IBAS Release
IBAS results from the 2022 November sitting were released to IB schools and Queensland students on Wednesday 4 January 2023. Find out more about the IBAS release and IB amendments processes with our IBAS release troubleshooting & FAQs factsheet in the resources section below, or contact us at QTAC.
QTAC’s tertiary institutions accept the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma as an equivalent to an Australian Year 12 Qualification, but do require the IB Diploma score to be assigned an ATAR-like rank (the QTAC Selection Rank) to facilitate comparisons for selection purposes.
International Baccalaureate (IB) and the International Baccalaureate Admissions Score (IBAS)
The IB Combined Rank process is changing. Changes will be implemented starting with the November 2022 IB graduates who are applying for admission to tertiary courses commencing in 2023. The Australasian Conference of Tertiary Admissions Centres (ACTAC) has been working with the IB Organisation (IBO) to find ways to obtain finer-grained data about the performance of IB students to create a more detailed schedule against which IB students’ selection ranks will be calculated. The new Combined Rank schedule provides more conversion points by using scaled total marks from all subjects to differentiate between IB students on the same IB score. Click here to download a copy of the new IB to Rank conversion process.
In the new system a common process will be used by tertiary admissions centres (TACs) to calculate what is known as the IB Admissions Score, the new IBAS. The IBAS will be used by IB graduates identify their Combined Rank using the new Combined Rank Schedule.
The IBAS is calculated for all students who obtained their IB in Australia, and QTAC is responsible for providing all IB students who studied for the IB Diploma in Queensland schools with their IBAS regardless of where an individual IB Diploma recipient resides.
Students who studied for their IB Diploma in Queensland schools must nominate QTAC to receive their IB results transcript via IBIS. This gives their permission to share their individual IB results with QTAC (and interstate TACs) for assessing their Application, and for the IBAS calculation. QTAC can only retrieve students’ results directly from the IBO if they nominate QTAC as a recipient of their IB results via the Results Release Service on the International Baccalaureate Information System (IBIS).
How IB Diploma students are considered for entry to tertiary courses in Australia
Results from the IB Diploma are reported on a numerical scale between 24 and 45 and are mapped to an IB Admissions Score (IBAS, which as noted above is used to obtain an ATAR-like rank) to allow IB Diploma students to be considered for tertiary places alongside their counterparts who have completed state curricula.
This ATAR-like rank is known as the Combined Rank because it is a national conversion which combines student data gathered from across all states in Australia. This means that IB students can apply in any Australian state or territory with confidence about how their results compare to their peers who have completed state curricula and received an ATAR.
Up until November 2022, the number scale the IB Diploma was reported on, consisted of less informative reporting of whole number scores which all achievements were rounded to. Students who completed their IB Diploma prior to November 2022 will still be assigned a selection rank according to the schedule and selection rank conversion table relevant to their graduation year.
The new Combined Rank Schedule
QTAC Selection Ranks and ATARs both have scales from 0.00 to 99.95. This means that IB graduates receiving an IBAS that equates to a QTAC Selection Rank of 99.75 on the new Combined Schedule, will be considered for tertiary admissions alongside students who received an ATAR of 99.75.
Students with a completed IB Diploma are considered for tertiary study through QTAC on the basis of having met ‘Eligibility’, requirements (minimum course entry for their desired tertiary course, such as subject prerequisites, auditions, portfolios or interviews) and ‘Merit’, QTAC Selection Rank (In this case IB Diploma, other examples are ATAR and VET Qualifications).
Use the new Combined Rank conversion table below to determine a QTAC Selection Rank from an IBAS.
