How to revise for IB exams: a week-by-week plan to May 2027
Work towards 23 April 2027 with a dated IB revision countdown: IA, EE and TOK first, then mocks, past papers and timed practice.
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Start your IB revision now, in November 2026, but spend most of the next two months finishing your coursework. The May 2027 IB exams run from Friday 23 April to Tuesday 18 May 2027, so you have about 23 weeks. Get your IA, EE and TOK work done by January, use your mocks in February to find the gaps, then spend March and April on timed past papers. The plan below sets out what to do each week.
How long before May 2027 should you start IB revision?
About five months before your first paper, which means this month. IB students have a problem GCSE and A-Level students mostly don't: your internal assessments (IAs), extended essay (EE) and theory of knowledge (TOK) essay are due during the months you'd normally use for revision.
So start small. From now until the winter break, give coursework most of your time and add 20 to 30 minutes a day of short recall on your exam content. From January, revision becomes the main job.
The full timetable is on the IB's assessment pages, and your coordinator will give you your school's copy with start times. Check your own papers against it before you build your plan.
Your week-by-week IB revision plan to May 2027
| Weeks | Dates | Main focus | Alongside it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 | 16 Nov to 20 Dec 2026 | IA drafts, EE final draft, TOK essay draft | List every topic in each subject and rate it red, amber or green |
| 6 to 7 | 21 Dec 2026 to 3 Jan 2027 | Coursework edits, plus a few full days off | Summary sheets or flashcards for your three HL subjects |
| 8 to 11 | 4 Jan to 31 Jan 2027 | Hand in coursework by your school's deadlines | One red topic per subject each week, then 10 exam questions on it |
| 12 to 15 | 1 Feb to 28 Feb 2027 | Mocks, if your school holds them now | Start an error log from every mock paper |
| 16 to 19 | 1 Mar to 28 Mar 2027 | Past papers by topic, timed section by section | Re-try every error log question a week later |
| 20 to 21 | 29 Mar to 11 Apr 2027 | Easter break: full timed papers in exam order | Start with whichever subject you sit first: of the subjects below, Physics is first, on 28 and 29 April |
| 22 to 23 | 12 Apr to 22 Apr 2027 | Light final pass: formulas, quotes, definitions | Short sessions, proper sleep, no new topics |
| Exams | 23 Apr to 18 May 2027 | Revise for your next paper only | Read that subject's error log the night before |
Source: IB assessment and exams, May 2027 examination schedule. Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027; school holiday dates vary. Last checked: 12 November 2026.
Your school's mock dates and holidays may not line up exactly. Move the blocks to fit, but keep the order: coursework, then gaps, then timed practice.
The January block matters most. Pick your red topics and work on them properly, one per subject per week. To check whether a topic has stuck, answer exam-style questions on it in Medly AI and get them marked straight away, so you can see which points you missed while the topic is still fresh.
How do you fit IA, EE and TOK deadlines around revision?
Put your school's coursework deadlines into the plan first. Your coordinator has to check and upload your work to the IB before the exams, so school deadlines are usually set well before the IB's own. Ask for the full list now, including drafts.
Then split your week. A pattern that works for a lot of students:
- Coursework on three set evenings, such as Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
- Revision on the other evenings, plus one weekend session.
- Twenty minutes of recall every day, even in a heavy coursework week, so content doesn't slip.
If you're sitting in May 2027, note that a new EE guide applies from this session. Check that the advice and examples you're using were written for the new criteria, and ask your supervisor if you're unsure.
Once a piece is submitted, close it. Rereading a finished IA in March takes time away from revision and can't change the mark.
How to use IB past papers and markschemes
Past papers are the best practice you have, because they show you how the IB asks questions. Your teachers usually have access to them, so ask before you search online. Many sessions also have more than one time zone version of each paper, which gives you extra practice from the same year.
Don't sit a full paper every time. In March, do one section in the time it should take, mark it straight away, then move on. Full papers belong in the Easter break, when you need to build stamina.
