✦ Reference · IB Diploma to German Abiturnote

IB to Abitur Grade Conversion — The Official KMK Table and Formula

Germany converts an IB Diploma into an Abiturnote with one published formula: N = 1 + 3 × (42 − P) ÷ 18, capped at 1.0 from 42 points and truncated rather than rounded. This page carries the whole table from 24 to 45 points, the KMK recognition requirements behind it, and the reason no German university publishes an IB cut-off.

★★★★★4.9Rundil Tutoring · from 756 client reviews since 2019Germany — Rundil IB and Abitur tutoring available nationwide
IB Diploma student with a notebook checking the conversion of IB points into a German Abitur grade
Sourced from the KMK
42 points = 1.0
The cap. 43, 44 and 45 convert identically.
24 points = 4.0
The minimum Germany recognises.
The rule most people miss
1.8 not 1.9
37 points → 1.8333, truncated not rounded
What this page gives you: The full 24–45 conversion table The KMK recognition requirements Why there is no published IB cut-offThe SL maths trap, explained
The direct answer

IB to Abitur conversion, in short

In short

The German conversion formula is N = 1 + 3 × (42 − P) ÷ 18, where P is the IB total and N the German Abiturnote. Forty-two points and above all convert to 1.0; twenty-four points — the minimum the KMK recognises — converts to 4.0. The result is expressed to one decimal place and truncated, not rounded: 37 points gives 1.8333, which is published as 1.8, never 1.9. That truncation is the single most common error in the conversion tables circulating online.

Recognition is not automatic on points alone. The KMK agreement requires six examination subjects with three at Higher Level, two languages, a science, a social science and mathematics, twelve consecutive school years, and a grade of at least 4 in every subject — with a single 3 compensable by a 5 or better elsewhere at the same or higher level. And no German university publishes an IB point threshold. Universities convert your points to a grade, rank applicants by that grade and admit downwards; the grade of the last student admitted becomes that semester's Numerus Clausus. It is a result, not a requirement.

N = 1 + 3 × (42 − P) ÷ 1842+ points → 1.024 points → 4.0Truncated, not roundedThree subjects at HLNo published cut-offsSL maths can restrict entry
Official source
The formula, in full
N = 1 + 3(42−P)/18
Published by the Kultusministerkonferenz in its agreement on recognition of the International Baccalaureate Diploma, with the upper reference value at 42 points and the lower at 24. The DAAD publishes the same formula and the same worked example.
P is the IB total excluding the three bonus points
Anything from 42 to 45 converts to 1.0
Decimals are dropped, never rounded up
45, 44, 43, 42 points1.0
38 points1.6
37 points1.8
30 points3.0
24 points4.0
Every two IB points is worth roughly 0.33 of a German grade — the scale is a straight line between the two reference values.
The bonus points
Excluded from P
The three points from the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge sit outside the conversion's upper reference value of 42.
Minimum recognised
24 points
with at least grade 4 in all six subjects
Higher Level
Three subjects
One of them a language, mathematics or a science.
Schooling required
12 consecutive years
Full-time, at school. A shorter route is assessed separately.
The subject rule that costs more than points do
Two languagesOne scienceOne social scienceMathematics3 × Higher LevelGrade 4 in all sixOne 3 compensable
Why we published this

The most-searched conversion in German admissions, and nobody had put it on a web page

Every year a few thousand IB students in Germany need to know what their predicted score is worth as an Abiturnote — for a university application, for a school transfer, or just to know where they stand. The answer is public, official and unambiguous. It is also, until now, almost impossible to read: the sources are PDFs, document-sharing uploads and one partial calculator, and the readable versions frequently get the rounding wrong. So we wrote it out properly. There is nothing to buy on this page.

EnglishDeutsch
IB Diploma students checking how their points convert into a German Abitur grade

Because the source is a PDF

The KMK publishes this in a PDF. So do the DAAD, several German international schools and a handful of counselling offices. The result is that the most-cited public versions of this table sit behind document scans and paywalled uploads, and the ones that are readable are frequently wrong about the rounding. A crawlable HTML page with the formula, the full range and the source is simply missing.

Because the rounding is wrong almost everywhere

The conversion truncates. 38 points is 1.6667, which is published as 1.6 — not 1.7. Most of the tables circulating online round, which shifts roughly half of all scores by a tenth of a grade in the student's favour and produces a number no admissions office will recognise. The DAAD's own worked example, 37 points to 1.8, settles it.

Because the subject combination matters more than the total

A student can hit 38 points and still be restricted to subject-bound university entrance in Germany because of how they took mathematics. That is a decision made in Year 11 that shows up in Year 13, and it is barely mentioned on any page ranking for this question.

