IB Diploma core · Extended essay · First assessment 2027

IB Extended Essay in maths or computer science: what help is allowed

The extended essay is the IB Diploma's independent research task: a 4,000-word academic essay on a topic the student chooses, written with a school supervisor and assessed by the IB. Students can write it in mathematics, in computer science, or across two subjects. The IB's guide for first assessment in 2027 is unusually firm about outside help: students may not receive assistance with "any aspect of the research, writing or proofreading of the essay beyond that which is permitted through their supervisor." So Modern Age Coders does not mentor extended essays. What we do teach, live online, is the mathematics and programming a student may want to understand, and the research habits the guide describes, practised on problems of our own. This page sets out the rules from the guide and where that line falls.

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From the IB's Extended essay guide, first assessment 2027 (published February 2025, updated November 2025), read 31 October 2026 · Not connected with the IB

Can a tutor help with an IB Extended Essay in maths or computer science?

Not with the essay itself. The IB's Extended essay guide for first assessment 2027 says that, because the essay is an independent task and a formal assessment component, "students are not allowed to receive assistance with any aspect of the research, writing or proofreading of the essay beyond that which is permitted through their supervisor." The essay is up to 4,000 words, takes about 40 hours, and is supported by a school supervisor through three reflection sessions; the supervisor may comment on one draft only. Modern Age Coders therefore teaches IB students mathematics, programming and research method live online, in a group or 1-on-1, on practice problems of our own, and never works on a student's essay.

What we can teach

Three courses for an IB student who wants more maths or code

None of these is extended essay support. They teach mathematics and programming in their own right, which a student can then use independently. Each card opens a syllabus.

IB Maths AA & AI course thumbnail

IBEE / 01

IB Maths AA and AI

The Diploma maths courses at SL and HL, for a student who wants their syllabus maths fully secure.

Open the syllabus →
IB DP Computer Science (New Guide, First Assessment 2027) course thumbnail

IBEE / 02

IB DP Computer Science

The new Diploma computer science course, first assessed in 2027, taught live.

Open the syllabus →
Statistics & Probability course thumbnail

IBEE / 03

Statistics and probability

Distributions, correlation and testing, for a student who wants to analyse data with confidence.

Open the syllabus →

The essay

What is the IB Extended Essay?

The guide calls it "a piece of independent research and writing on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with a designated supervisor in the school." It is compulsory for Diploma students and optional for course students.

Key features of the extended essay, from the IB Extended essay guide, first assessment 2027
FeatureWhat the guide says
LengthA formal academic essay of no more than 4,000 words
Reflective statementNo more than 500 words, included on the reflection and progress form (RPF)
Student timeApproximately 40 hours of work
SupervisionRecommended at three to five hours, including three mandatory reflection sessions
Final sessionThe viva voce, a short concluding interview with the supervisor
PathwaysSubject-focused (one DP subject) or interdisciplinary (two DP subjects)
AssessmentExternal; with theory of knowledge it contributes up to three points to the diploma
MinimumA D grade or higher is needed for the diploma to be awarded

Source: International Baccalaureate, Extended essay guide, first assessment 2027 (an unaltered copy hosted by an IB school; ibo.org refused our requests). The guide is for students submitting from May 2027 onwards; your school's coordinator will confirm which guide applies to you. Modern Age Coders is independent of the IB.

In mathematics

The guide describes mainly theoretical essays, exploring an area of mathematics outside the syllabus, and mainly practical ones, using mathematics to investigate an issue or a data set. Many essays mix both. Either way, "it is mandatory to include secondary research, i.e. a review of the literature."

It also warns that "mathematics uses a lot of algebra, so the actual final word count for your extended essay is likely to fall short of 4,000 words." Fewer words is normal, not a weakness.

In computer science

Computer science sits with the sciences in the guide. A science essay "offers the opportunity to investigate and collect primary or secondary data, based on a focused research question", using an accepted, subject-specific method and leading to a valid, evidence-based conclusion.

