IB Core:
TOK, EE and
Internal Assessments.
The three components every IB student must complete — Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Internal Assessments across subjects. Worth up to 3 bonus points via the TOK/EE matrix and critical for total IB score.
The IB Diploma's unique requirements — Theory of Knowledge, the 4,000-word Extended Essay, and subject-specific Internal Assessments. Up to 3 bonus points via the Core.
The Core is where 3 bonus points are won or lost.
The IB Core is the set of three components every Diploma student must complete in parallel with their six subjects: Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Extended Essay (EE), and CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) — which is not formally assessed but is required for the diploma. Plus every subject has its own Internal Assessment (IA) worth 20–25% of that subject's grade.
Why the Core matters so much
TOK and EE together can award up to 3 bonus points via the IB's matrix: an A in both adds 3 points; an A in one and B in the other adds 2 points; and so on. Those 3 points are the difference between a predicted 39 (decent) and a final 42 (Oxbridge-ready). Most students leave them on the table because their schools do not coach the Core with enough rigour.
What Times Edu does differently
We run a dedicated Core coaching programme separate from subject tutoring. Our Core coaches are IB graduates themselves who have written their own Extended Essays and stood in front of their own TOK Exhibitions. This is not theoretical help — it is lived experience, passed down student to student.
The full content we cover in 1:1 lessons.
Every Times Edu Core: TOK · EE · IA mentor maps lessons directly to the official IB subject guide — nothing on the final exam is a surprise.
Ways of Knowing
Sense perception, reason, emotion, language, faith, imagination.
Areas of Knowledge
Natural sciences, human sciences, mathematics, history, arts, ethics.
Knowledge Questions
Framing second-order questions about how knowledge is constructed.
Topic Selection
Choosing a researchable, focused, subject-specific EE question.
Research Methodology
Primary vs secondary sources, referencing, structure.
Maths IA (Exploration)
Original mathematical investigation — 20% of Maths grade.
Science IA
Experimental investigation — 20% of each Group 4 subject.
Humanities IA
Subject-specific coursework — History, Economics, Psychology, etc.
Every paper and every IA, mapped.
IB assessment mixes exam papers with the Internal Assessment — and the IA is where most schools lose marks. Here is the full breakdown.
TOK Exhibition
950-word exhibition on 3 real-world objects linked to an IA prompt.
TOK Essay
1,600-word essay on one of 6 prescribed titles released each May.
Extended Essay
4,000-word independent research essay on a chosen subject.
Subject IAs
Subject-specific internal assessments — typically 20% of each subject grade.
Why even strong students lose IB points here.
These are the three traps we see most often in diagnostic sessions with new IB Diploma Core: TOK · EE · IA students — and every one is fixable with focused coaching.
EE topic too broad
The single biggest EE failure mode is a topic that is too broad to answer in 4,000 words. "Causes of WWI" is not an EE. "To what extent did the naval arms race contribute to the outbreak of WWI?" is.
Generic TOK exhibition
The TOK Exhibition requires 3 real-world objects linked to a specific prompt. Students who pick generic objects (a book, a ruler, a phone) cap at grade C.
IA last-minute rush
IAs are typically 20% of each subject grade. Students who rush IAs in the final weeks lose 2–3 subject grades overall — equivalent to losing 6+ IB points.
Across HL and SL.
My Extended Essay earned an A and my TOK earned a B — that gave me 2 bonus points. Combined with grade jumps in Maths and Physics, Times Edu added 5 points to my final IB. Went from 38 predicted to 43.
What families always ask about IB Core: TOK · EE · IA.
Have a specific question about your child's situation? Book a free 60-minute diagnostic and our IB specialist will answer every one.
When should my child start the Extended Essay?
Ideally early DP1 — topic selection in January, first draft by June, final submission in October of DP2. Students who start in DP2 are already at a disadvantage. We can help accelerate a late-start EE but the outcome is always better with an early start.
Can you coach TOK even though my school already teaches it?
Yes — most of our TOK students have TOK at school but need individual coaching on the Exhibition and Essay. Our coaches have written their own TOK Essays and know exactly what examiners want.
What happens if my child gets an E in TOK or the EE?
This is called "failing condition" and prevents the IB Diploma being awarded regardless of other grades. We work preventively to ensure no student ever reaches this point — early draft review and criterion-specific feedback.
How much does Core coaching cost?
Core coaching starts from $85 per 90-minute session — slightly higher than our standard rate because of the specialised IB-graduate mentors required. Full details on our tuition page.
Ready to turn IB Core: TOK · EE · IA into a full 7?
Your child's free 60-minute Core: TOK · EE · IA diagnostic includes a full topic-by-topic gap analysis, a realistic grade prediction, an IA review and a personalised roadmap through to final May exams. Worth $60 — free for the first 50 families this intake.