The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a unique international program designed for children and young people aged 3 to 19, challenging them to develop both academically and personally. Established in 1968 in Geneva, Switzerland, the program is registered as a non-profit organization – the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO). The diploma programme is a two-year pre-university course of study aimed at highly motivated students aged 16 to 19 (grades 11 and 12). It aims to overcome differences in national educational systems and assessment methods by ensuring standardized requirements and the convertibility of diplomas. The learning process is guided, administered, and assessed by the IBO. Teachers are required to have mandatory qualifications and certification by the IBO.
The International Baccalaureate seeks to cultivate inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young individuals who contribute to a better and more peaceful world through understanding and respect. To achieve this, the organization collaborates with schools, governments, and other international organizations to develop state-of-the-art learning programs and objective assessments. These programs encourage learners worldwide to be active, sensitive, and inquisitive individuals who understand that all people, regardless of their differences, have equal rights.
Students in the Diploma Programme choose one subject from each of the six subject areas:
Taking into account their strengths, personal preferences, and plans for future development, students choose three high-level subjects (HL) – with more classes and more difficult material – and three at standard level (SL). In addition to these, they study three compulsory subjects, forming the core of the program:
The Diploma Programme at BRITANICA PARK SCHOOL
Group 1, Studies in Language and Literature
Group 2, Language Acquisition
Group 3, Individuals and Societies
Group 4, Sciences
Group 5, Mathematics
Group 6, The Arts
Assessment in the Diploma Programme is both internal and external. External assessment constitutes about 70% of the final grade in each subject. Throughout their studies, students complete specific tasks in their chosen subjects. Some tasks are internally assessed by their teachers and then subject to external moderation, while others are sent directly to specified IB examiners. At the program’s conclusion, students take exams in subjects that are fully subject to external assessment. A minimum of 24 points overall, along with satisfactory performance in the three required subjects, earns students the IB Diploma. The maximum achievable score is 45 points. Additional information about the Diploma Programme is available at www.ibo.org.
By choosing our IB Diploma Programme, students have the freedom to choose their subjects and the intensity with which they study them. The program provides a rigorous academic and personal preparation, making students preferred applicants by universities. With necessary habits, knowledge, and skills already acquired, their dropout rate in the first years of study is minimal. The International Baccalaureate Diploma is recognized by various universities worldwide as a prestigious qualification. Holding an IB Diploma significantly increases the chances of high school graduates being accepted into some of the world’s most prestigious educational institutions. Britanica Park School students have the opportunity to obtain two diplomas – both the International Baccalaureate Diploma and the Bulgarian High School Diploma. Our high school students prepare to successfully apply for and complete higher education abroad and in Bulgaria.
The IB Student Profile represents the mission of the organization, embodying the outcomes that modern 21st-century education aims to achieve. It is a long-term vision for education, inspiring, motivating, and focusing the work of schools and teachers around a common goal. As IB students, we strive to be inquisitive, knowledgeable, thoughtful, communicative, principle-based, tolerant, caring, risk-takers, balanced, and reflective.
Language Requirements
The official language of instruction for the IB Diploma Programme at BRITANICA PARK SCHOOL is English. Therefore, we expect Diploma Programme candidates to have achieved C1 level in the language according to the European Language Framework (CEFR).
Academic Requirements
Candidates take tests in English, Bulgarian, and Mathematics. A score above Very Good 5.00 in all three subjects is considered successful. Candidates also submit their first stage of high school diploma. Grades in subjects selected for study at High Level (HL) cannot be lower than Very Good 5.00, and those selected for study at Standard Level (SL) cannot be lower than Good 4.00. The diploma program is also open to international students for whom the Bulgarian high school diploma is not necessary. For them, a Bulgarian language test is not required.
Admission Stages