As the May 2025 IB exams draw nearer, it’s vital for IB students and their families to stay informed about essential details, including key dates and examination periods. Staying organised and well-prepared will be crucial for navigating this important academic milestone with confidence.
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May 2025 IB Exam Schedule
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| Week 0 | |||
| Session | Subject | Paper | Time Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 25 April | |||
| Morning session | No exams | ||
| Afternoon session | School-based syllabus SL | Paper 1 | - |
| Language & Culture SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Week 1 | |||
| Session | Subject | Paper | Time Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 28 April | |||
| Morning session | School-based syllabus SL | Paper 2 | - |
| Language & Culture SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Language A Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m |
| Language A Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Language A Language & Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m | |
| Language A Language & Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| * Except: English, French & Spanish | |||
| Tuesday 29 April | |||
| Morning session | Language A Literature HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m |
| Language A Language & Literature HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m | |
| * Except: English, French & Spanish | |||
| Afternoon session | Physics HL | Paper 1 (1a and 1b) | 2h |
| Physics SL | Paper 1 (1a and 1b) | 1h 30m | |
| Sports, Exercise & Health Science HL | Paper 1 | 1h | |
| Sports, Exercise & Health Science HL | Paper 3 | 1h 15m | |
| Sports, Exercise & Health Science SL | Paper 1 | 45m | |
| Sports, Exercise & Health Science SL | Paper 3 | 1h | |
| Wednesday 30 April | |||
| Morning session | Physics HL | Paper 2 | 2h 30m |
| Physics SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Sports, Exercise & Health Science HL | Paper 2 | 2h 15m | |
| Sports, Exercise & Health Science SL | Paper 2 | 1h 15m | |
| Afternoon session | Business Management HL/SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m |
| Business Management HL | Paper 3 | 1h 15m | |
| Thursday 1 May | |||
| Morning session | No exams | ||
| Afternoon session | No exams | ||
| Friday 2 May | |||
| Morning session | Business Management HL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m |
| Business Management SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Computer Science HL | Paper 1 | 2h 10m |
| Computer Science SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Environmental Systems & Societies SL | Paper 1 | 1h | |
| Week 2 (May 8-9) | |||
| Session | Subject | Paper | Time Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 8 May | |||
| Morning session | Psychology HL | Paper 2 | 2h |
| Psychology HL | Paper 3 | 1h | |
| Psychology SL | Paper 2 | 1h | |
| Afternoon session | English A Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m |
| English A Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| English A Language & Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m | |
| English A Language & Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| English B HL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| English B HL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| English B SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| English B SL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| English ab initio SL | Paper 1 | 1h | |
| English ab initio SL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| Friday 9 May | |||
| Morning session | English A Literature HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m |
| English A Language & Literature HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m | |
| English B HL | Paper 2 - Listening comprehension | 1h | |
| English B SL | Paper 2 - Listening comprehension | 45m | |
| Literature & Performance SL | Paper 1 | 1h 45m | |
| Afternoon session | Geography HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m |
| Geography SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Philosophy HL | Paper 1 | 2h 30m | |
| Philosophy SL | Paper 1 | 1h 45m | |
| Social & Cultural Anthropology HL | Paper 1 | 2h | |
| Social & Cultural Anthropology SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Week 3 (May 12-14) | |||
| Session | Subject | Paper | Time Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 12 May | |||
| Morning session | Geography HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 15m |
| Geography HL | Paper 3 | 1h | |
| Philosophy HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h | |
| Philosophy HL | Paper 3 | 1h 15m | |
| Social & Cultural Anthropology HL | Paper 2 | 2h 30m | |
| Social & Cultural Anthropology SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Biology HL | Paper 1 (1a and 1b) | 2h |
| Biology SL | Paper 1 (1a and 1b) | 1h 30m | |
| Tuesday 13 May | |||
| Morning session | Biology HL | Paper 2 | 2h 30m |
| Biology SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Economics HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m |
| World Religions SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Wednesday 14 May | |||
| Morning session | Economics HL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m |
| Economics HL | Paper 3 | 1h 45m | |
| Economics SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| World Religions SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Classical Greek HL | Paper 1 | 2h |
| Classical Greek SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Spanish A Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m | |
| Spanish A Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Spanish A Language & Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m | |
| Spanish A Language & Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Spanish B HL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Spanish B HL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| Spanish B SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Spanish B SL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| Spanish ab initio SL | Paper 1 | 1h | |
| Spanish ab initio SL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| Week 3 (May 12-14) | |||
| Session | Subject | Paper | Time Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 12 May | |||
| Morning session | Geography HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 15m |
| Geography HL | Paper 3 | 1h | |