Because the alternative is invented numbers

The most visible competitor page in this market publishes IB point thresholds for five named German universities. We checked all five against their own admissions pages, the DAAD, uni-assist and the KMK agreement. No German university publishes an IB threshold. Those numbers are not approximate — they are fabricated.

The people who teach

The tutors who work across both systems

This is a reference page rather than a sales page, but the question it answers usually arrives with another one attached: whether the score can still be moved. It generally can. Rundil tutors live and teach in Germany and work across both the IB Diploma and the German Abitur, at home in their own region and online anywhere, at exactly the same rate.

Dr Anna Weber, IB and MYP tutor for maths, biology and chemistry in Berlin — Rundil Tutoring Germany

Dr Anna Weber

IB & MYP Tutor — Maths, Biology & Chemistry · Berlin

PhD Molecular Biology · MEd Education · at-home in Berlin, online across Germany

Dr Anna Weber is an experienced international-school tutor specialising in the IB Diploma Programme and Middle Years Programme. She holds a PhD in Molecular Biology and a Master's degree in Education, combining strong subject expertise with a clear understanding of how students learn. Anna supports MYP students with developing solid foundations in mathematics and science, as well as IB Diploma students preparing for internal assessments, examinations and extended written work. Her lessons are carefully structured around the student's syllabus, current challenges and academic goals. She is particularly skilled at breaking down complex concepts, improving scientific writing and helping students apply their knowledge to unfamiliar exam questions. Anna's calm and encouraging approach helps students become more confident, organised and independent. Available for at-home tutoring in Berlin and online lessons throughout Germany.

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James Bennett, IGCSE and A-Level maths and physics tutor in Munich — Rundil Tutoring Germany

James Bennett

IGCSE & A-Level Tutor — Maths & Physics · Munich

MSc Mechanical Engineering · at-home in Munich, online across Germany

James Bennett is a degree-qualified Mathematics and Physics tutor with extensive experience supporting students following IGCSE and A-Level programmes. He holds a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering and has worked with students from a range of international schools. James helps students strengthen their conceptual understanding while developing the accuracy, speed and problem-solving skills required in examinations. His lessons regularly incorporate past-paper questions, targeted revision and practical strategies for managing multi-step calculations. He is especially effective with students who understand classroom explanations but struggle to apply their knowledge independently under exam conditions. James provides clear, methodical guidance and gradually builds each student's ability to solve challenging problems with confidence. Available for at-home tutoring in Munich and online lessons throughout Germany.

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Katharina Hoffmann, Abitur tutor for German, English and History in Hamburg — Rundil Tutoring Germany

Katharina Hoffmann

Abitur Tutor — German, English & History · Hamburg

MEd German & English · Gymnasium Oberstufe experience · at-home in Hamburg, online across Germany

Katharina Hoffmann specialises in preparing students for the German Abitur, with particular expertise in German, English and History. She holds a Master of Education in German and English and has several years of experience supporting Gymnasium students through the Oberstufe. Katharina helps students improve literary analysis, essay structure, source evaluation and written argumentation. She also supports oral examination preparation, presentation skills and the development of effective revision plans. Her teaching is precise, supportive and closely aligned with the requirements of the relevant Bundesland. Katharina is particularly good at helping students organise their ideas, write more analytically and understand what examiners expect from high-level responses. Available for at-home tutoring in Hamburg and online lessons throughout Germany.

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Daniel Okafor, IB, IGCSE and A-Level business and economics tutor in Cologne — Rundil Tutoring Germany

Daniel Okafor

Business & Economics Tutor — IB, IGCSE & A-Level · Cologne

MSc International Economics · BA Business Administration · at-home in Cologne, online across Germany

Daniel Okafor is an experienced Business and Economics tutor with a Master's degree in International Economics and a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He supports students following IB Diploma, IGCSE and A-Level programmes. Daniel helps students connect economic and business theory with relevant real-world examples. His lessons cover data analysis, diagrams, calculations, case-study interpretation and the construction of well-supported extended responses. He is particularly experienced in helping students move beyond memorising definitions and begin applying concepts effectively to examination questions. For IB students, Daniel can also provide structured guidance with Internal Assessments and Extended Essays while encouraging independent research and analysis. His engaging and practical teaching style helps students develop stronger evaluation skills, clearer written arguments and greater confidence in examinations. Available for at-home tutoring in Cologne and online lessons throughout Germany.

