IB Biology tutoring, SL and HL
IB Biology was rebuilt for exams from May 2025 around four themes, with data-based questions in every paper. Our tutors teach the content, the command terms and the data skills the papers reward.
One-to-one from $12 a class · billed in USD
Online - IB Biology (first assessment 2025)
What every programme includes
- ✓ Unity and diversity; form and function
- ✓ Interaction and interdependence; continuity and change
- ✓ Paper 1A multiple choice and Paper 1B data questions
- ✓ Paper 2 extended responses
- ✓ The scientific investigation (IA)
- ✓ HL additional content
Lesson times in your time zone
Weekdays 3pm-9pm after school · Weekends 8am-8pm, your local time. Pick the slot when you book.
How it is assessed
Paper 1 combines multiple choice (1A) and data-based questions (1B): 1 hour 30 minutes and 55 marks at SL, 2 hours and 75 marks at HL, worth 36%. Paper 2, with data-based and short-answer questions plus extended responses, lasts 1 hour 30 minutes (50 marks) at SL and 2 hours 30 minutes (80 marks) at HL, worth 44%. The scientific investigation is the remaining 20%. There is no longer an options paper.
Where marks are lost
Marked work shows the same patterns year after year:
- ✓ Extended answers that list facts without linking them
- ✓ Data questions answered from memory instead of the graph
- ✓ Precise biological terms replaced by everyday words
- ✓ Content from different themes not connected
- ✓ An IA with an unmanageable independent variable
IB Biology exams (first assessment 2025)
| Component | SL | HL | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (1A + 1B) | 1h 30m, 55 marks | 2h, 75 marks | 36% |
| Paper 2 | 1h 30m, 50 marks | 2h 30m, 80 marks | 44% |
| Scientific investigation (IA) | Teacher-marked, moderated | Teacher-marked, moderated | 20% |
A DP year for Biology
- 1
DP1, first term
Secure the foundations from MYP or IGCSE and learn the command terms the markbands reward.
- 2
DP1, second half
Plan the internal assessment: a focused question and a realistic method.
- 3
DP2, autumn
Final IA draft against the criteria, then past-paper practice by topic.
- 4
DP2, spring
Mocks, then timed papers and review of every lost mark before May.
Tutors for this programme
Stephen Mc Cormack
PGCE Primary(3-11), Cardiff Metropolitan University
15 yrs experience
AP · IB · SAT
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Muhammad Mahmood Aslam Bhutta
PhD-qualified Mechanical Engineer, Graz University of technology, Graz , Austria
25 yrs experience
US school
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Muhammad Faisal
BS Physics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad
5 yrs experience
GCSE Science · A-Level Physics · NAPLAN
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What IB tutoring costs in Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong
IB, IGCSE and A-Level specialists in Dubai
AED 200-450+ an hour
Source: Bestimate: tutoring costs in Dubai, 2026IB and JC tuition in Singapore: full-time tutors
S$60-90 an hour
Source: SmartWealth: average tuition rates in Singapore, 2026Senior IB tutors in Hong Kong
HK$600-800 an hour
Source: GETUTOR (Hong Kong Tutors Association): IB tutoring pricesEagleTeach, one-to-one online
From $12 a class
Billed in USD, converted at an approximate rate. Two free demo classes first.
Common questions
What are the four IB Biology themes?＋
Unity and diversity, form and function, interaction and interdependence, and continuity and change.
Is there still a Paper 3 in IB Biology?＋
No. From the 2025 syllabus, Biology is assessed by Paper 1, Paper 2 and the scientific investigation.
How much is the Biology IA worth?＋
20% at both SL and HL.
Is HL Biology needed for medicine?＋
Many medical schools ask for HL Biology or HL Chemistry, often both. Check each university.
How can my child improve extended answers?＋
By planning each answer around the command term and linking each point to the next, which tutoring practises weekly.
Do you teach both SL and HL?＋
Yes.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 2026-10-02.
Helpful guides
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