| Philosophy HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h | |
| Philosophy HL | Paper 3 | 1h 15m | |
| Social & Cultural Anthropology HL | Paper 2 | 2h 30m | |
| Social & Cultural Anthropology SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Biology HL | Paper 1 (1a and 1b) | 2h |
| Biology SL | Paper 1 (1a and 1b) | 1h 30m | |
| Tuesday 13 May | |||
| Morning session | Biology HL | Paper 2 | 2h 30m |
| Biology SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Economics HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m |
| World Religions SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Wednesday 14 May | |||
| Morning session | Economics HL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m |
| Economics HL | Paper 3 | 1h 45m | |
| Economics SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| World Religions SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Classical Greek HL | Paper 1 | 2h |
| Classical Greek SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Spanish A Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m | |
| Spanish A Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Spanish A Language & Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m | |
| Spanish A Language & Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Spanish B HL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Spanish B HL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| Spanish B SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Spanish B SL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| Spanish ab initio SL | Paper 1 | 1h | |
| Spanish ab initio SL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| Week 3 (May 15-16) | |||
| Session | Subject | Paper | Time Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 15 May | |||
| Morning session | Classical Greek HL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m |
| Classical Greek SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Spanish A Literature HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m | |
| Spanish A Language & Literature HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m | |
| Spanish B HL | Paper 2 - Listening comprehension | 1h | |
| Spanish B SL | Paper 2 - Listening comprehension | 45m | |
| Spanish ab initio SL | Paper 2 - Listening comprehension | 45m | |
| Afternoon session | Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL | Paper 1 | 2h |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL | Paper 1 | 2h | |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Friday 16 May | |||
| Morning session | Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL | Paper 2 | 2h |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL | Paper 2 | 2h | |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Chemistry HL | Paper 1 (1a and 1b) | 2h |
| Chemistry SL | Paper 1 (1a and 1b) | 1h 30m | |
| Design Technology HL | Paper 1 | 1h | |
| Design Technology SL | Paper 1 | 45m | |
| Design Technology HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Week 4 | |||
| Session | Subject | Paper | Time Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday 19 May | |||
| Morning session | Chemistry HL | Paper 2 | 2h 30m |
| Chemistry SL | Paper 2 | 1h 30m | |
| Design Technology HL | Paper 3 | 1h 30m | |
| Afternoon session | Digital Society HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m |
| Digital Society SL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| Global Politics HL/SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| Tuesday 20 May | |||
| Morning session | Digital Society HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 15m |
| Digital Society HL | Paper 3 | 1h 15m | |
| Global Politics HL | Paper 2 | 2h 45m | |
| Global Politics SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m | |
| Afternoon session | French A Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m |
| French A Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| French A Language & Literature HL | Paper 1 | 2h 15m | |
| French A Language & Literature SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| French B HL | Paper 1 | 1h 30m | |
| French B HL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| French B SL | Paper 1 | 1h 15m | |
| French B SL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| French ab initio SL | Paper 1 | 1h | |
| French ab initio SL | Paper 2 - Reading comprehension | 1h | |
| Wednesday 21 May | |||
| Morning session | French A Literature HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m |
| French A Language & Literature HL/SL | Paper 2 | 1h 45m | |
| French B HL | Paper 2 - Listening comprehension | 1h | |
| French B SL | Paper 2 - Listening comprehension | 45m | |
| French ab initio SL | Paper 2 - Listening comprehension | 45m | |
| Afternoon session | Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches HL | Paper 3 | 1h 15m |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation HL | Paper 3 | 1h 15m | |
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Understanding the Timing of IB Exams: May vs. November
The timing of IB exams—whether in May or November—varies depending on the schools within each city and their academic calendars. Here’s a general breakdown:
- May session: Predominantly followed by schools in the Northern Hemisphere, including regions like Europe, North America, most of Asia, and the Middle East.
- November session: More common for schools in the Southern Hemisphere, such as Australia, New Zealand, and parts of South America.
From the cities listed above:
- May exams are likely conducted in: Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Atlanta, Bangalore, Barcelona, Beijing, Bogota, Boston, Brooklyn, Cairo, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Dubai, Geneva, Hong Kong, Houston, Indianapolis, Istanbul, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Manchester, Mexico City, Miami, Milan, Munich, New York, Oslo, Quito, Rio de Janeiro, Riyadh, Rome, San Francisco, San Jose, Sao Paulo, Shanghai, Singapore, Stockholm, Tokyo, Toronto, Vancouver, Warsaw, Zurich.
- November exams are more likely in: Auckland.
Final Tip: Confirm Exam Dates
While these generalisations offer guidance, there are exceptions. If you’re based in one of these cities, it’s crucial to confirm your examination session by contacting your local IB school or coordinator. Alternatively, check the official IB website for the latest updates.
If you feel you need extra support to prepare for your exams, don’t hesitate to contact Top IB Tutors. With expert guidance and personalised tutoring, we can help you achieve your best possible results!