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Anna, James, Katharina and Daniel are four of the tutors teaching for us in Germany — shown so you can see the standard, not so you can pick from a shortlist. You are not choosing from these four. Every tutor is individually interviewed, background-checked and assigned only to the curricula they actually teach, and we are one of very few providers in this market covering the IB Diploma and the German Abitur with the same team. Tell us the school, the programme and the year group, and we assign the specialist — typically within 48 to 72 hours.

The Rundil difference

Every session is refundable. Every single one.

Points are easier to add early, but nobody should have to gamble on whether a tutor is any good in order to find that out. So the risk stays with us: if a session falls short on any given Tuesday in March, the student asks and it is refunded in full — no conditions, no approval, no awkward conversation, and no trial window designed to expire before you notice.

95%
of students who joined us before September achieved their target grades by May — in Germany and Switzerland alike. Two IB points is a third of a German grade, and that is where most of them came from.
No conditions, no trial-only window
The guarantee covers every session all year, not a Probestunde designed to expire.
Reassignment without friction
Wrong fit? We assign a different specialist. You never have to tell the tutor yourself.
Free cancellation until 17:00
Cancel or move any session until 17:00 the day before, at no charge whatsoever.
Every session

What happens in every Rundil session

The 1.5-hour structure is the same whether your child is chasing two points in IB Chemistry HL or repairing a Mathematik Leistungskurs Halbjahr — diagnose the gap, teach it properly, then prove it under exam conditions. Ninety real minutes, not two 45-minute Unterrichtsstunden.

Tutor working through the IB to Abitur grade conversion with a Diploma student in Germany

Diagnose

  • Find the real gap, not the reported one
  • Check it against the Lehrplan or syllabus, not a guess
  • Read the returned papers, predicted grades and teacher feedback
  • Agree what this session must fix

Teach

  • Rebuild the concept from where it broke
  • Use the Operatoren or command terms the examiner uses
  • Work in the student's stronger language
  • Leave notes the student can actually reuse

Prove it

  • Past-paper questions at exam level
  • Marked to the real Erwartungshorizont or mark scheme
  • Timed, so speed stops being the enemy
  • Student solves one unaided before the end
The full conversion

IB points to Abiturnote — every score from 24 to 45

The complete table, generated from the KMK formula with truncation applied as the agreement specifies. Nothing here is estimated or interpolated: these are the grades a German admissions office will calculate from an IB Diploma.

IB pointsConverted German gradeWhat that means in practice
451.0The maximum score the Diploma awards. Converts to the top of the German scale.
441.0Still 1.0 — the conversion caps at 42, so points 43 to 45 buy prestige, not grade.
431.0Still 1.0. Above 42 the German scale has nowhere left to go.
421.0The exact point at which the conversion reaches 1.0. Competitive for any Numerus Clausus subject.
411.1One point below the cap and already 0.1 of a grade behind it.
401.3Comfortably inside the range that clears most restricted programmes.
391.5Strong. Sits above the median converted grade of German Abitur cohorts.
381.6Strong. Borderline for the most heavily oversubscribed subjects.
371.8The worked example the DAAD itself publishes: 37 points converts to 1.8.
362.0Solid. Opens most unrestricted programmes outright.
352.1Workable. Restricted subjects start to become a real competition.
342.3Mid-range. Programme choice begins to narrow at the larger universities.
332.5Below the line for popular NC subjects at the most oversubscribed faculties.
322.6Entry is secure; the competitive faculties are not.
312.8Qualifies for entry; choice of programme narrows considerably.
303.0Qualifies for entry. Roughly the middle of the German grading scale.
293.1Entry secured, competitive programmes largely out of reach.
283.3Entry secured. Unrestricted programmes and smaller universities are the realistic route.
273.5Approaching the floor of the conversion.
263.6Close to the floor.
253.8One point above the minimum the KMK will recognise at all.
244.0The minimum Diploma pass, and the minimum Germany accepts.
Two points is a third of a grade. The conversion runs on a straight line from 24 points (4.0) to 42 points (1.0) under the KMK formula N = 1 + 3 × (42 − P) ÷ 18, so every two IB points is worth almost exactly 0.33 of a German grade. The decimal is truncated, not rounded — 37 points gives 1.8333, which is published as 1.8, never 1.9. At competitive levels that single decimal place is the difference between a 2.0 and a 1.8, which is precisely the margin most of our Diploma students are working on.
Worked example, from the DAAD's own guidance. A candidate scores 37 points. N = 1 + 3 × (42 − 37) ÷ 18 = 1 + 15 ÷ 18 = 1.8333. The German grade is expressed to one decimal place, and the remaining decimals are dropped rather than rounded — so the Abiturnote is 1.8. Applying ordinary rounding would give 1.9, which is why so many of the tables circulating online disagree with each other by a tenth of a grade across roughly half their rows.
Recognition, not just conversion

What the KMK actually requires of an IB Diploma

The conversion only applies if the Diploma is recognised in the first place. These are the conditions in the KMK agreement on recognition of the International Baccalaureate Diploma, in its current version of 15 June 2023.

