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How Singapore Education Works | International Baccalaureate® (IB) Extended Essay, TOK, CAS and Internal Assessments: 2027 Guide

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by

eduKate Asia
Three students sit around open books and worksheets at a classroom table, reading, writing and discussing the work together.

Quick answer: In the IB Diploma, six subjects are accompanied by three core requirements: Extended Essay (EE), Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). Many subjects also have internal assessments (IAs). EE and TOK contribute up to three extra points together; CAS adds no points but must be completed. The revised Extended Essay has its first assessment in May 2027. A single two-year calendar is the most useful defence against overlapping deadlines.

This guide separates what each task means, where the 2027 EE changes matter and how students can complete genuine work without losing their examination foundations or wellbeing.

Find the answer you need

What IB Diploma students must complete besides six subjects

The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme includes six graded subjects and three required core elements: Extended Essay (EE), Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). Subject courses may also include internally assessed tasks (IAs) or externally assessed coursework. These are overlapping obligations that students must plan, but they are not four interchangeable assignments.

The EE is an independent research project; TOK examines knowledge and its justification; CAS is a sustained programme of meaningful activity and reflection. Subject IAs assess the stated objectives of particular courses. The six subject grades can contribute up to 42 points; TOK and EE together can add up to three core points. CAS does not add points, but successful completion is an IB Diploma condition.

A learner may feel that every task is urgent because none disappears when the next examination starts. The solution is to separate course knowledge, assessed submissions, reflection and external examinations in one calendar. Ask the school for the approved deadlines and feedback rules; generic online schedules cannot replace them.

Extended Essay: what must the student produce?

The Extended Essay is an independently researched academic essay of up to 4,000 words, supported by appropriate supervision. It is a chance to investigate a focused question using subject-appropriate methods and evidence. A topic such as “urban heat in Singapore” is too broad by itself; a workable question specifies the precise aspect being investigated, the evidence available and what the student can legitimately claim.

There are different ways to undertake EE research. Under the updated framework first assessed in 2027, a student can follow a subject-focused approach or an interdisciplinary approach combining two DP subjects. The student and supervisor should check that the proposed topic, methods, research ethics and sources fit the relevant IB guidance. A good question is not necessarily the most novel question; it is one the learner can answer responsibly.

Students should start with a small feasibility test. If they propose to measure neighbourhood temperature differences, do they have a defensible method, appropriate permissions, comparable observations and a way to discuss measurement error? If they propose literary analysis, can they identify a specific set of texts, interpret evidence and avoid making a sweeping claim from a short passage? A project succeeds when question, method, evidence and conclusion stay aligned.

Important Extended Essay changes for first assessment in 2027

The IB introduced an updated Extended Essay framework with first assessment in May 2027. Its published update emphasises a clearer distinction between subject-focused and interdisciplinary research and gives more explicit weight to learning and transferable skills in reflection. Parents reading a 2022 essay-writing guide should check whether it uses the new assessment criteria.

The revised EE criteria assess the research framework, subject knowledge, analysis and argument, discussion and evaluation, and reflection. The public IB update reports a 30-mark assessment structure, with reflection contributing four marks. The 2027 guidance also requires three recorded supervisor reflection sessions, culminating in a concluding conversation or viva voce. The student submits a reflective statement within the guidance’s word limit.

For the updated 2027 framework, the published guide sets a maximum of 4,000 words for the essay and 500 words for the reflective statement on the Reflection and Progress Form (RPF). The reflective statement is not a list of tasks completed; it should explain significant decisions, what changed and what the student learned that can transfer to other work. Always follow the exact rules for the student’s examination session.

How to find a workable Extended Essay research question

Begin with a field of genuine interest and write three candidate questions. For each question, specify the material or data needed, whether it can be obtained ethically, how it might be analysed and why the answer would matter. Reject questions that would require inaccessible experiments, private personal data without authorisation or claims far beyond a school student’s time and resources.

Imagine a history essay that asks, “What caused World War II?” It is far too broad. A narrower question can examine how one specified policy was reported by two different newspapers during a defined period, while being careful not to treat those newspaper accounts as complete evidence of the causes of the war. The student learns both close reading and the limits of sources.

