2025 IB Exam Schedule: Key Dates & Preparation Strategies
Every May, students worldwide take International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, a rigorous series of assessments that test students' mastery of college-level coursework. To excel in these exams, it's crucial to stay updated on the IB exam dates 2025. Below, we present the full IB exam schedule 2025 and provide essential study tips to enhance your performance.
IB Exam Schedule for May 2025
Week 1: IB Exam Dates
| Date | Morning (8 AM Local Time) | Afternoon (12 PM Local Time) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, April 28, 2025 | School-based syllabus SL paper 2, Language & culture SL paper 2 | Language A Literature HL paper 1, Language A Literature SL paper 1, Language A Language & Literature HL paper 1, Language A Language & Literature SL paper 1 |
| Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | Language A Literature HL/SL paper 2, Language A Language & Literature HL/SL paper 2 | Physics HL paper 1 (1a and 1b), Physics SL paper 1 (1a and 1b), Sports, exercise & health science HL paper 1, Sports, exercise & health science HL paper 3, Sports, exercise & health science SL paper 1, Sports, exercise & health science SL paper 3 |
| Wednesday, April 30, 2025 | Physics HL paper 2, Physics SL paper 2, Sports, exercise & health science HL paper 2, Sports, exercise & health science SL paper 2 | Business management HL/SL paper 1, Business management HL paper 3 |
| Thursday, May 1, 2025 | No exams | No exams |
| Friday, May 2, 2025 | Business management HL paper 2, Business management SL paper 2 | Computer science HL paper 1, Computer science SL paper 1, Environmental systems & societies SL paper 1 |
Week 2: IB Exam Dates
| Date | Morning (8 AM Local Time) | Afternoon (12 PM Local Time) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, May 5, 2025 | Computer science HL paper 2, Computer science HL paper 3, Computer science SL paper 2, Environmental systems & societies SL paper 2 | History HL/SL paper 1, History HL/SL paper 2 |
| Tuesday, May 6, 2025 | History HL paper 3 | Language B HL paper 1, Language B HL paper 2 - Reading comprehension, Language B SL paper 1, Language B SL paper 2 - Reading comprehension, Language ab initio SL paper 1, Language ab initio SL paper 2 - Reading comprehension, Latin HL paper 1, Latin SL paper 1 |
| Wednesday, May 7, 2025 | Language B HL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, Language B SL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, Language ab initio SL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, Latin HL paper 2, Latin SL paper 2 | Psychology HL paper 1, Psychology SL paper 1 |
| Thursday, May 8, 2025 | Psychology HL paper 2, Psychology HL paper 3, Psychology SL paper 2 | English A Literature HL paper 1, English A Literature SL paper 1, English A Language & Literature HL paper 1, English A Language & Literature SL paper 1, English B HL paper 1, English B HL paper 2 - Reading comprehension, English B SL paper 1, English B SL paper 2 - Reading comprehension, English ab initio SL paper 1, English ab initio SL paper 2 - Reading comprehension |
| Friday, May 9, 2025 | English A Literature HL/SL paper 2, English A Language & Literature HL/SL paper 2, English B HL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, English B SL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, English ab initio SL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, Literature & performance SL paper 1 | Geography HL paper 1, Geography SL paper 1, Philosophy HL paper 1, Philosophy SL paper 1, Social & cultural anthropology HL paper 1, Social & cultural anthropology SL paper 1 |
Week 3: IB Exam Dates
| Date | Morning (8 AM Local Time) | Afternoon (12 PM Local Time) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, May 12, 2025 | Geography HL/SL paper 2, Geography HL paper 3, Philosophy HL/SL paper 2, Philosophy HL paper 3, Social & cultural anthropology HL paper 2, Social & cultural anthropology SL paper 2 | Biology HL paper 1 (1a and 1b), Biology SL paper 1 (1a and 1b) |
| Tuesday, May 13, 2025 | Biology HL paper 2, Biology SL paper 2 | Economics HL/SL paper 2, World religions SL paper 1 |
| Wednesday, May 14, 2025 | Economics HL paper 1, Economics HL paper 3, Economics SL paper 1, World religions SL paper 2 | Classical Greek HL paper 1, Classical Greek SL paper 1, Spanish A Literature HL paper 1, Spanish A Literature SL paper 1, Spanish A Language & Literature HL paper 1, Spanish A Language & Literature SL paper 1, Spanish B HL paper 1, Spanish B HL paper 2 - Reading comprehension Spanish B SL paper 1, Spanish B SL paper 2 - Reading comprehension, Spanish ab initio SL paper 1, Spanish ab initio SL paper 2 - Reading comprehension |
| Thursday, May 15, 2025 | Classical Greek HL paper 2, Classical Greek SL paper 2, Spanish A Literature HL/SL paper 2, Spanish A Language & Literature HL/SL paper 2, Spanish B HL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, Spanish B SL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, Spanish ab initio SL paper 2 - Listening comprehension | Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL paper 1, analysis and approaches SL paper 1, Mathematics: applications and interpretation HL paper 1, applications and interpretation SL paper 1 |
