Turn IB stress into IB success with specialist Diploma tutoring
Subject-expert tutors who know the assessment criteria, command terms, and examiner expectations behind every HL and SL grade — plus dedicated IA, Extended Essay and TOK supervision.
The IB Diploma at a glance
45
Maximum points
24
Points to pass
6
Subjects, Groups 1–6
3
Bonus points: TOK + EE
Competitive courses at NUS, Oxford and Cambridge typically require 38–42 points.
What the IB Diploma demands
Six subjects across Groups 1–6, at Higher or Standard Level, plus three core components that can make or break the Diploma.
Six subject groups
- Group 1 — Language and Literature
- Group 2 — Language Acquisition
- Group 3 — Individuals and Societies
- Group 4 — Sciences
- Group 5 — Mathematics (AA or AI)
- Group 6 — The Arts, or a second Group 1–4 subject
HL vs SL
Students take three subjects at Higher Level (240 teaching hours) and three at Standard Level (150 teaching hours). HL grades carry more weight in university admissions.
The core
Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service — together worth up to 3 bonus points and mandatory for the Diploma to be awarded.
Where a Diploma can go wrong
A weak IA can drop a grade from a 6 to a 5 — enough to cost a university place.
A weak TOK essay can reduce bonus points from 3 to 1, or to zero.
A failing EE combined with a low TOK grade means automatic Diploma failure, regardless of subject scores.
Why the IB needs specialist support
Unlike A-Levels, the IB rewards intellectual curiosity, interdisciplinary thinking, and independent research — skills generic tutoring rarely addresses.
Breadth-depth tension
Managing six subjects at once often means a weak area drags down the overall score if attention isn't kept balanced.
IA complexity
Each subject has its own criteria and objectives. Many students lose marks because the work doesn't address them precisely.
EE guidance gaps
The 4,000-word Extended Essay is most students' first major research project — unsuitable topics cost weeks and marks.
Workload & wellbeing
Juggling IAs, the EE, TOK, CAS and six subjects is notorious for burnout — structure protects grades and mental health alike.
Tutoring by subject
Degree-qualified subject specialists across every Group 1–6 subject, plus TOK and EE supervision.
AA and AI, HL and SL. Conceptual mastery first, then exam technique, with dedicated support for the Exploration from topic selection to write-up.
Literature and Language and Literature. Close-reading technique, comparative essay frameworks, and mock Individual Orals with detailed feedback.
Biology, Chemistry, Physics HL/SL. Active recall for content volume, full IA supervision, and mathematical support where needed.
History, Economics, Geography, Psychology, Business Management. Essay frameworks by command term and discipline-specific IA supervision.
Clarifying abstract concepts with concrete examples, exhibition object selection, and criterion-referenced essay feedback.
Research question development, source evaluation, argument structure, and multi-draft criterion-referenced feedback across all subjects.
How our IB tutoring works
Diagnostic assessment
Assesses subject knowledge, command-term understanding, IA/EE/TOK progress, study habits and university aspirations.
Customised plan
Prioritises subjects and components with the greatest impact on total points, aligned to school deadlines.
Live instruction
One-on-one or small groups of up to three, combining criteria explanation with guided past-paper and IA/EE/TOK work.
Progress monitoring
Draft reviews with criterion-referenced feedback, timed mock exams, and parent updates every four sessions.
Why families choose StudyHours
Subject-specialist tutors, degree-qualified, many having completed the IB Diploma themselves.
Precise assessment knowledge — criteria, command terms and examiner expectations for every component.
Dedicated IA, EE and TOK supervisors for each core component.
Current admissions knowledge for competitive courses at NUS, NTU, and universities in the UK, US and Australia.
We work with students from
Anglo-Chinese School (Independent)
St. Joseph's Institution International
Canadian International School
Tanglin Trust School
Overseas Family School
Other IB institutions across Singapore
Frequently asked questions
Should my child take Mathematics AA or AI? +
Analysis and Approaches suits Mathematics, Engineering, Physics and Economics. Applications and Interpretation suits the Social Sciences, Natural Sciences and Business. We advise based on your child's strengths and university goals.
How important are the IA, EE and TOK? +
Very. IAs can account for 20–30% of a subject's grade. The EE and TOK together contribute up to 3 bonus points, and a failing grade in one combined with a low grade in the other can cause automatic Diploma failure.
How does IB tutoring differ from A-Level tutoring? +
It requires understanding of the IB's specific assessment criteria, command terms and core components — TOK, EE and CAS — nuances that generic tutoring often misses.
Can tutoring help if my child is already predicted a high score? +
Absolutely. Many students use tutoring to push from a 6 to a 7 in HL subjects, or to maximise IA/EE/TOK bonus points — the gap between 42 and 44 points can decide admission to the most competitive courses.
How often should my child attend sessions? +
Most students benefit from 1–2 sessions per week per subject, plus periodic IA/EE/TOK supervision — frequency depends on subject count, deadlines and starting point.
Need targeted tutoring support?
Get high-dosage tutoring sprints matched directly to GCSE, O-Level, A-Level, and ATAR curricula with direct tracking.
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