Maintain a record of searches, source details, quotations, paraphrases, doubts and changes of method. When an initial hypothesis fails, record why. That failure might be evidence that the student learned how to reason, not that the project should be hidden. The report must remain the student’s independent work.

Theory of Knowledge: the exhibition and the essay

TOK is required for the full Diploma Programme. The IB assesses TOK through an exhibition using three objects and a written essay of up to 1,600 words. The essay responds to one of the official titles for the relevant examination session. These prompts are not an invitation to write unsupported opinions about philosophy; students must use specific knowledge claims, examples and reasoning.

Suppose a student chooses a weather app as one of the exhibition objects. They might discuss the distinction between an instrument reading, a model prediction and confidence in a forecast. A photograph of the object is not enough: the commentary must connect the real object to the selected knowledge question and justify the connection. A laboratory notebook or a historical artefact could support other questions, provided its significance is specific.

In the TOK essay, students should make claims proportionate to their examples. A useful structure compares what methods in two disciplines can establish, why those methods are credible and where uncertainty remains. A beautifully written essay can still fail if it does not answer the prescribed title. Students should practise checking that each paragraph moves the argument forward.

CAS: what is required if it gives no marks?

Creativity, Activity, Service takes place throughout the Diploma Programme and is not formally assessed as a subject grade. Students must provide evidence of the required learning outcomes and engage in meaningful experiences. The official IB guidance describes a CAS project that involves initiative, perseverance, collaboration and reflection.

The three strands have distinct purposes. Creativity includes experiences that engage creative thinking; activity relates to physical exertion and a healthy lifestyle; service is voluntary and unpaid with a learning benefit and respect for the people involved. A CAS project may focus on one or more strands. Not every experience has to be an elaborate event or a school publicity exercise.

A student running a small reading programme for younger children could learn to adapt explanations, seek feedback and work with others. A student preparing a performance may practise persistence, creativity and teamwork. The useful evidence is authentic: what they actually did, what happened, what they learned and what changed after reflection. Manufactured participation and last-minute photographs are not substitutes.

CAS should counterbalance academic pressure rather than become a second examination timetable. If the student is sleeping poorly because every weekend is filled with nominally voluntary tasks, the school and family should review the commitments and design something sustainable.

What are internal assessments (IAs)?

An internal assessment is a subject-specific assessed component carried out under the school’s guidance and the IB’s rules. In many subjects, work is marked by teachers and moderated by the IB; other assessed components may be marked externally. The weight and format vary across subjects, examination sessions and syllabus updates.

For Mathematics, assessed exploration work is different from a Physics investigation, a language oral or an Economics commentary. Parents should not use one percentage from an online guide as if it applied to all six Diploma subjects. The correct source is the current subject brief, the school’s assessment outline and the cohort’s permitted feedback arrangements.

An IA does not mean a student can ignore final examinations. The IB states that external written examinations remain important for most DP courses. Good preparation must therefore preserve both long-form work and retrieval of subject knowledge. Mismanaging the research calendar can damage examination readiness, and neglecting the daily course can leave an internally assessed project with weak disciplinary foundations.

Why assessment deadlines are more complicated than they look

Students often see six subjects, TOK, EE and CAS as separate boxes. In reality, they compete for the same attention. Research requires long blocks of thinking; revising for a timed paper requires different work; CAS usually benefits from continuous participation; an IA may depend on access to a laboratory, supervisor or specific evidence.

One late task can displace several other tasks. If a student postpones their science investigation until the week before an Economics commentary and the TOK exhibition, the issue is not simply laziness. It may be a sequencing failure that a shared calendar and earlier feasibility checks could prevent.

A useful family calendar should identify submission windows, individual milestones, school feedback opportunities and immovable examination dates. It should also reserve recovery time. A plan with no space for illness, revision or unexpected problems is not realistic.

A two-year planning method for DP1 and DP2

First quarter of DP1: collect each course’s assessment outline and confirm the student’s examination session. Start a single calendar of subject tasks, EE, TOK and CAS. Review the student’s foundations in mathematics, reading, scientific explanation and research literacy.