IB Admissions Score (IBAS) to new Combined Rank conversion table
| IBAS | Rank | IBAS | Rank |
| 45.75 | 99.95 | 34.75 | 91.65 |
| 45.5 | 99.95 | 34.5 | 91.3 |
| 45.25 | 99.9 | 34.25 | 90.85 |
| 45 | 99.85 | 34 | 90.4 |
| 44.75 | 99.8 | 33.75 | 89.95 |
| 44.5 | 99.75 | 33.5 | 89.5 |
| 44.25 | 99.7 | 33.25 | 89.05 |
| 44 | 99.6 | 33 | 88.6 |
| 43.75 | 99.55 | 32.75 | 88.15 |
| 43.5 | 99.45 | 32.5 | 87.7 |
| 43.25 | 99.35 | 32.25 | 87.25 |
| 43 | 99.3 | 32 | 86.8 |
| 42.75 | 99.2 | 31.75 | 86.35 |
| 42.5 | 99.1 | 31.5 | 85.9 |
| 42.25 | 98.95 | 31.25 | 85.45 |
| 42 | 98.85 | 31 | 85 |
| 41.75 | 98.7 | 30.75 | 84.55 |
| 41.5 | 98.55 | 30.5 | 84.1 |
| 41.25 | 98.4 | 30.25 | 83.55 |
| 41 | 98.25 | 30 | 83 |
| 40.75 | 98.05 | 29.75 | 82.4 |
| 40.5 | 97.9 | 29.5 | 81.85 |
| 40.25 | 97.7 | 29.25 | 81.35 |
| 40 | 97.5 | 29 | 80.85 |
| 39.75 | 97.3 | 28.75 | 80.35 |
| 39.5 | 97.1 | 28.5 | 79.85 |
| 39.25 | 96.9 | 28.25 | 79.3 |
| 39 | 96.7 | 28 | 78.75 |
| 38.75 | 96.45 | 27.75 | 78.15 |
| 38.5 | 96.25 | 27.5 | 77.6 |
| 38.25 | 96 | 27.25 | 77.05 |
| 38 | 95.75 | 27 | 76.5 |
| 37.75 | 95.45 | 26.75 | 75.9 |
| 37.5 | 95.2 | 26.5 | 75.35 |
| 37.25 | 94.9 | 26.25 | 74.7 |
| 37 | 94.55 | 26 | 74.05 |
| 36.75 | 94.25 | 25.75 | 73.35 |
| 36.5 | 93.9 | 25.5 | 72.7 |
| 36.25 | 93.6 | 25.25 | 72.1 |
| 36 | 93.25 | 25 | 71.45 |
| 35.75 | 92.95 | 24.75 | 70.85 |
| 35.5 | 92.6 | 24.5 | 70.2 |
| 35.25 | 92.3 | 24.25 | 69.6 |
| 35 | 91.95 | 24 | 68.95 |
When the new Schedule applies
The new Combined Rank conversion table comes into play for the 2023 admissions cycle and will apply to IB May and November 2022 sitters and beyond (until 2024). May 2022, November 2022, May 2023, November 2023, May 2024 and November 2024 sitters will be assessed on the new combined rank schedule regardless of whether they are onshore sitters (IBAS calculated) or offshore sitters (use Total score issued by the IBO).
The technical process behind the IBAS and the calculation of the new Combined Rank
Detailed information about each IB student’s performance is provided directly to TACs by the IBO when their results are supplied in January 2023. This additional information is used to assess where each student’s individual marks lie within the grade band that they have been officially allocated allowing TACs to perform what we call fine grained scale ranking of IB students which is obviously more precise than working with scores reported to the nearest whole number.
For instance, if the boundaries for Grade 6 in Biology are marks between 61 and 70, and a student’s mark is 68, then clearly the student’s performance position within that specific grade band is fairly high and we would like to capture this level of detailed information about the student’s performance.
Every subject a student has taken undergoes this type of band position assessment. An average position for each IB student is calculated from across their six subjects and used to derive the IBAS.
The new Combined Rank Schedule provides more conversion points, by using finer grained data whereby scaled total marks from all subjects will be used to differentiate between IB students on the same IB score.
This means that in 2023 the IBAS will be reported to a level of detail of two decimal places, for example, you may receive an IB Diploma score of 41, and a corresponding calculated IB Admissions Score of 41.75 which is far more informative to our partner institutions in terms of how it measures performance in relation to the rest of the IB cohort.