| Friday, May 16, 2025 | Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL paper 2, analysis and approaches SL paper 2, Mathematics: applications and interpretation HL paper 2, applications and interpretation SL paper 2 | Chemistry HL paper 1 (1a and 1b), Chemistry SL paper 1 (1a and 1b), Design technology HL paper 1, Design technology SL paper 1, Design technology HL/SL paper 2 |
Week 4: IB Exam Dates
| Date | Morning (8 AM Local Time) | Afternoon (12 PM Local Time) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday, May 19, 2025 | Chemistry HL paper 2, Chemistry SL paper 2, Design technology HL paper 3 | Digital society HL paper 1, Digital society SL paper 1, Global politics HL/SL paper 1 |
| Tuesday, May 20, 2025 | Digital society HL/SL paper 2, Digital society HL paper 3, Global politics HL paper 2, Global politics SL paper 2 | French A Literature HL paper 1, French A Literature SL paper 1, French A Language & Literature HL paper 1, French A Language & Literature SL paper 1, French B HL paper 1, French B HL paper 2 - Reading comprehension, French B SL paper 1, French B SL paper 2 - Reading comprehension, French ab initio SL paper 1, French ab initio SL paper 2 - Reading comprehension |
| Wednesday, May 21, 2025 | French A Literature HL/SL paper 2, French A Language & Literature HL/SL paper 2, French B HL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, French B SL paper 2 - Listening comprehension, French ab initio SL paper 2 - Listening comprehension | Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL paper 3, Mathematics: applications and interpretation HL paper 3 |
Strategic IB Exam Preparation Schedule
Early Prep: October–November
Assess Previous Coursework: Identify strengths and weaknesses in each subject. Look at coursework from your classes to identify what topics you can improve on.
Create a Study Plan: Develop a personalized IB Exam Study Plan, ensuring balanced, thorough coverage of each subject. Make realistic goals for every week of your preparation.
Utilize IB Resources: Access past exams and IB resources for guided practice. Practice exams are available on the internet and in preparatory books.
Mid-Year Focus: December–January
Practice with Quizzes: Focus on mastering core concepts, particularly for subjects like IB Math, IB English, and IB Physics. Understand why you missed questions you got wrong. Active studying is one of the best ways to learn.
Join Study Groups: Collaborate with classmates to reinforce learning and listen to different perspectives on challenging topics. Teaching other people is another form of effective, active studying.
Review Internal Assessments (IAs): Ensure all IAs are finalized and ready for submission.
Intensive Practice: February–March
Full-Length IB Practice Exams: Simulate exam conditions with full-length timed tests. Practicing with timed tests teaches you how to manage your time on the real exam.
Use Flashcards for Memorization: Great for subjects like IB History, IB Biology, or IB Psychology. You can also utilize apps or websites like Anki and Quizlet to make virtual flashcards.
Seek Tutoring for Difficult Subjects: Consider extra help for challenging areas. Always ask your teachers for clarification.
Final Review: April
Review Key Notes and Strategies: Refine your test-taking strategies.
Final Practice Tests: Take a last practice test to assess readiness and familiarize yourself with time management and pacing.
Balance Your Routine: Ensure you're rested and focused by avoiding burnout. Relax - you’ve been working hard all year. A calm, well-rested mind is one of the best tools for success.
Exam Week: May
Prepare Materials: Gather all required materials (student ID, pencils, permitted calculator, etc.).
Final Light Review: Focus on lighter revision and confidence-building rather than cramming. Last-minute cramming or learning is not effective.
IB Exam Scores and University Applications
Academic Rigor: IB exams are viewed by universities as a measure of academic rigor and preparedness for college-level coursework. High scores indicate you’re prepared to handle college-level courses.
College Credit: Many universities offer credit for high IB exam scores, helping to save on tuition and time because you’ll need to take fewer courses.
Competitive Edge: Strong IB performance enhances college applications, especially for selective universities.
Conclusion
With spring just around the corner, it’s essential to mark your calendar with the IB 2025 exam schedule covered above. It’s never too soon to start preparing for the IB exam 2025 and to brush up on your studying habits. The IB exam is a rigorous assessment that students should prepare for. As discussed this can be done in various ways including study groups, practice IB exams and even hiring an IB tutor to help support your efforts.
