IB Diploma Results at Jakarta International Schools

Why Results Matter

The IB Diploma is scored out of 45 points. The pass mark is 24. Universities use IB scores as a primary filter for admissions: Oxford and Cambridge typically require 38-40 points with specific subject scores. US Ivy League universities look for 38+ alongside a strong application profile. Australian Go8 universities accept scores from the low 30s upward, depending on the course.

A school's average IB score tells you three things. First, the academic standard of the cohort - the students sitting the exams. Second, the quality of teaching - particularly in the final two years of the Diploma. Third, the school's approach to entry - whether it selects students for the Diploma programme or allows open access. Schools that restrict Diploma entry (requiring minimum IGCSE grades, for example) tend to produce higher averages because weaker students are filtered out before the results are counted.

None of these factors alone tells the full story. But together, they give a useful picture of academic performance at the top end.

Who Publishes What

The pattern is stark. Of the eight Jakarta international schools offering the IB Diploma, only two publish their results. This is not unusual globally - many international schools treat results as confidential - but it makes informed comparison difficult for parents.

Schools that do not publish results will typically share them with prospective families during the admissions process, if asked directly. The question is whether the numbers they share are verifiable. Published data on a school's website is a commitment. A number mentioned in a meeting is not.

The Published Data

BSJ

BSJ is the most transparent school in Jakarta on IB results.

BSJ's pathway runs Cambridge IGCSE in Years 10-11, followed by the IB Diploma in Years 12-13. The IGCSE programme acts as preparation and, to some extent, as a filter - students who struggle at IGCSE level may be counselled towards alternative pathways before entering the Diploma. This selection effect contributes to BSJ's above-average IB results.

Binus Simprug

Binus Simprug runs the full IB continuum - PYP, MYP and Diploma Programme - and publishes results on its website.

Binus Simprug's results are strong by any global measure. An average of 34 with a 95% pass rate places the school comfortably above the worldwide IB average and in the range that supports competitive university applications internationally.

JIS

JIS is Jakarta's largest international school and offers both AP courses and the full IB Diploma. The school does not publish IB-specific averages, which makes it impossible to compare directly with BSJ or Binus Simprug on IB performance.

What JIS does publish is university destination data - and those destinations (Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, and other highly selective US universities) suggest strong academic outcomes. But university admissions in the US depend on far more than exam scores, and without published IB averages, the academic data remains incomplete.

JIS families targeting US universities may take a mix of AP and IB courses. A student's AP scores and GPA may be more relevant to their application than their IB total - but this dual-pathway approach means JIS results are not directly comparable with schools that run IB Diploma as the sole exit qualification.

What the Numbers Mean

Global context. The worldwide IB Diploma average fluctuates between 29 and 31 points depending on the year. The global pass rate sits around 79%. Any school averaging 33 or above is performing significantly better than the global norm. Schools averaging 35+ are in the top tier internationally.

University thresholds. For UK Russell Group universities, most courses require 34-36 points with specific Higher Level scores. Oxford and Cambridge typically require 38-40. For US universities, IB scores are one component alongside GPA, extracurriculars, essays and recommendations - a high IB score helps but does not guarantee admission. For Australian universities, scores in the low 30s open most courses outside medicine and law.

What averages hide. A school average of 35 tells you the middle of the distribution, not the range. A school could average 35 with most students scoring 33-37 (a tight distribution indicating consistent teaching) or with scores ranging from 25 to 44 (a wide distribution suggesting mixed quality). Ask the school for the distribution, not just the mean.

Pass rate vs average. A high average with a low pass rate can indicate that the school enters all students into the Diploma but some fail. A high average with a high pass rate (BSJ: 97%, Binus Simprug: 95%) indicates either selective entry, strong preparation, or both.

Questions to Ask

• "What is your IB Diploma average over the last three years?" One year's results can be an outlier. Three years shows a trend.
• "What percentage of your Year 12 cohort enters the IB Diploma?" If only 60% of the year group takes the Diploma (the rest taking IB Courses or other pathways), the average reflects a selected group, not the whole cohort.
• "What is the score distribution?" Average and range together give you a much better picture than the average alone.
• "What is your pass rate?" The global pass rate is approximately 79%. A school significantly above this is either selecting well, teaching well, or both.
• "Do you offer the IB Diploma alongside other pathways?" At JIS, students can mix AP and IB. At BSJ, the IB Diploma is the sole pathway after IGCSE. These are different models with different implications for results.