A-Level vs IB: Which qualification should you take?

A-Levels and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma are among the main routes through sixth form in the UK and across many international schools. They can both feed into top universities at home and abroad, but they ask very different things of students.

A-Levels are narrow and deep. You typically pick three subjects and spend two years going far into each one. The IB Diploma is broader. You study six subjects plus three core components, and you keep going with maths, a science, English, and a second language right up to age 18.

This guide explains what each route involves, how they compare on workload and university recognition, and how to decide which is the right fit for you.

A-Levels are a standard UK sixth form qualification, regulated by Ofqual in England and offered through five main exam boards: AQA, Edexcel (Pearson), OCR, WJEC, and CCEA. Most students take three A-Levels over two years, examined linearly at the end of Year 13 in England (modular in Wales and Northern Ireland).

Students choose their A-Level subjects from a wide menu, typically including sciences, maths, humanities, languages, social sciences, and creative subjects. The choice is yours. You can take three sciences, three humanities, or any combination that fits your university plans. There is generally no requirement to keep up with English, maths, or a language unless you choose to.

A-Levels are graded A* to E, with A* awarded on a high overall raw mark total (typically 80%-plus depending on the subject). The grades feed directly into UCAS tariff points: A* is 56 points, A is 48, B is 40, C is 32. Universities use these grades to make conditional offers, usually expressed as combinations like AAA or A*AA.

The IB Diploma Programme is a two-year qualification run by the International Baccalaureate Organisation, offered in thousands of schools worldwide. Students study six subjects drawn from six groups. These are studies in language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics, and the arts (or a second subject from another group).

Three subjects are taken at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL). HL subjects involve more contact hours and more depth, broadly comparable to A-Level. SL subjects involve less depth but still significantly more than dropping the subject entirely after GCSE. Every IB student keeps studying maths, a science, and two languages right up to age 18.

Alongside the six subjects, all IB students complete three core elements. Theory of Knowledge (TOK) is a critical thinking course assessed by an essay and a presentation. The Extended Essay (EE) is a 4,000-word independent research project. CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) requires sustained engagement with creative pursuits, physical activity, and service. The six subjects are scored 1 to 7, giving a maximum of 42 points. TOK and EE together contribute up to 3 bonus points. The maximum IB Diploma score is 45.

The two qualifications differ in almost every structural way. Subject count, assessment style, breadth of study, and the role of independent research all sit on different parts of the spectrum.

The IB Diploma tends to be harder in workload terms. Six subjects, two languages, three core components, and a 4,000-word research essay add up to a heavier two years than three A-Levels. IB students often report longer hours and tighter deadlines through Year 12 and Year 13.

A-Levels tend to be harder per subject at the top end. The depth required for an A* in A-Level Chemistry, Physics, or Maths is generally greater than the depth required for a 7 in the equivalent IB HL subject. IB SL subjects are typically easier than the A-Level equivalents because the content is less deep and the assessment is more spread out across internal assessments and exams.

The bigger question is whether you would rather go deep in three subjects you have chosen, or stay broad across six. Students who know what they want to study at university often prefer A-Levels because they can drop everything except the relevant subjects. Students who want to keep options open, or who genuinely enjoy a wide range of subjects, often thrive in the IB. Neither is objectively harder. They are different shapes of difficulty.

Consider A-Levels if you know what you want to study at university and the subjects are concentrated in one area. Medicine, Engineering, Maths, and the natural sciences often benefit from the depth A-Levels provide. UK universities are largely set up around A-Level offers. There is generally no penalty for taking the standard UK route.

Consider the IB if you want to keep your options open, you enjoy a mix of subjects, and you are considering universities outside the UK. The IB is a common pre-university qualification in many international schools and is well recognised in the US, where its broad structure maps onto the American liberal arts model. Mainland European universities also tend to view the IB favourably for direct entry.

For UK university applications, both routes work. UCAS publishes tariff conversions and many major universities publish IB equivalents alongside their A-Level offers. As a rough guide, 38 IB points is broadly equivalent to AAA at A-Level, 40 IB is around AAA, and 42 IB is around AAA or AAA. The exact mapping varies by university and subject, and Higher Level grade requirements usually sit alongside the total points target.

UK universities express their offers in both formats. For an Oxbridge or top Russell Group course, the typical A-Level offer of A*AA broadly maps to 40 to 41 IB points with specific Higher Level grades attached. AAA at A-Level corresponds to around 38 to 39 IB points. ABB at A-Level corresponds to around 34 to 35 IB points.

In practice the HL requirement often matters more than the total. Engineering courses at Cambridge ask for 7 7 6 at HL including Maths and Physics. Medicine at many UK medical schools asks for HL Chemistry and Biology at grade 6 or 7. The HL grade requirements often function as the binding constraint, with the total points target as a secondary check.

For US universities, the IB is sometimes treated more favourably than A-Levels in some admissions offices because the breadth maps onto the American model. Top US universities accept A-Level applicants but often look for additional advanced coursework or AP subjects to show breadth beyond three subjects. The IB tends to sidestep this issue.