How to Choose the Right Three Higher Level Subjects in the IBDP?

ibscholars

11 Sep 2026

How to Choose the Right Three Higher Level Subjects in the IBDP?

One of the most significant decisions that an IBDP student makes is to select three Higher Level (HL) subjects. The right selection should be based on what the subjects are best for, your interests, your strengths and your long term career plans and goals and not on which subject is easiest.

What are the IBDP Higher Level Subjects?

Three is the typical number of subjects taken by IB Diploma Programme students in HL; the IB allows four subjects to be taken. HL courses are more in-depth than SL courses, and the IB suggests that there be approximately 240 teaching hours for HL, and 150 for SL.

This means that you need to plan carefully for your three HL choices.

1. Start with your University Course

The first thing you should think about is the university degree that you wish to pursue. Subject requirements and/or preferred combinations may vary according to different degrees.

For example:

Medicine: Chemistry and Biology HL may be important for many medical pathways.
Relevant: Engineering: Mathematics and Physics HL.
Economics: Mathematics can be particularly important for competitive university programmes.
Computer Science: Mathematics and relevant science or computing subjects may enhance preparation.

Please note that university-specific requirements can differ, so please check individual university requirements.

2. Identify Your Strongest Subjects

Generally your HL subjects should include areas where you are demonstrating your academic ability. Examine your work in Grade 9 and Grade 10, feedback from teachers, assessments and your own interest.

But "strongest" does not just mean that they got the top grade. Think about how much you like the subject and if you think you can do the work load for two years.

3. Think About Workload and Subject Balance

The combination of three challenging HL subjects can add to the rigour of SL subjects, Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and CAS. Find a combination that will push you just hard enough, but not so hard that it causes an impossible workload. The grade descriptors for HL are identical to those found for SL, but higher expectations are set for the amount of knowledge and skills to be demonstrated.

4. Check Your School's Subject Availability

All IB World Schools do not necessarily provide all subjects or subject combinations. Make sure that the subjects you have chosen are available at your school at HL and that there are no time-table limitations on the combination of subjects you've selected before making your final decision.

5. Get Expert IBDP Subject Guidance

That's if you still wonder, "which three HL subjects should I choose?", then it is easier with professional guidance.

Helping students think about academic strengths, interests, and university requirements, IB Scholars assists students in making subject selection decisions for their IB studies in Dubai and UAE. It has a Dubai office at Sheikh Zayed Road, as well as at JLT and Dubai Silicon Oasis.