Recognition of the IB-Diploma in Germany

The basis for the recognition of the IB Diploma as qualification for admission to a higher education institution in Germany is the resolution of the Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) as of 10 March 1986, as amended.

The version that is valid for exam dates up to and including 2024 can be found here: Agreement on the Recognition of the “International Baccalaureate Diploma / Diplôme du Baccalauréat International”
Appendix 1 and 2 with the list of schools whose graduates are eligible for general admission to academic studies if they take Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL or Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL can be found in the linked PDF document.

The following version will be valid from 2025 exam dates on: Agreement on the Recognition of the “International Baccalaureate Diploma / Diplôme du Baccalauréat International”
Appendix 1 and 2 with the list of schools whose graduates are eligible for general admission to academic studies if they take Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL or Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL can be found in the linked PDF document. The appendices will be updated if necessary.

The International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB diploma) is a school-leaving qualification that is awarded by the Geneva-based, private sector International Baccalaureate (IB) Organisation and can be earned at thousands of schools worldwide. Throughout Germany, an IB diploma is generally recognised as a school-leaving certificate if the requirements as stipulated in the resolution of the Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs on 10 March 1986 in their currently valid version are fulfilled. Depending on the exam date and the subjects listed in the IB diploma, the IB diploma offers either direct with free choice of subject or , if all requirements are fulfilled.

The IB diploma is a general school-leaving qualification and comprises a two-year Diploma Programme. The curriculum encompasses six examination subject groups, one of which must be taken from the subject groups one through five, as specified by the IB organisation, as well as another optional subject, which can be chosen from the six subject groups.

Group 1: Studies in language and literature
Group 2: Language acquisition
Group 3: Individuals and societies
Group 4: (Experimental) Sciences
Group 5: Mathematics
Group 6: The arts

A minimum of three (alternatively four) subjects must be completed by the students at the Higher Level (HL), and the others must be completed at the Standard Level (SL). According to the IB organisation, HL courses must have a total of 240 classroom hours and SL courses must have 150 classroom hours.

Further information on the dual language International Baccalaureate (GIB):

The GIB is based on the agreement on the recognition of the “International Baccalaureate Diploma/Diplôme du Baccalauréat International” (Decision of the KMK dated 10 March 1986, in the currently valid version) and is recognised as a higher education entrance qualification.

As stipulated in the decision of the Standing Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs entitled “Nachweis der deutschen Sprachkenntnisse” (“Proof of German Language Skills”) on 2 June 1995 (in the currently valid version), the diploma of foreign schools with German lessons that lead to the “dual language International Baccalaureate” is recognised as proof of the German language skills required for admission to higher education institutions in the Federal Republic of Germany.

1. Requirements for the recognition of an IB diploma in Germany

According to the resolution of the Standing Conference of Education Ministers, the IB diploma is recognised as a when the diploma “has been conferred after the graduate has attended a minimum of twelve consecutive years of full-time education”. Additionally, graduates must meet all of the requirements below:

1.1 Examination subjects

Over the course of the consecutive, two-year IB Diploma Programme, students are required to take six examination subjects that are independent of one another. Of these, at least three subjects must be completed at the Higher Level (HL). The remaining subjects can be taken at the Standard Level (SL).
Students must take a total of two languages at level A (native speaker or very high level) or level B (intermediate level) from the IB subject groups 1 and 2. According to the above-mentioned IB agreement, students must be able to provide proof of “at least one foreign language studied uninterruptedly as Language A or Language B HL”. Students may choose a so-called Language ab initio (meaning another foreign language of which a student has little or no prior knowledge) as their sixth subject, but this will not meet the conditions for subject groups 1 and 2. As per the above-mentioned IB agreement, from the 2013 examination onwards what is known as a can be recognised as Language A: Literature SL if the students in question cannot receive lessons in their native language at their school.
A social science subject from the subject group 3 (History, Geography, Economics, Psychology, Philosophy, Social Anthropology, Business and Management, Global Politics) must be included in the six exam subjects.
Students must be able to provide proof of a natural science subject (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) from group 4.
Until the 2020 examination: From group 5, Mathematics SL (prior to 2006, Mathematical Methods), Mathematics HL, or Further Mathematics must be chosen in conjunction with Mathematics HL.
From the 2021 examination onwards and admission date winter semester 2021/2022: An IB diploma with the subjects „Analysis and Approaches“ and „Applications and Interpretation“ at the Higher Level (HL) offers direct university admission for all subjects. If the two maths subjects are taken at the Standard Level (SL), the IB diploma offers subject-specific access to and for those subjects that are not assigned to the mathematics, natural sciences and technical fields. Exception: Graduates of the schools listed in the 'Agreement on the Recognition of the IB-Diploma' (starting page 5) meet the relevant requirements in the subject of mathematics, so that general university access is to be opened for them if they achieve the IB diploma as agreed.
In addition to the aforementioned subjects, the sixth compulsory subject may be one of the following subjects recognised by the IB: Visual Arts; Music; Theatre (Arts); Film; Literature and Performance; another modern foreign language; Latin; Classical Greek; General Chemistry; Applied Chemistry; Environmental Systems and Societies; Computer Science; Design Technology; World Religions; and Sports, Exercise and Health Science. In order to be recognised in Germany, only the subjects that are explicitly named in the above-mentioned IB agreement can be included in the evaluation. All other subjects will be excluded from the evaluation.
The following is valid up to and including 2024 exam dates: Students must be able to prove three HL subjects, among them either Mathematics or one of the natural sciences subjects of Biology, Chemistry, Physics. Starting with exam dates in 2025: Students must be able to prove three HL subjects, among them either a language, Mathematics or one of the natural sciences subjects of Biology, Chemistry, or Physics.
German diploma holders who attended a school abroad and cannot provide proof of having studied German as part of the IB programme must supply proof of competency in the German language before they can commence their studies in Germany. Further details are defined by state regulations.

