More than 202,000 students worldwide have received their International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP) results from the May 2025 exam session.

This marks a 4.8 per cent year-on-year increase in the number of students who have received DP and CP results after the required two years of study.

The global average DP score for the May 2025 session - drawn from 3,401 schools worldwide - is 30.58 points (from a maximum of 45), slightly up on the 2024 figure of 30.32.

The 5,064 UK students across 104 schools who sat the DP scored an average of 35, up from 34.67 in 2024.

Worldwide students - who numbered 202,103 in total, up from 192,867 in 2024 - also scored an average of 4.89 per exam sat, compared with 4.85 in 2024.

In the UK, the average score per exam sat was 5.54, up slightly from 5.5 in 2024.

IB results 2025: key trends

Globally, students secured a 81.26 per cent pass rate (compared with exactly 80 in 2024), against 95.51 per cent for the UK (94.57 in 2024).

The number of worldwide students who achieved 40 or more points was 9,456 (4.68 per cent of all students); in the UK, 941 students did so (18.58 per cent).

Information on accessing results, requesting re-marks and taking resits can be found on the IB website.

The IB said it would also publish an “interim statistical bulletin” over the coming weeks.

What is the International Baccalaureate?

Established in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1968, the IB is a model of study for those aged 3-19 and is now headed up by director general Olli-Pekka Heinonen.

The Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme offer alternative qualifications to the English A level and its vocational equivalents.

The IB said that its 2021 research on higher-education outcomes showed “the exceptional performance of DP students in the UK higher education system”.

It also said that today’s graduates would join more than 2.7 million “lifelong learners” across 157 countries where the DP and CP are offered.

Mr Heinonen said: “I’m inspired by the dedication, resilience and compassion shown by IB students during such a complex time in the world. As IB graduates move forward - into higher education, careers or service to their communities - they carry with them the competencies, values and global mindset needed to thrive and make a meaningful difference.

“IB graduates leave not only with knowledge, but also with the perspective and purpose to lead, serve and shape a better world. We are proud of who they are and the impact they’re already making.”

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