At UWC, you don’t just study for good grades – you’ll push yourself to connect ideas, cultures and real-world impact.
Whether you take the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), the International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP), the innovative Systems Transformation Pathway (all for 16-19 year olds), or our programmes for younger learners (ages two to 15), you’ll gain the skills and the confidence to shape the future you want – and the world needs.
More than a qualification
At UWC, academic life isn’t just about what you know – it’s about how you use what you know to make a difference. Whatever pathway you choose, you’ll graduate ready to keep learning, take action and create change – whether you go on to university, launch your own projects or make an impact in your community.
Age 16-19 | Offered at all UWC schools
The IBDP is one of the most respected secondary education qualifications in the world – and UWC helped shape it from the very beginning. Here you won’t just memorise facts for exams. You’ll explore big ideas, think critically, debate new perspectives and learn how to connect what you study with the real world.
“Although the IBDP was quite overwhelming at times and there was a lot to be learned, overall it made me a lot more confident and taught me how to study. My first year at college felt much easier than my second year of IBDP. I’m much more sure of the things I say because I research them, and I’m so much better at writing.”
Leonor, UWC Mahindra College alumna
What you’ll study:
IBDP students take six subjects across these groups:
| Group 1: Studies in Language and Literature | Your strongest language, often your home language. |
| Group 2: Language Acquisition | Learn a new language to deepen your skills. |
| Group 3: Individuals and Societies | Humanities subjects like History, Global Politics, Economics or Anthropology. |
| Group 4: Sciences | Options like Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Computer Science or Environmental Systems and Societies. |
| Group 5: Mathematics | Pure or applied maths, depending on your strengths and goals. |
| Group 6: The Arts | Visual Arts, Theatre, Music, Dance – or swap this for an extra subject from Groups 1-4. |
You’ll take three subjects at Higher Level (HL) and three at Standard Level (SL). In addition, every student completes three core components that bring the IBDP to life:
Where it leads
Top universities worldwide respect the IBDP for its breadth, depth, and the way it develops critical thinking, communication, teamwork and leadership.
DOWNLOAD OUR ‘GETTING MORE OUT OF THE IB’ GUIDEAge 16-19 | Available at selected UWC schools
Want a more specialised, hands-on path? The IBCP combines academic challenge with career-related studies in fields that matter to you. You’ll develop practical skills and experience while earning a qualification that opens doors to universities, apprenticeships or direct careers.
How it works:
Take at least two IBDP courses for strong academic grounding.
Dive deep into your chosen field through career-related studies – from Business and Sustainability to Music Performance or Climate Action Leadership.
Complete the IBCP core: personal and professional skills, service learning, language development and a reflective project.
Unique pathways at UWC:
IBCP students join fully in UWC campus life alongside IBDP peers – same community, same spirit, different focus.
You’ll work towards an IB Diploma while swapping two standard IB subjects for a bespoke interdisciplinary programme. You’ll focus on real-world systems – from biodiversity to migration – and learn through project portfolios, reflection and authentic impact analyses instead of traditional exams.
Age 16-19 | pilot programme at UWC Atlantic and UWC South East Asia
Looking for something truly different? The Systems Transformation Pathway is a new IB-UWC pilot programme for students who are driven to tackle complex global challenges.
Examples:
UWC Atlantic: The Systems Transformation Pathway: Leadership For Just Futures – human-centred design and systems thinking for real-world solutions. Students choose to focus on either Biodiversity, Energy, Food or Migration in the application of their learning.
UWC South East Asia: The Systems Transformation Pathway: Leadership for Change – build a changemaker mindset, design thinking and leadership skills to turn ideas into action.
How to apply: if you’d like to join the STP, apply to UWC Atlantic or UWCSEA through the usual IBDP pathway first. Once accepted, you can apply internally for the Systems Transformation Pathway.
Some UWC schools also offer programmes for younger students – nurturing curiosity, intercultural understanding and service from the very start.
