Pre-IB Courses
One-to-one online preparation for the Pre-IB programme
Pre-IB is the 5-week group programme we run in the summer before the Diploma begins, online and in groups of at most 6. Its point is less to teach content than to soften the transition: we introduce the assessment criteria, the command terms and the pace IB expects, and we work through the HL/SL choice with you.
Quick Answer
Places are limited, so enrolment opens in the spring. At the end we share a short readiness note on each student, and if the HL/SL decision is still open we continue with a one-to-one 90-minute session. If the first week does not convince you, we refund the fee.
Program
Level
Fully Online
Format
90 min
Lesson length
€29 per lesson within a group course package
Not happy after the first week of group lessons? Full refund.
See packages and lower per-lesson rates
Experienced in IB
Specialist Team
About Pre-IB Courses
Our Pre-IB courses programme is a detailed 5-week preparation programme that helps students build a strong foundation before starting the IB Diploma Programme.
The programme introduces the IB curriculum in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology and language subjects. The IB exam format, IA requirements and study techniques are taught.
Students learn IB terminology, the assessment criteria and academic writing standards.
A programme built around the student is applied according to each student's subject choices. Guidance is also provided on HL and SL subject selection.
Our programme is held during the summer break (June-July) or just before the IB programme begins.
IB assessment experience
Lessons are, wherever possible, planned with teachers who have relevant subject experience and a strong command of the IB assessment criteria. For some subjects we can offer lessons with teachers who have IB Examiner experience; matching is done based on subject, level and teacher availability.
Syllabus Topics
Exam Papers
Pre-IB Courses exam structure and focus areas
| Paper | Duration | Weighting | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly Programme | 6 hours | 100% | 4-6 hours of lessons + activities |
Source: the assessment components and weightings on this page follow the Pre-IB Courses subject guide published by the International Baccalaureate Organization. Your school's IB coordinator can access the current session documents. ibo.org
About grade boundaries: According to the grade boundary documents the International Baccalaureate Organization publishes for each exam session, the total percentage needed for a 7 varies by subject, level and session in a band of roughly 55–85%. Your school's IB coordinator can access the relevant May/November Grade descriptors and boundaries document. In our one-to-one lessons we review the student's realistic grade range together using past-session boundaries and mock results.
Process & Support
At which stages of the process do one-to-one lessons help?
The aim is not to get ahead on content
Five weeks will not put you in front of a two-year syllabus, and we do not promise that. The work of this programme is to show how the IB operates from day one: how things are assessed, how long each piece takes, when each deadline arrives.
Meeting the command terms early
In the IB the same topic wants a completely different answer depending on the verb in the question. A student who learns that mid-way through IB 1 has lost marks until then. Across five weeks we have you write short answers and show the difference the verb makes.
HL and SL by target course
Students who decide by favourite subject find out late that they do not meet a course's entry requirement. We read the requirements of your target courses together and build the choice from them. Your school approves it; we prepare the reasoning.
Measuring the gaps in foundations
In mathematics and the sciences especially, a gap in the prior knowledge the IB assumes makes the first months hard. We run a short diagnostic at the start and weight the remaining weeks towards those gaps.
A rehearsal of the workload
The real difficulty of the IB is not the weight of the content but the number of things running at once. Working to a weekly rhythm of tasks and deadlines for five weeks lets you try that pace in advance.
Comparing Preparation Paths
The differences between self-study, group classes and one-to-one support for Pre-IB Courses
| Preparation path | Pros | Limitations | Best for? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparing on your own over the summer |
|
| Highly motivated students who can build their own schedule. |
| Your school's orientation |
|
| Students getting to know a new school and programme. |
| This group programme |
|
| Students who want to see what kind of programme they are entering before it starts. |
Lesson packages
Not happy after the first week of group lessons? Full refund. Split 10 and 20-lesson packages across any subjects you like, with no expiry date.
If three or more friends want to study together, you can open a closed group of your own at the same price. How a private group works
Study Plan Framework
A typical 4-phase structure for Pre-IB Courses in one-to-one lessons; adapted to the student's exam date.
