Some of the Hardest IB Subjects

By Joshua Wang ('25), Jesse Kwok (‘25), and Steven Lin (‘25)

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is known for its rigorous curriculum. Each of the IB subjects has its own unique challenges, but some stand out for being extra challenging. 

Now that another school year is underway, we conducted an interview to gather opinions from students in class of 2025 on the hardest IB subjects. Below, we have put together their feedback and listed the top five hardest IB subjects. Take a look!

1. IB Physics

Student’s comment: 

Not only the complexity of the subject but the style of the questions you see on the test require contextual knowledge behind each formula. This is because a lot of IB questions are not straightforward and you often have to combine multiple formulas in order to get an answer. However, one interesting thing about IB physics is that it has a low grade boundaries compared to other group 4 subjects (i.e. Chemistry). As long as you spend enough time practicing questions… you can pass.

2. IB Math Analysis & Approaches HL 

Student’s comment: 

Why would anyone in their right minds choose this course (unless it’s career-related, which in that case, rip). Only the truly daring (or those with a questionable sense of academic adventure) sign up, thinking they’re ready to face calculus, proofs, and abstract math (also taking the non-calculator paper 1). But reality hits fast: within a few weeks, the hallways echo with the sound of regret, as students flee to the safer lands of AI HL.

3. IB Biology 

Student’s comment: 

IB Biology dives deep into cell structures, genetics, and human physiology, and the sheer volume of content can be overwhelming. It’s not uncommon to see students with their heads in a textbook and a Red Bull in hand during test day. “I once drank two Red Bulls before a bio test,” said Carina Lin. Students often find themselves spending hours memorizing intricate processes and terminologies. “Every chapter feels like it’s its own course, with so much to remember and apply,” Darren Wu admitted. It’s a lot to handle, especially with internal assessments (IAs) added in. The real fun starts in the exams, where they ask you to differentiate transcription and translation, draw a cell, and remember exactly how photosynthesis works (no pressure). 

4. IB Spanish (Especially the Listening Test)

Student’s comment: 

Ah, Spanish. You think you’ve got it all down until the listening test hits you like a flash flood. It’s like listening to a native speaker on 2x speed with every regional accent thrown in for fun. “I swear, they speak faster when they know it’s a test,” one student jokes. “They give you, like, half a second to process. At this point, I’m just guessing every other word and praying it makes sense.” During the test, students are just hoping to catch a few key words while wondering if maybe, just maybe, that’s enough to answer the questions. By the end, students come out of the test rooms looking like they’ve just survived a marathon. Also, don’t even get us started on the grade boundaries. 

5. IB English A Literature / Lang & Literature

Student’s comment: 

The infamous Paper 1 is the ultimate mystery challenge: you get handed a text you’ve likely never seen before and have to dive straight into an analysis after a 5 minute reading time. You’ve got 75 minutes (67.5 if you’re HL) to figure out the author’s intentions, themes, literary devices—and, let’s be honest, you’re also just trying to figure out what’s even going on. Phoebe Tsai explained, “The text could be anything from a poetic rant to some character’s existential crisis. Half the time I’m just praying it’s in English.” During the test, students are frantically pulling out every literary term they can remember, hoping to sound analytical while internally screaming, Please let this mean something. 

6. IB History

Student’s comment: 

This course demands significant time for reading, research and writing. Not only does it require tons of memorization, you also have to conduct thorough historical investigation and write insightful essays. You have to make sure you have an effective time management skill along with a strong note-taking strategy, and to engage in discussions to develop your analytical skills.