Starting the IB Diploma can feel like taking six new courses while learning a new language of abbreviations: HL, SL, IA, TOK, EE and CAS.
You might leave one lesson with questions, walk straight into another and arrive home with several assignments competing for your attention. It can be hard to know whether to finish homework, organise notes, start revising or think about your Extended Essay.
You do not need to master the entire programme in your first week. You need a simple system that helps you keep up, learn effectively and get support when you need it.
The five essentials
- Understand your courses before planning your study.
- Use one system for deadlines, files and next actions.
- Fix learning gaps before they become bigger problems.
- Revise through recall, application and feedback.
- Plan coursework early and get support before deadlines pile up.
These will help you build that system, whether you are starting DP1 or returning for DP2.
Understand your courses before planning your study
Before buying revision guides or building an ambitious timetable, find out exactly what your courses require. For each subject, confirm:
- Course and level: Higher Level (HL) or Standard Level (SL).
- Syllabus: the version that applies to your exam session.
- Assessments: which papers and coursework components you will complete, and their weightings.
- Equipment: required books, software and any calculator requirements.
- School timeline: when tests, coursework proposals, drafts and final submissions are due.
Watch out
Check resources against your exam session, not just the year on the cover. A recently published book may still explain an older syllabus or assessment format.
Get comfortable with the IB abbreviations
| Term | What it means | What you need to do |
|---|---|---|
| HL and SL | Higher Level and Standard Level | Know the requirements for your level, and give both regular attention |
| IA | Internal assessment: subject-specific work marked by your teacher and moderated by the IB | Find out what your subject requires; an IA is not always a written investigation |
| TOK | Theory of Knowledge | Understand the course and record assessment milestones |
| EE | Extended Essay: an independent research project | Check the right guide, school deadlines and supervision arrangements |
| CAS | Creativity, Activity, Service | Discuss suitable experiences, evidence and reflection with your coordinator |
The Diploma is made up of six subjects and the core. TOK and the EE can add up to three points to your total. CAS adds no points, but you must complete it to receive the Diploma, under the IB's passing criteria. For how the full score works, see the IB grading system explained.
Important
The revised Extended Essay has its first assessment in May 2027. If you are assessed from that session onwards, use the new guide and criteria rather than assuming an older exemplar shows what is required now.
Make a one-page course overview
Create one row for each subject, plus separate rows for TOK, the EE and CAS. Record:
For each row
Subject and level → main assessments → next deadline → current difficulty
This gives you a quick view of your whole programme. You should not need to open six different folders to work out what needs attention.
Your first action
Ask each teacher where to find the correct syllabus, assessment overview and school deadlines.
Use one system for deadlines, files and next actions
The best organisation system is one you actually use. A paper diary, your school platform or a simple digital calendar can all work. You do not need an elaborate dashboard or a different app for every part of the Diploma.
Your system needs three things:
- A calendar for deadlines, tests, meetings and commitments.
- A task list for the next actions you need to complete.
- Organised files for notes, resources, coursework and feedback.
Write tasks you can actually finish
"Revise chemistry" is hard to start because it does not tell you what to do, or when you have done enough.
| Vague task | Useful next action |
|---|---|
| Revise chemistry | Answer five bonding questions, mark them and correct mistakes |
| Work on my EE | Read one relevant source and record its argument, evidence and citation |
| Improve English | Rewrite one paragraph using my teacher's feedback on analysis |
| Catch up on maths | Attempt three questions on the method I missed, then ask about the step I cannot complete |
| Do CAS | Record today's experience, add relevant evidence and reflect on what I learned |
Tip
A good task describes a piece of work you can complete in one sitting.
Keep your materials easy to find
Create a folder or section for each subject, plus TOK, the EE and CAS. Inside each, separate:
- class notes and resources;
- practice questions;
- coursework and drafts;
- marked work and feedback.
Use clear filenames and keep backups of major assignments. Save draft versions so you can track changes and recover earlier work.
Do a 15-minute weekly reset
Once a week:
- Check deadlines over the next two weeks
- Choose three priorities for the coming week
- Break the nearest major assignment into smaller steps
- Identify one topic that needs help
- Leave space for unfinished work or unexpected tasks
Watch out
A timetable with every hour filled is hard to keep to. Allow for travel, meals, activities, rest and work that takes longer than expected.
