IB Biology Tutoring: HL and SL
Quick Answer
IB Biology is a Group 4 science offered at Higher and Standard Level. At both levels the assessment is Paper 1 (36%), Paper 2 (44%) and the Internal Assessment (20%). HL runs to 240 teaching hours against 150 at SL. IB Courses offers 90-minute one-to-one online lessons at both levels.
Lesson packages
Prices are set in US dollars and charged in your local currency. Split 10 and 20-lesson packages across any subjects you like — no limit, no expiry date.
IB Biology is widely assumed to be a memorisation subject. In practice it is the one that punishes command-term carelessness hardest: "outline", "explain" and "evaluate" each expect a different length and depth of answer, and that is where most marks go missing.
This page sets out the difference between the levels. If you already know yours, go straight to the relevant subject page.
Choose your level
IB Biology HL
Paper 1 36% · Paper 2 44% · IA 20%
For students heading towards medicine, dentistry, veterinary science, molecular biology or bioengineering.
Go to subject pageIB Biology SL
Paper 1 36% · Paper 2 44% · IA 20%
For students taking biology as a supporting science or consolidating the core concepts.
Go to subject pageWhy command terms decide the grade
The same topic can be examined under three different command terms, each expecting a different answer shape. "State" wants a single fact; "outline" a brief account; "explain" a causal chain; "discuss" a two-sided evaluation.
A student who knows the content but misreads the command term writes correct biology and collects half the marks. In lessons every topic is worked alongside the command terms it has actually been examined under.
A focused research question in the Biology IA
The IA is 20% of the final grade, and the most common loss comes from a research question that is never tied to a biological mechanism. Taking measurements is not enough — the biological reason the result moved in that direction has to be argued.
The second recurring problem is too little data: five values with three repeats each is, in practice, the floor for any meaningful statistical treatment.
IB Biology tutoring: frequently asked questions
Do I need Biology HL for medicine?
- It depends on the university. Many medical schools require Chemistry HL and accept Biology at either level; some ask for both at HL. Check the entry requirements of your target universities before finalising subject choices.
What is the difference between Biology HL and SL?
- The weightings are identical. The difference is scope: HL contains the entire SL syllabus plus HL-only topics, and teaching time rises from 150 to 240 hours.
Is memorisation enough?
- It can carry part of Paper 1, but not Paper 2. The extended responses ask for mechanism and data interpretation, which are built by connecting topics rather than by recall.
Let's build your biology plan around your level
In a free consultation we discuss your current grade, exam date and target. We do not guarantee any specific IB grade.