Being an International Baccalaureate (IB) school means more than receiving the license to use the IB branding and having access to its programs, assessments, and publications. Earning authorization from the IB Organization means going through a rigorous application process that includes assessing the school’s ability to meet the standard of education that the IB Programme has set. 

For example, the top IB schools in Singapore were only able to receive accreditation from the IB Organization after attaining the quality of international education that is expected of IB schools. The same can be said for IB schools in other countries. This consistency in quality assures parents that their children will be able to access good education no matter where they are in the world as long as they choose an accredited IB school.

There are more than 5,000 IB schools spread across 150 countries and territories in the world, and each of these schools was ready to prove its worth before being conferred the license to use IB branding. But how, exactly, does the IB accreditation process work? How does having a school undergo this process guarantee a high standard of education for its students? If you’re a parent who’s considering enrolling their child into an IB school, or if you’re a student who’s considering transferring to one, read on to learn more about what the IB accreditation process entails and how it ensures that a school is qualified to offer IB courses:

The Accreditation Process: What Does It Take to Become an IB School?

The Consideration Phase

The accreditation process begins through the initiative of the prospective IB school. First, the school expresses its interest to offer IB programs by applying for consideration from the IB Organization. This is accomplished by filling out an information form on the said agency’s website. During this phase, the school’s current capabilities are compared to the standards set by the IB Organization.

To centralize the process, a prospective IB school can form a working group that’s made up of its leadership and educators. Teachers who need to undergo professional development to adhere to IB standards also do so at this point in the process. Essentially, the consideration phase is dedicated to analyzing the school’s capability to live up to the standards of IB education, if it can commit to the accreditation process, and if it can sustain the program in the long run.

If the answer to all these questions is yes, then the school proceeds with the candidacy phase.

The Candidacy Phase

The prospective IB school’s working group coordinates with a representative of the IB Organization and submits all the documentation for the process. The school’s application is sent to the IB Organization, which decides if the school can be admitted for candidacy.

Once granted candidacy, the prospective IB school coordinates with an IB consultant on a daily basis. This arrangement helps the school refine its processes and activities so that these are all aligned with the principles of IB education. The school and the consultant work together on an action plan to adopt the standards set by the IB Organization. Consultation visits are also held at this point with the express goal of ensuring that the academic institution’s culture, policy, and curriculum meet the standards expected of an IB school.

Once the school has been determined to meet the standards set by the IB Organization, it goes through the request for authorization phase.

The Request for Authorization Phase

The main event of this phase is the verification visit, during which a visiting team studies the prospective school’s documents, examines if the provided documents reflect what’s happening on the ground, and communicates their observations to the leadership of the school. After all these steps have been completed, the school waits for the final decision of the IB Organization. Upon being granted the license to use the IB branding and its products and services, the school can now offer accredited IB education to its academic community.

Spotting the Difference: What an IB Accredited School Offers

Only accredited schools are allowed to use the IB branding as well as the products and services offered by the IB Organization. And even then, a school is only allowed to offer the specific IB Programme that it has earned accreditation for. There are currently 4 of these programs: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for students aged 3 to 12, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for learners aged 11 to 16, the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) for high schoolers aged 16 to 19, and the Career-related Programme (CP) also for high schoolers aged 16 to 19.

In addition to accreditation, there are plenty of inherent and acquired qualities that make IB schools shine. To foster global citizens that can succeed wherever life takes them, IB schools offer high-quality education with an international flair. The best IB schools give their students every tool and training they need to achieve higher than global average scores in assessments and exams. Many of their graduates also head to the world’s top colleges and universities to further continue their education.

At the same time, these schools have the resources to assist students who are transferring to IB schools in other countries. Because there’s a high level of transferability between the lessons that IB schools offer, transferees can hit the ground running and more easily get their bearings when they move to a different academic community.

Knowing about the accreditation process that an IB school has gone through can help assure parents and students alike of the quality of education that such schools offer. For parents, in particular, this knowledge can help them become more discerning of the IB schools where they want to enroll their children. Having an eye for such details can help parents single out the legitimate IB schools in their new address and give their children a head start to success.

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