IB exam clashes and time zones: what retake candidates should confirm
Check your exact papers, local start times and possible clashes before committing to a retake school or travel.
Check every paper, date and local reporting time in your IB retake timetable. If two entries appear to overlap, contact your coordinator before booking travel or arranging time off work.
This guide is a practical checking process, not a replacement timetable. As of 24 October 2026, the November session has already begun: the official schedule runs from 23 October to 13 November. Candidates already registered should follow their school's instructions. Official November 2026 schedule.
1. Build a timetable around your actual registration
Start with a blank document and copy your subjects exactly as registered. Include the full course title, HL or SL, examination language, session, and host school. Do not abbreviate mathematics to “maths” or a language course to “English” in the version you send for checking. Small wording differences can hide a different course or paper.
Then add one row for every assessment you expect to attend. Leave uncertain cells marked “awaiting school confirmation” instead of filling them with an estimate. A useful record has these columns:
| Field | What to record | What to ask the school |
|---|---|---|
| Subject and level | Exact registered course | Is this the course on my entry? |
| Paper | Full paper or component name | Have I included every required component? |
| Date and session | Date plus morning or afternoon | Which published schedule applies? |
| Local attendance | Reporting time and venue | When must I arrive, and at which entrance? |
| Finish | Estimate confirmed by the school | Does this include my approved arrangements? |
The IB directs candidates to their school coordinator to confirm which schedule applies. Use the IB schedule page alongside the November 2026 overview or May 2027 planning guide.
2. Understand zones without converting your own exam
The November 2026 timetable covers three exam zones: A, B and C. Its local-time table gives, for example, A8 starts of 09:30 and 13:30, B0 starts of 09:00 and 13:00, and C−5 starts of 08:30 and 12:30. These are examples, not instructions for your school. Official schedule, page 6.
The same page says the listed times are local and require no daylight-saving adjustment. Schools retain their allocated zone between examination sessions. Confirm your host school's allocation instead of inferring it from a continent, your home address, or an old candidate's timetable. IB local-time notes.
For practical planning, keep your calendar in the host school's local time. If you share it with a parent overseas, label the city clearly. Check that a phone or laptop has not silently converted an imported event into your home time zone. Save the school's written instructions somewhere accessible without relying on a working mobile connection at the venue.
3. Separate a genuine clash from a demanding day
Two papers listed in one session do not tell you, by themselves, how your personal day will be administered. Equally, two exams on the same date may produce a demanding day without overlapping. Send the exact entries to your coordinator and ask for a written attendance plan rather than deciding which paper takes priority.
A useful message is brief: “My entry lists these two components on this date. Please confirm the sequence, reporting time, expected finish, and any instructions I must follow between papers.” Attach the relevant rows rather than a screenshot of an entire calendar that the coordinator must decipher.
The IB uses registration data to reduce clashes, but minimising conflicts does not mean every candidate has a timetable without clashes. Scheduling principles, page 7. Flag other commitments too: another qualification's examination, a university interview, or an unavoidable appointment. Their existence does not establish a right to move an IB examination.
4. Let the coordinator handle rescheduling questions
The official schedule states that moving an examination requires IB authorization. IB rescheduling policy. Do not book transport around an assumed change or treat an informal conversation as approval.
Keep a short record of what you reported, when you reported it, and the response. If a decision is pending, ask what remains unresolved and when the school expects to confirm arrangements. Make the distinction between a requested change and an approved arrangement visible in your planning document.
Follow every instruction the school provides about attendance and supervision. If instructions are unclear, contact the coordinator before the examination day.
5. Check the whole journey before paying
When comparing host schools, assess the complete trip: accommodation, the route to the actual examination building, any border documentation you need, and the first and final component. Prefer changeable bookings while essential details remain unresolved. A low headline examination fee can be outweighed by a longer stay or difficult transport.
Use IBretake's school search to explore potential hosts and create a student account to organise your next steps. IBretake helps you find a school; tutoring, coursework support, admission and the examination entry itself are separate matters to confirm. The IB says schools are not obliged to accept retake candidates. IB retaking guidance.
Before committing, work through the registration checklist. If your previous sitting used a different syllabus, also read the syllabus changes guide and have the coordinator confirm your requirements.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use another country's start time?
Use the host school's confirmed local timetable. A time found on another school's website is a comparison point, not your attendance instruction. Record the school, city and session together so there is no ambiguity when planning travel.
Does moving to another continent remove a clash?
Do not choose a school on that assumption. Ask each prospective host to check the complete subject combination and explain your attendance requirements before you compare travel costs or pay a deposit.
What if extra time affects my finishing time?
Ask for a personal timetable that includes your authorized arrangements and the school's reporting instructions. Use that confirmed finish when booking onward travel, allowing additional practical margin for leaving the venue.
What if my school has not answered yet?
Send one clear follow-up with the exact components and the decision you need. Keep the original message attached. Avoid making irreversible commitments while the key attendance question remains open.
Sources and review date
Reviewed 24 October 2026. Source documents govern policy; the numbered workflow and planning table are IBretake's practical suggestions.
- IB November 2026 examination schedule, especially pages 6 to 7
- IB DP and CP exam schedule page
- IB retaking examinations guidance
