IB past papers: where to get them and how to use them
6 min read ยท updated 2026-10-13
Past papers are the best revision there is for the IB, but only the official versions with their markschemes are worth using. Here is where to get them legally, which ones match the current syllabus, and how to work through them.
Where official papers come from
- โ The Follett IB Store, the IB's distributor, sells past papers and markschemes individually and in packs
- โ Your school: IB coordinators and teachers have access to past papers and question banks through the IB's resources for schools
- โ Specimen papers: the IB publishes specimen papers when a syllabus changes, the closest guide to a new exam's format
Make sure the paper matches your syllabus
Several subjects changed recently: the sciences were first assessed on new syllabuses in 2025, and maths in 2021. Older papers are still useful for practising content, but their format and weightings differ, so use specimen and recent papers for timed practice.
Papers are licensed for personal and school use; sites hosting free copies of recent papers are usually breaching copyright and often contain errors.
How to use them, week by week
- โ Early in the course: single questions by topic, marked carefully against the markscheme
- โ After each unit: one older paper's questions on that unit, untimed
- โ Final term: full papers under timed conditions, one per subject a week
- โ Final month: the most recent papers, saved for last as the closest to the real thing
- โ Every paper: list the marks lost by type (knowledge, method, reading the question) and fix the most common
Keep a mistakes log
After every past paper, write each lost mark in one of four columns. Patterns appear within three or four papers, and fixing the biggest column is the fastest route to the top grade.
- โ Knowledge: didn't know the fact, definition or method
- โ Method: knew it but set it out wrongly or skipped a step
- โ Reading: misread the question or answered a different one
- โ Slip: arithmetic, units, copying or rounding errors
Marking honestly
Markschemes award method marks (M), accuracy marks (A) and reasoning marks (R). Mark your own papers strictly against them, the way an examiner would: an answer that is right but missing a required step does not get full marks. A teacher or tutor marking a paper every few weeks keeps your self-marking honest.
FAQs
Where can I buy IB past papers?๏ผ
From the Follett IB Store, which sells official past papers and markschemes.
Are free IB past papers online legal?๏ผ
Usually not. Official papers are licensed, and unofficial copies often have errors; ask your school what it can share.
Are old papers useful after a syllabus change?๏ผ
For content practice, yes; for timing and format, use specimen papers and papers from the current syllabus.
How many past papers should I do?๏ผ
Enough to see every question style several times; quality of marking and review matters more than the number.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these official sources on 2026-10-13.
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