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Alumni guide: Finding and applying to university

This collection of resources and essays is intended to be an informal guide for Year 1 and 2 IB Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP) students based on the experiences of IB programme alumni.

Help us build upon it by sharing your experience as a student or educator throughout 2019. Leave a comment below or email us at alumni.relations@ibo.org.

Getting started

Making the leap to university

Need a pep talk for university application season? From researching potential universities to signing an acceptance letter, read this alum’s reflection on making the leap to university life.

What universities know about IB

These admissions teams offer insight to the questions they often get asked about the International Baccalaureate. Bottom line: DP and CP students are valuable additions to top tier universities.

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The application

Telling your story

Is there a perfect university application essay or personal statement? Read these four essays from IB students, each with a different approach. Their essays offer just a few of many ways to tell universities more about who you are.

Practical essay advice for IB students

These five pieces of timeless advice from two admissions teams discuss the ways in which IB students can leverage their experience. Universities want to hear about how you learn and the unique projects and the assignments that define your individual interests.

Test-flexible applications

Schools including Boston University and Fordham University, now offers some ‘test-flexible’ options for IB students applying from overseas. These schools de-emphasize the use of standardized tests often by not requiring ACT or SAT scores.

Transcripts and results

Every year, we get questions about ordering transcripts and accessing results. We’ve put everything you need to know in one place.

Making a decision

Four ways to narrow down your choices

If you are like alumnus Jasmine Jackson, you may be anticipating hearing back from universities.  When the letters arrived with offers, she considered academics, social life, professional, and social impact to help her narrow down her choices.

Merit-based scholarships

If you are entering university this year or next, keep your eyes open for scholarship opportunities that may be offered by your top university choice. Browse these featured opportunities for IB students to help get you started.

IB diploma credit in the US

Entering or considering university in the United States? Many institutions offer generous course credit for IB coursework. You could lower the cost of your education or the time it takes to graduate. While not comprehensive, consider this list to guide you through credit offerings.

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Arriving on campus

Finding the right fit

There are hot topics creating debate among university students and leadership about fitting in at the university of your choice. One alum tells us why these topics should be a part of your preparation for university life.

Alums look back at their first semester

For the past three years, we’ve asked graduates to reflect on university life. Consider these stories from IB graduates about getting settled, overcoming obstacles and staying organized.

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