2019 IB Results: Hong Kong Students Celebrate
More than 2,000 students from across Hong Kong received their International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and Career-related Programme (IBCP) results today. They join 1.85 million graduates in 152 countries who have successfully completed and been awarded the qualifications.
Globally, students from 2,950 schools achieved an average IB Diploma score of 29.62, compared with 29.8 in 2018. The minimum point requirement for the award of the Diploma is 23 points with the highest award of 45 points. In Hong Kong, students from 29 schools achieved an average of 35.99 – well above the global average and marginally higher than the 2018 Hong Kong average of 35.96.
The two-year IBDP programme is currently offered at 29 local and international schools in Hong Kong, including six that are full IB schools; Hong Kong’s largest provider of English-medium international education, the English Schools Foundation (ESF), offers the IBDP at its five secondary schools and two all-through schools. From August 2019, Nord Anglia International School, Hong Kong will enrol its first cohort of IBDP students.
A total of 2,284 students in Hong Kong participated in the exams, which were held in May 2019. In the Asia Pacific region, there has been a 5% increase on the number of students taking the IB since 2018.
IB vs A Level: Where to Study in Hong Kong? Click here.
In Hong Kong, the IBDP is taken at international schools including: ESF Discovery College, ESF King George V School, ESF Island School, ESF Sha Tin College, ESF South Island School, ESF Renaissance College, ESF West Island School, French International School, Independent Schools Foundation Academy, Victoria Shanghai Academy, Canadian International School of Hong Kong, Yew Chung International School of Hong Kong, Li Po Chun United World College of Hong Kong (UWC), International College Hong Kong, German Swiss International School, Chinese International School, Han Academy, Hong Kong Academy, and Singapore International School.
Read our round-up of the top 20 international schools in Hong Kong here.
Top Scorers
Out of the 2,284 students who sat the IB, there were 34 top scorers across Hong Kong’s schools. This included 20 students from English Schools Foundation (ESF) secondary schools, four top scorers from the German Swiss International School and Diocesan Boys’ School (DBS) in the local school sector, and one each from Canadian International School of Hong Kong (CDNIS) and Victoria Shanghai Academy (VSA). The number of top-scoring students could also rise as some students choose to get their papers remarked in the coming weeks.
Take part in our survey if you are a parent or teacher. Click here.
Of the schools that have published results so far…
English Schools Foundation
• Average score: 35.6
• Pass rate: 97.2%
• Size of cohort: 933
• Top score of 45 points: 20
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 231 students (24.1%)
• No. students scored 35 points and above: 573 students (59.7%)
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 846 (88.1%)
The English Schools Foundation (ESF), which is Hong Kong’s largest provider of English-medium international education in Hong Kong, enters the highest number of IB students in the country; a total of 933 ESF students were awarded the IBDP this year.
ESF scored 5.8 points above the global average across all five of its secondary schools and two all-through schools – and celebrated an all-time high number of 20 students scoring top marks of 45. The average score from all ESF schools was 35.6, which is above the global average of 29.8 and in line with ESF’s 2018 average of 35.8; 97.2% of ESF students passed the full IDBP and 59.7% scored 35 IB points or above. Another 17 ESF students achieved 44 points.
ESF’s Sha Tin College was the groups's top-performing school with nine top scorers; these included Yann Chan Yeung Yau, Fok Jing Chen, Sammie Lam, Jonathan Lee Chun Yin, Megan Lee Tsz Ching, Brian Li Shing Yin, Carliss Ling Tsz Yin, Sherry Wang Xin Yi, and Alex Xia Kun Ha.
ESF’s other top scorers include Chan Wai Lam, Calvin Lam Pak Yiu, Matthew Wong Kwok Leong, and Charming Yeung at King George V School; Russell Liu Mingan, Ethan Tsang Yik Hin, and Bianca Yuen Sze Ming at Renaissance College; Megan Lee Nga Yin and Matthew Ling Yan Pui at Island School, Adrian Yan at Discovery College, and Rachel Kan Ka Lam at West Island School.