The guide also lists mathematics and computer science as a possible pairing for the interdisciplinary pathway, for a topic that genuinely needs both lenses.

How it is marked

What are the IB Extended Essay criteria A to E?

Five criteria. A to D apply to the essay as a whole; the guide says "Criterion E is applied only to the reflective statement on the student's RPF."

Extended essay assessment criteria, first assessment 2027, from the IB guide
CriterionGuiding question in the guideMark levels
A: Framework for the essayDo the research question, research methods and structural conventions provide an effective framework?0, then 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6
B: Knowledge and understandingDoes the student demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the subject matter used?0, then 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6
C: Analysis and line of argumentDoes the student analyse the information and produce a coherent line of argument?0, then 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6
D: Discussion and evaluationDoes the student discuss the findings and evaluate the essay?0, then 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 to 6, 7 to 8
E: ReflectionDoes the student evaluate the effect of the learning experience on them as a learner?0, then 1, 2, 3 or 4

What the maths guidance stresses

On Criterion B the guide is direct: "Showing your knowledge and clear understanding of the mathematics you use is arguably the most important criterion in a mathematics essay." It also cautions that "an extended essay is not a research paper revealing that you have discovered something profound and new".

On Criterion A it asks for an equation editor and warns against "using inappropriate symbols like * for multiplication and ^ for powers". On research questions it says: "Be careful with research questions that compare two different approaches to a topic."

What this means for learning, not for the essay

If understanding the mathematics is what matters most, the most useful thing a student can do before or alongside the essay is to learn mathematics well. That is ordinary teaching, and it is what we do.

The same goes for writing mathematics properly: line-by-line algebra, correct notation, a typeset equation. These are skills we practise in lessons on our own problems, which a student can then use independently.

The line

What outside help does the IB allow on the Extended Essay?

Very little, and only through the school. The guide sets the supervisor as the channel for permitted support, limits feedback to one draft, and treats help beyond that as a possible case of academic misconduct.

Help and the extended essay, as the 2027 guide sets it out
QuestionWhat the guide says
Who supports the student?A supervisor allocated by the school, who runs the three reflection sessions and signs the RPF
How much draft feedback?The supervisor may "read and comment on one draft only of the essay (no direct editing is permitted)"
Proofreading?"You must do your own proofreading", including spelling, grammar, formatting and the word count
Other help?Students may not receive assistance with any aspect of the research, writing or proofreading beyond what the supervisor permits
External mentors?Only "with the agreement of the school", with a signed external mentor form, and a school supervisor still allocated
Writing or editing services?Presenting their output as your own "is dishonest and demonstrates a lack of integrity"
AI tools?"Using artificial intelligence (AI) to write an essay that is then presented as your own is dishonest"; AI material may be a cited resource
If a supervisor suspects help?They must tell the coordinator, who must inform the IB; it may be investigated as academic misconduct

What we do not do

We do not suggest, refine or approve a topic or research question. We do not recommend sources, collect or analyse data, write or debug code for an essay, read drafts, comment on structure, proofread, or prepare a student for the viva voce.

We do not act as an external mentor, even where a school might agree to one. That role belongs to institutions the school selects for research access, under the IB's form.

What we do

We teach mathematics, statistics and programming as subjects, at and beyond the Diploma syllabus, in ordinary lessons. We teach how mathematical writing works and how to read a research article, using material that has nothing to do with the student's essay.

If a student tells us their essay topic, we will not teach to it. We ask students to keep the essay out of our lessons, so that their supervisor and the IB can be confident the work is theirs.

For the same line drawn around the Diploma maths internal assessment, see IB maths tuition, and for the computing course itself, IB computer science.

Our lesson family

How can a student practise research skills without touching the essay?

By running small investigations of their own on problems that are not, and will not become, their extended essay. The two below are ours, deliberately short and far from typical essay territory; they exist only to practise method.