RequirementWhat the agreement specifiesWhere students come unstuck
Six examination subjectsThe core ruleSix independent examination subjects taken continuously, of which at least three at Higher Level and the remainder at Standard Level.Dropping to five subjects, or taking only two at Higher Level, ends recognition regardless of the total score.
Grades in each subjectA grade of at least 4 in all six subjects. A single 3 may be compensated by a 5 or better in another subject at the same or a higher level, provided the total still reaches 24 points.One collapsed subject is survivable; two are not, however strong the rest of the Diploma is.
Two languagesTwo languages at Level A or B, of which at least one must be a continued foreign language taken as Language A or Language B at Higher Level.An ab initio language does not satisfy the continued-foreign-language requirement.
Science, social science, mathematicsOne natural science from biology, chemistry or physics; one social science from history, geography, economics, psychology, philosophy, social anthropology, business management or global politics; and mathematics — either Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretation.Substituting an arts subject for the science, or dropping mathematics, breaks recognition outright.
Higher Level compositionAmong the three Higher Level subjects there must be either a language, mathematics or a natural science.Three Higher Level humanities is a legitimate Diploma and an unrecognised one in Germany.
Length of schoolingAt least twelve consecutive school years of full-time education.Accelerated routes and some national systems fall short and are assessed individually.
The mathematics decision is the expensive one. Under the KMK agreement, candidates presenting mathematics only at Standard Level — either Analysis and Approaches SL or Applications and Interpretation SL — may be granted only fachgebundene university access, restricted to subjects outside the mathematical, scientific and technical fields, unless they graduate from a school listed in the agreement's own annexes. In plain terms: taking mathematics at Standard Level can close every STEM degree in Germany, and the decision is made two years before anyone notices. If your child is choosing subjects now and Germany is a possibility, check the school's listing before the choice is locked.
Simple from the start

How tutoring works with Rundil

If you do want a tutor after all this: three steps from enquiry to one at your kitchen table — or on screen — usually inside 48 to 72 hours.

1

Book online

Tell us the programme — IB Diploma or Abitur — the subject, the year group and your preferred rhythm on the booking form. It takes about two minutes, and there is no registration fee.

2

We assign your tutor

We assign a degree-qualified specialist for that exact syllabus — typically within 48–72 hours — and confirm the name and schedule by WhatsApp.

3

Diagnose, then progress

Session one finds the real gap. From there it is teach, practise, prove — with every session refundable if it falls short.

Who this table is for

Four people who arrive at this page

And what the honest answer is for each of them.

A Year 13 student with a predicted score

You want to know where you stand. Find your predicted total in the table, remember that the three bonus points are excluded from the conversion, and treat the result as the number an admissions office will calculate — not as a pass or a fail against any published bar, because there is not one.

A parent comparing the IB with the Abitur

The conversion is the honest comparison point, and it is fairly generous at the top: 42 points and a perfect 900-point Abitur both land on 1.0. Below that, every two IB points is roughly a third of a German grade, which is a steeper gradient than most families expect.

A Year 11 student choosing subjects

You are the one this page can genuinely help. Three Higher Level subjects including a language, mathematics or a science; two languages; a science; a social science; and mathematics — and the Standard Level mathematics decision can restrict you out of every German STEM degree.

A school counsellor or admissions office

Everything here is generated from the KMK formula with truncation applied as specified, and the recognition conditions are drawn from the agreement in its current 2023 version. If you spot something that has moved, tell us and we will correct it.

Transparent pricing

If you do want a tutor: prices in full

Three tiers, published in full, identical at home and online, quoted per 60 minutes. The tier depends on the tutor's qualification and the academic level — IB Higher Level and Abitur Leistungskurs work sits at the top tier.