Your first action
Put all known deadlines in one calendar, then write tomorrow's three most useful tasks.
Fix learning gaps before they become bigger problems
Not understanding something immediately is normal. Losing track of the difficulty while lessons move on is what makes catching up harder. The first step is to identify the problem precisely.
Rather than
"I don't understand economics."
Try
"I can calculate price elasticity of demand, but I cannot explain what the result means." That gives you something to work on.
Use a four-step routine
- Name the gap. Write down the exact concept, question or step you cannot explain.
- Try a focused repair. Read the relevant explanation, look at a worked example or use a resource your teacher recommends.
- Test whether it worked. Close the explanation, then answer a fresh question or explain the idea from memory.
- Ask for help if you are still stuck. Show what you attempted and where your reasoning breaks down.
For a small gap, a focused 10–15-minute attempt is a useful starting point. This is a practical limit on staying stuck alone, not a rule that every concept should take 15 minutes to learn.
Keep a short confusion log
| Topic | Exact difficulty | Next action | How I will check it is resolved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maths: differentiation | I can find the derivative but cannot interpret the gradient | Ask about one example, then try a fresh question | Explain the gradient in context without help |
| English: analysis | I identify techniques but do not explain their effect | Rewrite a paragraph and ask for feedback | Connect the writer's choices to meaning and the question |
| Biology: data | I describe the graph but struggle to explain the trend | Compare my answer with a worked response | Answer a similar question on my own |
Key point
Understanding an explanation is not the same as being able to use it. Always include a small independent check.
Prioritise gaps that block the next lesson or assignment. You do not have to resolve every uncertainty in one evening.
Your first action
Choose one unclear topic from this week and write down exactly what you need help with.
Revise through recall, application and feedback
Completing homework does not always mean you have learned the material securely. You might finish an assignment with your notes open, yet struggle to answer a similar question on your own a week later.
A 2022 review in Nature Reviews Psychology found strong support for retrieval practice (recalling information without looking) and spaced practice (returning to learning across separate sessions) for improving longer-term retention. Reading and explanations still matter: use them to learn new material and correct misunderstandings.
Try this 25-minute revision session
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 5 minutes | Recall key ideas without notes, or answer a few short questions |
| 15 minutes | Apply the topic through problems, an essay plan, a paragraph or spoken practice |
| 5 minutes | Check your work, correct mistakes and choose what to revisit |
This is a flexible example. A difficult problem or an extended piece of writing may need longer.
Match revision to the subject
| Subject group | What to practise |
|---|---|
| Maths | Solve questions and show your working; flashcards support facts but cannot replace problem-solving |
| Sciences | Recall concepts, then practise explanations, calculations and data interpretation |
| English | Analyse a short extract or write a focused paragraph on how the writer creates meaning |
| Humanities | Practise arguments, evidence selection and evaluation alongside factual recall |
| Languages | Combine vocabulary retrieval with listening, reading, speaking and writing |
Start with content you have been taught. Early in DP1, targeted questions are usually more manageable than full papers containing unfamiliar topics. Check that your practice materials match your syllabus. If you are still choosing between English courses, see IB English Literature vs Language and Literature.
Return to topics after the first session
As a starting routine:
- review a topic briefly after the lesson;
- test it again later that week;
- revisit it in a later week.
Adjust the gaps according to what you remember and what you struggle to apply. This is a suggested routine, not an official IB schedule.
Note
You do not need to study every subject every evening. Give each regular attention across the week, with extra time for current weaknesses and approaching assessments.
Make teacher feedback change your next answer
When marked work comes back:
- Identify why you lost marks.
- Correct one example.
- Attempt a similar task on your own.
- Check whether the same mistake appears again.
Example
Your feedback says "too descriptive". Highlight the sentences that retell information, then rewrite one section so it explains how the evidence supports your argument. If you keep losing marks by skipping a calculation step, write that step out explicitly in your next practice set.
Remember
Reading feedback is the beginning. Using it on a new task is the improvement.
Your first action
Take one piece of marked work and turn one comment into a specific practice task.
Plan coursework early and get support before deadlines pile up
The IB workload becomes harder to manage when several large assignments reach their deadlines together.
Starting early does not mean rushing to finish an IA or EE before you understand the task. It means completing the right next step while there is time to check your approach.