Later DP1: explore EE topics, test sources or research methods, build an honest research record, and begin appropriate CAS experiences. For each IA, clarify the approved research or assessment task and the teacher feedback rules. Keep up with ordinary lesson retrieval so that coursework does not erase examination knowledge.

Early DP2: complete agreed EE and IA milestones, practise TOK argument and maintain steady CAS evidence. Review all deadlines with teachers and the IB coordinator. Use checklists based on the actual current school requirements, not generic international dates copied from the internet.

Before submission and external examinations: audit citations, academic honesty, file submissions, supervisor sign-off and subject understanding. Continue realistic examination practice. A student should be able to explain their own research decisions without someone else supplying the reasoning.

Can students use AI tools for IB assignments?

The IB has stated that it does not impose a blanket ban on AI tools; using them must be consistent with academic integrity. IB guidance also says text, images, graphs or other work generated by AI are not automatically the student’s own work, and included material must be properly acknowledged and referenced. Individual schools may have additional permitted-use requirements.

A student can use technology to help organise questions or explore background concepts only within the school’s rules. They must verify sources independently and retain their own research, analysis and judgement. Presenting an AI-generated analysis as the student’s own EE, TOK or IA work is not acceptable. Invented citations are a particular risk.

The safest practical habit is to keep a traceable source log, save research notes, write from the student’s own evidence and discuss any uncertainty with the supervisor. The integrity standard is not “Will a detector notice?” It is “Can the student show how each claim was formed and what material was used?”

What parents should do when a deadline goes wrong

First identify the actual problem. Is the draft incomplete because the student cannot find evidence, cannot interpret it, cannot structure an argument, or has run out of authorised working time? Each needs a different repair. Do not take over the essay: that would compromise the independent-work requirement.

Contact the subject teacher, EE supervisor or IB coordinator early and ask about permitted next steps under the student’s current assessment rules. An emergency rush can lead to plagiarism, unfounded claims and exhaustion. Good planning protects integrity as well as grades.

If a student needs extra help with Mathematics, English or science, begin with their demonstrated starting position. Tuition is not a replacement for a supervisor and should not produce assessed work for the student. The aim is to improve the underlying skills so the student can do their own work with confidence.

Checklist for IB students and parents

  • Confirm the examination session and exact subject syllabus versions.
  • Collect each subject’s current IA instructions, weighting and teacher feedback rules.
  • Identify the current EE assessment framework, supervisor, RPF and milestones.
  • Keep a realistic calendar of EE, TOK, IA, CAS and examination preparation.
  • Choose a research question that matches ethical access to appropriate evidence.
  • Record three required EE supervisor reflections and keep a genuine research log.
  • Use the official prescribed TOK title and correctly chosen exhibition objects.
  • Make CAS meaningful and sustainable, with evidence of growth and required outcomes.
  • Apply the school’s academic integrity rules to sources, quotations and any AI assistance.
  • Preserve sleep and learning continuity; repair problems early with appropriate teachers.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the IB Extended Essay?

The published maximum is 4,000 words. The new first-assessment-2027 guide also provides specific rules for the reflective statement.

What changes for the 2027 Extended Essay?

The updated approach includes subject-focused or interdisciplinary research and revised criteria with greater attention to learning and transferable skills in reflection.

Does CAS contribute points out of 45?

No. CAS is required for the diploma but contributes zero points to the numerical total.

How is TOK assessed?

The IB specifies a TOK exhibition involving three objects and an essay of up to 1,600 words.

Are every subject’s IAs worth the same percentage?

No. Weightings and formats depend on the subject and the applicable syllabus.

Can a tutor write or edit assessed work?

A tutor should not produce independently assessed work for the student. Any support must remain within the IB’s and the school’s permitted feedback and authenticity rules.

Is all use of generative AI banned?

No blanket IB ban applies, but students must follow academic integrity rules, appropriately credit any generated material and not pass it off as their own.

Reviewed 6 November 2026. The 2027 EE assessment updates are distinguished from subject-specific IA rules. Each school sets working and submission deadlines within official requirements; consult your coordinator and current syllabus. eduKateSG is an independent educational publisher.

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