program of choice at UQ by visiting the Find a program page, searching for their desired program, and viewing the entry score threshold information in the table on the right of the program’s dedicated webpage.
Achieving the relevant IBAS is just one of the things students need to do to get into their desired undergraduate program at UQ. Find out more about other entry requirements that will need to be fulfilled.
