IB Chemistry tutoring, SL and HL
The current IB Chemistry course, first examined in May 2025, is organised around two big ideas, structure and reactivity, and tests students on unfamiliar data as much as recall. Our tutors teach both, with calculations made automatic and answers written in the markscheme's language.
One-to-one from $12 a class · billed in USD
Online - IB Chemistry (first assessment 2025)
What every programme includes
- ✓ Structure: models of particles, bonding and the classification of matter
- ✓ Reactivity: energetics, kinetics, equilibrium, acids and bases, redox, organic mechanisms
- ✓ Paper 1A multiple choice and Paper 1B data questions
- ✓ Paper 2 calculations and extended explanations
- ✓ The scientific investigation (IA): design, data and evaluation
- ✓ HL additional content and longer problems
Lesson times in your time zone
Weekdays 3pm-9pm after school · Weekends 8am-8pm, your local time. Pick the slot when you book.
How IB Chemistry is assessed
Paper 1 has two booklets sat in one sitting: Paper 1A multiple choice (30 questions at SL, 40 at HL) and Paper 1B data-based questions on experimental work (25 marks at SL, 35 at HL). It lasts 1 hour 30 minutes at SL and 2 hours at HL and is worth 36%. Paper 2 (SL 90 minutes, 50 marks; HL 150 minutes, 90 marks) is worth 44%, and the scientific investigation is the remaining 20%.
Where chemistry marks are lost
These are the gaps we close first:
- ✓ Mole and concentration calculations that are not yet automatic
- ✓ Organic mechanisms learnt as pictures rather than electron movement
- ✓ Equilibrium and acid-base calculations under time pressure
- ✓ Explanations that miss the precise terms the markscheme rewards
- ✓ Data questions where the answer is in the table but not used
Chemistry for medicine and the sciences
Most medicine courses ask for HL Chemistry, and it pairs naturally with HL Biology. Because the course links topics through structure and reactivity, students who revise topic by topic often struggle with the connected questions; tutoring builds those links deliberately.
IB Chemistry exams (first assessment 2025)
| Component | SL | HL | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1A (multiple choice) | 30 questions | 40 questions | Paper 1 total 36% |
| Paper 1B (data-based) | 25 marks | 35 marks | (1h 30m SL, 2h HL) |
| Paper 2 | 90 min, 50 marks | 150 min, 90 marks | 44% |
| Scientific investigation (IA) | Teacher-marked, moderated | Teacher-marked, moderated | 20% |
A 10-week plan before IB Chemistry mocks
- 1
Weeks 1-2
Calculation audit: moles, concentration, gas laws and yields.
- 2
Weeks 3-5
Organic mechanisms rebuilt as electron movement, then applied to new molecules.
- 3
Weeks 6-7
Equilibrium, acids and bases, and redox questions.
- 4
Weeks 8-10
Paper 1B data practice and full timed papers.
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 and Singapore
IB, IGCSE and A-Level specialists in Dubai
AED 200-450+ an hour
Source: Bestimate: tutoring costs in Dubai, 2026IB and JC tuition: full-time tutors
S$60-90 an hour
Source: SmartWealth: average tuition rates in Singapore, 2026IB and JC tuition: ex or current MOE teachers
S$90-150 an hour
Source: SmartWealth: average tuition rates in Singapore, 2026EagleTeach, one-to-one online
From $12 a class
Billed in USD, converted at an approximate rate. Two free demo classes first.
Common questions
How is IB Chemistry structured now?＋
Around two themes, structure and reactivity, first examined in May 2025. Paper 1 has a multiple-choice part (1A) and a data-based part (1B); Paper 2 has structured and extended questions; the IA is a scientific investigation.
How much is the IB Chemistry IA worth?＋
20% of the final grade at both SL and HL.
Is HL Chemistry needed for medicine?＋
Most medical schools ask for HL Chemistry, often with HL Biology. Check each university's requirements.
What is Paper 1B?＋
Data-based questions about experimental work, sat in the same sitting as the multiple-choice Paper 1A. It is marked out of 25 at SL and 35 at HL.
Can you help with organic chemistry?＋
Yes. We teach mechanisms as patterns of electron movement, which makes unfamiliar reactions much easier.
How early should IB Chemistry tutoring start?＋
Early DP1 is ideal for students who found IGCSE or MYP chemistry hard; otherwise the run-up to DP2 mocks is common.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 2026-10-02.
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