Every spring, DP coordinators run the same project: turn a list of subjects into a set of confirmed, valid choices that the timetabler can build on. The IB course selection process looks simple on paper, yet it is where many September problems start: a student without a third HL subject, a class with four students, two subjects that cannot be timetabled together. This article sets out a step-by-step process, from preparing the offer to handing data over, with the decisions you need to make at each stage.
Why a defined process matters
Subject choices feed almost everything the school plans for the next two years: staffing, budgets, rooms and the timetable grid. A loose process (a form here, an e-mail there, a spreadsheet kept by one person) tends to produce three types of problem:
- Invalid combinations that are discovered only when timetabling starts or, worse, when teaching starts.
- Late surprises about class sizes, when a subject level turns out to be non-viable after students have already planned around it.
- No record of who changed what, which makes disputes with families hard to resolve.
A defined process with clear dates, rules and owners removes most of this. The timeline below assumes choices are collected in the spring for students starting the DP in the autumn; adjust the dates to your school calendar.
Stage 1: prepare the subject offer
Before students see anything, settle what you actually offer.
Build the catalogue
List every subject with the levels you can teach. Some subjects will be SL-only or HL-only in your school, and that should be visible from the start. Map each subject to its subject group, and decide whether any subject can appear in more than one group slot (for example, a second science taken in place of an arts subject, as permitted by IB rules).
Set the rules
Write down the rules students must follow:
- how many subjects at HL and how many at SL (for example, 3 HL + 3 SL);
- which combinations are excluded (subjects your school cannot timetable together, or that overlap too much);
- which subjects require another choice (a school-specific prerequisite);
- the minimum number of students needed for each subject level to run, set separately for SL and HL.
The detail of validating these rules is covered in validating DP subject combinations, and setting minimums in minimum group sizes for DP subjects.
Agree the dates
Fix the opening date, the deadline, the corrections window and the date when data goes to the timetabler. Share them with teachers before students.
Stage 2: the information evening
The information evening is where families form their expectations, so it should explain the rules, not just the subjects.
| Topic | What to cover |
|---|---|
| DP structure | Six subjects, groups 1 to 6, the core (TOK, EE, CAS) |
| Levels | At least three and normally no more than four HL; 240 vs 150 recommended teaching hours |
| School rules | Your HL/SL count, exclusions and prerequisites |
| Viability | That subject levels below the minimum may not run, and what happens then |
| Process | How to submit, the deadline, how corrections work |
| University requirements | That they vary and must be checked by each family |
Give families a written summary afterwards. Questions that come up repeatedly are a sign your written rules need another sentence.
Stage 3: open the choices window
A window of two to three weeks usually gives students enough time to consult teachers and parents without letting the decision drift.
During the window:
- students choose one subject per slot, with its level;
- choices are checked against the rules at submission, so errors are corrected by the student immediately rather than by you later;
- tutors and subject teachers can comment on individual choices;
- parents can see what their child has chosen.
The single most useful thing you can do at this stage is to make validation automatic. A form that accepts any combination simply moves the checking work to you.
Stage 4: monitor while the window is open
Do not wait until the deadline to look at the numbers. Check at least weekly:
- Completion: who has not submitted a complete choice yet.
- Viability: which subject levels are below their minimum, and by how many students.
- Concentrations: subjects that are oversubscribed and may need a second class.
Showing the same live numbers to students and teachers helps. A student who sees that a subject level needs three more students to run can make an informed decision early. Reminders a few days before the deadline, aimed at students with incomplete choices or with a choice below its minimum, save a round of chasing.
Stage 5: close and run corrections
When the deadline passes, close the window and review the result with leadership.
Decide what will not run
Confirm which subject levels are below their minimum and whether the school will run them anyway (sometimes it will, for strategic reasons). Communicate the decision to affected students promptly and in writing.
Open a corrections round
Reopen choices for a short period, limited to moves that make sense: students may move only to subject levels that reach their minimum. This prevents a corrections round from creating new non-viable groups.
Keep a record
Every change after the deadline should be traceable: who changed what, and when. If a family later asks why a choice changed, you need the answer in seconds, not after searching e-mail.
Stage 6: hand over to timetabling
The timetabler needs clean, final data: one row per student with each subject and level, plus counts per subject level. Before handing over, sketch the option blocks yourself, or with the timetabler, to check that the choices can actually be accommodated. Our article from DP subject choices to option blocks walks through that step.
Prepare a short summary for leadership as well: totals per subject level, subject levels that will not run, and any students still without a complete choice.
Checklist
- Subject catalogue final, with SL/HL availability per subject.
- HL/SL count, exclusions and prerequisites written down.
- Separate SL and HL minimums set for each subject.
- Dates agreed: opening, deadline, corrections, handover.
- Information evening covers rules and viability, not just subjects.
- Validation runs at submission, not after the deadline.
- Weekly review of completion and viability during the window.
- Reminders scheduled before the deadline.
- Corrections round limited to viable subject levels.
- Change history kept for every choice.
- Final data and leadership summary prepared for timetabling.
Frequently asked questions
How long should the subject choices window be?
Two to three weeks is a common choice: long enough for consultation with teachers and parents, short enough to keep momentum. Add a separate, shorter corrections window after the deadline.
Should students see how many others chose a subject?
Showing counts against the minimum, rather than lists of names, is usually helpful. Students can see early whether a subject level is likely to run, which reduces late changes.
When should the timetabler get involved?
Before the window opens, to agree which subjects can and cannot run together, and again after corrections close. Involving them early turns many timetabling clashes into exclusion rules students see at submission.
Can we run the process with forms and a spreadsheet?
Yes, for a small cohort with simple rules. Our comparison of spreadsheets and dedicated IB course selection software covers where that approach stops working.
See MyIB with your own subjects
MyIB is independent IB subject selection software for schools running the IB Diploma Programme. It covers the process above: your own catalogue and rules, validation at submission, live quorum counters, reminders, a corrections mode limited to viable subject levels, an audit log and exports. Book a demo to see it with your subject offer, or check pricing, which starts with a free pilot for one subject-choice cycle.