We are taking our first steps towards offering digital examinations for the Diploma Programme (DP) and Career-related Programme (CP), creating a more engaging, efficient, and environmentally responsible assessment experience for all students.
A small number of selected schools will be participating in the first live session in May 2026. All schools will be able to participate starting with the November 2026 session, where select subjects will have both digital and paper options.
Benefits of digital assessments
Digital examinations bring several benefits for schools, students, and teachers:
- Improved assessment experience
- Provides inclusive assessment options
- Enhances examination security
- Improves accuracy and fairness
- Efficiency
- Streamlines administration for schools, students, and teachers
- Delivers accessible materials for familiarization
- Meeting student needs
- Prepares students with skills for the digital world
- Aligns with students' familiarity with technology
- Provides a familiar and comfortable examination format for students
- Environmental responsibility
- Reduces environmental impact
- Lowers environmental costs related to paper
- A step toward transformation
- Lays the groundwork for reimagining engaging and accessible assessments for the future
- Provides the foundation to fully leverage technology to better assess hard-to-measure constructs
Timeline for transitioning to digital examinations
The transition period will start with the release of select digital examination specimens in May 2025. Digital examinations will initially be optional, ensuring a smooth shift from paper to digital examinations.
The initial phase focuses on converting paper-based examinations into a digital format. The digital examinations will closely resemble their paper counterparts, ensuring that the aims and objectives of each subject examination remain comparable.
All IB World Schools can offer digital examinations for select subjects starting in November 2026. The following timeline details when a subject in Language and Literature and Language Acquisition is expected to be available in the digital format.
Please keep in mind this timeline is subject to change based on the rate of school adoption, community feedback, and ongoing research. All subjects/language/level of study and time zones require minimum registrations to allow for a digital version to be made available. The development and release of additional subjects in Individuals and Societies, Sciences, and Mathematics will be confirmed after usability trials are conducted in 2025-2026.
For more information
Do you have any questions about transitioning to digital examinations? Is your school interested in collaborating with the IB in potential focus groups or design trials of digital examinations?
Let us know if you would like to learn more about the transition to digital examinations or if you’re planning to offer digital examinations to your students. You can contact us at the IB Answers support site. If you are a currently authorized school, you can find more information in the Programme Resource Centre.
Read more about DP and CP assessment and exams.
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