Legal context, official sources, and a safe practice workflow (2025)

This explainer clarifies how IB past papers and mark schemes are licensed, where students and schools can obtain them legally, and how to practice effectively on RevisionDojo without violating IB intellectual property policies. References below point to current IB Publishing guidance (last updated March 6, 2025) and official distributors.

Key takeaways

• IB examination papers, questionbanks, and mark schemes are IB copyright. Public redistribution is prohibited without a written license. See IB’s Copyright and IP rules and Licensing pages for authoritative details.

• Official, paid access is provided via Follett/Titlewave (the IB’s exclusive distributor) as Exam Packs, individual papers, and the IB Questionbank.

• Free public materials exist, but they are limited to sample/specimen papers published by the IB.

• Schools with My IB access may use IB materials internally for non‑commercial use within the school community; posting papers/mark schemes publicly (or on open file-sharing) is not permitted.

• RevisionDojo is independent of and not endorsed by the IB; we do not host or redistribute IB-owned past papers/mark schemes. Instead, we provide original, IB‑style questions, timed Exam Mode, and AI feedback aligned to IB mark‑scheme criteria.

What is legally allowed (and not allowed)

• Allowed (with conditions):

• Purchase official Exam Packs/papers and use them personally or inside your school’s restricted systems.

• Teachers use the IB Questionbank to build assessments for their classes.

• Schools reproduce select IB materials internally (non‑commercial) for their school community only.

• Not allowed (without a license):

• Publicly sharing or uploading IB past papers/mark schemes to open sites, public drives, or social platforms.

• Using IB materials for for‑fee tutoring or commercial products without a license (including content bought from Follett/Titlewave).

• Reusing materials from the most recent two exam sessions (IB does not license those) or posting IB materials to publicly accessible websites.

Where to get papers and mark schemes legally

Note: The original IB store was migrated to Follett/Titlewave; customers now purchase directly from Follett.> How to use Follett + RevisionDojo solutions (boxed workflow)

1) Purchase/get access legally - Buy Exam Packs or papers via Follett/Titlewave, or use your school’s licensed My IB/PRC access according to coordinator guidance.

2) Keep distribution compliant - Store files in restricted school systems or personal drives; do not upload or share IB materials publicly (sites, Discords, public drives).

3) Sit timed mocks with Exam Mode - Open a paper you legally obtained and practice in RevisionDojo’s Exam Mode for realistic timing, topic mark breakdowns, and mark‑scheme‑aligned feedback from Jojo AI.

4) Build “IB‑style” mocks when you can’t distribute official papers - Use Test Builder to create secure, IB‑style mocks that mirror format and command terms without redistributing IB IP.

5) Turn mistakes into targeted drills - Send weak topics directly to the Questionbank for focused practice with instant, criterion‑aligned feedback and review tags.

6) Get examiner‑style writing feedback (IA/EE/TOK) - Upload drafts to the Coursework Grader for rubric‑calibrated annotations, criterion breakdowns, and next‑step suggestions.

Compliance checklist (quick scan before you practice) - I obtained papers via Follett/Titlewave or my school (licensed). - I will not upload/share IB papers or mark schemes publicly. - I understand the most recent two sessions aren’t licensable for reuse in third‑party materials. - If I need mocks without sharing official files, I’ll use Test Builder and IB‑style items. - I’ll use Exam Mode and Questionbank for practice; official IB items stay within licensed environments.

How to practice ethically on Revision

Dojo (workflow)

1) Source papers ethically

• Buy Exam Packs or individual papers from Titlewave, or use your school’s licensed access via My IB/PRC, per your coordinator’s rules.

• Keep files inside school‑restricted systems; do not post them publicly or share beyond your class.

2) Simulate the exam with Exam Mode

• Use RevisionDojo’s Exam Mode to practice under real timing with immediate, mark‑scheme‑aligned feedback from Jojo AI and a breakdown of marks by topic.

• If your school cannot distribute IB papers digitally, build realistic mocks with our Test Builder using IB‑style questions.

3) Convert knowledge gaps into targeted drills

• After each mock, send your incorrect topics to Questionbank for focused practice. Jojo AI grades instantly “in line with the mark scheme,” and you can tag items as Complete/Review for spaced reinforcement.

4) Get examiner‑style writing feedback

• For EEs/IAs/TOK, upload drafts to the Coursework Grader to receive rubric‑calibrated annotations and criterion‑level guidance. Pair with Jojo AI for follow‑up revisions.

5) Iterate and timebox

• Re‑sit full mocks in Exam Mode; use analytics to track topic‑level improvement and exam technique. Repeat until speed and accuracy stabilize.

Frequently asked questions (licensing + practice)

• Can students legally buy past papers and mark schemes?

• Yes—via Follett/Titlewave Exam Packs and (when available) individual papers; usage is limited to personal/school‑internal use.

• Why don’t I see many free “past papers” online like other boards?

• The IB prohibits public redistribution of copyrighted exam materials; only sample/specimen papers are posted openly.

• Can I upload IB papers/mark schemes to a public drive or Discord?

• No. Public sharing breaches IB copyright and licensing rules.

• Are the most recent sessions available for reuse in third‑party materials?

• No. The IB does not grant permission to use examination materials from the two sessions prior to the current session.

• Does RevisionDojo include “real IB past questions” in its Questionbank?

• No. We do not host or redistribute IB‑owned questions/mark schemes. Our Questionbank contains original, IB‑style items with AI feedback aligned to IB mark‑scheme criteria.

• Where do teachers build secure official‑question assessments?

• Inside the IB Questionbank (subscription) to assemble custom sets with official items for their classes.

• How can a publisher/tutor legally reuse IB materials?

• Apply for a license; note the exclusions (e.g., no public websites, no use for for‑fee tutoring without a license, and content limits).

Compliance statement and subject hubs

• RevisionDojo is developed independently of the International Baccalaureate (IB) and is not endorsed by it. Our role is to help students practice ethically with IB‑style materials and to direct users to official past papers and mark schemes via Follett/Titlewave or school channels.

• To continue from here, pick your subject hub on RevisionDojo and plug this workflow into your revision plan (e.g., IB Math AA, IB Biology, IB Chemistry, IB Physics, IB Global Politics).