The IB core, demystified: TOK, the Extended Essay, CAS and the three points
The IB Extended Essay, TOK and CAS explained: what each requires, how the 3 core points are awarded, what fails the diploma, and a two-year deadline plan.
Every IB Diploma student in Dubai and Sharjah carries two workloads: six subjects, each graded 1 to 7, and the core of the IB Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and CAS. The core is worth only three points out of 45, so families tend to treat it as a side project.
That is a mistake. Three points can be the gap between meeting an offer and missing it. And the core can stop the diploma being awarded at all, whatever your child scores in their subjects.
Below: what each part requires under the current rules, how the points work, what fails the diploma, and a two-year plan that avoids a Year 13 pile-up. If your child is still deciding between the IB and A Levels, start with our comparison of the two routes.
What the DP core is
The IB describes the DP core as three required components that sit alongside the six subjects:
- Theory of Knowledge (TOK), a course about how we know what we claim to know, assessed through an exhibition and a 1,600-word essay
- The Extended Essay (EE), an independent piece of research ending in a paper of up to 4,000 words
- Creativity, activity, service (CAS), a programme of experiences across the three strands, completed over the two years
TOK and the EE are graded A to E and together produce the core points. CAS is not graded, but it must be completed.
The IB Extended Essay: what changed and what is required now
If your child is in the Diploma now, they are on the new Extended Essay. The IB launched a revised EE in February 2025, and first assessment is in May 2027. A student who started Year 12 in 2025 or later is working to the new rules.
Much advice online, and some older IB pages, still describe the previous version, marked out of 34. Check that any guide or exemplar uses the new criteria.
The two pathways
The new EE offers two routes:
- Subject-focused. An in-depth study of a focused topic within one DP subject. This is the traditional EE.
- Interdisciplinary. The student combines the lenses of two DP subjects. This replaces the old World Studies essay.
The subject is normally one the student takes. The IB states that both routes are equally valid, depending on the topic.
The new assessment criteria
According to the IB's Extended Essay updates page, the redesigned criteria are:
| Criterion | Marks | What the examiner is asking |
|---|---|---|
| A. Framework for the essay | 6 | Do the research question, methods and structure hold the essay together? |
| B. Knowledge and understanding | 6 | Does the student understand the subject matter they are using? |
| C. Analysis and line of argument | 6 | Is the information analysed, and is there a clear argument? |
| D. Discussion and evaluation | 8 | Are the findings discussed and the essay itself evaluated? |
| E. Reflection | 4 | Does the student evaluate what the EE did for them as a learner? |
That is 30 marks. Discussion and evaluation carries the most, so an essay that gathers information but never weighs it loses the most.
The process the IB requires
The IB's Extended Essay subject brief, linked from the same updates page, sets out the fixed parts:
- The upper limit of 4,000 words covers the introduction, body, conclusion and any quotations
- The final submission needs a title page, contents page, introduction, body, conclusion, and references and bibliography
- There are three mandatory reflection sessions with the supervisor, a qualified member of staff at the school
- The last of these is the viva voce, a short interview of 10 to 15 minutes that also checks academic integrity
- The student writes a 500-word reflective statement at the end, recorded on the Reflection and progress form
Reflection now carries its own marks. A student who arrives at each session with nothing to say has nothing to write at the end.
Theory of Knowledge: the exhibition and the essay
TOK is a taught course, not a project. Students study a core theme, knowledge and the knower, two optional themes chosen from five, and five areas of knowledge: history, the human sciences, the natural sciences, the arts and mathematics.
It is assessed in two parts. According to the IB's TOK subject brief:
| Component | How it works | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| TOK exhibition | Three objects with commentaries, showing how TOK shows up in the world around us. Marked by the teacher, moderated by the IB | One third |
| Theory of Knowledge essay | 1,600 words on one of six prescribed titles issued by the IB for each exam session. Marked by IB examiners | Two thirds |
The TOK exhibition
The exhibition looks easy, which is why students underperform. Choosing objects feels creative. It is actually an argument: each object must connect to a single prompt, and the commentary must explain that link, not describe the object.
A practical test: if you could swap one object for another without changing the commentary, the link is too loose.
The Theory of Knowledge essay
Titles are released for each exam session, so the essay itself cannot start early. The thinking can: take a claim, test it against two areas of knowledge, and find a genuine counterclaim. The strongest essays use examples from the student's own subjects, not the famous ones every examiner has read.
CAS: not graded, but not optional
CAS is the part families understand least, because it carries no marks. The IB describes three strands:
- Creativity: the arts and other experiences involving creative thinking
- Activity: physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle
- Service: unpaid, voluntary work with a learning benefit for the student
Under the IB's CAS subject brief, the programme begins at the start of the Diploma and continues regularly for at least 18 months, with a reasonable balance between the strands. Students must complete at least one CAS project, a collaborative series of experiences lasting at least a month. They keep a CAS portfolio as evidence, and they must show evidence of each of the seven learning outcomes at least once. There are three formal interviews with the school's CAS coordinator or adviser.
The common mistake is back-loading: little in Year 12, then an attempt to produce 18 months of evidence in Year 13. It fails because the requirement is sustained engagement.
Two practical notes. A CAS experience cannot be part of the student's DP course requirements, so a Chemistry practical does not count. And the portfolio needs reflection, not just photographs.
How the IB core points are awarded
TOK and the EE each receive a grade from A to E. The two grades are combined on the IB's core points matrix to produce 0 to 3 points:
| EE grade vs TOK grade | TOK A | TOK B | TOK C | TOK D | TOK E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EE A | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | Failing condition |
| EE B | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | Failing condition |
| EE C | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Failing condition |
| EE D | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Failing condition |
| EE E | Failing condition | Failing condition | Failing condition | Failing condition | Failing condition |
Three things stand out.
