IB Recognition Statements Database

Supporting students in finding the best university match, the IB’s new recognition statements database helps IB students, parents, educators and counsellors learn how IB programmes are recognized worldwide. There are nearly 700 universities—and growing—as well as statements from nearly 50 countries (including US states and Canadian provinces) that recognize the IB and are popular destinations for IB students.

Explore the database

Africa, Europe and Middle East

Germany expands recognition of IB subjects for university admissions

Effective for students sitting exams in May 2025 and beyond, the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (KMK) in Germany has agreed to broaden a key requirement from its recognition agreement for the IB. Previously, in order to apply to universities in Germany, one of students’ three higher level (HL) subjects had to be either mathematics or a natural science (biology, chemistry or physics). The KMK has changed this requirement—now, one of the three HL subjects must be a language, mathematics or natural science subject.

This change has been reflected in the latest update of the KMK recognition agreement, which is available on the KMK website. 

Learn more about the recognition agreement

Read a copy of the agreement (in German)

For more information on the recognition of IB programmes in Germany, visit the IB’s Recognition statements database. Our Recognition team is also available to provide support and answer your questions at recognition@ibo.org.

UK universities revisit entry requirements for IB students and make CP recognition policies more visible 

To improve IB recognition in the United Kingdom (UK), the IB has been working closely with UK universities that are most popular with IB applicants.  

Key areas the IB asked universities to review were:

• equivalency of DP HL grade requirements to A-level grade requirements

• removal of subject requirements that are not required for A-level applicants

• visibility of the CP and of DP courses

• acceptance of MYP certificates in place of GCSEs

• use of IB English qualifications for English language requirements in place of a SELT. 

A number of universities have agreed to revise their entry requirements for 2024 as a result of this work, and the IB will continue to report on these changes as they become widely available.  

In the meantime, we would like to highlight several universities that have published clear admission requirements for students taking IB programmes, including the CP: 

• University of Cambridge

• University of Edinburgh

• Lancaster University

• Keele University

Ministry of Education in Lebanon expands Arabic language recognition 

The Minister of Education in Lebanon has approved an improvement in Arabic language recognition. Previously, Lebanese nationals who did not hold any other nationality, and who wished to obtain DP equivalency to the Lebanese Baccalaureate, were required to take Arabic language A at HL or SL. Now, the Ministry of Education also will accept Arabic language B HL.

Learn more about recognition in Lebanon and Lebanese universities on our Recognition statements database. 

Americas

Arizona State University (United States) becomes CRS strategic partner and recognizes the CP

The IB has joined forces with ASU to become an official career-related studies (CRS) strategic provider. ASU will give CP students access to 60 online, college-credit-bearing courses connected to career pathways in addition to certification programs such as Google Informational Technology, Business Data Analytics and Project Management.

Arizona State University (ASU) also officially has recognized the completion of the CP as meeting its high school graduation requirement for admission. This opens new opportunities for students, particularly for those coming from outside of the United States, to be considered for higher education in the country.

Learn more about the partnership

Asia-Pacific

ACARA (Australia) again recognizes the PYP and MYP as alternative curriculum frameworks 

In April 2023, the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), an independent statutory authority responsible for the development and ongoing refinement of the Australian Curriculum, has recognized the PYP and MYP: ACARA acknowledges that both programmes can deliver educational outcomes for students that are comparable to the Australian Curriculum Version 9.0.  

Note that ACARA’s recognition of the PYP and MYP for Australian Curriculum Version 8.4 remains active. 

Read about ACARA’s recognition of the IB

University of Santo Tomas (Philippines) to welcome DP students to apply for pre-med program 

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) will consider DP students for its Learning-Enhanced Accelerated Program for Medicine (LEAPMed) program. LEAPMed is a bachelor’s-level preparatory program for the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery’s Doctor of Medicine. The requirements for IB students include a minimum IB predicted grade of 28 points during Grade 11 or DP1 (excluding the extended essay and theory of knowledge). For additional requirements, refer to UST’s admission webpage.

ITM Skills University (India) to accept CP students to university pathway program 

ITM Skills Academy in Mumbai announced that the ITM Skills University will now accept CP students to its pathway program, ITM Pathways Academy. ITM Pathways Academy provides students with the opportunity to start their university studies in India and continue them abroad. Its partner universities include Griffith University in Australia, Seneca College of Arts and Science in Canada, and several more.