TierBest forRate per 60 min
Conversational LanguagesPractical spoken language for everyday use€58/h
Experienced TutorsIB Standard Level, MYP, IGCSE, Abitur Grundkurs, maths & sciences€68/h
Most Accomplished TutorsIB Higher Level, Abitur Leistungskurs and final-year point-chasing€83/h
What you actually pay1.5-hour sessionFour sessions a month
Conversational Languages · €58/h€87.00€348
Experienced Tutors · €68/h€102.00€408
Most Accomplished · €83/h€124.50€498
No VAT is added in Germany. Tutoring is VAT-exempt in Germany, so the rate above is the rate on your invoice — nothing is added at checkout. Many families mix tiers across subjects — Most Accomplished for IB Chemistry HL, Experienced for Mathematik. See the full tutoring prices in Germany breakdown.
Recommended

Tutoring Plan

For families with a settled weekly rhythm who want predictable billing.

  • BilledMonthly in advance
  • Admin feeNone
  • Charged forScheduled sessions
  • Stop anytimeYes
Flexible

Flexi

For families whose weeks vary and who want to pay only for hours completed.

  • BilledEnd of month
  • Admin fee12%
  • Charged forHours actually taken
  • Stop anytimeYes
The question behind the question

What the conversion does not tell you

Almost everyone arriving at this table is really asking a different question: whether their score is good enough. That question has an answer, and it is not a number.

Why there is no published cut-off

German universities do not set an IB threshold. For oversubscribed subjects they rank every applicant by converted grade average and admit downwards until the places are gone — the grade of the last student admitted becomes that semester's Numerus Clausus. It is a result, not a requirement, and it moves every single intake. The universities that publish previous years' figures attach an explicit warning against using them to predict anything.

Applicants holding a foreign-acquired qualification are handled separately again — the Abiturbestenquote is split into sixteen Land quotas, and holders of a foreign qualification are allocated to one of them by lot. So the honest answer to "what score do I need" is: the highest one your child can reasonably reach, because the bar is set by whoever else applies that year.

What we can tell you is where the leverage sits. Two points is a third of a grade, and points are far easier to add in Year 12 than in the last eight weeks of Year 13 — which is why we push families to start the Diploma years with support rather than rescue them at the end of it.

The invented thresholds

The most visible international-tutoring page in this market publishes IB point requirements for five named German universities — figures in the high thirties, labelled "approximate" and cited to nothing. We checked every one of them against the universities' own admissions pages, the DAAD, uni-assist and the KMK agreement.

No German university publishes an IB point threshold. The Technical University of Munich's own guidance for IB applicants states the schooling and curricular requirements and a German-language condition, and gives no minimum total. The Ludwig Maximilian University's published statement is one sentence long and contains no score at all. The numbers in circulation are not conservative estimates. They are fabricated, and in the German market publishing them is an Irreführung exposure as well as simply being wrong.

If a page quotes you a number for a specific German university, ask it for the source. There is not one.

What actually decides an application. Your converted grade, the subject combination you presented, whether your German is strong enough for a German-taught programme, and — for the restricted subjects — how many other people applied that semester. Applicants holding a foreign-acquired qualification are allocated to one of the sixteen Land quotas for the Abiturbestenquote by lot, and many route through uni-assist. None of that is predictable from a points total, which is precisely why nobody publishes one.
The other side of the conversion

How the Abitur itself is scored

The number an IB score converts into is a real German grade with its own arithmetic behind it. This is what a 1.8 actually represents when a German student earns it directly — useful context for anyone comparing the two routes, or holding one of each in the same household.

ComponentMaximumMinimumWhat it is
Block I — QualifikationsphaseTwo thirds600 points200 pointsCoursework results from the two-year Qualifikationsphase, at least 36 Halbjahresergebnisse counted. No more than 20% may fall below 5 points on the 0–15 scale, and none may be 0.
Block II — Abiturprüfung300 points100 pointsThe four final examinations — normally two written Leistungskurse, one written Grundkurs and one oral subject.
Gesamtqualifikation900 points300 pointsThe two blocks combined, then converted to the Abiturnote on a fixed scale: 823 points and above is 1.0, and every 18 points below that is another 0.1 down to 4.0 at 300.
Gesamtqualifikation (points)AbiturnoteWhat that means in practice
823–9001.0The maximum grade the Abitur awards. Needs near-perfect coursework across both blocks.
805–8221.1
787–8041.2
769–7861.3
751–7681.4
733–7501.5Comfortably competitive for the great majority of restricted degree programmes.
715–7321.6
697–7141.7
679–6961.8
661–6781.9
643–6602.0A strong Abitur. Opens most unrestricted programmes outright.
625–6422.1
607–6242.2
589–6062.3
571–5882.4
553–5702.5Solid. Restricted subjects at the larger universities become a real competition.
535–5522.6
517–5342.7
499–5162.8
481–4982.9
463–4803.0The middle of the scale. Programme choice narrows, entitlement does not.
445–4623.1
427–4443.2
409–4263.3
391–4083.4
373–3903.5Entry secured; the oversubscribed faculties are largely out of reach.
355–3723.6
337–3543.7
319–3363.8
301–3183.9
3004.0The minimum pass — 300 points, with at least 200 in Block I and 100 in Block II.
Two systems, one scale, different shapes. An IB Diploma is examined externally in a single May session, with 20% or so of most subjects sitting in internal assessment. A German Abitur banks two thirds of its total in coursework across two years and examines the rest in four papers. They converge on the same 1.0-to-4.0 scale, which is what makes the KMK conversion possible — but a student moving between them is changing not just syllabus but the entire distribution of when the grade is earned.
Guarantee & flexibility