ESF’s chief executive officer, Belinda Greer, says: “These are remarkable results – the best in our history. They are the culmination of years of hard work by the students and their teachers – and have been achieved thanks to the unstinting support offered to the young men and women by their families and friends. Today is a day for celebrating the achievements of these amazing students.
“The students who achieved the top score deserve our special congratulations. The IB Diploma is an incredibly challenging qualification, so to score a 45 is something that the students and their families should be very proud of.
“We have seen students at all levels, in all of our schools achieve great success today. When a family chooses ESF for their child’s education we make them a very simple promise: all of us will work every single day, in every single class to help every single student be the best that they can be. These results show that we are making good on that promise."
ESF entered students for the IBDP at the following schools: Discovery College, Island School, King George V School, Sha Tin College, South Island School, Renaissance College, and West Island School. We will publish the individual results for each school as we receive them.
ESF Discovery College
• Average score: 35.3
• Pass rate: 97.4%
• Top score: 45
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 22%
• No. students scored 35 points and above: 58%
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 86%
• No. students achieved the bilingual diploma: 16.9%
At Discovery College, students celebrated an average score of 35.3, which shows a continuation of the school's strong academic performance as last year's score was also 35.3. Adrian Yan achieved a perfect score of 45 points, and more than half of the cohort of 77 students achieved 35 points or more.
ESF Island School
• Average score: 35.8
• Pass rate: 98%
• Top score: 45
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 28%
• No. students scored 35 points and above: 57%
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 89%
Students at Island School celebrated a high average score of 36 with a 98% pass rate; 28.5% of students achieved over 40 points
Two students achieved the maximum IB Diploma score of 45 points – Megan Lee and Matthew Ling – and two more scored 44 points, Bakhita Fung and Nobel Chan.
ESF King George V
• Average score: 35.1
• Size of cohort: 194
• Pass rate: 96%
• Top score: 45
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 21%
• No. students scored 35 points and above: 55%
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 86%
The 2019 cohort at King George V School achieved a high average score of 35.1, just a shade down on the previous year's result. There were five top scorers – Chan Wai Lam, Calvin Lam Pak Yiu, Matthew Wong Kwok Leong, and Charming Yeung – and just over half of students scoring 35 points or above.
ESF Renaissance College
• Average score: 34.7
• Pass rate: 95%
• Top score: 45
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 17%
• No. students scored 35 points and above: 52%
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 84%
• No. students achieved the bilingual diploma: 31%
The hard work and effort paid off at Renaissance College where the average score 34.7. 17% of students achieved 40 or more total points – a figure that can earn them a place them at competitive Ivy League or Oxbridge universities. Three students celebrated the top score of 45: Russell Liu, Bianca Yuen and Ethan Tsang.
RCHK is one of of only five schools in Hong Kong to currently offer the International Baccalaureate Career Programme (IBCP), which is an alternative to the IBDP that’s specifically developed for students who want to focus on career-related learning. The school offers an IBCP course in partnership with the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), and another with the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA),
This year, there was a small cohort of eight students taking the IBCP, a 100% pass rate, and a grade point average of 3.17 in the SCAD programme and Distinction in the HKAPA programme.
ESF Sha Tin College
• Average score: 37.4
• Pass rate: 99.3%
• Top score: 45
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 34.6%
• No. students scored 35 points and above: 76%
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 93%
• No. students achieved the bilingual diploma: Nine
At Sha Tin College the average score was 37.4, which is only marginally lower than last year's score of 37.6. There was a record number of nine students who achieved the full 45 points: Yann Chan, Jing Chen Fok, Sammie Lam, Jonathan Lee, Megan Lee, Brian Li, Carliss Ling, Sherry Wang, and Alex Xia.
Vice principal Paul Hoang says: "Whilst we are extremely proud of the students mentioned above, we are also particularly proud of the many students who fulfilled their personal potential and the students who were expected to find the Diploma Programme particularly challenging. Through sheer hard work and determination, these students have managed to achieve at least the 24 points needed to pass the IB Diploma."
