Philosophy Past Papers 2026
Browse all available Philosophy sessions from 2009-2025. This archive currently includes 448 official papers and 0 donated papers.
33
Sessions
448
Papers
448
Official
2009-2025
Years
November 2025
Latest Session
33
Sessions
2009–2025
192
Question Papers
159
Markschemes
83% coverage
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute = how fast you have to write. Anything above 0.85 is tight; above 1.0 is brutal.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Core Theme + Optional Themes (Stimulus + Essay) | 75 | 2h 30m | 0.50 | Steady |
| Paper 2 | Prescribed Philosophical Text (HL/SL same paper) | 25 | 1h | 0.42 | Steady |
| Paper 3 | Open Philosophical Activity (HL only) — Methodology & Critical Discussion | 25 | 1h 15m | 0.33 | Steady |
Components: 3 papers, up to 3 variants each. Component data extracted from 3 official IB subject reports (2024, 2025).
November 2025
Latest Session
33
Sessions
2009–2025
136
Question Papers
114
Markschemes
84% coverage
Components & time pressure
Marks per minute = how fast you have to write. Anything above 0.85 is tight; above 1.0 is brutal.
| Paper | Component | Marks | Duration | Marks / min | Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | Core Theme + Optional Theme (Stimulus + Essay) | 50 | 1h 45m | 0.48 | Steady |
| Paper 2 | Prescribed Philosophical Text (HL/SL same paper) | 25 | 1h | 0.42 | Steady |
Components: 2 papers, up to 3 variants each. Component data extracted from 3 official IB subject reports (2024, 2025).
Yearly Exam Sessions
What IB examiners say about Philosophy
Verbatim quotes from 3 official IB subject reports (2025–2024). Every quote is attributable to a specific paper and session — these are the things IB markers flag year after year.
Organising the essay around the stimulus instead of…
Organising the essay around the stimulus: This was again a major issue in some centres this year, where students had clearly not been explained the nature of the task properly. The structure of the essay should be centred on an analysis of the philosophical issue, not an analysis of the stimulus.
Failing to address the specific demands of the question
A central problem was the failure to carefully consider the specific demands of the question. Some answers ignore the question entirely, applying what they have learnt and reshaping the question's aims to suit a memorised answer. Many answers pay no attention to the central instruction given by the command words 'discuss' or 'evaluate'.
Using too many theories or philosophers
Use of too many theories: Attempting to discuss too many theories (more than three) in one essay can lead to shallow explanations and superficial analysis and evaluation. This often happens because students run out words to explore each theory in depth.
About IB Philosophy
IB Philosophy is a Group 3 subject that develops students' capacity for clear and reasoned thinking through the study of major philosophical questions. Core topics include the nature of philosophy, being human, and social and political philosophy. Students also study one optional theme and complete an Internal Assessment based on a philosophical analysis of a non-philosophical stimulus.
IB Philosophy is available at SL and HL. HL students additionally study two prescribed texts in depth and sit a separate paper. The subject rewards clear argumentation, logical structure, and engagement with multiple philosophical perspectives.
Exam Format
Paper 1 (SL: 1 hr / HL: 1 hr)
Unseen stimulus material with short-answer questions testing philosophical reasoning and conceptual analysis.
Paper 2 (SL: 1 hr 45 min / HL: 1 hr 45 min)
Optional theme questions and extended philosophical essay.
Paper 3 (HL only: 1 hr 45 min)
Questions on prescribed texts.
SL vs HL
HL Philosophy adds Paper 3 (prescribed texts) and requires deeper engagement with the optional theme and core topics.
Study Tips for IB Philosophy
- ✓Always define philosophical terms precisely at the start of essay answers.
- ✓Use named philosophers and their specific arguments — vague references to 'philosophers' score poorly.
- ✓Structure arguments logically: claim, justification, counter-argument, rebuttal.
- ✓For Paper 1 unseen stimuli, identify the philosophical question the stimulus raises before answering.
Questions, answered.
Optional themes include: Aesthetics, Epistemology, Philosophy of Religion, Political Philosophy, Philosophy of Science, and Ethics.
IB Philosophy is a Group 3 (Individuals and Societies) subject, classified as a humanities subject.