What Is the IB MYP? A Plain-English Guide for Students & Parents
The IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a curriculum framework for students aged roughly 11 to 16. Instead of memorising facts for one big exam, MYP students are assessed on a set of skills — described by four criteria in every subject — and on how well they can apply what they know to unfamiliar situations. Here is what that means in practice.
Who the MYP is for
The MYP spans five years (MYP 1–5), typically ages 11–16, bridging the IB Primary Years Programme and the IB Diploma. It is designed to develop “learning how to learn” — the approaches to learning (ATL) skills of communication, research, self-management, thinking and collaboration.
The eight subject groups
Every MYP student studies across eight subject groups:
- •Language and literature
- •Language acquisition
- •Individuals and societies (humanities: history, geography, economics, civics)
- •Sciences (biology, chemistry, physics)
- •Mathematics
- •Arts
- •Physical and health education
- •Design
How the MYP is assessed
Each subject has four assessment criteria (labelled A, B, C and D), and each is marked out of 8 against published level descriptors. Teachers judge work against these descriptors throughout the year rather than awarding a single percentage. The four criterion levels are then combined and mapped through grade boundaries to a final grade from 1 (lowest) to 7 (highest).
Concepts and global contexts sit at the heart of the MYP: students explore big ideas (like systems, change or relationships) through real-world lenses (like globalization and sustainability, or identities and relationships).
MYP vs GCSE / national curricula
Unlike many national systems, the MYP is a framework, not a fixed content list — schools choose engaging content that meets local requirements. Assessment is criterion-referenced and skills-focused, and for Year 5 students the IB offers optional on-screen eAssessments and ePortfolios that lead to the IB MYP Certificate.
Frequently asked questions
The MYP is designed for students aged 11 to 16, across five years (MYP 1–5).
Each subject is assessed against four criteria (A–D), each out of 8. The combined criterion levels map to a final grade from 1 to 7.
It is different rather than harder — the MYP emphasises skills, concepts and applying knowledge to new situations, assessed continuously against criteria rather than in one terminal exam.