ESF South Island School
• Average score: 35.8
• Pass rate: 97%
• Top score: 44
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 27%
• No. students scored 35 points and above: 62%
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 87%
South Island School (SIS)achieved a very creditable average diploma score of 35.8 points, which marginally higher than last year's average of 35.2. The school's highest score of 44 was achieved by Paco Chow, Joshua Kwok, Jasmine Lai, Bernice Lam and Tiffany Tsoi
SIS said: "This year, 62% of SIS students have achieved 35 or more points, the highest percentage since 2016 – and an incredible 27% of our students have achieved a world class score of 40 or more points, the highest percentage achieved by any cohort during the last 7 years!"
SIS is one of of only five schools in Hong Kong to currently offer the International Baccalaureate Career Programme (IBCP), which is an alternative to the IBDP that’s specifically developed for students who want to focus on career-related learning. 94% (15 students) of its first small IBCP cohort passed.
The school added: "Along with our IBDP students, our IBCP students have received numerous university offers from top-ranked institutions worldwide. The IBCP deliberately allows students to pursue specialism ahead of breadth – and it is clear that our first cohort of IBCP students are already highly specialised in their chosen fields!"
ESF West Island School
• Average score: 36
• Pass rate: 98%
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 19%
• No. students scored 35 points and above: 56%
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 92%
The graduates of 2019 at West Island School were celebrating an average score of 36, which matches last year's strong performance.
Students are also able to study Level 3 BTEC qualifications (equivalent to UK A levels) in
Engineering, Art & Design, Business Studies, Performing Arts and Sports & Exercise
Science. 19 students completed both a BTEC Level 3 National Diploma and a BTEC Level
3 Subsidiary Diploma; there was a 100% pass rate and 65% of students achieved the highest grades of Distinction or above.
Principal Chris Sammons said: "Regardless of which pathway our students have chosen, they have earned places at a range of excellent universities around the world. We are proud of each individual and these average statistics cannot do justice to the many stories of personal growth."
Canadian International School of Hong Kong (CDNIS)
• Average score: 36.2
• Size of cohort: 114
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 23
• No. students achieved the bilingual diploma: 12
CDNIS celebrated an average score of 36.2. CDNIS was one of the top performing schools in Hong Kong last year with an average score of 36.9; its score has been 36 or above for the past five years.
One student, Eloise Fan (pictured above), achieved the maximum score of 45. Eloise, who will study Environment, Resources and Sustainability and Theatre and Performance at the University of Waterloo in Canada next year, said:
“I believe it was the constant reminders to ‘put things in perspective’ from my teachers, peers and parents that got me through my final years of high school. I will be forever grateful to CDNIS for allowing me to fully explore so many of my varied interests, from sustainability and theatre, to swimming, service work, yoga and beyond.”
Along with the IB Diploma, CDNIS students also graduate with the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD), making them some of the few students in Hong Kong to graduate with two different diplomas.
Upper school principal Dr. Tim Kaiser said, “CDNIS students have always posted incredible DP results, a feat in itself considering all of our students take the full IB programme and more than half of this year’s graduating class have been with our school since they were five years old or younger. We are proud of the character shown by our students, as well as their excellent academic attainment.”
Creative Secondary School
• Average score: 35
• Pass rate: 100%
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 18%
• No. students achieved the bilingual diploma: 62%
Creative Secondary School's cohort of 45 students had a pass rate of 100% and a high average score of 35.
French International School (FIS)
• Average score: 38.3
• Pass rate: 100%
• Top score: 45
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 42%
• No. students achieved the bilingual diploma: 25%
French International School is celebrating another excellent set of IB results, after achieving an average score of 38.3 (three points higher than last year) and three top scorers. Twins Layla and Esme S, alongside Cloe C all achieved full marks of 45 points; all three students have been at FIS for 12 or more years.
Layla said: “[It is a school that is very much] collaborative and supportive. Teachers and friends were always ready to help out if I ever struggled with anything, even if it meant taking an extra 30 minutes outside of class to explain something to me. I loved how, despite the ambition of the students, I never felt like I was in competition with anyone, rather that we were all working together.”
