The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme has many moving parts. Your teen chooses subjects at Higher Level or Standard Level, works through the core, and sits exams in a fixed May or November session.
When a subject starts to slip or a deadline gets close, it is natural to look for help quickly. A better first step is to name your teen's goal, then match the support to it.
This guide walks through a decision-first way to shortlist online tutoring for teens.
You'll find a checklist you can verify in about fifteen minutes, a realistic sense of cost and cadence, and questions to ask before you commit.
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Know Your Teen's IB Goal First
Before comparing tutors, write the goal in one sentence. The clearer the goal, the easier the choice. Three common examples are:
- Lift a predicted grade in an HL subject. Here the focus is content teaching and problem-solving. HL subjects carry roughly 240 teaching hours compared with about 150 for SL, so the tutor should be comfortable with that added depth.
- Finish an Internal Assessment with confidence. This is rubric-guided feedback, not general lecturing. The tutor should reference the assessment criteria and help your teen structure and revise their own work.
- Keep the core on track. The DP core includes Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service. TOK and the EE can add up to three points on top of the 1 to 7 grades earned in each subject, while CAS is not graded.
Map The Calendar
IB runs two exam sessions each year, in May and November, and publishes schedules in advance. In practice, exam dates are fixed unless IB authorizes a change, so support should be planned backwards from them.
A simple approach is to note the paper dates for your teen's subjects, then decide how many weeks of steady work fit before them. The aim is consistent preparation, not a stressful final push.
What Good Online Ib Tutoring Looks Like
You can check most of these criteria in a short first conversation or on a provider's page. Use them as a quick filter for any shortlist.
- Subject and level match. The tutor teaches your teen's exact subject at the right level, HL or SL.
- Alignment to the current subject guide. They can point to the syllabus your teen is actually studying.
- An intake and a plan. A short baseline check leads to a personalised weekly plan rather than open-ended sessions.
- Progress reporting. You receive updates on what was covered and what comes next.
- Sensible use of past papers. Practice papers support learning rather than replace teaching.
- Core support tied to rubrics. IA, EE, and TOK help references the marking criteria, not just general writing advice.
- Consistent pairing. Your teen works with the same tutor over time, which supports trust and continuity.
For a concrete benchmark, review how a provider describes expert IB tutoring online: look for a subject consultation, a personalised plan, support for IA, EE, and TOK work, and clear progress reports.
Little Geniuses is one provider whose IB tutoring page highlights that kind of structure, including access to past papers and written feedback after each lesson.
Use Little Geniuses as a point of comparison, not a shortcut around your own checks.
How Much And How Often
Cadence matters more than many parents expect. Tutoring research generally points to stronger results when sessions are regular, aligned with classwork, and supported by progress data.
Consistent pairing with the same tutor also helps because the tutor can spot patterns and adjust the plan over time.
A practical way to think about frequency:
- During an exam term: use more frequent, focused sessions, with one-to-one time reserved for HL problem-solving, past paper review, or IA drafts.
- Off-term skill-building: choose a lighter, steadier rhythm that keeps momentum without crowding out school, activities, and rest.
On cost, U.S. tutoring often ranges from about $15 to $25 an hour for peer tutors up to $60 to $100 or more an hour for credentialed teachers or subject experts.
IB-specialist rates can sit at the higher end because you are paying for syllabus fluency, rubric-based feedback, and exam strategy.
As one public reference point, Elite IB lists online charges from £43 to £60 an hour by tutor tier. To manage budget, use small-group sessions where they suit the subject, or book targeted bursts ahead of key deadlines.
Vet for IB Currency
The IB updates subject guides on a rolling basis, so a tutor's knowledge needs to be current.
A simple test is to ask them to name the current syllabus for your teen's subject. If they cannot, treat it as a red flag worth exploring further.
One more point for families weighing fully online schooling rather than tutoring alongside a school: IB notes that some countries and universities will not accept online-taught DP courses as part of the diploma.
If that path is on the table, check the relevant admissions pages directly rather than relying only on a provider's summary.
It is also worth knowing that IB requires any AI-generated work used in assessed submissions to be credited and referenced appropriately. A good tutor will reinforce that standard rather than blur it.
IB has also added exam integrity measures in recent sessions, including additional paper variants and calculator memory checks.
Safety And Privacy For Teens
Online support should feel safe and transparent. Use this quick checklist:
- Clear privacy policy. You can see what data is collected and how it is used.
- Recording and chat rules. You know whether sessions are recorded and where recordings live.
- Parent visibility. A check-in point keeps you informed without hovering over every session.
- Appropriate boundaries. Communication happens through the platform, not private personal channels.
If younger siblings might join, note that under COPPA, services directed to children under 13 must obtain verifiable parental consent before collecting personal information.
For teens aged 13 to 18, favor platforms and policies that keep parents informed and set clear limits.
Questions To Ask Before You Commit
Copy and paste these into your first call or email:
- Which current syllabus will you follow for this subject?
- How do you handle HL versus SL depth?
- How do you give feedback on IA, EE, or TOK work?
- How do you use past papers in your sessions?
- Can you show an example of a weekly plan?
- How often will I receive progress updates?
- Will my teen work with the same tutor each week?
- What is your safeguarding policy for online sessions?
- How do you handle student data and recordings?
- What are your make-up and cancellation terms?
A First-Month Playbook
Give any new arrangement a structured month before judging it.
- Week 1: complete a baseline check and agree on written goals.
- Week 2: settle the schedule and the home setup, including a quiet space and stable connection.
- Week 3: look for a couple of quick wins that build your teen's confidence.
- Week 4: hold a short parent and tutor review to adjust frequency or, if needed, change tutors.
When To Change Course
A few signs suggest the fit is not right: no clear plan after two sessions, feedback that is not tied to marking rubrics, or progress updates that never arrive.
Raise the concern plainly, ask for a specific change, and give it a short window. If nothing shifts, switch calmly well before a major deadline.
Choosing For Fit, Not Hype
The strongest choice is rarely the loudest one. Pick the tutor whose plan matches your teen's real goal, whose knowledge tracks the current syllabus, and whose reporting keeps you in the loop.
Line that up against the exam calendar and a sensible weekly rhythm, and you have a setup that supports steady progress.
Steady, well-designed support beats last-minute cramming. Start with the goal, run the checklist, ask the questions, and give the arrangement a month to prove itself.
That is how you turn a stressful search into a confident decision for your child.
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