IB retake deadlines: school cutoffs matter first

The final IB deadline is not the date most retake students should work towards. A host school has to review your request, confirm subjects, collect documents, process payment, and register you before that point. If you start when the public deadline looks close, you may already be late.

2026–2027 dates: exams, reviews and school cutoffs

The exam windows come from the IB November 2026 final schedule and the IB May 2027 final schedule, hosted by a school. The IB's 2026 Category 1 instructions give the review windows. These are not interchangeable registration deadlines.

As of 5 September 2026: there are 10 calendar days until the May-session Category 1 cutoff. That is a calendar calculation, not a promise that a school can still process your request. Contact the coordinator now if a review is relevant, while checking retake availability separately.

Use the November paper-by-paper calendar, May paper-by-paper calendar and registration checklist to turn these dates into a personal plan.

1. The IB's Official Deadlines

Registration timing depends on the session and candidate category. Ask the coordinator to identify the applicable IB entry window, then work to the school's earlier cutoff.

• Standard registration: obtain the exact date from the registering coordinator. A general month quoted online is not confirmation that your retake can still be entered.
• Late registration: ask whether an entry is still permitted and which charges apply. Do not assume an automatic extra four or six weeks.

If the coordinator cannot enter you for the intended session, ask about the next viable session before paying or arranging travel. Only the school can confirm what is possible in your case.

2. The School's Internal Deadlines

Every exam school sets its own cutoff dates. These are earlier than the IB deadlines because the school needs time to:

• Verify your documents and previous IB results
• Set up your candidate profile in IBIS
• Process your payment
• Arrange exam room logistics
• Confirm whether they can host the exact exam subjects you selected

Schools set their own capacity and document-review cutoffs. Ask for the exact last date for accepting your subject combination, not a general deadline for all candidates.

Timing note: an exam-calendar date is not a registration cutoff. Get the school's acceptance, document and payment dates separately.

3. IBretake Search Timing

IBretake starts the placement search after admin confirms successful payment processing. Allow time for school review and official registration before the host school's cutoff.

• Before checkout: Choose countries and subjects carefully.
• After checkout: The dashboard shows your case number and search status, and updates are sent there and by email.
• Refund timing: Refunds open 10 calendar days after IBretake admin confirms successful payment processing, provided no school has accepted you. School acceptance completes the placement-search service and ends contractual refund eligibility.

4. Payment Deadlines

Ask when cleared payment is required for your registration. A transfer instruction is not proof that the recipient has received the funds.

• Bank transfer timing varies by bank, currency and payment route. Check the expected arrival date with your provider and allow for non-working days.
• Some schools only accept specific payment methods (bank transfer, no credit cards).
• Currency conversion can cause delays if the amount received doesn't match the invoice exactly.

A common disaster scenario: a student contacts a school on the last day, the school agrees, but the bank transfer takes a week. By then the IB deadline has passed.

5. Time Zones Matter

Record the date, clock time and time zone stated by the school or IB for the specific deadline. Do not assume that every cutoff uses your local time or the same Swiss time zone.

Similarly, schools operate in their own time zones. An email sent at 11 PM your time might not be read until the next business day at the school.

6. Your Personal Timeline

Use this illustrative planning sequence for May 2027, adjusting it to the dates confirmed by your coordinator. It is not an official registration schedule:

• June to July (year before): Decide subjects, countries, and how far you can travel.
• August: Start your IBretake search so eligible coordinators can review your request.
• September: If accepted, submit documents requested by the school and complete any final registration steps.
• October: check progress with the host school and obtain confirmation of the applicable registration deadline and any outstanding documents.
• November to February: Prepare independently for your selected exam subjects.
• March: Confirm exam logistics and travel if your host school is abroad.
• April to May: sit your scheduled papers. The published May 2027 examination window starts on 23 April.
• July: Results released.

Planning note: begin as soon as the need for a retake is clear. There is no single month that guarantees acceptance or makes every school too late.

7. What Happens If You Miss a Deadline?

• Miss the school's internal deadline: The school may still accept you, or may not. You have no leverage here; it's their decision.
• Miss a standard entry window: ask the coordinator whether late entry is permitted for your candidate category and what it would cost.
• No remaining entry route: agree the next available session for your subjects and language. Not every school or subject is available in both annual sessions.
• Unresolved IA/coursework issue: IBretake cannot arrange new IA or coursework supervision, so handle this outside the search before exam registration.