Getting started and diagnostics
week 1
- A short diagnostic in mathematics and the sciences
- Introducing the components of the IB programme
- Setting the goals for the five weeks
The language of assessment
week 2
- Command terms through real exam questions
- Reading criteria tables
- Practice at writing short answers
Foundations
weeks 3-4
- Refreshing algebra and functions
- Units, graphs and reading measurements in the sciences
- Text types in academic English
The HL and SL decision
week 4
- Reading the entry requirements of target courses
- A realistic look at the workload
- Putting the choice and its reasoning in writing
A rehearsal of the pace
week 5
- Working with several deadlines in the same week
- The habit of drawing up a weekly plan
- A study routine for the first month of IB 1
This framework is a sample plan; it is customised for each student based on exam date, target grade and current level.
How One-to-One Lessons Work
The general structure of Pre-IB Courses sessions
We teach the rules, not the content
This programme does not claim to finish IB topics in advance. Most of the marks students lose in the first year come not from not knowing the content but from not knowing how the assessment works. That is what the five weeks are for.
We teach it by having you write
The difference a command term makes does not settle through explanation; it settles through writing. Each session includes short answers, and when the same topic is asked with different verbs the difference becomes obvious by itself.
Groups of at most 6
The group stays small so the short answers you write can be read individually. It is still a group programme and the pace follows the group. For a serious gap in one particular subject we point you to one-to-one support.
A written progress report every week
We share which topics were covered, where the subject-choice decision stands and what comes next, in writing, every week.
Where Students Struggle
Our experienced IB teachers guide you through overcoming these challenges.
Our Teaching Approach
IB-Focused Methodology
Work with teachers who know the IB assessment criteria inside out.
Where We Start
The first lesson sets the level, and the topic order follows from it.
The IA and the Exam
From the research question to the report, from past papers to mark schemes.
Past-Paper Focused
Real exam questions and mark scheme analysis.
Share before your first lesson
The information below helps the lesson plan focus on the student's real needs from the very first minutes.
- Target IB grade (e.g. 6 or 7) and exam date
- Current level: latest mock grade, predicted grade or weak topics
- School curriculum: the textbook used, IA / EE topic, deadline dates
- Study schedule: lessons per week, available days and time slots
Who Is This Program For?
Frequently Asked Questions
Program Features
- Five weeks in the summer before the programme starts
- A first look at the assessment criteria
- An introduction to command terms
- Getting used to the IB's working pace
- Deciding HL and SL subjects together
- Groups of no more than six
- A short readiness note for each student at the end
- A 90-minute one-to-one session if the HL/SL call is still open
Contact us for a lesson plan
Tell us your target grade, where you are now and when you sit the exam, and we will work out the weekly schedule with you.
Quick Info
Tutors who teach this course
- Tolga Şener
Pre-IB Öğretmeni
- Nehir Acar
Pre-IB Öğretmeni
Our tutors provide mentoring, structure suggestions and feedback during the IA / EE process. IB Courses does not write a student's IA or assignment for them.
Related IB Courses & Support
Other IB support programmes frequently chosen alongside Pre-IB Courses
IB Revision Courses
Prepare for IB finals with a 10-week plan covering topic review, past-paper practice and exam strategies built around your subjects.
Go to the IB Revision Courses pageIB ProgramMid-IBMid-IB Revision Courses
In the 5-week Mid-IB Revision programme, IB 1 topics are reviewed topic by topic and a plan is created for the transition to IB 2.
Go to the Mid-IB Revision Courses pageIB ProgramTOKIB TOK Tutoring
IB TOK support covers the essay, exhibition, knowledge questions and assessment criteria with a focus on academic integrity.
Go to the IB TOK Tutoring pageIB ProgramExtended EssayIB Extended Essay Tutoring
Get support throughout the Extended Essay process with the research question, structure, source use, academic writing and rubric-focused feedback.
Go to the IB Extended Essay Tutoring pageStudent and parent reviews
Let us work out where to start with Pre-IB Courses
In a free consultation with our experienced IB teachers, let's decide together on the number of lessons and focus areas that fit your goals.
The consultation is free and non-binding. We do not guarantee a specific IB grade.