IB Exam Schedule 2025 - important dates

The schedule for the 2025 Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP) examination sessions are presented below. If you need help with IB, book your trial lesson with an experienced IB tutor.

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Crucial notes for IB Exams in April & May 2025

IB exams of 2025 are tentatively scheduled to start on Friday, April 25 and end on Wednesday, May 21, subject to confirmation by the IB in 2024. There will be three time zones to conduct M25 examinations.

Please note that for Studies in language and literature and Language acquisition, English, French and Spanish are scheduled individually from all other languages.


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May 2025 IB Examination Schedule - All exam zones

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WEEK 0

Friday 25 April


Morning Session

  • No examination

Afternoon Session

  • School-based syllabus SL paper 1

  • Language & culture SL paper 1 - 1h 30m

WEEK 1

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 examination

Afternoon Session

  • No examination

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

Monday 5 May


Morning Session

  • Computer science HL paper 2 - 1h 20m

  • Computer science HL paper 3 - 1h

  • Computer science SL paper 2 - 1h

  • Environmental systems & societies SL paper 2 - 2h

Afternoon Session

  • History HL/SL paper 1 - 1h

  • History HL/SL paper 2 - 1h 30m

Tuesday 6 May


Morning Session

  • History HL paper 3 - 2h 30m

Afternoon Session

  • Language B HL paper 1 - 1h 30m

  • Language B HL paper 2:

    • Reading comprehension - 1h

  • Language B SL paper 1 - 1h 15m

  • Language B SL paper 2:

    • Reading comprehension - 1h

  • Language ab initio SL paper 1 - 1h

  • Language ab initio SL paper 2:

    • Reading comprehension - 1h

  • * Except: English, French & Spanish

  • Latin HL paper 1 - 2h

  • Latin SL paper 1 - 1h 30m

Wednesday 7 May


Morning Session

  • Language B HL paper 2:

    • Listening comprehension - 1h

  • Language B SL paper 2:

    • Listening comprehension - 45m

  • Language ab initio SL paper 2:

    • Listening comprehension - 45m

  • * Except: English, French & Spanish

  • Latin HL paper 2 - 1h 30m

  • Latin SL paper 2 - 1h 30m

Afternoon Session

  • Psychology HL paper 1 - 2h

  • Psychology SL paper 1 - 2h

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

  • English ab initio 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

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

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

    • analysis and approaches SL paper 1 - 1h 30m

  • Mathematics:

    • applications and interpretation HL paper 1 - 2h

    • applications and interpretation SL paper 1 - 1h 30m

Friday 16 May


Morning Session

  • Mathematics:

    • analysis and approaches HL paper 2 - 2h

    • analysis and approaches SL paper 2 - 1h 30m

  • Mathematics:

    • applications and interpretation HL paper 2 - 2h

    • 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

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 - 1h

    • Reading comprehension

  • 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

Local start times for the May 2025 examination session

  • Schools need to confirm their designated exam zone, which remains constant across different examination sessions.

  • The table below provides the specific local start times for all zones. Start times remain consistent within both morning and afternoon sessions.

  • The indicated local start times are aligned with the local time and do not require any adjustments for daylight saving. We describe below Morning and Afternoon sessions of each Exam zone.

EXAM ZONE A

  1. Exam Zone A 12 - 10.00, 14.00

  2. Exam Zone A 11 - 10.00, 14.00

  3. Exam Zone A 10 (includes 9.5) - 9.30, 13.30

  4. Exam Zone A 9 - 9.00, 13.00

  5. Exam Zone A 8 - 9.00, 13.00

  6. Exam Zone A 7 - 9.00, 13.00

  7. Exam Zone A 6 (includes 6.5) - 9.00, 13.00

  8. Exam Zone A 5 (includes 5.5 + 5.75) - 9.00, 13.00

  9. Exam Zone A 4 - 9.00, 13.00

  10. Exam Zone A 3 (includes 3.5) - 10.00, 14.00

EXAM ZONE B

  1. Exam Zone B 3 - 10.00, 14.00

  2. Exam Zone B 2 - 9.30, 13.30

  3. Exam Zone B 1 - 9.00, 13.00

  4. Exam Zone B 0 - 9.00, 13.00

EXAM ZONE C

  1. Exam Zone C -3 - 10.00, 14.00

  2. Exam Zone C -4 (includes -3.5) - 9.30, 13.30

  3. Exam Zone C -5 - 9.00, 13.00

  4. Exam Zone C -6 - 9.00, 13.00

  5. Exam Zone C -7 - 9.00, 13.00

  6. Exam Zone C -8 - 9.00, 13.00

  7. Exam Zone C -9 - 9.00, 13.00

  8. Exam Zone C -10 - 9.00, 13.00

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Check out other IB exam dates!

IB - May 2024 Exam Schedule

IB - May 2025 Exam Schedule

IB - November 2024 Exam Schedule