One A carries a weak grade. An A in the EE with a D in TOK still earns 2 points.
Two Cs earn only one point, less than an A and a D. Give at least one component serious effort rather than moderate effort to both.
An E anywhere is not a low score. It is a failing condition. It stops the diploma, regardless of the total.
What fails the diploma
The IB's DP passing criteria list the conditions. A diploma is only awarded if:
- CAS requirements are met
- The candidate has at least 24 points
- A grade has been awarded in all subjects, TOK and the EE
- Every subject is graded 2 or above
- There are no more than two grade 2s
- There are no more than three grades of 3 or below
- The candidate has at least 12 points across HL subjects
- The candidate has at least 9 points across SL subjects
Students taking four HL or two SL subjects should check the IB page, as the thresholds apply slightly differently. Then add the E-grade rule from the matrix. An incomplete CAS programme, a missing TOK submission and an E on the EE all have the same result. None is about intelligence. All are about planning.
The two-year deadline map
The IB sets final submission dates and tells schools, which set their own internal deadlines. Your school's calendar is the authority. This is the sequence we recommend, so the core does not collide with internal assessments in Year 13.
| When | TOK | Extended Essay | CAS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 12, Term 1 (Sep to Dec) | Course starts. List possible exhibition objects | Read in two or three candidate subjects | Plan all three strands. Start a regular activity |
| Year 12, Term 2 (Jan to Mar) | Exhibition prompts introduced in many schools | Choose pathway and subject. Draft a research question. First reflection session | First CAS interview. Begin portfolio |
| Year 12, Term 3 (Apr to Jun) | Finish the exhibition before summer if your school allows | Reading done. Research plan agreed | Start the CAS project |
| Summer after Year 12 | Read around the areas of knowledge | Bulk of the research. Full first draft | Keep going. Log reflections |
| Year 13, Term 1 (Sep to Dec) | Titles released. Draft the essay | Interim reflection. Revise | Second interview. Check every outcome has evidence |
| Year 13, Term 2 (Jan to Mar) | Final essay to school deadline | Final essay, viva voce, reflection | Portfolio complete. Final interview |
| Year 13, Term 3 (Apr to May) | Done | Done | Done. Revise for May exams |
The summer between Year 12 and Year 13 is the most valuable time in the core. In many schools, internal assessments cluster in the first half of Year 13. A student who starts September with an EE draft has room for them.
A practical checklist for choosing an Extended Essay topic
Most weak essays are decided at the topic stage. Tick every line before committing:
- It sits inside a subject they take, ideally at higher level, so the supervisor and the student both know the ground
- It can be narrowed to one answerable question. "Climate change in the UAE" is a topic. A question about one measurable effect, in one place, with one method, is an essay
- The evidence is accessible from Dubai or Sharjah: readable sources, obtainable data, or an experiment the school lab can run
- It leaves room for argument. Criteria C and D reward analysis and evaluation, so a question with an obvious textbook answer caps the grade
- It fits in 4,000 words. If it needs twice that, it is too broad
- They will still care about it in eight months
- It does not repeat an internal assessment, which creates academic integrity problems
- For the interdisciplinary route, both subjects are genuinely needed. Otherwise, choose the subject-focused route
Academic integrity and AI
The IB's position, set out on its AI in learning, teaching and assessment page, is that AI tools can support learning rather than being banned, but any AI-generated content included in assessed work must be credited in the body of the text and referenced in the bibliography. The IB's academic integrity policy includes an appendix on using AI tools.
The viva voce and reflection sessions also help confirm the essay is the student's own thinking. The sensible middle ground is using AI to question your reasoning, not to write, as this guide explains: how to use AI to study without cheating. Check your school's policy too, as it can be stricter.
Frequently asked questions
How many points is the IB Extended Essay worth?
None on its own. Its A to E grade is combined with the TOK grade on the IB's core matrix to give 0 to 3 points towards the 45-point total.
What happens if you get an E in the Extended Essay or TOK?
An E in either the Extended Essay or TOK is a failing condition. The diploma is not awarded, regardless of the total points from the six subjects.
How long is the Theory of Knowledge essay?
The TOK essay has a limit of 1,600 words and responds to one of six prescribed titles set by the IB for each exam session. It is marked by IB examiners and makes up two thirds of the TOK grade.
What is the TOK exhibition?
An internally assessed task in which the student presents three objects with commentaries showing how TOK appears in the world around us. It counts for one third of the TOK grade.
What are the IB CAS requirements?
At least 18 months of regular creativity, activity and service, at least one CAS project, and a portfolio evidencing all seven learning outcomes. It is not graded, but the diploma requires it.
Has the IB Extended Essay changed?
Yes. The new Extended Essay is first assessed in May 2027, with subject-focused and interdisciplinary pathways and five redesigned criteria totalling 30 marks.
Can you use AI for the Extended Essay?
The IB allows AI tools, but any AI-generated material used in the essay must be credited in the text and referenced in the bibliography. Schools may set stricter rules, and the viva voce checks that the work is the student's own.
Career Launcher UAE supports IBDP students in Dubai and Sharjah with subject teaching and with the thinking the core demands: narrowing an EE question, structuring a TOK argument, and planning the two years so deadlines do not collide. We work alongside the school's supervisor, not in place of them, and the essay stays the student's own. See our IB Diploma programme, or university guidance for fitting the EE into applications.
Related reading: Predicted grades explained for Dubai families, IB Maths AA or AI: which one to choose and Choosing Grade 11 subjects around the degree you want.