The Home Education Guide to IB: How to Study From Home

Thinking about studying the IB Diploma from home? More students than ever are choosing home education for their IB journey through online schools, with extra support from private tutoring. And, it’s possible to achieve brilliant IB results from home with the right approach, planning, and support system.

Home study can give you the flexibility to learn at your own pace, the freedom to shape your timetable around your strengths, and the chance to focus without the distractions of a traditional classroom. Of course, it also comes with its own challenges, like staying motivated, managing workloads, and finding reliable resources. 

This guide will walk you through what works, what to avoid, and how to build a study routine that sets you up for home education IB success.

Key Takeaways

• You can study the IB from home with proper support and structure.

• You'll need to sit exams at an authorised exam centre - this is non-negotiable.

• A solid schedule and access to quality resources are essential for staying on track.

• Managing coursework like IAs, EE, and TOK is possible - with the right guidance.

Can You Study the IB Diploma at Home?

Yes, absolutely. The IB Organisation (opens in a new tab) recognises that students learn in different ways and settings.

Online IB Schools are fully accredited institutions, like King's InterHigh (opens in a new tab), that deliver the complete IB programme online. Students get structured and live online lessons. There’s guidance for university applications and careers. Plus, there are lots of virtual clubs so you can meet your online classmates from all over the world.

The key difference is support. Online IB schools provide:

• Teachers

• Deadlines

• Structured programmes

Private candidates need to be extremely self-motivated and organised. If you’re keen to do the IB online, the IBO has a list of potential online providers (opens in a new tab) you could investigate.

How the IB Works for Home-Educated Students

The IB Diploma structure remains the same whether you're in a traditional classroom or studying from your kitchen table.

You'll still need to complete:

• Six subjects (at least three but no more than four Higher Level, the rest Standard Level).

• Theory of Knowledge (TOK) - exploring how we know what we know.

• Extended Essay (EE) - a 4,000-word research project.

• Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) - a range of meaningful experiences over your IB, plus a CAS project.

The main difference for home-educated students is flexibility. You can study at your own pace, choose your optimal learning times, and create a personalised study environment.

However, you'll need to be much more disciplined about deadlines and coursework submission dates.

Setting Up a Home Study Plan for IB

Creating some sort of routine is crucial when studying from home. Without school bells and timetables, you need to create your own structure that you can stick to. Here are some tips to help you nail your daily timetable.

• Time-block for HL and SL subjects: Higher Level subjects need roughly 240 teaching hours, while Standard Level subjects need 150 hours. Break this down over two years and you'll see you need consistent daily study.

• Make weekly and term-based goals: Set specific targets for each week. For example: complete Chapter 3 of Biology HL, draft TOK essay introduction, or finish 10 hours of CAS activities.

• Balancing IAs, EE, and TOK over two years: Don't leave everything until the final year. For example:

  • Start your Extended Essay research in Year 1

  • Begin TOK journalling early

  • Spread Internal Assessments across both years

• Visual progress tracking Use charts, calendars, or apps to track your progress across your IB subjects. Seeing your achievements builds motivation and helps identify areas that need more attention.

Recommended Tools & Resources

There are lots of digital tools that you can access to help you organise your time and workload. The right ones can make or break your home study experience.

Digital Tools

Planning and organisation:

• Notion (opens in a new tab) - brilliant for creating study dashboards and tracking assignments.

• Trello (opens in a new tab) - perfect for managing coursework deadlines with visual boards.

• Google Calendar (opens in a new tab) - essential for exam dates and submission deadlines.

Writing and research:

• Grammarly (opens in a new tab) - catches grammar mistakes in essays and IAs.

• Hemingway Editor (opens in a new tab) - helps make your writing clearer and more concise.

• Zotero (opens in a new tab) - manages research sources for your Extended Essay.

Online Resources & Platforms

Study materials:

• Save My Exams - comprehensive revision resources tailored to IB specifications.

• YouTube channels - these channels - like Andrew Masley (IB Physics) (opens in a new tab) - make IB studying more fun and engaging.

How to Tackle Internal Assessments From Home

Internal Assessments (IAs) are worth 20-30% of your final grade, so it’s important you dedicate time to them. It may seem challenging at first, but even if you’re at home studying, you can find the right support.

• Science IAs need lab work, but many experiments can be done at home with basic equipment. Your online school should guide you on suitable investigations. 

• Language IAs are perfect for home study. You can easily access texts, films, and authentic materials online.

• Humanities IAs often involve research projects that work brilliantly with home study flexibility.

The key is getting feedback, so don’t go it alone. Whether through an online school teacher, private tutor, or IB-experienced mentor, you need expert input on your drafts.

Timeline for IAs:

• Year 1: Understand requirements and brainstorm topics.

• Early Year 2: Complete research and first drafts.

• Mid Year 2: Revise based on feedback.

• Late Year 2: Submit polished final versions.

Staying Motivated and Accountable While Studying Alone

Studying alone can be isolating, and motivation can drop quickly without a study buddy and teacher encouragement. To combat this, try these productivity-boosting techniques:

1. Daily and weekly check-ins: Schedule regular progress reviews with a parent, tutor, or friend. Discuss what you've achieved and what's challenging you. Having these scheduled into your timetable every week will give you a goal to work towards.

2. Join online IB communities: Reddit's IB community (opens in a new tab), Discord study groups, and Facebook IB student groups connect you with peers facing similar challenges. Knowing that people are going through the same challenges as you can be comforting.

3. Use productivity techniques: The Pomodoro Technique (25-minute focused study blocks) works brilliantly for home study. Working in short bursts stops you getting bored and can help you maintain concentration.

4. Reward systems: Set up personal rewards for hitting study targets. Completed a difficult physics topic? Treat yourself to something you enjoy, like a trip to the cinema or a lie-in at the weekend!

5. Create a dedicated study space: Having a specific area just for IB work helps your brain switch into study mode. It doesn't need to be fancy - just consistent and distraction-free.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I sit IB exams if I'm homeschooled?

You must sit IB exams at an authorised examination centre - typically an IB online provider will provide tuition, but you still take exams at an official centre. Your IB online school provider will support you with this.

Are online IB schools recognised by universities?

Yes! Universities recognise IB qualifications regardless of whether you studied online or in a traditional classroom.

What matters is that your online school is properly authorised by the IB Organisation. Always check this before enrolling.

What's the difference between online candidates and school candidates?

• School candidates are enrolled in an IB World School. They receive teacher support, structured lessons, and school coordination for exams and coursework in a bricks and mortar IB World School.

• Online candidates study independently from home but use online schools (online IB tuition providers) to guide them through their course. The IB course is taken wholly online. But, exams are taken at an official test centre. 

Final Thoughts

Studying the IB from home is challenging, but achievable with the right mindset and support system.

The key ingredients for success are structure, planning, and consistent effort. If you choose the online IB school route, you'll need discipline and motivation that traditional classroom students might not require.

Remember, you're not alone in this journey. Thousands of students successfully complete their IB Diploma through home education each year. With proper planning, quality resources, and determination, you can join them.

Start planning early, stay organised, and don't hesitate to seek help when you need it. Your IB journey awaits.

References

IBO - DP Online (opens in a new tab)

King’s InterHigh (opens in a new tab)

Notion (opens in a new tab)

Trello (opens in a new tab)

Google Calendar (opens in a new tab)

Grammarly (opens in a new tab)

Hemingway Editor (opens in a new tab)

Zotero (opens in a new tab)

YouTube - Andrew Masley (IB Physics) (opens in a new tab)

Reddit IB Community (opens in a new tab)

IBO Online DP Providers (opens in a new tab)