Refundable, reassignable & never locked in

Two promises, written down rather than implied — because the two things families fear most when a Diploma year is already under way are wasting money and being stuck in an agreement that outlasts the examination.

The satisfaction guarantee

A full refund is available after any session if the student requests it. There are no conditions and no asterisks, and it is not limited to the first lesson — satisfaction is guaranteed on every session, in Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands, across every curriculum. If the tutor is not the right fit going forward, we reassign at no cost and with no friction.

The refund is requested in one message — by WhatsApp, by email, or through your account. Nobody is asked to justify it, sit through a retention call, or have an awkward conversation with the tutor; we handle that end. We would rather refund an hour that did not land than have a student sit through five more like it.

Cancellation & commitment, stated plainly

  • Free cancellation until17:00 the day before
  • Late cancellation & reschedulingNo charge before cut-off
  • Minimum contract periodNone
  • Registration feeNone
  • Notice periodNone
  • On Flexi you pay forHours completed only
Loved across Germany

Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 756 verified client reviews

Every review below is a real Rundil Tutoring client, from both the IB and the Abitur side. The full profile, with anything less than five stars, is public on Review Atlas.

★★★★★4.9756 verified reviews · Rundil Tutoring since 2019See the profile →
Students receiving private tutoring from Rundil in Germany
★★★★★

"We are extremely happy with Rundil Tutoring. The tutor quickly understood where our daughter was struggling and explained difficult mathematical concepts clearly and patiently. Her confidence has improved considerably, and she now approaches tests with a much more positive attitude."

A
Anna K.
Munich · At-home Abitur Mathematics
★★★★★

"Our son needed specialised support with IB Physics, and his tutor has been excellent. The lessons are well structured, closely connected to the syllabus and include plenty of exam-style practice. We have already noticed a clear improvement in both his understanding and his grades."

M
Michael S.
Berlin · Online IB Physics
★★★★★

"The tutor is knowledgeable, encouraging and very familiar with the IGCSE curriculum. Complex Chemistry topics are explained in a way our daughter can understand, and each lesson is adapted to what she needs most. She now feels much better prepared for her examinations."

J
Julia M.
Frankfurt · Online IGCSE Chemistry
★★★★★

"Rundil assigned a wonderful English tutor for our son. The tutor has helped him improve his grammar, writing and confidence when speaking. The sessions are engaging and productive, and communication with our family has always been reliable and professional."

T
Thomas R.
Hamburg · At-home English
★★★★★

"Our daughter's tutor has been a great support throughout her A-Level Biology preparation. The lessons combine clear explanations, revision planning and past-paper questions. She has become much more organised and now understands how to structure stronger examination answers."

S
Sophie L.
Düsseldorf · Online A-Level Biology
★★★★★

"We contacted Rundil because our son needed help with German as well as better study habits. His tutor has been patient, dependable and very supportive. He is now more organised, completes his schoolwork more independently and feels much more confident in class."

