Should You Pay for an IB Remark in 2026?
A remark (Enquiry Upon Results, EUR Category 1) costs around $100–120 per subject, your grade can go down as well as up, and requests close around September 15. Most students decide blind — here is how to decide with data.
The three facts that matter
- Cost: around $100–120 per subject, refunded only if your grade changes.
- Risk: grades can go down on a remark, and the result is final.
- Deadline: ~September 15 via your IB coordinator — schools often set earlier cutoffs.
You are deciding blind — unless you re-grade first
The standard advice — remark only if you are 1–2 marks from a boundary — is useless when IB does not show you component marks. Your Extended Essay and TOK essay are externally marked, exactly where remarks apply and where examiner judgement varies most. Paste the essay you actually submitted into IBLens: strict, criterion-by-criterion grading against the official rubric. If it lands near a boundary, a remark has real upside. If it sits mid-band, save your $110. First analysis free, then $4.99.
Key dates after results day
- July 6: results at 12:00 GMT on candidates.ibo.org
- July 6–29: cheapest registration window for November retakes
- ~September 15: remark requests close
- November: retake session · December 16: November results
Frequently asked questions
- Can my grade go down after a remark?
- Yes — up or down, and the new grade is final. Only remark with evidence you are near a boundary.
- Remark or retake?
- Remark when your externally-marked essay reads close to a boundary. Retake in November when you are several marks off — register July 6–29 for the lowest fees.