EXTERNAL IB CANDIDATE CAPACITY PLANNING FOR SCHOOLS

Build capacity from constraints, not demand

Start with the examination calendar and subject offer. Add room capacity, supervision, secure materials handling, specialist facilities, administrative hours and any case-specific arrangements. The limiting resource determines practical capacity. Demand should not expand the limit unless the school has deliberately added the missing resource.

Use three case types for planning. A standard case fits existing rooms, subjects and processes. A complex case needs additional review or resources. An unavailable case conflicts with a hard constraint. This prevents every enquiry from consuming the same amount of coordinator time.

Price the actual service transparently

A fee model should distinguish third-party or assessment charges, school administration, facility or supervision costs, specialist support and optional tuition. Candidates need a written total or a clear method for calculating it, the payment schedule, cancellation terms and what happens if registration cannot proceed.

Avoid presenting fees as universal IB prices when they include school-specific services. Equally, do not underprice complex cases and then rely on informal staff overtime. A sustainable model makes the cost driver visible and applies the same decision rule consistently.

• Separate mandatory registration-related charges from optional academic support.
• State whether quoted amounts include tax, payment fees or later changes.
• Define the event that confirms a place and the event that triggers a refund rule.
• Require approval before complex cases consume specialist resources.
• Keep financial status synchronized with the candidate case status.
• Review actual staff time after the session and adjust future capacity honestly.

Publish limits without creating promises

A school can explain its review process while keeping exact capacity private. Public wording should say that availability depends on the requested session, subject, level, operational checks and school decision. If the school does not accept external candidates, say so clearly and provide a review date only if one truly exists.

If a waiting list is used, define whether position creates any entitlement and how long data will be retained. If enquiries are referred to another organization, obtain consent before sharing personal information. The objective is a predictable process, not a public impression of unlimited access.

Capacity rule. Accept to the lowest verified constraint, preserve a disruption buffer and never let a payment or urgent admissions deadline bypass the school’s readiness gates.

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