Break major assignments into checkpoints
Depending on the assignment, these might include:
- Understand the task and assessment criteria.
- Choose a manageable question, focus or approach.
- Check feasibility with your teacher or supervisor.
- Gather sources, evidence or data.
- Produce the permitted draft or progress submission.
- Act on permitted feedback.
- Check references, requirements and submission instructions.
Use your school's internal deadlines. They leave time for supervision, feedback and administration before final submission.
Check
Ask what feedback teachers can give. Assessed work has specific rules, so do not assume you can submit unlimited drafts for checking.
- For an experimental investigation, check equipment, safety, variables and data collection before committing to the full method.
- For an essay, check that credible sources and a manageable scope are available before writing several pages.
Give TOK, the EE and CAS the attention they need
| Component | Useful habit |
|---|---|
| TOK | Keep a small bank of examples and knowledge questions, and follow the current task guidance when assessments begin |
| EE | Record source details as you research, and bring specific questions to supervisor meetings |
| CAS | Take part consistently and record evidence and reflection while experiences are fresh; discuss plans with your coordinator |
These components need planning, but they do not all need the same kind of weekly revision as an examined subject. Their demands change across the programme.
Ask questions teachers can act on
Rather than
"I don't understand anything."
Try
"I attempted questions 3 and 4. I understand how to choose the equation, but I keep getting the rearrangement wrong. Could you check where my method breaks down?"
Or
"My feedback says I need more evaluation. Could we look at one paragraph so I understand what a stronger judgement would involve?"
If several subjects are becoming unmanageable, speak to your tutor, counsellor or IB coordinator. Bring your deadlines and current workload so you can agree priorities together.
Use AI within your school's rules
Where permitted, AI can help you practise recall or explore an explanation. Check its output against reliable course materials: it can invent sources, give wrong answers or use the wrong syllabus.
Important
Do not submit AI-generated writing as your own. The IB's statement on AI in assessment says AI-generated material included in your work must be credited in the body of the text and referenced in the bibliography. Follow your school's instructions for each task: citing AI does not automatically make a particular use acceptable.
Your first action
Identify the next coursework milestone and write down one step you can complete this week.
Your first-week IB checklist
By the end of your first week, aim to have:
- Confirmed your subjects, levels and syllabus versions
- Added known tests and assignment milestones to one calendar
- Created organised subject folders and a backup system
- Identified one learning gap and taken action on it
- Tried one short recall-and-practice session
- Found your school's timelines and contacts for TOK, the EE and CAS
- Planned study around realistic commitments and time to rest
Do not spend the whole week designing the perfect planner. Set up something simple, use it and improve it when you discover what is missing.
Returning for DP2
Add a check of every unfinished coursework component, any approaching university application deadlines and the topics you struggled with in DP1. Those should shape your first priorities. Starley's IB Diploma exam timetable shows when your final exams fall.
Frequently asked questions
What supplies do I need for the IB Diploma?
Start with your school's list. You will usually need a dependable way to access course materials, basic stationery, organised storage and any subject-specific equipment. Check calculator requirements before buying one. You do not need several paid revision subscriptions to start well.
Should I revise from the start of DP1?
Yes, but begin with short reviews of what you have actually learned. Recall key ideas, practise applying them and correct mistakes. You do not need an exam-season timetable in your first month.
How many hours should an IB student study each day?
There is no single number that works for every student. Start with homework, approaching deadlines and short reviews of current topics. Check what you complete and whether you can explain and apply the material on your own. If work keeps pushing out rest or stays unfinished, ask for help adjusting your plan.
Should I give HL subjects all my revision time?
No. HL courses often need more time, but SL subjects count just as much towards your Diploma total and can become difficult if neglected. Allocate time according to course demands, weaknesses and upcoming assessments.
What should I do if I already feel behind?
List the unfinished work and unclear topics. Prioritise the nearest deadlines and the gaps blocking current lessons. Choose one manageable action and tell the relevant teacher where you need help; our guide on how to revise when you feel lazy has more on restarting. Trying to catch up on everything at once usually creates a plan that is hard to follow.
Is the IB harder than A-levels?
It is organised differently rather than harder for everyone: six subjects and the core instead of three or four subjects. See A-levels vs IB for a full comparison.