D
Daniel B.
Cologne · Online German & study support
Good to know

IB to Abitur conversion: your questions answered

What is the IB to Abitur conversion formula?
The formula published by the Kultusministerkonferenz is N = 1 + 3 × (Pmax − P) ÷ (Pmax − Pmin), where P is the IB total, Pmax is 42 and Pmin is 24. Substituting those values gives N = 1 + 3 × (42 − P) ÷ 18. Everything from 42 to 45 points converts to 1.0; 24 points converts to 4.0. The result is expressed to one decimal place and the remaining decimals are dropped, not rounded.
What is 45 IB points in the Abitur?
1.0 — and so are 44, 43 and 42. The conversion's upper reference value is 42 points, so everything at or above it converts to the top of the German scale. In practical terms the difference between 42 and 45 points is invisible to a German admissions office, although it may matter a great deal elsewhere.
Is 38 IB points a 1.6 or a 1.7 in German grades?
1.6. The calculation gives 1 + 3 × 4 ÷ 18 = 1.6667, and because the conversion truncates rather than rounds, the published grade is 1.6. Many tables online show 1.7 for 38 points; they have applied ordinary rounding, which the agreement does not permit. The DAAD settles this with its own worked example: 37 points, which calculates to 1.8333, is published as 1.8 and not 1.9.
Are the Extended Essay and TOK bonus points included?
No. The conversion uses the IB total without the additional points available from the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge — which is why the upper reference value is 42 rather than 45. Those three points matter for the Diploma award and for institutions elsewhere; they do not move the German grade.
What is the minimum IB score Germany accepts?
24 points, which is also the minimum for the Diploma itself, and it converts to exactly 4.0. But points alone are not enough: the KMK requires six examination subjects with three at Higher Level, at least grade 4 in each, two languages, a science, a social science and mathematics, and twelve consecutive years of schooling. A single grade 3 can be compensated by a 5 or better in another subject at the same or higher level, provided the total still reaches 24.
So what IB score is actually good enough for a German university?
There is no published answer, because no German university publishes an IB point threshold. Universities convert your points to a German grade, rank all applicants for a restricted subject by that grade, and admit downwards until the places run out. The grade of the last student admitted becomes that semester's Numerus Clausus — a result, not a requirement, recalculated every intake. Pages quoting specific figures for named German universities have invented them; we checked five such claims against the universities' own admissions pages, the DAAD, uni-assist and the KMK agreement, and none of the numbers has a source.
Does Standard Level mathematics affect university entry in Germany?
It can, severely. Under the KMK agreement, candidates presenting mathematics only at Standard Level — Analysis and Approaches SL or Applications and Interpretation SL — may be granted only fachgebundene access, restricted to subjects outside the mathematical, scientific and technical fields, unless they graduate from a school named in the agreement's annexes. In practice that can close every STEM degree in Germany, and the decision is made in Year 11. If Germany is a possibility, check your school's listing before subject choices are locked.
What is the difference between allgemeine and fachgebundene Hochschulreife?
Allgemeine Hochschulreife is general university entrance — it opens any subject at any German university, subject to the usual admission competition. Fachgebundene Hochschulreife is subject-bound: it entitles the holder to study only certain fields. For IB holders the distinction turns mainly on the mathematics and science requirements described above, and it is not something that can be repaired after results day.
Is the IB Diploma equivalent to the Abitur?
For university entrance purposes in Germany, a recognised IB Diploma is treated as equivalent — that is what the KMK agreement establishes, and it is why a conversion formula exists at all. They are not equivalent in shape. The Abitur banks two thirds of its 900-point Gesamtqualifikation in coursework across two years and examines the rest in four papers; the IB is externally examined in a single session with internal assessment inside each subject. Note also that among Germany's international schools, only the John F. Kennedy School in Berlin actually offers the German Abitur — the others describe the IB as recognised as equivalent, which is a different claim.
Who applies this conversion — the university or the applicant?
The receiving institution or the relevant recognition body applies it; the applicant does not submit a converted grade. What the applicant submits is the IB Diploma and transcript, frequently through uni-assist, and the conversion happens on the assessment side. That is worth knowing because it means an arithmetic disagreement about rounding is not yours to win — the formula and the truncation rule are what will be applied.
Does the conversion vary by Bundesland?
The conversion formula itself comes from a KMK agreement and is applied nationally, so the arithmetic does not change from state to state. What varies is around the edges: admission procedures, quota handling and the treatment of language evidence sit with the individual universities and Länder. Applicants with a foreign-acquired qualification are allocated to one of the sixteen Land quotas for the Abiturbestenquote by lot.
What does a converted 2.0 actually mean in Germany?
It means 36 IB points, and it corresponds to a German student earning between 733 and 750 points of the 900-point Gesamtqualifikation. It is a solid grade that opens most unrestricted programmes outright, and it is competitive for many restricted ones — but whether it clears a specific Numerus Clausus depends entirely on who else applied that semester.
How much is one IB point worth in German grade terms?
The scale is a straight line between the two reference values, so one IB point is worth one sixth of a German grade step — about 0.166 — and two points is almost exactly a third of a grade. At competitive levels that is the difference between a 2.0 and a 1.6, which is a much larger gap than two points sounds like. It is also why points added in Year 12 are worth more than heroics in the final eight weeks.
Where does this table come from?
The formula, the reference values and the recognition requirements come from the KMK's agreement on recognition of the International Baccalaureate Diploma, in its current version of 15 June 2023. The truncation rule and the worked example are confirmed by the DAAD's published guidance for IB applicants. The Abitur side comes from the KMK agreement on the design of the gymnasiale Oberstufe and the Abitur examination. We generated the table from the formula rather than copying an existing one, precisely because so many of the existing ones round.
Do you tutor students moving between the IB and the Abitur?
Yes, in both directions, and it is one of the few things we do that almost nobody else in this market covers — the German Nachhilfe institutes work in German on the Abitur only, and the English-language IB agencies do not touch the Abitur. Rundil tutors work across both, in English or German, from €68 an hour with no VAT added. See IB tutors in Germany or Abitur tutoring in Germany.
Can tutoring realistically move an IB total?
Two points is a third of a German grade, and two points across two subjects is an ordinary outcome of a year of properly targeted work — far more ordinary than two points in the last eight weeks. 95% of the students who joined us before September achieved their target grades by May, and the condition in that sentence is the whole point: the students who start early are not buying a different service, they are buying the version of it that works.

