International Baccalaureate

Go to this page to find the list of IB World Schools in your country.  You will need to go to a school that offers the Diploma Programme.

The IBO website has detailed subject information. Before choosing which subjects you will take in the IB and whether to take them at Standard Level or at Higher Level, please read: 

> The Christ's subject page 
(these have a section on applying with details of any subject requirements/guidance) 
> The Cambridge admissions course information 
When you click on the relevant subject, go to the entry requirements tab and ensure that you read the whole page (the box at the bottom with stats on the A level profile of recent successful applicants should also be useful as a guide to choosing Higher Level subjects in the IB).

If the information is expressed in terms of A levels in any of the information you look at, note that Higher Level subjects will satisfy A Level subject requirements (Standard Level subjects will satisfy AS Level subject requirements only).

We have a regular webinar for students who are choosing subjects. This is aimed at students aged 14-16 but you can still join us if you are older than that.

A small number of students take a bilingual diploma, either by taking more than one of the language and literature options, or by completing an individuals and societies or sciences subject in a different language to their language and literature option. This is fine with us as long as you are clear in your application about what subjects you are taking and which languages they are taught in. Please see the IBO website for information about bilingual diplomas.

We recommend that you take the IB Diploma rather than the IB Career-Related Programme if you have the choice.

If you are already part-way through the Career Related programme with three Higher Level Diploma subjects, when you start looking into an application to Christ’s, please contact us at admissions@christs.cam.ac.uk telling us the subjects you are currently taking and the degree course you are interested in. We can consider the suitability of Career-Related Programmes for specific courses on a case-by-case basis. 

Note that not all IB Career-Related Programmes include three Higher Level Diploma subjects and we would not be able to consider you with less than three subjects at Higher Level. 

This is very important: If the course you are applying for requires or suggests A level Mathematics, please take IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches at Higher Level.

Exceptions: For Medicine, Natural Sciences (Biological) and Psychological and Behavioural Sciences you would still be considered if you take IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretations, however IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches remains the recommended option. IB applicants applying for Medicine would normally take Chemistry, Biology & Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches at Higher level, though it is possible to swap the Biology for Physics if you prefer.

If the course you are applying for requires both A level Mathematics and A level Further Mathematics (Computer Science, Economics, Engineering, Maths) then please be assured that IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches at Higher Level is fine.

There is a free online STEP Support Programme for Maths applicants. It sets you weekly assignments and you can start the Foundation Module in the first year of the IB Diploma Programme.

When reading this page, note that in addition to the International Baccaalureate, in most cases we would normally expect to see: 

> STEP papers II and III if you are applying for Mathematics (not needed for other courses)
See the STEP Support Programme website - there are weekly assignments and you can start the Foundation Modules in your first year of the IB. Threre is a specification if you woukd like to check the content - download it from this page. STEP is not needed if you are applying for a subject other than maths. 

> an Admissions Test, if this is required for your course at Cambridge
Please check the applying information on the relevant subject page and be careful as some tests require registration by a deadline in mid-September.

In all cases it is essential to read the relevant Christ's subject page for details of what is needed for the course you are applying for.

We define the terms of each offer individually, but the typical conditional IB offer at Christ's requires 42 points overall (i.e including bonus points), with 7,7,6 in your Higher Level subjects. In reality many of our students arrive with at least one grade above that (we advise you to be academically ambitious!). See the subject requirements and offer information on the relevant Christ's subject page for any further information.

If you speak English as an additional language, you will be aware that a high level of English is needed to study at Cambridge. Alongside your academic ability and potential, we will look for evidence of your English language competence when selecting students for interview. Please read our page on English language requirements (including the lists in the interview selection section) in full, paying particular attention to the following two points that are relevant for many Christ's applicants taking the IB: 

> the list of qualifications accepted at all Colleges as English language proof of competence to participate in an interview includes the following International Baccalaureate scores: 
     > 7 in HL English Language B
     > 6 in SL English Language and Literature A 
     > 6 in HL English Language and Literature A 
     > 6 in SL English Literature A
     > 6 in HL English Literature A

> Christ's College accepts predicted grades for school qualifications in the lists as evidence that you are on track to achieve the English language scores needed. If, like many of our applicants, you have not yet finished school, there is no need to worry as long as you are doing well in English.

English Language requirements are one of the topics that we discuss in our regular webinar for international applicants, if helpful. 

If your IB Higher Level subjects do not cover a required subject for your course, we are happy for you to take an A level or International A level alongside the IB Diploma in order to meet the subject requirements. 

It is not at all unusual to apply to Christ's with the IB, whether you're taking it inside or outside the UK. We are fully familiar with the IB and happy to consider students for all courses with it.

Student writers who took the IB include Oliwia (Psychologial & Behavioual Sciences), Pascual (Geography), Emma (Law), Stratis (Natural Sciences / Engineering) Diana (HSPS), Elise (Geography), Oscar (Psychological & Behavioural Sciences), Jack (HSPS), Belinda (Geography) and Mira (Education).

 

This is a question that one of our prospective IB students asked, and we can reassure you that applying to Cambridge doesn't have to be stressful - we have lots of applicants who apply to Christ's whilst they are studying for the IB: the organisational skills needed are very similar to the organisational skills you need as a current Cambridge student, so we suggest that you look on it as practice! 

It is worth being aware that the Cambridge application process is quite involved. As well as juggling your six IB subjects, Extended Essay and CAS requirements, the Cambridge process has quite a few elements including application forms, a possible admissions test, interviews etc. All of this is entirely possible to manage as long as you don't leave things to the last minute, so read the information about applying in advance, use the UK or international additional support pages as the application period approaches, and then pay attention to the chronological stages set out in the current applicants section once it is published on 20 Sept - between the website and our emails to applicants, we will help you through the process! 

If you are taking the International Baccalaureate, please also read the IB information on the Cambridge Admissions website here. Scroll down and click on International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB).