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The IB Diploma is scored out of 45 points, but only 42 come from your six subjects. The final 3 come from the diploma core, and for IB tuition Singapore students, where Medicine and Law applicants often need 42 points or more, those three points are frequently the difference between an interview and a rejection.
Here is how the Extended Essay, TOK and CAS actually work, and where students tend to lose marks.
Key Takeaways
- The core is worth 3 bonus points, built from your EE and TOK grades combined through a matrix.
- CAS carries no points, but failing it means you won’t receive the diploma, regardless of your subject grades.
- Both the EE and TOK reward critical thinking more than content knowledge.
- Core work spread across both diploma years outperforms a rushed final term sprint.
How the Diploma Core Fits Together
The Extended Essay is a 4,000-word independent research paper in a subject of your choice. TOK is assessed through a 1,600-word essay and an exhibition, and questions the nature of knowledge itself rather than subject content. CAS asks for documented experiences across creativity, activity and service, and is graded strictly pass or fail.
Your EE and TOK results combine on a matrix, each graded A to E, to produce your bonus points.
TOK \ EE | A | B | C | D | E |
A | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | Fail |
B | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Fail |
C | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Fail |
D | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Fail |
E | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail | Fail |
An E in either component fails the diploma outright, so treating the core as an afterthought is a costly strategic error.
Source: DP Passing Criteria
Why Singapore Students Often Miss Out
Singapore’s MOE system trains students to reproduce expected answers within clear guidelines, while the EE and TOK demand independent inquiry and open-ended questioning. That shift feels unfamiliar, and without support, many students default to safe, shallow topics that score poorly. School supervision also varies.
Supervisors often manage large numbers of students with limited contact time, and feedback like “be more critical” rarely explains what that looks like in practice.
A strategic approach treats the core as a two-year project with milestones, starting with EE topic selection in the first term of Year 5 rather than the summer before Year 6.
The Extended Essay: Where Marks Are Won and Lost
The EE is marked out of 34 across five criteria.
Criterion | Marks | What it rewards |
Focus and Method | 6 | A specific, arguable research question and a method that suits the subject |
Knowledge and Understanding | 6 | Applied command of the subject, not a textbook summary |
Critical Thinking | 12 | A sustained argument that evaluates sources and reaches a justified conclusion |
Presentation | 4 | Formatting, structure and correct referencing |
Engagement | 6 | Reflection sessions on your research process and decisions |
Critical thinking carries the most weight, and descriptive essays that report what sources say rather than what they mean rarely score above a C on it.
A question like “How has climate change affected Singapore?” is too broad. A question narrowed to how PUB has used drainage infrastructure to manage flash flood risk in a specific region since a given year is focused enough to sustain real analysis.
A useful test is whether you can name five credible subject-specific sources within two weeks of starting. If you cannot, the topic needs narrowing or widening.
The maximum length is 4,000 words, but strong essays often land closer to 3,700 to 3,950, leaving room for a proper conclusion instead of cutting an argument short. Mapping a rough word budget by section before you start writing helps avoid that problem later.
Theory of Knowledge: The Essay and Exhibition
TOK is assessed through two components: the essay and the exhibition. Their combined grade feeds into the core-points matrix.
The TOK Essay
- Responds to one of six prescribed titles issued annually
- These are questions about how knowledge is constructed, not content questions
- A high-scoring essay tests its own claims with counterclaims rather than just defending a position
- Real-world examples should illuminate a specific point about how knowledge is produced or validated, not sit as decoration
The TOK Exhibition
- Asks you to choose three objects connected to one of 35 prescribed prompts and explain how each illuminates it
- Objects that are merely thematically related tend to score poorly
- A stronger commentary explains what the object shows about knowledge, not just what it is
- Each of the three objects should make a distinct point
CAS: The Pass or Fail Requirement That Still Matters
CAS requires seven learning outcomes met through a balanced programme of experiences, documented through a digital portfolio and reviewed at interviews with your CAS coordinator.
The difference between a co-curricular activity and CAS is intent. Playing badminton is an activity only when you push to improve and document that progress, while organising a match for younger students also demonstrates collaboration.
CAS carries no numerical points, yet failing it withholds the diploma regardless of subject scores.
Students who integrate it with existing commitments, such as a club or sports team, rarely struggle to meet the requirements. Writing a short reflection soon after each experience, while details are fresh, saves considerable time later.
Universities do not score CAS directly, but a well-documented portfolio gives students genuine material for personal statements and interviews, which a vague, last-minute set of reflections cannot provide.
Choosing the Right IB Tuition Model in Singapore
IB tuition in Singapore comes in a few distinct models, and the right choice depends on how a student learns and which part of the Diploma needs the most support. Here is how they compare across cost, structure and best fit.
Model | Best For | Typical Cost | Strengths |
Tuition Centres | Students who benefit from routine, peer accountability and structured progress reporting | 50–90 per group session | Structure, group accountability, progress reporting |
Private Tutors | The EE and TOK specifically, since no two research questions or TOK responses are identical | 80–150 per hour | Fully adapts to a student’s pace; ideal for EE and TOK |
Online Sessions | Reviewing written drafts via shared documents, and for students with demanding schedules | Varies (per provider) | Flexible, works well for draft review |
In-Person Sessions | Subjects where a tutor needs to watch a student’s working process unfold | Varies (per provider) | Watching the working process in real time |
Hybrid (Both) | Increasingly common; combines flexibility with hands-on support | Varies | Balances online convenience with in-person depth |
When evaluating a provider, ask specifically how they support EE supervision, TOK drafting and CAS planning. A formulaic approach that treats all three the same is usually a sign of limited IB-specific expertise, so the safest choice is a model that can flex between structure and one-on-one attention depending on where a student needs help.
Winning the EE, TOK and CAS Core Points With IB Tuition Singapore
The diploma core rewards planning far more than talent. Starting the EE and TOK early, building a bank of TOK examples throughout Year 5, and integrating CAS into existing commitments all protect the 3 bonus points that often decide competitive university applications. If you would like support mapping out your core timeline, Edulab Academy offers guidance across EE supervision, TOK essay and exhibition feedback, and CAS planning.
Contact us today for a free consultation and see how we can help you secure those final points.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many points can the IB core actually add? Up to 3, based on combining your Extended
Essay and TOK grades on the official matrix. CAS adds no points but must be passed for the diploma to be awarded.
Is private tutoring worth it for the EE and TOK specifically?
Often, since both components are personal responses to a unique question or title. One-to-one feedback on your specific argument tends to be more useful than a generic group lesson on essay structure.
When should EE and TOK preparation start?
Ideally in the first term of Year 5, with the topic settled and initial research underway by the end of that year, leaving Year 6 for writing, refining and completing the TOK essay and exhibition.
What should parents ask when comparing tuition providers?
Ask how many drafts they review, whether tutors have subject-specific EE or TOK experience, and whether they can show examples of high-scoring work rather than general assurances.
