IB subject statistics
IB Italian ab initio grade distribution and average grade, May 2026
By Michael Thompson - Head of Teaching Excellence; 15 years as an IB Coordinator
Short answer: In May 2026, IB Italian ab initio students averaged 4.9 at SL (580 students). 10.0% scored a 7, and the most common grade was 5.
This page summarises how IB Italian ab initio was graded in the May 2026 session. The figures come from the IB's official statistical bulletin for that session. They are provisional, and a final version will follow later in the year.
The bulletin reports 580 candidates at Standard Level (SL) and a mean grade of 4.9. Below we look at the grade distribution, the missing Higher Level (HL) comparison and the small shift since May 2025.
Key figures
| Level | Students | Mean grade | Share of 7s | vs May 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SL | 580 | 4.9 | 10.0% | -0.1 |
Grade distribution, May 2026
| Grade | Standard Level |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.0% |
| 2 | 1.2% |
| 3 | 15.7% |
| 4 | 17.1% |
| 5 | 29.8% |
| 6 | 25.0% |
| 7 | 10.0% |
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What the grade distribution shows
The shares below are percentages of all candidates. Grade 5 was the most common result at 29.8%, followed by grade 6 at 25%, grade 4 at 17.1% and grade 3 at 15.7%. Grade 7 went to 10%. Grade 2 was 1.2% and grade 1 was 0%. Grades 5 and 6 together cover more than half of all candidates, so the typical result sits in the upper middle of the scale. The mean of 4.9 matches this picture: a solid centre, a visible top end and a sizeable group at grade 3.
HL vs SL
There is no HL comparison for Italian ab initio. The bulletin data lists only an SL row, which fits the fact that ab initio language courses are designed as SL-only. All 580 candidates in this session are therefore SL candidates, and the grade distribution above describes that single group.
Change since May 2025
In May 2025 the SL mean grade was 5. In May 2026 it is 4.9, so the average is slightly lower. A shift this small may simply reflect normal variation between cohorts, and the data alone cannot tell us why it happened. In practice, the subject looks stable between the two May sessions. Note that the session just before May 2026 was November, so May 2025 is the right like-for-like comparison.
What this means for choosing and preparing
For students starting Italian from scratch, these figures suggest that a grade 5 or 6 is a realistic target, and that a grade 7 is achievable for a tenth of candidates. Candidates who sit ab initio are often new to the language, which may help explain the spread, though the bulletin does not say so. Steady practice across listening, reading, writing and speaking matters most. Regular vocabulary review and timed written work are sensible habits from the first term. For context only, the whole-session mean diploma total was 30.9 points, a figure that says nothing specific about Italian ab initio.
Key takeaways
- In May 2026, 580 candidates took Italian ab initio at SL, with a mean grade of 4.9.
- Grade 5 was the most common result at 29.8%, and grade 6 followed at 25%.
- 10% of candidates reached a grade 7.
- The SL mean was 5 in May 2025, so the average is slightly lower in May 2026.
- The figures are provisional, and no HL data is reported for this subject.
Frequently asked questions
- What was the mean grade in IB Italian ab initio in May 2026?
- The mean grade was 4.9 for the 580 SL candidates, according to the IB's provisional bulletin for May 2026. In May 2025 the mean was 5.
- Is there an HL version of Italian ab initio?
- No. The bulletin data contains only an SL row for Italian ab initio, in line with ab initio languages being SL-only courses. So no HL comparison is possible.
- How many candidates got a grade 7?
- 10% of candidates received a grade 7 in May 2026. Grade 6 was awarded to 25% and grade 5 to 29.8%, so most of the strong results sit just below the top grade.
Other subjects
More IB statistics
- IB results May 2026: points, pass rate and score distribution
- What is a good IB score? Percentiles from May 2026
- How hard is a 7 in the IB? Share of 7s by subject, May 2026
- How rare are 40+ IB points? May 2026 share and trend
- IB diploma pass rate explained: May 2026 results and trends
- How IB grade boundaries work: who sets them and why they move
- Average IB score over time: May and November sessions
- IB results May 2025: average score, pass rate and statistics