IB Points Calculator
Diploma totals and core points from six subject grades plus TOK and EE.
What it does
The IB diploma balances two ledgers: six subjects, each graded 1 to 7, and the core, where the theory of knowledge essay and the extended essay combine through a matrix worth up to three points. Add them and 45 is perfect.
The tool above takes your six subject grades and your TOK and EE grades, applies the official core matrix, adds everything up, and then audits the point conditions that decide whether the diploma is actually awarded. Any failing condition is named in plain words.
The defaults describe a solid but not spectacular session: 29 subject points from 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 5 with a B in TOK and a C in the extended essay. The matrix adds 2, for a diploma total of 31, and every condition checked here passes. Push the grades around to see how quickly an E in the core or a third grade of 2 changes the picture even with a healthy total.
The matrix, the 24-point rule, and the grade-distribution conditions follow the International Baccalaureate's published diploma passing criteria and its curriculum documentation for the six subject groups and the core.
How to use
- Enter your grade for each of the six subject groups, 1 to 7.
- Pick your TOK grade, A to E.
- Pick your extended essay grade, A to E.
- Read the core points from the official matrix, then the total.
- Check the status line for any named failing condition.
Formula
- subject grades
- Six marks from 1 to 7, up to 42 points, with HL and SL counted equally.
- core points
- Zero to three points from the TOK and extended essay grade pair.
- failing cell
- An E in TOK or EE: the matrix returns no core points and the diploma fails.
- conditions
- The 24-point floor, grade distribution limits, and the core requirement.
The matrix is not symmetric the way it looks: read your EE grade down the rows and your TOK grade across the columns. CAS must also be completed, though it earns no points. The tool checks the conditions that come straight from the grades you enter: the 24-point total, the ban on grade 1, the cap of two grades of 2, the cap of three grades of 3 or below, and the core rule. What it cannot see: how many points sit at higher level, whether your subject combination is permitted, and whether CAS is done.
Worked example
Example: 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 5 with TOK B and EE C
Defaults: subject grades 6, 5, 5, 4, 4, 5; TOK B; extended essay C.
- Subject total: 6 + 5 + 5 + 4 + 4 + 5 = 29 of 42.
- Matrix cell for TOK B and EE C: 2 points.
- Diploma total: 29 + 2 = 31 of 45.
- Conditions: total above 24, no 1s, no more than two 2s, no more than three 3s or below, core intact.
- All checked conditions pass.
Reference table
| EE | TOK A | TOK B | TOK C | TOK D | TOK E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | fails |
| B | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | fails |
| C | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | fails |
| D | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | fails |
| E | fails | fails | fails | fails | fails |
Limits
- CAS completion is not checked and cannot be inferred from grades.
- Higher level and standard level point minimums are not checked.
- Does not police permitted subject combinations or overlap rules.
- Bilingual diploma requirements are outside its scope.
Common mistakes
- Counting core points when a cell fails.
- Believing a high total rescues an E in TOK or the EE.
- Forgetting the 24-point floor includes core points.
- Overlooking the cap of three grades of 3 or below.
- Assuming 45 is reachable without an A in both core components.
Try it yourself
Quick checks. Answers sit tucked under each question.
Six 7s with an A in TOK and an A in EE?
45: the maximum, 42 + 3.
Six 4s with TOK B and EE C?
26 points: 24 + 2, just over the floor.
Straight 7s but an E in TOK?
The total shows 42 with 0 core points and the core fails: no diploma despite the marks.
Grades 3, 2, 2, 4, 4, 4 with TOK B and EE C?
21 points: the subject total of 19 plus 2 is under the 24-point minimum.
Questions
How many points do you need for the IB diploma?
At least 24 total across subjects and core, with the grade-distribution conditions met and the core intact.
What is the maximum IB score?
45: six subjects at 7 (42) plus three core points, which require an excellent TOK/EE pair.
What does the core matrix actually combine?
TOK and the extended essay are graded A to E, and their combination reads a 0 to 3 point contribution from the official table.
What instantly fails the diploma?
An E in TOK or the extended essay, any grade of 1, more than two 2s, more than three 3s or below, or a total under 24.
Are HL and SL grades weighted differently?
Not for the total: both count 1 to 7 equally. HL and SL minimums matter for the separate 12 and 9 point conditions.
Does CAS add points?
No, but completing creativity, activity, service is required for the diploma; this tool cannot verify it.