The following article was written in advance of the May 2023 exam session.

If you are more interested in retakes, rather than remarks, click here.

How do I make a re-mark request after my exam sessions? Which IB subjects and externally assessed components can I remark?

…Have you got the same IB remark questions and about a thousand others? Well, you’ve found the perfect page!

You’ll find the answers to your International Baccalaureate exam and internal assessment (IA) re-marking questions – and SO much more! But before we break down critical re-marking deadlines, rules, fees etc., we want to remind you — Grades don’t define your potential or abilities!

The IB diploma programme is demanding. Students in IB World Schools around the world need extra support; it’s why the IB offers rewrites, remarks and re-moderation in the first place. If your original grade wasn’t a pass, or you didn’t match your predicted grades, let those feelings GO! And remember, you have options!

Before we get started, we wanted to let you know of our Retake Accelerated Programme designed to help you retake your IB exams or assignments in November. You can find more information here, as well as at the bottom of this blog post.

Let’s go through your remarking options and other alternatives to help you get the IB grade change you need to get that diploma.

Understanding IB Re-marks and Retakes

So, what options do IB students have if their points fall below the upper-grade boundary? There are two options IB candidates can choose to help them reach the IB subject grades needed to finish the IB diploma programme.

Your two options are remarking or retaking your IB exams or IAs! Here’s what you need to know about IB World School remarks and retakes:

IB Retakes Explained

If a candidate wants to try again and re-do their subject IAs and exams, this is their best option. 

Was your last examination session disappointing, and your results don’t reflect your hard work or abilities? Then retake your exams in a future examination session or re-do and submit your subject IAs. But, you’ll need to get your IB retake applications in on time!

Read our IB Retake FAQ post on our blog page to find details on the retake rules, fees and other crucial facts you need to know before retaking an IB exam or internal assessment.

What are IB Re-marks?

A re-mark is when a candidate, parent or legal guardian requests re-marking after getting their IB results. Students usually request a remark hoping to receive a grade change for an exam or IA.

The IB accepts re-mark requests from candidates for various reasons. Candidates can request re-marks for missed marks, grade miscalculations and other errors during a previous marking process. And the IB needs formal written consent from a candidate before approving remarks.

Now that you know the difference between retakes and remarks, let’s answer your questions!

International Baccalaureate Remark FAQs and Advice

These are some of the questions our tutors often hear. We’ve answered each frequently asked question (FAQ) clearly so you understand everything.

Scroll down to find the answers to all your IB re-marking questions! You’ll find the answers to the questions below and a whole lot more:

• When should I apply for a remark?
• How do I request a remark?
• What is the process for submitting my school’s IAs and IB exam papers? Can I get externally assessed components for my subject remarked?
• How much does a remark cost?
• When will I get the IB results for my re-marked work?

Please contact our team if you have any questions after you read our FAQs and tips below. Submit an enquiry form with your query from our website or call us at +44 20 4571 0455. The Lanterna Education team can’t wait to assist you!

1) How do I get re-marked? 

With a re-mark, an individual candidate’s IB results can go up or down, so it’s vital you consider the subject grade boundary before you request a remark.

To request re-marks, candidates must ask an IB school diploma programme (DP) coordinator to submit what’s known as an ‘Enquiry Upon Results’ (EUR). The Enquiry Upon Results request deadlines are from July 6th to September 15th, and responses to IB EURs typically take two weeks.

2) What can I get re-marked? 

There are a few pieces of work the IB will re-moderate, and there are some they won’t. We’ve put together a list of what the IB accepts for remarking below:

a) IB candidate’s externally assessed components

• Category 1 remark

An Enquiry Upon Results Category 1 re-mark is very common. EuR Cat 1 means an individual candidate’s externally assessed subject components go through remarking. Often senior IB examiners conduct ‘Category 1 re-marks’ to evaluate any possible errors in the previous marking. Re-moderated work may not get feedback, and some examiners may write comments, but candidates who want details on their re-marks should ask for a Category 1 report.

• Category 1 report

To get useful comments and helpful notes, candidates must ask their DP coordinator for a EuR Cat 1 report from the allocated examiner. Cat 1 reports note marks awarded during the re-marking process, provide details on previous marking errors and give students insights.

• Category 2A

A Category 2A is a remark request for an IB component by an IB school teacher or faculty member. Usually, EuR Cat 2A require all candidates to return their externally assessed components and materials needing remarking.

