The IB Diploma sits at the same stage as A-Levels (age ~17–18). In mainstream Singapore schools you reach it two ways:
Both routes end at the same exam and diploma, and both lead on to university (local and overseas). A third way: international schools offer the IBDP privately at much higher fees.
Only a handful of MOE-side schools run the IB Diploma — all sit the November exam session:
| School | How |
|---|---|
| ACS (Independent) | 6-year IP to IBDP; Methodist Girls’ School IP students join ACS(I) for Years 5–6 |
| St Joseph’s Institution (SJI) | Dual track: 4-year SEC course or 6-year IP to IBDP; also admits O-Level/SEC graduates into the 2-year IBDP via JAE |
| School of the Arts (SOTA) | 6-year arts + academics programme ending in IBDP or the career-related IBCP; no SEC track at all |
| Singapore Sports School | IBDP option alongside its sports pathways |
| Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah | IBDP alongside Islamic studies |
| International schools | SJI International, ACS (International), Hwa Chong International, UWCSEA and ~25 others — private fees (≈S$25k–55k+/yr vs ≈S$15k–20k at the independent schools above) |
One subject from each group — 3 taken at Higher Level (HL, deeper), 3 at Standard Level (SL). Breadth is compulsory: everyone keeps a language, a humanities, a science and maths to the end.
The opposite direction from every Singapore aggregate (PSLE, L1R4, ELR2B2). Coursework done during the 2 years counts alongside the final exams.
Exams run in November for the Singapore-side schools; results arrive mid-December–January, in time for university applications. Grading is criterion-referenced (like the SEC): 7s are awarded against standards, not a fixed quota.
| IB Diploma | A-Levels (JC/MI) | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Broad: 6 subjects + TOK/EE/CAS — everyone keeps maths, sciences, languages, humanities | Deep: typically 3 H2 + 1 H1 content subjects — specialise early (science vs arts stream) |
| Assessment | Coursework/orals/internal assessment (~20–30% per subject) + final exams | Mostly final national exams (with project work) |
| Workload style | Continuous deadlines across 2 years — rewards steady self-managers | Back-loaded — rewards strong exam performers |
| Score | Out of 45, higher = better | Grades A–E per subject → rank points for university admission |
| Universities | Accepted by NUS/NTU/SMU and strongly recognised overseas | Equally accepted locally; well recognised overseas |
Neither is “easier” — they filter for different students. A kid who hates spreading thin but crushes exams fits A-Levels; a consistent all-rounder who likes writing and projects fits IB.