Through the use of a more refined ranking scale, the IBAS can reflect differences in student performance for use in institution admission purposes.
Students in Queensland will receive their IBAS directly from QTAC via email, which they will be able to review against the Combined Rank table below in order to work out what their ATAR-like ranking will be which is what partner institutions will use for course selection purposes.
The old Combined Rank Schedule
The process for calculating a QTAC Selection Rank for merit purposes for IB students who completed their IB diploma in November 2021 or prior is that QTAC converts the student’s original IB score in the completed diploma to a QTAC Selection Rank according to the ‘combined rank’ rules agreed Australia-wide.
To find out how tertiary admissions centres in Australia determine tertiary entrance rankings, click here.
The rank conversion schedules usually change year on year. As a comparison to the new IBAS combined rank conversion above, the Combined Rank conversion table below was used to determine a QTAC Selection Rank for 2021 IB sitters applying for the 2022 admissions year.
IB Score to (old) Combined Rank conversion table for 2021 sitters
| IB SCORE IN COMPLETED DIPLOMA (2021) | 2022 QTAC RANK (Combined Rank) |
| 45 | 99.95 |
| 44 | 99.75 |
| 43 | 99.45 |
| 42 | 99.10 |
| 41 | 98.55 |
| 40 | 97.90 |
| 39 | 97.10 |
| 38 | 96.25 |
| 37 | 95.20 |
| 36 | 93.90 |
| 35 | 92.60 |
| 34 | 91.30 |
| 33 | 89.50 |
| 32 | 87.70 |
| 31 | 85.90 |
| 30 | 84.10 |
| 29 | 81.85 |
| 28 | 79.85 |
| 27 | 77.60 |
| 26 | 75.35 |
| 25 | 72.70 |
| 24 | 70.20 |
What IB graduates need to know when applying through QTAC
If you’re an IB student or graduate, you can sign up and lodge a QTAC application via Application Services, just like an ATAR student or graduate from 1 August 2023, for the 2024 admissions year. You can prepare and lodge your QTAC Application well in advance, and begin preferencing before receiving your IBAS with ample time to consider what is right for you.
QTAC calculates the ATAR but it does not issue nor calculate the IB, it uses a national tertiary admissions approach to calculate a rank that achieves an ATAR equivalent. Like all QTAC applicants, students completing the IB will receive a QTAC Selection Rank. The method to obtain that rank is different but that is where the difference stops. The process of applying through QTAC for a QTAC Selection Rank for entry in to a tertiary course does not vary greatly however, it is advised you read the timeline below.
Your IBAS and the Combined Schedule will tell you your final QTAC Selection Rank which will be used by the institutions. However, your window to adjust your preferences based on your performance will close before you receive the official IBAS. It is important to know that you can adjust preferencing based on the IBO release of your IB diploma score which will occur before receiving your IBAS.
Timeline for QTAC Applicants
Below is an example timeline to follow for the earliest offer round that falls following the release of the IB Diploma scores to students. Like any student applying to tertiary courses, ensure you check information about key dates, fixed closing dates, and information specific to the courses you’re applying for, including early offers, as this may influence your preferencing.
IB documentation
QTAC can obtain your IB results from the IBIS (International Baccalaureate Information System). If you want to receive your IBAS score from QTAC when it is released on 3 January 2024, you will need to submit the online IBAS Consent Form to QTAC. The link to that form is available from your school. Please contact your IB coordinator who will be able to share the form with you. Contact QTAC if you have any problems accessing your IBAS or if you require access to the online IBAS consent form.
If we can’t obtain your results from the IBO, you will need to provide a copy of your official IB results transcript to us.
Note: Do not submit downloaded results as we can’t assess these.
Subject prerequisites
Your IB subjects will meet subject prerequisites if these:
- are comparable to the relevant QCAA subject
- are studied at Higher Level (HL) or Standard Level (SL)
- you achieve a minimum grade of 3 in the relevant HL subject or 4 in the relevant SL subject; refer below.
