IB Computer Science SL Grade Boundaries: 62-75% for a 7

Overall boundaries, every session on record

Minimum scaled mark, out of 100, for each grade in IB Computer Science SL. One row per session and timezone; May 2021 and 2022 and November 2021 and 2022 show the examination route.
Session	7	6	5	4	3	2	Gap 6 to 7
November 2025	73	64	55	45	32	15	9
May 2025 TZ3	71	62	52	43	29	14	9
May 2025 TZ2	74	64	54	44	29	14	10
November 2024	73	64	55	45	32	15	9
May 2024 TZ2	69	58	48	37	24	12	11
May 2024 TZ1	69	58	48	37	24	12	11
November 2023	73	63	54	44	31	15	10
May 2023 TZ2	74	64	54	44	30	15	10
May 2023 TZ1	74	64	54	44	30	15	10
November 2022 (exam route)	67	59	52	44	29	15	8
May 2022 (exam route)	67	56	45	34	20	9	11
November 2021 (exam route)	66	58	51	43	28	14	8
May 2021 (exam route)	62	49	37	27	11	6	13
November 2020	65	57	50	42	29	14	8
November 2019	69	61	52	44	31	15	8
May 2019	72	62	54	44	32	15	10
November 2018	71	62	52	43	31	15	9
May 2018	71	61	51	41	30	15	10
May 2017	75	65	54	43	31	16	10

What do I need

IB Computer Science SL: the mark you need, paper by paper

Session

Grade

In May 2025 TZ3 a 7 overall started at 71 out of 100 scaled marks. On each component:

Component	Out of	Minimum for a 7	As %
Paper 1	70	50	71%
Paper 2	45	29	64%
Solution	34	27	79%

Component grades come straight from the IB document for that session. The overall grade is on a 100-mark scale built from the components with the weightings in the subject guide, so it is not computed here: a strong component carries a weaker one, and the table shows how much room each one leaves.

Non-examination route, 2021 and 2022

Sessions in which schools that could not sit written examinations were graded on coursework and predicted evidence. The IB issued a separate boundaries document for that route.
Session	7	6	5	4	3	2	Gap 6 to 7
November 2022 (non-exam route)	67	59	52	44	29	15	8
May 2022 (non-exam route)	78	70	61	49	36	18	8
November 2021 (non-exam route)	70	63	55	47	36	18	7
May 2021 (non-exam route)	72	62	54	44	32	15	10

Timezones: the same session, different papers

In May the IB sets different papers for different parts of the world, and each gets its own boundaries. In May 2025 the 7 started at 71% in TZ3 and at 74% in TZ2.

A gap between timezones is not an advantage for one of them: the boundary follows the paper. The useful reading is the range across all timezones and sessions, which is what the first table shows.

May against November

On record the 7 in Computer Science SL has averaged 70.7% in May and 69.6% in November. The two sessions are set to the same standard; the difference is the papers, not the season.

The gap between a 6 and a 7

In Computer Science SL the 6 sits on average 9.7 marks below the 7 on the 100-mark scale. That is roughly one question answered fully instead of half-answered, or the marks lost to misread instructions across a whole paper.

Use the range, not the last session. A student scoring 75% or more on full mocks under exam conditions has a 7 in every session on record. A student at 62% has a 7 only on the hardest paper, and should plan for the 6 to 7 gap rather than assume it.

Sources

All 16 sessions were read from the grade boundaries document the IB issues to Diploma Programme coordinators after each session (one document per session; 2021 and 2022 have an examination-route and a non-examination-route document). The full dataset for every IB subject is on the grade boundaries overview, as CSV and JSON.

Independent work, not endorsed by the International Baccalaureate. Last checked 4 November 2026. Corrections: pietro@pietromeloni.com.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage do you need for a 7 in IB Computer Science SL?

73% of the scaled marks in November 2025. Over 16 sessions since May 2017 the 7 has started between 62% and 75%, 70.3% on average. There is no fixed figure: the IB sets the boundaries after each session, once the papers have been marked.

How many marks separate a 6 from a 7 in Computer Science SL?

Between 8 and 13 on the 100-mark scale, 9.7 on average. In November 2025 it was 9 marks. That is the size of one question answered fully instead of half-answered, which is why exam technique moves this grade more than new content.

Are Computer Science SL grade boundaries going up or down?

The May 7 moved from 69% in May 2024 TZ2 to 71% in May 2025 TZ3. A move of a few points between years is normal and reflects how hard that paper was, not a change in the standard.

Is November easier than May in Computer Science SL?

Not in the boundaries: the 7 has averaged 70.7% in May sessions and 69.6% in November sessions on record. The IB sets both to the same standard, so a difference of a point or two reflects the papers of those sessions, not a softer session.

Where do these numbers come from?

Every row on this page was read from the grade boundaries document the IB issues to Diploma Programme coordinators after each session, for all 16 sessions shown. The document lists, for every subject and level, the minimum raw mark for each grade on each component and the minimum scaled mark out of 100 for the overall grade.

IB Computer Science SL grade boundaries: what you need for a 7