International Baccalaureate (IB) Studies

This information is provided to assist students who are completing the IB and intend to apply through QTAC for a tertiary place and is applicable to both IB Diplomas and Bilingual Diplomas.

Students completing the International Baccalaureate Career-related Certificate (IBCC) should contact QTAC for specific advice.

How do IB students apply for tertiary entry?

If you are completing the IB at an Australian school, your school will provide you with a unique application number that will allow you to apply via QTAC’s Twelve to Tertiary (TTT) online application service.  This unique application number is different to your IB candidate number, and the format will be three letters followed by three numbers, eg ABC123.  

If you are completing the IB at a school outside Australia, you apply via QTAC’s Apply by Web (ABW) online application service or using the form in the QTAC Guide.

Do I need to provide QTAC with my IB results?

QTAC is able to obtain your IB results directly from the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) if the B2 form has been submitted to the IBO nominating QTAC as a recipient of your results.  You should check with the IB coordinator at your school to determine if your school is able to submit the B2 form electronically via IBNET on your behalf.

In the absence of the B2 form authorisation, you will need to provide QTAC with a certified copy of your IB results transcript as soon as this becomes available.

You are strongly encouraged to arrange for QTAC to obtain your results directly from the IBO to ensure these are received in time for QTAC’s major round of offers.  This is particularly important if you are sitting your IB examinations in the November 2008 session as results are not expected to become available until early January 2009.

How is my selection rank calculated?

Across Australia, a common national measure of Year 12 student achievement is used in the tertiary selection process.  Expressed in a scale extending from 99.95 (highest) down to 30.00, this common national measure is called the UAI in NSW and ACT, the ENTER in Victoria, and the TER in all other states and territories of Australia.

The score out of 45 from the completed IB Diploma is also expressed in this common national measure.  Termed the ‘Combined Rank’, the following table shows the common national measures to be assigned to each of the IB scores attainable in a completed 2008 IB Diploma:

IB Score in Completed Diploma (2008)

2008 Combined Rank

QTAC Rank based on 2008 conversions

45

99.95

99

44

99.90

99

43

99.80

99

42

99.65

99

41

99.30

99

40

98.85

98

39

98.25

98

38

97.60

97

37

96.70

96

36

95.45

95

35

94.20

94

34

92.90

93

33

91.40

91

32

89.50

90

31

87.35

88

30

84.50

85

29

81.85

83

28

79.95

81

27

77.75

79

26

75.35

77

25

72.65

74

24

69.40

72

For tertiary entrance purposes in Queensland, these common national measures of achievement (UAI, ENTER, TER and Combined Rank for IB students) are converted to a QTAC rank on a 99 (highest) to 1 scale.

To assist prospective applicants, the actual QTAC rank based on the December 2008 conversions is shown in the right hand column of the table above.

How do I find out what selection rank I have been given?

Following the release of QTAC's major round of offers in January, you can contact QTAC Information Services to find out your QTAC selection rank.

Tables for previous years are below:

IB Diplomas completed in 2006 and earlier

IB Diplomas completed in 2007

Do IB subjects satisfy prerequisites?

Subject prerequisites are specified in terms of Queensland Studies Authority subjects studied as part of Queensland Senior which have been undertaken over a duration of study (ie 4 semesters of study) to a satisfactory level of achievement (ie 'Sound Achievement'). For example, most Bachelor of Education courses will have English (4, SA) specified as the subject prerequisite.

A list of IB subjects deemed comparable to Queensland Studies Authority subjects is shown in the table below:

IB Subjects comparable to QSA subjects

IB Subject Title

IB Subject Level*

Comparable to Queensland Authority Subject

Ancient History

SL

 

Ancient History

Biology

 

HL or SL

 

Biology

 

Chemistry

 

HL or SL

 

Chemistry

 

Chinese A1, Chinese A2, Chinese B, Chinese Studies

 

HL or SL

 

Chinese

 

Dance

 

SL

 

Dance

 

Drama

 

SL

 

Drama

 

Economics

 

HL or SL

 

Economics

 

English A1, English A2, English B

 

HL or SL

 

English

 

French A1, French A2, French AB, French B

 

HL or SL

 

 

French

 

 

Further Mathematics

SL

Maths B or C

Geography

 

HL or SL

 

 

Geography

 

German A1, German A2, German AB, German B

HL or SL

 

German

 

History (Africa, America, East and South East Asia and Oceania, Europe, South Asia and the Middle East)

 

HL or SL

 

Modern History

 

Indonesian A1, Indonesian AB, Indonesian B

 

HL or SL

 

Indonesian

 

Italian A1, Italian A2, Italian AB, Italian B

 

HL or SL

 

Italian

 

Japanese A1, Japanese A2, Japanese AB, Japanese B

 

HL or SL

 

Japanese

 

Mandarin B, Mandarin AB

 

HL or SL

 

Chinese

 

Mathematical Studies

 

SL

 

Maths A

 

Mathematics

HL

 

Maths B or Maths C

 

Mathematics

SL

 

Maths B

 

Music, Music Group Performance, Music Solo Performance

HL or SL

 

Music

 

Physics

HL or SL

 

Physics

 

Russian A1, Russian A2, Russian AB, Russian B

 

HL or SL

 

Russian

 

Social and Cultural Anthropology, Social Studies

HL or SL

 

Study of Society

 

Spanish A1, Spanish A2, Spanish AB, Spanish B

HL or SL

 

Spanish

 

Vietnamese A1, Vietnamese B

HL or SL

 

Vietnamese

 

Visual Arts, Visual Arts A, Visual Arts B

HL or SL

 

Art

 

The following subjects are currently under review:  Computer Science (HL/SL), ITGS (HL/SL).

In terms of duration of study and level of achievement, the following are required from IB subjects:

Standard Level or Higher Level are both deemed to satisfy the 4 semesters requirement. A subject result of 4 or better is required to satisfy the Sound Achievement requirement.

What if I do not satisfy the requirements to be awarded the IB Diploma and am awarded an IB Certificate? 

QTAC will calculate a rank by analogy using the approved guidelines for OP ineligible students.  However, a minimum of five subjects (at either HL or SL level) will be required.

What if I am completing one or two IB subjects in conjunction with a regular Australian Year 12 program of study ie Queensland Senior, NSW HSC etc?

QTAC will not be able to calculate a rank from less than five IB subjects, however, the IB subjects you complete can be used to satisfy subject prerequisites if you attain grades of 4 or better.

What if I am completing both an IB Diploma and another secondary qualification ie Queensland Senior, USA High School Diploma, etc?

Please ensure that details of both qualifications are included in your QTAC application.  QTAC will calculate a rank from both qualifications, and the highest rank attained is expected to be used in the tertiary selection process.  Subject prerequisites can be satisfied using either of the secondary qualifications.

 

This information was correct as at 24 December 2008.

 

 


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