IB grade boundaries for Physics and Maths: what a 7 takes, session by session

Overall and paper-by-paper boundaries for IB Physics and Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches, Applications and Interpretation), SL and HL, over 24 sessions. 187 rows were read from the IB's own grade boundaries documents. In the latest session a 7 started at 69% in Physics SL and at 76% in Maths AI SL.

By Pietro Meloni, PhD · Last verified against the official pages on

The short answer

A 7 has never needed more than 83% in any of these six subjects, and in most sessions it sits between 65% and 75%. The 6 is usually 10 to 15 marks below the 7 on the 100-mark scale, and that gap is where most students who miss the 7 actually lose it.

Each subject page shows every session on record, the paper-by-paper thresholds of the most recent session with a full IB document, and what those numbers mean for how to revise.

Latest session, all six subjects

Overall boundaries in the most recent session on record, as a percentage of the scaled marks. Full history on each subject page.
SubjectSession7 from6 from4 fromRange of the 7Sessions
Maths AA HLMay 2026 TZ3reported72%60%33%70% to 79%14
Maths AA SLMay 2026 TZ3reported73%59%30%65% to 80%16
Maths AI HLMay 2026 TZ3reported74%62%37%62% to 77%16
Maths AI SLMay 2026 TZ3reported76%63%37%66% to 83%17
Physics HLMay 2026 TZ3reported72%60%35%61% to 74%17
Physics SLMay 2026 TZ3reported69%58%35%59% to 73%17

How to read a boundary

The overall boundary is on a 100-mark scale built from the papers and the internal assessment, each weighted as the syllabus says. A student does not need the 7 on every paper: a strong paper carries a weaker one, and the component table on each subject page shows exactly how much.

The boundaries are set after marking. When a paper is harder than usual, the thresholds come down. So a low 7 in one session is not good news for the next one: it usually means that paper was hard.

Method

Rows marked with a document were read from the grade boundaries document the IB issues to Diploma coordinators after each session, from May 2024 to November 2025 TZ3. Most of those documents list every component; the most recent one on record lists the overall only.

Sessions for which I do not hold the document are shown as “reported”: overall boundaries only, taken from published compilations of the IB subject reports, to be checked line by line when the document is in hand. The IB does not publish these documents openly; they reach schools through IBIS. If you are a coordinator or a teacher and can share a session document, corrections and additions are welcome at pietro@pietromeloni.com.

Grade boundaries are facts published by the IB. The tables, the percentages and the commentary here are my own work and are not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate. Dataset: CSV or JSON, CC BY 4.0.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage do you need for a 7 in IB Maths AA HL?

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In May 2026 TZ3 the overall 7 in Maths AA HL started at 72% of the scaled marks. Across the 14 sessions on record it has ranged from 70% (May 2023 TZ2) to 79% (November 2024).

What percentage do you need for a 7 in IB Physics HL?

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In May 2026 TZ3 the overall 7 in Physics HL started at 72%. Over 17 sessions it has ranged from 61% to 74%. Physics changed syllabus in May 2025, so the paper structure before and after that session is different.

Why do IB grade boundaries change every session?

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Because the IB sets them after marking, so that a 7 means the same standard whether the paper turned out harder or easier than usual. A harder paper gets lower boundaries. This is why the useful number is the range over several sessions, not a single year.

What are TZ1, TZ2 and TZ3?

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Time zones. In May the IB sets different papers for different parts of the world, and each paper gets its own boundaries. TZ1 is broadly the Americas, TZ2 Europe, Africa and the Middle East, TZ3 Asia and Oceania. November sessions are usually a single timezone, though some subjects have run two since November 2024.

Where do these numbers come from?

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From the grade boundaries document the IB sends to Diploma coordinators after each session, for May 2024 to November 2025 TZ3. Sessions without that document in hand are shown as reported, overall only, and are checked when the document arrives.

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