  1. Ask a narrow question. Our practice question: in how many ways can a 2 by n strip be tiled with 1 by 2 dominoes? Narrow is good; the guide warns against taking on too much.
  2. Gather cases honestly. Draw the tilings for n = 1, 2, 3, 4: there are 1, 2, 3 and 5 ways. Count each twice.
  3. Read before you claim. Look the pattern up in a textbook or a reputable reference and note where you found it. Practising a short literature note is practising the review of literature the maths guidance makes mandatory.
  4. Explain, do not just state. The last domino column is either one vertical domino, leaving a 2 by (n minus 1) strip, or two horizontal ones, leaving a 2 by (n minus 2) strip. So the count for n is the sum of the counts for n minus 1 and n minus 2: the Fibonacci rule.
  5. Write it properly. Typeset the rule with an equation editor, one step per line, with no * or ^ symbols, and a sentence saying what each symbol means.
  6. Evaluate. Say what the argument covers and what it does not: it counts tilings of a 2-wide strip only. What changes for a 3-wide strip?
Our practice script: timing two search methods (not an essay)Python
import random, time

def linear_search(items, target):
    for i, x in enumerate(items):
        if x == target:
            return i
    return -1

def binary_search(items, target):
    lo, hi = 0, len(items) - 1
    while lo <= hi:
        mid = (lo + hi) // 2
        if items[mid] == target:
            return mid
        if items[mid] < target:
            lo = mid + 1
        else:
            hi = mid - 1
    return -1

for n in [1_000, 10_000, 100_000, 1_000_000]:
    data = list(range(n))
    targets = [random.randrange(n) for _ in range(200)]
    for name, fn in [("linear", linear_search), ("binary", binary_search)]:
        start = time.perf_counter()
        for t in targets:
            fn(data, t)
        per_call = (time.perf_counter() - start) / len(targets)
        print(n, name, f"{per_call * 1e6:.1f} microseconds")

Our script, for practising a fair experiment: same data, many trials, one change at a time. The results depend on the machine, which is itself a point to discuss.

What the computing practice teaches

Controlled comparison: the same lists and targets for both methods, many repetitions, and only the input size changed. That mirrors what the guide asks of science essays, controlled variables and a standardised method, on a problem too small to be an essay.

Interpretation: linear search time grows roughly in proportion to n, binary search far more slowly. The student should explain why from the code, not only report the numbers.

Why practise on someone else's problem

Because the guide is clear that help with the essay's research must come through the supervisor. Practising method on unrelated problems builds the skill without importing anyone else's thinking into the student's essay.

It also keeps the student honest with themselves: if they can run a small investigation alone, they can run their own essay alone.

Over the Diploma

Where maths and coding lessons fit in the two years

Schools set their own extended essay calendars. Our lessons run alongside, on syllabus maths and computing, and never on the essay.

Our view of useful learning at each stage (ours, not an IB or school timetable)
StageWhat a student might learn with us (ours)What stays with the school
Early in year 1Syllabus maths and programming made secureChoosing a subject and supervisor
Later in year 1Mathematical writing and reading research, on our practice problemsTopic, research question, first reflection session
Through the researchOrdinary syllabus lessons onlyAll research, the interim reflection, the one draft
Final stagesExam preparation for the subject papersFinal version, viva voce, reflective statement
Year 2 examsRevision of the syllabusSubmission through the school

If you are unsure what is allowed

Ask your supervisor or the extended essay coordinator before getting any help. The guide puts that judgement with the school.

If in doubt about a lesson with us, leave the essay out of it.

Related reading

For both IB maths subjects, see IB maths tuition.

For the computing course, see IB computer science.

All related courses

Maths and programming courses for IB students

Subject teaching only. Each card opens a syllabus.

I

IB subjects

Diploma years

UK / IEE / 01

IB Maths AA and AI

Both Diploma maths courses, SL and HL.

Open the syllabus

UK / IEE / 02

IB DP Computer Science

The new Diploma computing course.

Open the syllabus

UK / IEE / 03

Statistics and probability

Data analysis done properly.

Open the syllabus
II

Beyond the syllabus

Ages 16 and up

UK / IEE / 04

Competition mathematics

Number theory, combinatorics and proof.

