The IB Diploma tops out at 45. Six subjects graded 1 to 7 give you up to 42, and the core (Theory of Knowledge plus the Extended Essay) adds up to 3 more. This IB grade calculator totals your predicted or actual grades and checks them against the main pass conditions, because a 30 that breaks a rule still doesn't get you the diploma.

What to enter

Your six subject grades, three HL and three SL. Then your TOK grade and EE grade, each A to E. The calculator reads your core points off the TOK/EE matrix and adds them in. Underneath the total you'll see notes if anything trips a failing condition.

Here's a real-looking set of predictions:

• HL Biology 6, HL Chemistry 5, HL English 6
• SL Maths AA 5, SL Spanish B 7, SL History 5
• TOK: B, EE: C

Subjects add to 34. A B and a C on the matrix give 2 core points. That's 36 out of 45. Well clear of the 24 minimum, and in range for a lot of competitive universities.

How the points come together

Total = six subject grades (max 42) + core points (max 3)

Each subject grade mixes your final exams with your internal assessment. The IA share depends on the subject; in many sciences it's 20%. Grade boundaries move a little every session, so the raw mark for a 6 in May one year won't be quite the same the next.

The core matrix is the part people forget about. Two A's give 3 points. An E in either TOK or the EE is a fail on its own, no matter how strong the rest is.

Pass conditions (the short list)

Your coordinator has the official, current version. The ones that catch students most often:

1. At least 24 points.
2. No grade 1 anywhere.
3. No E in TOK or the EE.
4. 12 or more points across HL, and 9 or more across SL, when you take three of each.
5. A cap on how many 2s and 3s you can have.
6. CAS finished.

A few honest tips

Predicted grades are a teacher's best guess, and admissions offices know they lean a bit high. Don't build your whole plan on them.

The IA is the cheapest marks you'll ever get. It's done before exams, and you control all of it.

Moving TOK from a C to a B can be the easiest extra diploma point available. Seriously, look at the matrix.

If you're aiming one subject up a grade, say from a 5 to a 6 in Chemistry, the what-if grade calculator helps you see what a single paper needs to be.

US applications sometimes ask for a GPA. There's no official IB-to-GPA conversion, and schools handle it differently. Our blog post on what GPA scale reporting means explains what those forms are asking for, and the GPA calculator works once your school hands you an equivalent scale.

Where the realistic points come from

Most students I've worked with add their extra points in one of three places. First, the core, because a single letter in TOK or the EE can be worth a full point. Second, their strongest SL subject, where a 6 to 7 is often closer than a 4 to 5 elsewhere. Third, IAs, because the marks are banked before exam stress shows up.

Chasing a jump in your hardest HL is usually the most expensive point on the board. It's not impossible, just slow.

Run a few versions in the calculator: your predicted set, a cautious set with every subject one lower, and a stretch set. If the cautious version still clears your offer, you can breathe a little.