The IB to Abitur conversion, written out properly

Germany converts an International Baccalaureate Diploma into a German Abiturnote using a single published formula: N = 1 + 3 × (42 − P) ÷ 18. P is the IB total excluding the three bonus points from the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge; 42 is the upper reference value and 24 the lower. Everything from 42 to 45 points converts to 1.0. Twenty-four points converts to 4.0. The result is given to one decimal place, and the remaining decimals are dropped rather than rounded — so 37 points, which calculates to 1.8333, is an Abiturnote of 1.8 and never 1.9.

That last detail is why we built this page. The formula is not secret: it is published by the Kultusministerkonferenz and repeated by the DAAD, with the same worked example. But the sources are PDFs, the most-shared copies sit on document-sharing sites, and a large proportion of the readable versions apply ordinary rounding — which shifts roughly half of all scores by a tenth of a grade and produces a number no admissions office will recognise. A student comparing three tables online will find them disagreeing with each other and have no way to tell which is right.

Recognition comes before conversion

The conversion only matters if the Diploma is recognised, and recognition rests on the subject combination rather than the total. The KMK agreement, in its current version of 15 June 2023, requires six examination subjects taken continuously with three at Higher Level, at least grade 4 in every subject — one 3 compensable by a 5 or better at the same or a higher level — two languages of which at least one is a continued foreign language, one natural science, one social science, mathematics, and twelve consecutive years of full-time schooling. Among the three Higher Level subjects there must be a language, mathematics or a science. Three Higher Level humanities produces a perfectly good Diploma and an unrecognised one in Germany.

The most consequential detail sits in the mathematics rule. Candidates who present mathematics only at Standard Level may be limited to fachgebundene university access — entitlement restricted to subjects outside the mathematical, scientific and technical fields — unless they graduate from a school named in the agreement's annexes. A subject choice made in Year 11, for entirely reasonable reasons, can therefore close every German STEM degree in Year 13. It is the single most valuable thing on this page and it appears on almost no other.

Why nobody can tell you the score you need

The question behind almost every visit to a conversion table is whether the score is good enough. No German university publishes an IB point threshold, and the reason is structural rather than evasive. For oversubscribed subjects, universities rank every applicant by converted grade and admit downwards until the places are gone; the grade of the last student admitted becomes that semester's Numerus Clausus. It is an output of the application round, recalculated every intake, and the universities that publish previous years' figures attach explicit warnings against using them to predict anything. Applicants holding a foreign-acquired qualification are additionally allocated by lot to one of the sixteen Land quotas for the Abiturbestenquote.

This is worth stating plainly because the alternative is already in circulation. The most prominent international-tutoring page covering German admissions publishes point requirements for five named German universities. We checked all five against the institutions' own admissions pages, the DAAD, uni-assist and the KMK agreement. The numbers have no source. Publishing them is not a cautious approximation; it is an invention, and in Germany it is also a legal exposure.

What the conversion is actually good for

Planning. The scale is linear, so every two IB points is worth almost exactly a third of a German grade — at competitive levels, the distance between a 2.0 and a 1.6. Points are far easier to add across Year 12 than in the final eight weeks of Year 13, and the subject-combination rules have to be satisfied two years before anyone checks them. If you are reading this with a predicted score in front of you, the useful move is not to look up whether it is enough. It is to work out which two points are still available, and where.

Two points is a third of a grade. They are easier to find in Year 12.

Rundil tutors work across both systems — the IB Diploma and the German Abitur, in English or German — from €68/h with no VAT added, at home or online for the same price, assigned in 48–72 hours. Every session refundable, nothing to cancel.