This year's IB cohort have received offers for universities including Harvard, St Andrews, UCL, Bristol, Exeter, Bath, Kings, Durham, Edinburgh, Warwick, LSE, CUHK, and Leiden.
Head of the international stream at FIS, Ian Clayton, said: "We are very proud that more than half the graduating students have been at FIS for their entire 14 year educational journey."
German Swiss International School (GSIS)
• No. students registered: 57
• No. subject entries: 454
• No. students who passed: 56
• Average score: 41
• Highest score: 45
• Average grade: 6.39
German Swiss International School continues its strong academic record with an average score this year of 41; this matches last year’s average, which placed GSIS as one of the top-scoring schools in Hong Kong. The school offers a German and English education in two parallel streams from primary through to secondary, and two thirds of its student body are in the English stream.
Four students in the 2019 cohort achieved full marks of 45, and graduates are heading to universities including University of Oxford, Cambridge University, Imperial College, Harvard, Brown, Cornell, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University and both Hong Kong University and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union Logos Academy
• Average score: 38
• Pass rate: 100%
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 38.6%
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 100%
Students at Hong Kong Chinese Christian Churches Union Logos Academy have achieved a very high average score of 38, and a third of the cohort scored 30 points and above.
International College Hong Kong
• Average score: NA
• Pass rate: 100%
• No. students scored 35 points and above: 50%
International College Hong Kong has only published the above limited results and no average score.
Kiangsu & Chekiang School and College (International Section)
• Average score: NA
• Pass rate: 100%
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 18%
At Kiangsu & Chekiang School and College the small cohort of 11 students all passed the IBDP, and 18% scored 40 points or above.
Singapore International School (Hong Kong)
• Average score: 35.9
• Pass rate: 94%
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 27%
Students at Singapore International School (Hong Kong) performed well across the curriculum with an average score of 35.9. The top score at this all-through school, which is owned by the government of Singapore and follows the Singaporean curriculum until Secondary year 3, was 44.
The small 2019 cohort of 36 students have received offers for universities including Imperial College London (UK), Warwick University (UK), King’s College London (UK), Duke University (USA), University of Michigan (USA), Yale-NUS (Singapore), Singapore University of Social Sciences, Hong Kong University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
Principal Kelvin Tay said: "Among this small and yet diverse cohort, I am very pleased to see our students form a tight-knit and supportive SISHK Family in the process. We are also thankful for the strong support our students received from their families and teachers.”
St Paul's Co-Educational College
• Average score: 40.9
• Pass rate: 100%
• Top score: 45
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 69.8%
• No. students achieved the bilingual diploma: 32
It was another impressive year for St Paul's Co-Educational College where students scored an extremely high average of 40.9. Out of the small cohort of just 53 students, one got a score of 45, 11 got a score of 44, and six got a score of 43. Scholarships received by its IBDP students include the Swire Scholarship to Oxford, St John's College Scholarship to Cambridge and the Prince Philip Scholarship to Cambridge.
Victoria Shanghai Academy (VSA)
• Average score: 37.9
• Pass rate: 100%
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 47%
• No. students scored 30 points and above: 93.9%
• No. students achieved the bilingual diploma: 32
VSA, an all-through, bilingual school with a large Cantonese-speaking student population, had an average mean score of 37.9, the highest ever for the school; last year’s average score was 36. There was one top scorer, 18-year-old Joelle Chow Chung-shan, who received a Scholarship for Academic Achievement and Scholarship for Science and plans to study medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Six VSA students achieved a near-perfect 44 points.
Chow says: "Academically, VSA has given me a plethora of resources and encouraged constant self-exploration and further learning. The teachers here have constantly challenged me to always present my best work, and to look beyond the class syllabus in order to understand topics thoroughly.”
Yew Chung International School of Hong Kong
• Average score: 34.4
• No. students scored 40 points and above: 14.3%
We will update this article with more results from Hong Kong’s schools as we receive them.
Next: Table of 2019 IB results for Hong Kong