1.2 Grading

The IB point system for examinations is based on values ascending from grade 1 to grade 7. Grades 7 through 4 are passing grades, and 3 through 1 are non-passing grades. The IB diploma is awarded when a total score with a minimum of 24 points has been achieved from the six examination subjects. Proof of the required score is required in order for the IB diploma to be recognised in Germany.

The examination subjects must have been awarded a minimum of grade 4 in the IB point system. According to the above-mentioned IB agreement, if a non-passing grade of 3 has been attained, the student can compensate for this by achieving a passing grade of 5 in a different subject at the same level or a higher level as the subject in which a grade of 3 was attained and by earning a total of at least 24 points. The IB diploma will also be awarded if more than one non-passing grade has been attained. Nonetheless, this cannot be taken into account for direct university access in Germany.

In the event that the conditions of the above-mentioned IB agreement are not completely fulfilled, you have the option to attain a higher education entrance qualification in accordance with the “regulatory framework for higher education admission for applicants with foreign educational qualifications and certificates for the (a preparatory course for university-bound students) and for the (a higher education entrance examination)” (according to the decision of the Standing Conference of Education Ministers of 15 April 1994 in its current version). The recognition of a subject-restricted higher education entrance qualification is also possible in the event that the student has successfully passed one year of higher education studies in a country in which the school leaving certificates lead directly to the university entrance in Germany or after one year of successful studies (see page 4 of the above-mentioned IB agreement).

2. Grade conversion

The conversion of the total number of points achieved with an IB diploma into the German grading system is especially relevant for you in the event that you are applying for admission to a subject with a restricted admission qualification. With the formula in the IB agreement, the IB grade can be converted into a German grade. In this way, you can determine if you have achieved the average grade required for your desired course of study at a German higher education institution.

Formel Ib1

N = required German average grade
P = the total score shown on your transcript
Pmax = the upper benchmark figure (maximum grade = 42)
Pmin = the lower benchmark figure (minimum grade = 24)

The final result of the conversion is a decimal number (including its first decimal place) that represents the German average grade. This grade is not rounded, but further decimal places are omitted from the score.

Example:

The total IB score of a graduate is 37:

Formel Ib2

As the second decimal place is omitted, this score is converted to a grade of 1.8 in the German grading system.

3. Recognition of the diploma

When applying to a German higher education institution, you must present your diploma with a corresponding certificate that lists the examination subjects and grades, and this certificate must have been issued by the IB organisation. Diplomas that have been issued by the schools themselves are generally not recognisable. Additionally, German universities do not accept a so-called IB Certificate.

In the event that you have not yet received an official IB diploma at the time of your application, this can be substituted with an official Transcript of Grades that has been issued from the IB organisation. There is usually just a short period between the time when the grades are issued and the application deadlines for the winter of the same year at German universities. Therefore, it is recommended that you request that your school obtain your Transcript of Grades from the IB organisation early on.

In order to determine if you meet all requirements for direct admission to a German higher education institution, you also have to submit all term reports/semester reports. The reports have to show the level of the 6 IB subjects during the 2-year IB programme.

If you apply for university admission through the uni-assist system and you do not yet have an IB diploma in its paper form, you can have your examination results verified online by the system. In order to do this, you must tell your IB school coordinator early on that your examination results should be made accessible to universities and other relevant institutions on the IB homepage. Please note that uni-assist can only verify your examination results online once you have informed the portal uni-assist using the contact form that you want your IB organisation examination results to be made public.