The IB released results on 6 July 2026 to 209,607 students across 159 countries and 3,442 schools — a 3.7% rise on 2025 and the biggest May cohort in the programme’s history.
The global average Diploma score rose to 30.88 points out of 45, up from 30.58 a year earlier. The pass rate was 82.61%, the average grade 4.93, and 10,526 students scored 40 points or more.
A war-shaped sitting
Candidates in parts of the Middle East received grades through the IB’s non-exam contingency route after regional conflict forced exams to be cancelled. Scores remain a little over two points below the pandemic-era peak, which the organisation and analysts read as a settled “new normal” in grading rather than any drift toward inflation.
Sources
International Baccalaureate — May 2026 DP and CP results · TES — IB results 2026: Diploma Programme scores rise once again
