How to Remark an IB Paper: The Enquiry Upon Results Process (2026)

If you have just opened your IB results and a grade looks lower than it should be, you are not powerless. The IB has an official process for challenging a result, called an Enquiry Upon Results (EUR), and a re-mark can raise your grade. It can also lower it, so this is a decision to make carefully rather than in the heat of results day.

This guide explains exactly how to remark an IB paper in 2026: what the categories are, how to request one, the deadlines and fees, the real risks, and what to do if a university offer hangs on the outcome.

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What is an Enquiry Upon Results?

An Enquiry Upon Results is the IB's formal service for reviewing your results after they are published. It is requested through your school's IB Diploma Programme coordinator, not by you directly. If you want your work reviewed, your first step is always to speak to your coordinator, who submits the request to the IB on your behalf (International Baccalaureate, Assessment FAQ).

There is more than one type of enquiry, so it helps to know which one you actually want.

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The three categories of enquiry

The IB groups enquiries into categories. The exact definitions and fees are set by the IB and can vary, so confirm the current details with your coordinator, but in practice they work like this (IB Remark Procedure, ++tutors; Clastify, IB Remark Procedure Explained):

• Category 1: a re-mark of your externally assessed work. A senior IB examiner, different from the person who marked it originally, re-marks the externally assessed components of a subject, such as your exam papers and externally assessed written work like the Extended Essay or a Theory of Knowledge essay. This is what most students mean by "a remark," and it is the only category that can change a subject grade up or down. A re-mark typically takes around 18 days.
• Category 2: getting your marked scripts back. This returns copies of your marked exam scripts so you can see exactly where marks were awarded or lost. It does not change your grade. It is useful when you are unsure whether a re-mark is worth it, because it lets you make an informed decision before paying for Category 1.
• Category 3: re-moderation of internal assessment. If your school believes the moderation of internally assessed coursework was applied unfairly, the coordinator can request a re-moderation. For internal assessment, grades can generally go up but not down, and any change may apply to all affected students at your school. This process can take longer, often around 40 days.

For a straightforward "I think my exam was marked too harshly" case, Category 1 is the one you want.

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The most important thing: your grade can go down

This is the single most important point, so do not skip it. A Category 1 re-mark can raise your grade, keep it the same, or lower it. Because of that risk, the IB requires written consent from you (or a parent or guardian if you are under 18) before it will proceed. If a school submits a re-mark without proper consent and the grade drops, the original grade is not reinstated (Lanterna Education, IB Remark FAQs).

Grade decreases are relatively uncommon, often quoted at roughly 2 to 5 percent of re-marks, and are usually small. But "uncommon" is not "never," and the new grade is final. So the honest rule is: only remark a subject where you have a genuine, specific reason to believe the mark was too low, for example a subject you were consistently predicted higher in, or one where you finished a grade boundary just short.

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How to request an IB remark, step by step

1. Talk to your coordinator first. They are the only person who can submit the request, and they can advise on whether your case is worth it. Do this early, because the window has a deadline.
2. Decide the subject (and paper) carefully. Re-marks are requested per subject. Focus on the one or two subjects where a re-mark could realistically change the grade, not every subject at once.
3. Consider Category 2 first if you are unsure. Getting your scripts back shows you where marks were lost, so you are not gambling blind.
4. Give written consent. Because the grade can fall, you must formally consent to the re-mark.
5. Pay the fee. This is usually handled through the school. The fee is refunded if your grade changes.
6. Wait for the outcome, and keep universities informed (see below).

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Deadlines for the May 2026 session

For the May 2026 session, Enquiry Upon Results requests open on results day (6 July 2026) and the main window typically closes around mid-September. In practice you have roughly two months from the release of results to file a request (Lanterna Education, IB Remark FAQs).

That sounds like plenty of time, but if a university place depends on the outcome you should move within days, not weeks, because the university needs time to respond too. Always confirm the exact cut-off with your coordinator, as the IB sets the dates and they can shift slightly.

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Fees and refunds

A Category 1 re-mark costs roughly £75 to £120 per subject, though figures quoted range from about €89 to around $100 to $120 depending on the source, school, and currency (++tutors, IB Remark Procedure 2026). Returning your marked scripts (Category 2) is cheaper.

The key detail: if your subject grade changes as a result of the re-mark, the fee is refunded. Note that it is the grade (the 1 to 7 result), not just the raw mark, that has to move for a refund. Confirm the current fees and refund terms with your coordinator before you commit.

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How long it takes

• Category 1 re-mark: around two to three weeks (roughly 18 days).
• Category 2 (scripts returned) or a report: often around 30 days.
• Category 3 re-moderation: can take up to about 40 days.

These are typical timelines rather than guarantees, and busy periods just after results day can add delays (Lanterna Education, IB Remark FAQs).

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If a university offer depends on the outcome

This is where speed matters most. If a re-mark could be the difference between meeting and missing an offer:

1. Contact the university's admissions office immediately. Tell them you have requested (or are requesting) a re-mark and ask whether they can hold your place while you wait. Many will, but it is not guaranteed, so ask directly and get it in writing if you can.
2. Tell your coordinator it is time-critical. They can flag the urgency when submitting.
3. Keep a backup in place. Do not decline your insurance choice, and look at UCAS Clearing as a genuine route to a place if the grade does not change.

If your grade does change after the re-mark, your school and the relevant universities can be notified of the revised result, but chasing the university yourself is always faster than waiting.

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Should you remark at all?

Remark when:

• You were consistently predicted higher in that subject.
• You landed just below a grade boundary and a few marks would tip you over.
• Something felt off, for example a paper you were confident in scoring far below the rest.

Think twice when:

• You are remarking out of general disappointment rather than a specific reason. The odds are not in your favour, and the grade can drop.
• The grade would not change your outcome anyway (you have already met or comfortably missed your offer).

If a remark is not the answer, remember you can also retake individual subjects in the November 2026 session, and if you are rethinking your plans entirely, our guides on what to do on IB results day and how to reapply to university for 2027 walk through every option. For how your final score maps to UK offers, see IB scores for UK universities.

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The bottom line

A remark is a real and useful tool, but it is a considered decision, not a reflex. Go through your coordinator, target the subject where a re-mark could genuinely lift your grade, give informed consent knowing the grade can also fall, and move fast if a university place is on the line. Used well, it can turn a near miss into the result you earned.

And whatever this results day brought, if your next step is a fresh application, the part you control most is your personal statement. Statementory scores yours out of 100 and shows you exactly what to fix before you submit. It checks what you wrote and never writes it for you.

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Sources

• International Baccalaureate — Assessment FAQ (getting results)
• International Baccalaureate — Diploma Programme assessment and exams
• Lanterna Education — IB Remark FAQs and Advice
• ++tutors — IB Remark Procedure 2026: Complete Guide to EUR
• Clastify — IB Remark Procedure Explained

Categories, fees, deadlines, and timelines are set by the IB and were correct at the time of writing (July 2026). Figures vary by school and currency and can change between sessions, so always confirm the current details with your IB coordinator before requesting an Enquiry Upon Results.