G1Candidate registration
Candidate registration is an application by a candidate to take Diploma Programme examinations. The registration process is conducted using the IB information system (IBIS), a secure web-based service for coordinators. No other method is available to register candidates. Candidates cannot register themselves for an examination session. It is undertaken by coordinators on their behalf.
G1.1The school’s main session
During the authorization process all schools intending to offer the Diploma Programme must state whether May or November will be their main examination session. This limits the opportunities for candidate registration in the session that is not the main session of the school. A school that has May as its main examination session cannot enter anticipated, diploma or certificate candidates in the November session. Similarly, a school that has November as its main examination session cannot enter anticipated, diploma or certificate candidates in the May session. However, there are exceptions to this restriction on registering candidates.
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The anticipated category must be used in the session that is not the school’s main session when registering diploma candidates for a subject that is neither automatically available nor a special request subject for the school’s main session. This includes registering candidates for a language ab initio subject if the subject is not available for the school’s main session.
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A school may register certificate candidates in the session that is not the school’s main session for a subject that is neither automatically available nor a special request subject for the school’s main session.
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A school may register certificate candidates in the session that is not the school’s main session in order for candidates to retake one or more subjects after six months. The certificate (C) registration category is used for this purpose, not the retake (R) category. The candidate must have taken the same subject in a previous examination session.
G1.2The personal code
The IB has introduced a “personal code” (for example, kly768) for all candidates who are registered for the Middle Years Programme or Diploma Programme assessment. This personal code does not change and enables coordinators and the IB to track a candidate’s academic record. When registering a candidate for a Diploma Programme examination session, it is essential to use a candidate’s personal code if he or she has previously been registered for the Middle Years Programme and/or the Diploma Programme. If a link with a previous examination session is not established, the candidate’s academic record will not be available. If this happens, results from a previous session will not be carried over and the candidate will be issued with a second personal code. This situation must be avoided.
G1.3The session number
In addition to a personal code, each candidate has a “session number” (for example, 000018–056). As the term implies, this number is unique to the candidate for a particular examination session only. Furthermore, after registering candidates a coordinator can re-order his or her entry of candidates using IBIS, which will automatically change the session number of most or all candidates. This re-ordering can only be done up to the final registration deadline of 15 January/15 July. After this date the session numbers cannot be changed.
It is the session number and not the personal code that must be used to identify candidates in correspondence with the IB, on examination stationery and on forms from this handbook. If the personal code is used mistakenly, IB Cardiff can convert the code to the candidate’s session number. However, this is not possible for examiners, so the session number must be used on all material sent to examiners.