IB: International Baccalaureate in United Arab Emirates for international students

What should a modern education look like? Global, open to change, and fostering respect for different cultures. This is exactly what the International Baccalaureate program is all about, under which can study in the best schools and colleges in UAE with IB. The program does not only provide a diverse education. Its mission is to build character and teach the skills needed to succeed in today's world.

Sam Jones

Recruitment Director for Partnership with INTO Universities (Europe and Central Asia)

What firstly should be considered when choosing a university? Subjects, employer value, percentage of employment in the first year after graduation?

It depends on the student - everyone determines the most important criteria for himself. I would advise you to take several rankings and compare them with each other, plus take into account the cost of the course, the location of the university and its scale, the percentage of graduates' employment. See where graduates continue their studies or where they go to work.

The diploma program in schools for IB in UAE includes:

• Six required subjects.
• Extended essays (scientific papers) of up to 4,000 words.
• Required courses are Theory of Knowledge (a combination of various disciplines and skills for the practical application of theoretical knowledge in life).
• Each diploma student is encouraged to spend 150 hours developing creative skills, fitness (sports) and philanthropic activities (environment, charity).

Each subject is graded on a 7-point scale, with 7 being the highest mark. An excellent essay (dissertation) and a project on theory of knowledge earn an additional three points.

45 points is the maximum grade a student can earn during the diploma program.

To receive the International Baccalaureate Diploma, students must earn at least 24 points.

However, although students have earned some points, there are still some points that may cause them to be denied a diploma. These are non-participation in creative, sport and spiritual development programs (CAS), plagiarism of others' ideas, incomplete thesis.

On the other hand, despite the fact that students may fail in any subject, there are still certain conditions that allow them to obtain the diploma: successfully passing an exam in their native language and knowledge of a foreign language, as well as meeting other additional requirements The program entitles candidates to a bilingual diploma education.

The student has the right not to study all the compulsory subjects and may refuse to participate in some compulsory school activities, not to attend the Theory of Knowledge course or not to write an essay. In this case, the student will not receive a diploma, but he will receive a certificate containing his successful grades in each of the subjects studied. Such a certificate is nothing more than a statement that the student paid for the exams and an extract of the results of these exams. The certificate is issued to all students at the end of the course.

• IB Primary Programs for Kindergarten and Elementary Schools (students ages 3 to 12)
• Secondary programs - high school programs for students ages 11 to 16
• International Baccalaureate - an academic program for high school students ages 16 to 19 who plan to study in college.
• The International Baccalaureate Career-related Program is a program for students aged 16-19 who plan to pursue a professional education in the future and find a job immediately after high school graduation.

For those planning to study the IB Diploma Programme in the UAE, it is important to pay attention not only to the knowledge that future students will gain, but also to the values that the program instills. The mission of the program is to educate responsible students who are not afraid to ask questions. The IB fosters activity, empathy and understanding of what different cultures represent, as well as a lifelong desire to acquire new knowledge.

The following qualities are reflected in the IB Programme's exceptional student profile (IB Learner Profile).

The ability to ask questions through the development of natural curiosity.

A high level of knowledge in a wide range of subjects due to the specificity of the curriculum.

the ability to think critically and analytically, which is constantly developing in the learning process

Effective communication in multiple languages and in various forms.

Integrity, justice, respect for the rights of others and honesty.

Openness - the willingness to critically evaluate the history and traditions of the country, to highlight the best of the culture, and the ability to treat the traditions of other countries in the same way.

Responsibility, a desire to benefit society.

Willingness to take risks - to explore and implement new ideas and concepts.

Striving to strike a balance between the intellectual, physical and emotional aspects of life.

An understanding and constant evaluation of one's own ideas and the existing structure of the world.

The International Baccalaureate program, which covers the last two years of school, is considered one of the most difficult school programs. IB students study six subjects, compared to, for example, four in the UK's A-Levels programme.

Diversity education remains a priority for the IB at this age. Although students choose their own subjects, they must choose from among the six groups. Therefore, it is not possible to study mathematics, a native language or a foreign language in the IB Diploma Programme. Students have the right to choose the intensity of education in the subject - future technical university students study mathematics in depth, humanities may be limited to the basic level.

• Subject groups of the IB program.
• Native language and literature.
• Foreign languages.
• Personal and social (humanitarian subjects).
• Sciences (exact and natural sciences).
• Mathematics.
• Arts.

Each school forms a complete list of courses independently, depending on the interests of the students and their ability to organize teaching.

In addition to general education subjects, the high school IB program necessarily includes three components - theory of knowledge (nature of knowledge and characteristics of information absorption), essay writing skills, CAS (creativity, activity, service). The last component is a rich program of additional activities, including sports and creative activities, as well as volunteerism and educational trips.

1. Individual curriculum - the student chooses exactly the subjects he wants to study.
2. Presence of compulsory courses for learning mathematics and foreign languages, with a high level of basic education
3. Fluency in the language of instruction - English at the end of the course.
4. the opportunity to learn the native language - if the school does not have a teacher, it is usually possible to teach the language in a self-taught way under the guidance of a personal tutor
5. a rich program of additional activities, allowing to gain diverse experience and choose future career more precisely
6. Access to some of Europe's most prestigious universities without additional exams and matriculation courses.

Data suggests that the average cost of studying IB in the UAE in 2022 will be around $10,000.

However, these figures are only a guideline. Many factors will affect the final cost.

In addition to the course itself, parents will have to pay for food and insurance, textbooks, uniforms, participation in cultural activities, creative activities, additional English classes, etc. for their children. Of course, the cost of education is influenced by the number of classes, the quality of the infrastructure, the living conditions in the boarding apartment and the professionalism of the teachers by the equipment.