IB Schools in Australia: What the International Baccalaureate Means for Families
Written by
BestSchools Team
An IB school in Australia is a school the International Baccalaureate has authorised to teach at least one of its programmes. The programmes are used in government schools and in non-government schools. The IB is not a state senior certificate, and it is not a ranking of schools.
As of 20 October 2026, the programme rules below are from the IB's own pages. For the VCE, the HSC and the other state certificates, use senior certificates.
What does the International Baccalaureate mean for Australian families?
It means the school has been authorised to teach a specific IB programme, and your child would follow that programme's rules rather than only the usual state course list. You still need to know which programme, which year levels, and which certificate the school will enter them for.
The IB says schools must be authorised before they teach a programme. An authorised school is called an IB World School, opens in a new tab. State registration still applies. Authorisation does not replace it.
The IB publishes a school finder, opens in a new tab you can filter to Australia, to a state, and to a programme. Use that finder for the current list. This guide does not reproduce it.
The four programmes
The IB programmes page, opens in a new tab describes four programmes.
| Program | Ages | First offered |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Years Programme (PYP) | 3 to 12 | 1997 |
| Middle Years Programme (MYP) | 11 to 16 | 1994 |
| Diploma Programme (DP) | 16 to 19 | 1968 |
| Career-related Programme (CP) | 16 to 19 | 2012 |
A school might offer one of these and not the others. A primary IB school is not automatically a Diploma school. Ask which programme is authorised, and for which year levels.
What the Diploma asks students to do
The Diploma curriculum, opens in a new tab is six subject groups plus a core. The groups are studies in language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, and the arts. The core is theory of knowledge, the extended essay, and creativity, activity, service.
Students take at least three and at most four subjects at higher level. The rest are at standard level. The IB says standard level is 150 teaching hours and higher level is 240. Higher level is broader. Grades use the same descriptors, with more knowledge and skill expected at higher level.
A student can take an extra science, individuals and societies, or language subject instead of an arts subject. Subject lists change. The IB page is the current list, not a blog summary.
Any school with students aged 16 to 19 can apply to teach the Diploma. The IB says teaching starts only after authorisation. That is on who can offer the Diploma, opens in a new tab.
How it sits next to state certificates
Some Australian schools offer the Diploma as their senior programme. Queensland's gifted and talented page, opens in a new tab says the Queensland Academies offer the Diploma as their only senior curriculum. There are three campuses: Creative Industries, Health Sciences, and Science, Mathematics and Technology. Naming them is the department's description of those schools, not a recommendation.
South Australia's specialist programmes list, opens in a new tab says the Diploma, for Years 11 and 12, is offered at Aberfoyle Park High School, Glenunga International High School, Norwood International High School and Roma Mitchell Secondary College. That is a department list of government schools, not a full list of IB schools in the state. Independent schools can be authorised too. Use the IB finder.
Other states were not given a government school list in the pages checked for this guide. Do not treat the Queensland or South Australian names as a national set.
If a student might also need a state certificate, or an ATAR, ask the school and the tertiary admissions centre in writing. VCE, HSC and ATAR results explains why a certificate and a tertiary rank are different questions. The IB sets Diploma rules. It does not, on the pages used here, publish an Australian ATAR conversion. Do not guess one.
A programme is not a school
Decide what you need the senior years to do
The School Choice Assessment helps you sort travel, sector, budget and learning priorities. It does not choose the IB or a state certificate.
About five minutes. Confirm authorisation on the IB finder.
When you are comparing campuses, use the directory and Compare Schools. Ask each IB school which programme is authorised, what it costs on top of tuition, and what a student does if they leave the Diploma part-way through.
Official sources
- IB, Programmes, opens in a new tab
- IB, Find an IB World School, opens in a new tab
- IB, Diploma Programme curriculum, opens in a new tab
- IB, Who can offer the Diploma, opens in a new tab
- Queensland Department of Education, Gifted and talented education, opens in a new tab
- SA Department for Education, Specialist programmes, opens in a new tab
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to go next
Turn this research into a clearer shortlist
Three practical ways to move from reading to action.
- Start the assessment
Take the School Choice Assessment
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- Open schools map
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- Browse open days
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