Mark with the markscheme, not from memory. Maths markschemes award method marks (M) and accuracy marks (A) separately, so a wrong final answer with clear working can still score. Read where the marks go, then copy that pattern in your next answer.
Keep an error log. For every mark you drop:
- Write down the paper, question and topic.
- Note why you lost it: didn't know it, wrong method, misread the question, or ran out of time.
- Write the fix in one line, such as "Show the substitution step" or "Quote the data in the question".
- Re-try the question a week later without looking at your notes.
After a few weeks, the log shows you patterns. If most of your lost marks come from misreading, you need to slow down, not learn more content. For help turning notes into recall practice, see how to revise your notes.
If you work on paper, you can upload a handwritten past paper to Medly for free and get feedback on where the marks went. The free plan includes 1 uploaded paper a day, plus 5 marked questions and 20 AI tutor messages.
IB paper lengths and calculator rules by subject
| Subject | Papers (SL / HL) | Calculator | May 2027 dates | What to practise |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maths AA | P1 1h30 / 2h; P2 1h30 / 2h; HL P3 1h | No calculator in P1; graphic display calculator (GDC) in P2 and P3 | P1 13 May, P2 14 May, HL P3 18 May | Algebra and calculus by hand for P1 |
| Maths AI | P1 1h30 / 2h; P2 1h30 / 2h; HL P3 1h | GDC in all papers | P1 13 May, P2 14 May, HL P3 18 May | Fast, accurate GDC use and statistics |
| Biology | P1 1h30 / 2h; P2 1h30 / 2h30 | Calculator; no data booklet | P1 10 May, P2 11 May | Data analysis questions in P1B |
| Chemistry | P1 1h30 / 2h; P2 1h30 / 2h30 | Calculator and data booklet | P1 5 May, P2 6 May | Calculations using the data booklet |
| Physics | P1 1h30 / 2h; P2 1h30 / 2h30 | Calculator and data booklet | P1 28 Apr, P2 29 Apr | Multiple choice speed and multi-step problems |
| English A: Lang & Lit | P1 1h15 / 2h15; P2 1h45 | None | P1 6 May, P2 7 May | Timed unseen text analysis and comparative essays |
Sources: Maths AA guide, Biology guide, Pamoja timings, IB sample papers and the IB May 2027 schedule. Check the subject guide for your other subjects. Last checked: 12 November 2026.
Look closely at your own clashes. If you take Chemistry and English A, both are on 6 May 2027: Chemistry paper 2 in the morning and English paper 1 in the afternoon. Plan the day before around both.
What to do during the exam weeks
Revise for the next paper only. With 23 April to 18 May spread over almost four weeks, you'll have gaps of several days between some subjects, and that time is useful.
On a gap day, do one timed section, check it against the markscheme and read that subject's error log. Stop at a sensible hour. A tired brain on exam morning costs more marks than one extra evening of revision gains.
Frequently asked questions
How many hours a day should I revise for the IB?
In November and December, 20 to 30 minutes a day on top of coursework is enough. From January, aim for 1 to 2 hours on school days, rising to 4 or 5 hours a day in the Easter break, with proper breaks.
When are the May 2027 IB exams?
The May 2027 session runs from Friday 23 April to Tuesday 18 May 2027. Your coordinator will give you your school's timetable with start times, which can differ by time zone.
When are IB results released in 2027?
Results for the May 2027 session are expected on 6 July 2027. The IB explains how you'll get your results, and your coordinator will confirm the time.
Can you revise for IB exams in 2 weeks?
No, not for the whole Diploma. Two weeks is enough to sharpen one subject with timed papers and an error log, but six subjects with HL content need months, which is why this plan starts in November.
Should I work on my EE or revise first?
Your EE first, until it's submitted. A missed coursework deadline can put your Diploma at risk, so finish it, then move that time across to revision.
Are past papers from the old syllabus still useful?
Yes, for topics that haven't changed. Check each question against your current subject guide and skip anything that's been removed. Take extra care in Psychology, Computer Science, Design Technology and Visual Arts, which have new syllabuses first assessed in May 2027.