The IB Diploma is recognised across Europe, but entry requirements vary considerably by country, university, and programme. Knowing the typical ranges before you shortlist will save you from applying to courses where your predicted score falls short, or ruling out options where you would actually be a competitive candidate. If your predicted score sits in the 30 to 34 band, we have also written a dedicated guide to which European universities accept 30 to 34 IB points.
One important note before the country breakdown: if you are planning postgraduate study, your IB score is not the primary entry criterion. Masters and PhD programmes assess you on your undergraduate degree classification and, for research degrees, your research proposal. The figures below apply to undergraduate (Bachelor-level) entry.
What "IB points required" actually means
Most European universities publish a minimum total points threshold, but the total score alone rarely tells the full story. Higher Level subject choices matter as much as the overall score in many cases. Medicine programmes across Europe typically require HL Biology and HL Chemistry regardless of the points threshold. Engineering faculties often specify HL Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches. Law and social science programmes are generally more flexible on subject combination.
European universities also apply their own conversion tables when translating IB scores into local grading equivalents. The German KMK conversion, the Dutch numerus fixus system, and Czech university entrance exams all work differently. The IB total is the starting point, not the whole picture.
Germany
Germany's public universities charge no tuition in most states, only a semester contribution of around €300-400. The main exception is Baden-Wurttemberg, which charges non-EU students tuition of €1,500 per semester on top of the contribution. Entry is governed by the Numerus Clausus (NC) system, which converts your IB score to a German Abitur equivalent on a 1.0-4.0 scale, with 1.0 being the highest.
For most undergraduate programmes at public universities, an IB total of 28-30 is sufficient. Competitive programmes such as business, law, and computer science at universities in Munich, Hamburg, or Berlin typically require 32-35. Medicine is a separate category: Germany's medical places are among the most contested in Europe, and a realistic IB score for medicine at a public German university is 38-40, with some programmes requiring scores at the very top of the scale. Private medical schools have lower points thresholds but charge tuition fees of €15,000-€25,000 per year.
The Netherlands
Dutch universities offer more than 2,100 English-taught programmes and are a popular first choice for IB students specifically because the IB aligns well with the Dutch pre-university diploma (VWO). One current change to weigh: from 2025 the Dutch government is reducing English-taught bachelor's provision and allowing universities to cap places on English-language tracks, so that figure is tightening rather than growing. Check that your chosen programme is still running in English for your intake year. Most universities publish a direct IB minimum: the standard threshold for non-selective programmes is 26-28 points. Competitive programmes, particularly in Amsterdam (UvA, VU) and Utrecht, typically require 30-34. The exception is psychology and medicine, which are capped numerus fixus programmes where each university runs its own selection, and which are effectively oversubscribed at any score: realistic candidates for Dutch medicine present 36-40.
Tuition for non-EU international students ranges from approximately €8,000 to €20,000 per year depending on the university and programme. EU-passport holders pay the statutory rate of around €2,300 per year.
Poland
Poland offers strong value: English-taught programmes at public universities cost €2,000-€6,000 per year, and Warsaw and Krakow are affordable cities by European standards. The University of Warsaw and Jagiellonian University (Krakow) are the most selective, with competitive programmes requiring 32-36. Other public universities typically admit from 26-30. Medical programmes in Poland taught in English are a well- established route for international students, particularly from Asia and the GCC, and typically require 34-38.
Czech Republic
Charles University in Prague is the headline institution and its English-taught medicine programme is genuinely competitive internationally, requiring 36-40 and a university entrance examination. For non-medical programmes in English at Charles and other Czech public universities, 28-32 is a realistic working range. Living costs in Prague are among the lowest of any European capital.
Scandinavia
Denmark and Sweden offer tuition-free higher education only for EU/EEA students. Non-EU international students (including those holding Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi passports) pay tuition fees comparable to the Netherlands: DKK 45,000-100,000 per year in Denmark, SEK 80,000-195,000 in Sweden. Norway introduced tuition fees for non-EU/EEA students in 2023, at roughly €11,000-€33,000 per year depending on the programme. A proposal to remove Norway's fees from August 2026 is before parliament but is not yet law, so check the current position for your intake year rather than relying on Norway's old tuition-free reputation. Entry thresholds at Scandinavian universities typically start at 30-32 for competitive programmes.
Spain and Italy
Both countries have growing English-taught provision but the total volume of English-medium programmes is smaller than Germany or the Netherlands. Spanish public universities typically set their IB equivalence at 26-30 for most programmes, with IE University and other private institutions sometimes requiring 32-34 for business and law programmes. Italian public universities generally accept from 26-28, with Bocconi (private, Milan) requiring 35+ for its business and economics programmes. Bocconi is unusual: its selectivity and alumni network make it genuinely comparable to top UK and Dutch options.
Switzerland
Switzerland is not an EU member and sits in a separate category. ETH Zurich, consistently ranked among the top engineering universities in the world, requires a near-perfect IB score for international applicants: 40-42 for engineering and computer science. The University of Zurich and University of Geneva are more accessible at 32-36 for competitive programmes. Living costs in Switzerland are high, and tuition for non-EU students at cantonal universities runs to CHF 1,500-3,000 per semester.
If your score is below the typical threshold
A lower IB total does not end your European options. Several routes remain open: foundation year programmes at European universities that provide a pathway to the full degree; English-taught programmes at regional universities with lower competition; and countries such as Hungary, Romania, and the Baltic states where strong universities have lower published minimums and competitive tuition rates.
It is also worth noting that predicted scores and conditional offers work differently in European admissions than in the UK. Many European universities make offers based on your final certified results rather than predicted grades, which changes the timing of the application process.
The subject combination question
Across all European systems, subject-specific requirements frequently override the total score as the deciding factor. If you are targeting a STEM programme, HL Mathematics at the Analysis and Approaches level is expected almost universally. Medicine requires HL Biology and HL Chemistry in all but a small number of programmes. Economics and business programmes vary: some require HL Mathematics, others are flexible. Check the specific subject requirements for each programme before finalising your IB option choices in Year 1.
Once you know which countries your points open up, the next question is what studying there actually costs. Our guide to the real cost of studying abroad breaks down tuition and living costs country by country.