IBDP Exam Schedule 2026: May and November Dates, Timetable, and Planning Guide

If you are searching for the IBDP exam schedule 2026, the good news is that the International Baccalaureate has already published final timetables for both the May and November sessions. This guide summarises the key dates, explains how exam zones affect start times, and shows you how to plan revision around the official calendar.

Always confirm your personal subject dates with your IB coordinator. Schedules can include clashes, rescheduling rules, and school-specific instructions that are not visible in a general overview.

Where to find the official IBDP exam schedule 2026

The IB publishes final examination schedules on its official website. For 2026, both sessions are marked as FINAL VERSION and cover all exam zones (A, B, and C):

• May 2026 examination schedule (Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme) — official PDF on ibo.org
• November 2026 examination schedule (Diploma Programme and Career-related Programme) — official PDF on ibo.org
• IB Diploma Programme exam schedule hub — central page with links to current schedules

May 2026 IBDP exam dates at a glance

The May 2026 session runs across four exam weeks. Preliminary papers begin on Friday 24 April 2026, the main timetable starts on Monday 27 April, and the final exams finish on Wednesday 20 May 2026.

Friday 1 May is a scheduled break — there are no exams on that date.

May 2026 week-by-week overview

Week 1 (27 April – 30 April): Language A papers (except English, French, and Spanish, which are scheduled separately), Physics, Sports exercise and health science, Business management, Computer science, and Environmental systems and societies.

Week 2 (4 May – 8 May): History, Language B (except English, French, and Spanish), Latin, Psychology, English A and English B, Geography, Philosophy, Social and cultural anthropology, and Literature and performance.

Week 3 (11 May – 15 May): Biology, Economics, World religions, Classical Greek, Spanish A and Spanish B, Mathematics (Analysis and Approaches and Applications and Interpretation — papers 1 and 2), Chemistry, and Design technology.

Week 4 (18 May – 20 May): Chemistry paper 2, Digital Society, Global politics, French A and French B, and Mathematics HL paper 3 for both courses.

English, French, and Spanish language and literature exams in the May session are deliberately spread across Weeks 2–4 rather than Week 1. Check the official PDF for your exact paper dates and session times.

November 2026 IBDP exam dates at a glance

The November 2026 session begins on Friday 23 October 2026 and runs through Friday 13 November 2026. Like the May session, it is organised across four exam weeks with morning and afternoon sessions.

November 2026 week-by-week overview

Week 1 (26 October – 30 October): Language A (except English and Spanish), Biology, Business management, Spanish A and Spanish B, Computer science, and Environmental systems and societies.

Week 2 (2 November – 6 November): History, Language B (except English and Spanish), Latin, Physics, Sports exercise and health science, English A and English B, Digital Society, Geography, Global politics, Social and cultural anthropology, and Literature and performance.

Week 3 (9 November – 12 November): Mathematics papers 1 and 2, Chemistry, Design technology, Philosophy, and Psychology.

Week 4 (13 November): Final Philosophy and Psychology papers, plus Mathematics HL paper 3 for both courses.

Exam zones and local start times

Every IB World School is assigned an exam zone (A, B, or C). Your zone determines the local start time for morning and afternoon sessions. Zones do not change between sessions, so if you sat May 2025 exams you should already know yours.

• Morning sessions typically start between 08:30 and 10:00 local time depending on zone and UTC offset.
• Afternoon sessions typically start between 12:30 and 14:00 local time.
• Start times are based on local time and do not need adjusting for daylight saving.

How to use the 2026 schedule for revision planning

Download your session PDF now and highlight every paper for your six subjects. Map which days have morning-only, afternoon-only, or back-to-back exams. That single step prevents last-minute surprises.

Work backwards from each exam date. For sciences and Mathematics, aim to finish full syllabus coverage at least two weeks before paper 1. Use the final fortnight for timed past papers and error review.

Build a light revision plan for exam days themselves — especially when you have an afternoon paper after a morning one. Short recall sessions beat cramming new content the night before.

Practice under real conditions before the timetable begins. On Baccalytics, you can sit timed IB-style assessments and see topic-level breakdowns so you know exactly where to focus in the weeks leading up to each paper.

Clashes, rescheduling, and special cases

The IB designs the global timetable to minimise subject clashes, but individual students can still face scheduling conflicts — for example with school-based syllabus papers or unusual subject combinations. Rescheduling requires IB approval; your coordinator handles the application using the official Assessment procedures.

Schools in some regions may receive separate IB communications about session arrangements. If you are in the Middle East, check the latest IB news updates for any May 2026 session notices in addition to the standard schedule.

Key takeaways

• The IBDP exam schedule 2026 is officially published for both May and November sessions.
• May 2026 runs from 24 April to 20 May; November 2026 runs from 23 October to 13 November.
• Use the official PDF for your exact subject dates — this article is a planning overview, not a substitute for the timetable.
• Start revision planning now by working backwards from your first and last papers.