The Extended Essay

Welcome to the Extended Essay

The Extended Essay is a compulsory requirement for all IB Diploma students.

To be awarded the IB Diploma you must achieve a grade of D or higher in your Extended Essay.

The Extended Essay is externally assessed by IB examiners. Together with Theory of Knowledge, it contributes up to three core points towards your overall Diploma score.

Completing the Extended Essay usually involves about forty hours of research, planning, writing and reflection. You will produce a formal academic essay of no more than four thousand words, along with a single reflective statement of no more than five hundred words.