Is It Really an IB School? How Parents Can Check Before Paying IB Fees

The website says 'IB curriculum'. The fee is higher than the CBSE school down the road. Before you pay, one question is worth five minutes: is this school actually authorised by the International Baccalaureate (IB)? Here is how to check it yourself, using the IB's own published rules.

What 'IB World School' means

The IB says schools must be authorised to teach its programmes, and that every authorised school is called an IB World School. So 'IB-based', 'IB-inspired' or 'following the IB approach' on a brochure is not the same thing. Only the word 'authorised' (or 'IB World School') matches the IB's own definition.

Step 1: Look the school up on the IB's own site

The IB runs a public 'Find an IB World School' search on ibo.org. You can filter by country, state, programme (Primary Years, Middle Years, Diploma, Career-related) and school type. India is in the country list. Search for the school by name or city. If it is not listed, ask the school directly and in writing why not.

Step 2: Ask which programme, not just 'IB'

The IB has four programmes, and a school is authorised for one or more of them, not automatically all. A school can run the Diploma Programme without offering the earlier years, or the other way round.

Step 3: Understand 'candidate school'

Becoming an IB World School takes several stages. The candidacy phase includes consultation, a request for authorisation, a verification visit and the IB's decision on authorisation. A school in candidacy is working toward authorisation. It is not yet an IB World School. A school can honestly say it is a candidate school, but if it advertises itself as an IB school in that phase, ask for its status in writing.

Step 4: Ask about assessment

• Diploma: students sit externally marked IB exams, and score each subject 1 to 7. Ask how many of the school's students sit the full Diploma and not only individual courses.
• Middle Years: external assessment (eAssessment) in the final year is optional, per the IB. Students who take it are eligible for MYP course results and the IB MYP Certificate. Ask whether the school enters students for it.

Questions to ask the admissions office

1. 1Which IB programmes is the school authorised for, and for which classes?
2. 2Is the school an IB World School or a candidate school today?
3. 3Can you show the school's listing on the IB website?
4. 4What happens to my child's years if the school is only a candidate and authorisation is delayed?
5. 5Do you enter students for the Diploma, individual DP courses, or MYP eAssessment?
6. 6Where do I raise a complaint if something goes wrong?

A note on complaints and fees

The IB says concerns about an IB World School's services should be raised with the school first. It also says it cannot consider complaints about many things the school controls, including admissions, fees, premises, rules and teacher performance. So get the fee structure and refund terms from the school in writing before you pay. The IB cannot step in on those.

Sources: IB, Education programmes (ibo.org/programmes/); IB, The authorization process (ibo.org/become-an-ib-school/the-authorization-process/); IB, Candidacy (ibo.org/become-an-ib-school/the-authorization-process/candidacy/); IB, Find an IB World School (ibo.org/programmes/find-an-ib-school/); IB, MYP, CP and PYP programme pages (ibo.org/programmes/); IB, DP student assessment (ibo.org/university-admission/discover-why-ib-students-succeed/ib-student-assessment/); IB, Feedback about services provided by IB World Schools (ibo.org/contact-the-ib/feedback-and-concerns/feedback-about-services-provided-by-ib-world-schools/). Rules can change, so confirm with the IB and the school.