Open the syllabus

UK / IEE / 05

Problem solving and algorithms

Data structures and algorithms for teens.

Open the syllabus
III

Programming

Ages 13 and up

UK / IEE / 06

Python for teens

From first scripts to real programs.

Open the syllabus

UK / IEE / 07

Data science for teens

Working with data sets in Python.

Open the syllabus

How lessons run

Live online subject lessons, essay left at the door

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. We teach from India, which has no clock change, so for students in the UK India time is four and a half hours ahead from late March to late October and five and a half the rest of the year; students in other countries book in their own local time.

After school

Evening sessions around the DP timetable.

Weekend morning

For students with CAS commitments in the week.

Holidays

Short courses in a topic beyond the syllabus.

Subjects, not essays

Maths and computing taught for their own sake.

Practice problems

Method practised on investigations we wrote, unrelated to any essay.

Class or private

A class of 15 to 20 at one level, or lessons with your own teacher.

No drafts, no code review

We never read, edit or debug any part of an extended essay.

Not a mentor

We do not take the external mentor role under the IB form.

No grade talk

Essay grades are the IB's; we do not predict them.

Student work

What our students go on to make

Projects from our coding and maths classes, made outside any assessed work. More on student labs.

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A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

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An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

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A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

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Fees

Fees for maths and programming lessons

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Group batch

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  • A class of 15 to 20 at one level
  • One teacher for the course
  • Practice work marked and discussed
  • A certificate at the end
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One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • One student, one teacher
  • A subject or topic of the student's choosing
  • Never the student's essay
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Extended essay questions

What students ask about a maths or computer science EE

Can a tutor help with my IB Extended Essay?

The IB's 2027 guide says students may not receive assistance with any aspect of the research, writing or proofreading beyond what their supervisor permits. We therefore teach subjects and method on our own problems and never work on an essay.

How long is the IB Extended Essay?

No more than 4,000 words, with a reflective statement of no more than 500 words on the reflection and progress form. The guide estimates about 40 hours of student work.

What are the extended essay criteria?

A, framework for the essay; B, knowledge and understanding; C, analysis and line of argument; D, discussion and evaluation; and E, reflection, which applies only to the reflective statement.

Is a maths extended essay shorter than 4,000 words?

Often. The guide says mathematics uses a lot of algebra, so the final word count is likely to fall short of 4,000 words.

Does a maths extended essay need a literature review?

Yes. The guide says it is mandatory to include secondary research, meaning a review of the literature, whether the essay is mainly theoretical or mainly practical.

Can I write an interdisciplinary extended essay in maths and computer science?

The guide lists mathematics and computer science among its example pairings for the interdisciplinary pathway. Check with your school, and note that interdisciplinary essays must currently be in English, French or Spanish.

How many times can my supervisor read my draft?

Once. The guide says the supervisor may read and comment on one draft only, with no direct editing, after the interim reflection session and before the final one.

Is AI allowed in the IB extended essay?

The guide says using AI to write an essay presented as your own is dishonest. AI-generated material can be used as a resource if it is checked and properly cited.

What grade do I need on the extended essay?

The guide says a student must achieve a D grade or higher on the extended essay to be awarded the diploma. With theory of knowledge it contributes up to three points.

When are your lessons?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. UK students see UK times when booking.

Related pages

More for IB Diploma students

Subject pages and our UK hub.

IB maths tuition

AA and AI at SL and HL.

IB computer science

The Diploma computing subject.

IB maths in the UAE

For Diploma students in the Gulf.

A level maths tuition

The sixth-form alternative.

UK competitions calendar

Maths and coding challenges by month.

Coding classes in the UK

The UK hub.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: UK maths exam boards and specification codes

International Baccalaureate

GCSE maths

International GCSE and Cambridge International

A level maths and further maths

Scotland

More guides: UK maths year by year, Reception to Year 11 · UK selective school maths tests: 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+ · UK university admissions: maths tests and computing applications · UK maths enrichment, competitions and able pupils

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