Did Italian B grades change between May 2025 and May 2026?

Not on the mean. HL was 5.8 in both sessions and SL was 5.1 in both. Individual grades did shift: at HL grade 6 fell from 32.1% to 25.8% and grade 5 rose from 11.8% to 17.9%, while the share of 7s barely changed (38.2% and 38.4%).

Is a grade 7 more common at HL or SL in May 2026?

At HL: 38.4% of HL candidates received a grade 7, against 17% at SL. These are shares of each level, and the groups differ in size (302 at HL, 552 at SL).

Are these figures final?

No. They come from the IB's provisional bulletin for May 2026. A final version follows later in the year, so small differences are possible.

IB subject statistics

IB Italian B grade distribution and average grade, May 2026

By Michael Thompson - Head of Teaching Excellence; 15 years as an IB Coordinator

Published 5 October 2026Data: IB Diploma Programme provisional statistical bulletin, May 2026

Short answer: In May 2026, IB Italian B students averaged 5.8 at HL (302 students) and 5.1 at SL (552). 38.4% of HL and 17.0% of SL students scored a 7, and the most common grade was 7 at HL and 6 at SL.

This page summarises how candidates performed in IB Italian B 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 follows later in the year, so small adjustments are possible.

In May 2026 the bulletin reports 302 candidates at Higher Level (HL) and 552 at Standard Level (SL). Below we look at the mean grades, the grade distribution, the differences between the two levels and the comparison with May 2025.

Key figures

Level	Students	Mean grade	Share of 7s	vs May 2025
HL	302	5.8	38.4%	no change
SL	552	5.1	17.0%	no change

Grade distribution, May 2026

Grade distribution, May 2026
Grade	Higher Level	Standard Level
1	0.0%	0.0%
2	2.3%	0.7%
3	5.0%	13.9%
4	10.3%	18.8%
5	17.9%	22.8%
6	25.8%	25.0%
7	38.4%	17.0%

Grade 1-7, % of studentsHigher LevelStandard Level

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What the mean grade and distribution show

The mean grade is 5.8 at HL and 5.1 at SL, so the average candidate at both levels finishes in the upper part of the 1-7 scale. The distributions are percentages of all candidates, so each level adds up to just under the full total, because a small remainder received no grade. At HL, grade 7 is the most common result at 38.4%, followed by grade 6 at 25.8% and grade 5 at 17.9%. At SL, grade 6 is the most common at 25%, followed by grade 5 at 22.8%, grade 4 at 18.8% and grade 7 at 17%. Grade 1 does not appear at either level (0%).

HL compared with SL

The HL distribution is shifted towards the top. Grade 7 accounts for 38.4% of HL candidates against 17% at SL, and grades 6 and 7 together cover well over half of the HL group. The SL distribution is more spread out in the middle: 13.9% received a grade 3 and 18.8% a grade 4, compared with 5% and 10.3% at HL. Grade 2 is rare at both levels, at 2.3% for HL and 0.7% for SL. These are shares, not head counts, and SL has the larger cohort. The higher HL results may partly reflect who chooses the higher level, for example candidates with more experience of the language, but the bulletin does not tell us the reasons.

Change since May 2025

Both mean grades are unchanged from May 2025. HL stood at 5.8 then and stands at 5.8 now, and SL stood at 5.1 then and 5.1 now. On the mean, results were the same in the two May sessions. Beneath the unchanged means, some grades did move: at HL grade 6 fell from 32.1% to 25.8% and grade 5 rose from 11.8% to 17.9%, while the share of 7s barely changed (38.2% and 38.4%). With 302 HL candidates, shifts like these can come from the make-up of one year group. For context, the mean diploma total for the whole May 2026 session was 30.9 points including core points. That is a session-wide figure and says nothing about Italian B itself.

What this means for choice and preparation

If you are already confident in Italian, the HL results show that a top grade is achievable for a large share of candidates. Even so, HL asks for more, so choose it only if you are comfortable with the extra depth. At SL, results are more spread across grades 3 to 6, so steady work on the whole course matters. The 17% at grade 7 shows that the top grade is reachable at SL as well. In either case, regular practice in all the language skills and early feedback on written and spoken work are sensible foundations. Treat the mean grades as a guide to how the subject is typically scored, not as a prediction for your own result.

Key takeaways

May 2026 mean grades in Italian B: 5.8 at HL and 5.1 at SL.
Grade 7 is the most common HL result at 38.4%, while at SL grade 6 is the most common at 25%.
Both mean grades are identical to May 2025, so results look stable on the mean.
SL results are more spread out, with 13.9% at grade 3 and 18.8% at grade 4.
The May 2026 figures are provisional and may change in the final bulletin.

Frequently asked questions

Did Italian B grades change between May 2025 and May 2026?: Not on the mean. HL was 5.8 in both sessions and SL was 5.1 in both. Individual grades did shift: at HL grade 6 fell from 32.1% to 25.8% and grade 5 rose from 11.8% to 17.9%, while the share of 7s barely changed (38.2% and 38.4%).
Is a grade 7 more common at HL or SL in May 2026?: At HL: 38.4% of HL candidates received a grade 7, against 17% at SL. These are shares of each level, and the groups differ in size (302 at HL, 552 at SL).
Are these figures final?: No. They come from the IB's provisional bulletin for May 2026. A final version follows later in the year, so small differences are possible.