An example of when a teacher can request a Category 2A is when a class didn’t do well, and their teacher wants to see the Paper 2 question papers. IB School staff can ask for a Cat 2A for Paper 2, and the IB will send them digital PDFs of each student’s Paper 2 answers and final grade.

• Category 2B

Category 2B is a subject/level remark request teachers and schools can make. Each individual candidate taking the IB subject must return externally assessed material for remarking, and the materials are only available to teachers, faculty and specific candidates. A Cat 2B is also always a good option before ordering a Cat 1 remark.

b) IB candidate’s internally assessed component

• Category 3 re-moderation

The IB allows re-moderation for subject/level internal assessments only. But a Cat 3 re-moderation request can only work if the mean of the candidates’ moderated IA marks mean score differs from the marks awarded by the teacher and the mark is at least 15% of the mark for the subject’s IA component.  

3) How can my grades potentially change?

• Category 1 re-mark: Results and grades can increase or decrease
• Category 1 report: There is no grade change
• Category 2A and 2B: There is no grade change
• Category 3 re-moderation: Marks and grades can increase but can’t decrease

4) When is the deadline to apply for IB re-marks?

Within two months of the IB releasing results, a candidate can ask their IB coordinator to request a re-mark. Students must submit Category 1 report requests within one month of receiving the result of the Category 1 re-mark. The official deadline for May exam sessions is September 15th, and for November exams, it is March 15th. 

5) Can I request re-marks or re-moderations more than once?

Unfortunately not! A candidate can only request a re-mark or a re-moderation once for the same subject.

6) How do I get my re-marked score?

The IB coordinator at your school will receive the re-marked scores and will alert candidates.

7) How long does the re-mark or re-moderation take?

• Category 1 re-mark: 18 days
• Category 1 report: 30 days
• Category 2A and 2B: 18 days
• Category 2A and 2B: 10 days
• Category 3 re-moderation: 40 days

8) How much does an IB remark cost?

Re-marking costs vary. There’s a fee for each re-mark category unless there’s a grade change after your EUR Cat 1 re-marking. 

Schools are different, so it’s best to reach out to your school’s IB coordinator.

9) Will I get a refund if I get marks awarded after remarking?

When grades change after a Category 1 re-mark, there’s no cost! So you can get a refund on your remark fess if your grades change. But a grade must change (not an exam paper mark!) before it becomes free. And there are no refunds for Category 3 re-moderation. 

10) Can I request both re-marks and IB re-moderations?

Yes, and a candidate can request the remark categories in any order.

11) Can I request a re-mark for specific components to help me reach the maximum mark?

Sadly, that’s a no. A candidate can’t request a remark for individual components like their Extended Essay (EE) or CAS. 

12) What won’t the IB re-mark?

The IB doesn’t remark Group 4 subject examinations with multiple choice components or if components for a subject carry over marks from a previous session.

13) Will I get a different examiner for the remarks?

It’s different everywhere! Some IB schools with small entry subjects and subjects with only one examiner use the same examiner when re-marking candidates’ work.

It’s vital to note that there aren’t any guarantees. Remarks can decrease or increase your grades. So always check how close you are to your grade boundaries before you request an IB EUR.

IB Category 3 re-moderation made simple

• When can I apply for re-moderation?

The IB will only accept re-moderation requests when the candidates’ moderated internal assessment mark mean differs from the mean earned by at least 15% of the maximum mark for the component.

And re-moderation isn’t available for Language A: Literature SL school-supported, self-taught candidates.

• Will I have a different examiner for re-moderation?

A different moderator usually conducts re-moderation, but some schools use the same examiner for small entry subjects.

Re-thinking the remark?

For those who don’t feel confident that their examination scores or grades will improve after re-marking, you can request a retake! Ask the IB to retake one or more subject elements and exams before it’s too late. Find our expert IB retake advice and FAQs here.

Contact Lanterna Education

The Lanterna Education team has experience helping students and schools coordinate remarks and prepare for retakes. If you need support and want advice on exam retakes, we would love to help you.

Our team has remark advice for students and provides guidance. At Lanterna Education, our team arranges group revision workshops for schools and we help students reach their IB goals with one-on-one online tutoring.

Our Retake Accelerated Programme provides highly focused exam revision sessions with an expert tutor to help students receive the recommended number of teaching hours. The Lanterna Education Retake Accelerated Programme has small classes over the weeks leading up to each IB exam session. Our goal is to help you surpass subject grade boundaries and get that IB diploma.