Note: you will need to check your preferenced institution’s website for further information about meeting prerequisties with IB subjects, as some institutions have varying requirements which may not be outlined above.
Compare IB and QCAA subjects
SUBJECT TITLE | IB SUBJECT LEVEL | COMPARABLE TO QLD GENERAL SUBJECT |
Ancient History | SL | Ancient History |
Biology | HL or SL | Biology |
Chemistry | HL or SL | Chemistry |
Chinese A1, Chinese A2, | HL or SL | Chinese |
Dance | HL or SL | Dance |
Design Technology | HL or SL | Design |
Drama | SL | Drama |
Economics | HL or SL | Economics |
English A1, English A2, English B, English AB, English A: Literature, English A: | HL or SL | English |
French A1, French A2, French AB, | HL or SL | French |
Geography | HL or SL | Geography |
German A1, German A2, German AB, | HL or SL | German |
History (Africa, America, East and South East Asia and Oceania, Europe, West | HL or SL | Modern History |
Indonesian A1, Indonesian AB, | 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 |
Mathematics Applications and Interpretations | SL | General Mathematics |
Mathematics Applications and Interpretations | HL | Mathematical Methods |
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | SL | Mathematical Methods |
Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | HL | Mathematical methods & or Specialist Mathematics |
Music, Music Composition, Music Group Performance, Music Solo Performance | HL or SL | Music |
Physics, Physical Science | HL or SL | Physics |
Russian A1, Russian A2, Russian AB, | HL or SL | Russian |
Social and Cultural Anthropology, Social Studies | HL or SL | – |
Spanish A1, Spanish A2, Spanish AB, | HL or SL | Spanish |
Theatre, Theatre Arts | HL or SL | Drama |
Vietnamese A1, Vietnamese B | HL or SL | Vietnamese |
Visual Arts, Visual Arts A, Visual Arts B | HL or SL | Visual Art |
IB subject achievement levels
| FOR IB HL SUBJECTS | FOR IB SL SUBJECTS | ||
| IB GRADE | QCAA ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL | IB GRADE | QCAA ACHIEVEMENT LEVEL |
| 7, 6 | A | 7 | A |
| 5, 4 | B | 6, 5 | B |
| 3 | C | 4 | C |
| 2 | D | 3, 2 | D |
| 1 | E | 1 | E |
Are you an IB student who did not obtain a Diploma?
QTAC has withdrawn its incomplete IB Diploma schedule as a stand-alone pathway for Year 12 students to tertiary study. Most QTAC institutions do not give a selection rank for an incomplete IB Diploma. Institutions that currently consider an incomplete IB Diploma are listed below.
Note: There are many courses that do not require a selection rank/ATAR for entry. These courses are not affected by the completion of the IB Diploma.
Griffith University
Griffith University welcomes applications from all IB students, including those who do not qualify for the IB Diploma.
Griffith recognises that some IB students will experience circumstances preventing them from being awarded the Diploma. Griffith University encourage these students to apply for a place at Griffith and be assessed on the study that they have completed via our IB Safety Net. There is no need to apply separately as students will automatically be considered by Griffith University when they apply to QTAC. Any eligible adjustments will also be applied to their rank.
Further details can be obtained from the university’s IB webpage at www.griffith.edu.au/international-baccalaureate-diploma.
Queensland University of Technology
QUT recognises some IB students will experience circumstances preventing them from being awarded the Diploma or choose to study the IB Career Certificate.
If you have studied at least three SL/HL IB Diploma units and have an IB Score of 18 or higher you can apply for a place in for our Diploma courses. There is no need to apply separately as you will automatically be considered by QUT when you apply to QTAC. Any eligible adjustments will also be applied to your rank.
Find out more at QUT – Recent secondary education.
IBAS release and IBAS amendments
Use our IBAS release troubleshooting and FAQs factsheet below for more information regarding:
- IBAS release to students
- IBAS release to schools
- IBAS amendments
Resources
