IB Program

The International Baccalaureate Organization's (IBO) Diploma Program provides a rigorous and comprehensive two-year international and pre-university course of study designed for highly motivated secondary school students between the ages of 16 and 19. It incorporates the best elements of national systems, without being based on any one, and encourages students to be active learners, well-rounded individuals and engaged world citizens. Acclaimed for its consistent internal and external assessment criteria, the program helps students demonstrate the skills they need to be successful learners, thereby giving IB diploma holders access to the world's leading universities. The IB diploma program's criterion-referenced grading system measures each student’s performance against well-defined levels of achievement consistent for students around the world.

Requirements of the IB diploma program include successful completion of six academic subjects. Three of these subjects must be taken at the Higher Level (HL) and three at the Standard Level (SL). HL courses represent a minimum of 240 teaching hours covered over two years; SL courses represent a minimum of 150 teaching hours, some covered in one year. In addition to the coursework, students must also complete the Theory of Knowledge course, submit a 4000 word Extended Essay on original research, and complete 150 hours of community service. Upon completion of the coursework, students sit for external exams in each subject. International examiners apply standardized criteria to all IB students around the world to score the exams.

Currently, 1,899 authorized schools in 124 countries offer the diploma program. Seoul Foreign School, the first of only two IB schools in Korea, has been offering the IB diploma program since 1980. Over the past 8 years at SFS, the number of students taking the full diploma program has increased substantially. Of the graduating class of 2007, 41% expect to complete their diploma; 53% anticipate getting the IB diploma in May, 2008. SFS consistently performs above the world average on IB exams; our commitment to continuous improvement includes doing all that we can to ensure that our IB diploma program continues to be delivered in a manner that balances quality with the increasing number of students who choose to participate.

Students who graduate from the program may earn college credit, advanced standing, and/or advanced placement in many colleges or universities. For more information, please see the IBO's official website: http://www.ibo.org/

Historical Data