It's that time of year again when we release the results of the exams for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP).

We are pleased to report that students from YCIS Hong Kong, YCIS Shanghai, YCIS Beijing, YCIS Chongqing, and YCIS Qingdao have achieved outstanding results, marking their successful completion of high school.

In the May 2025 IBDP exams, 42 per cent of Yew Chung graduates scored 35 or above, including one student with a perfect 45 and three with 44 points.

Notably, 54 per cent of Yew Chung students earned the challenging Bilingual Diploma, thereby demonstrating their strong bilingual proficiency and cross-cultural understanding. During the past five years, the global average for students obtaining the Bilingual Diploma has not exceeded 28 per cent.

*To earn this distinction, students must achieve a grade of 3 or higher in two languages of the IBDP language and literature courses. Students can also receive a Bilingual Diploma if they attain a grade of 3 or higher in both a language and literature course, and an "individuals and social studies" subject or a science subject, completed in different languages.

As one of the most influential international upper secondary curriculum systems, the IBDP is renowned for its holistic approach. The IBDP curriculum is made up of six subject groups, and the DP core, comprised of theory of knowledge (TOK); the extended essay (EE); and creativity, activity, service (CAS). IBDP is recognized as the gold standard for cultivating international perspectives and critical thinking, which are particularly favored by leading universities around the world.

Reflecting on the IBDP results this year, the IB coordinators across Yew Chung schools highlighted the remarkable progress that the students made during their three years of high school. 

YCYW has always been committed to long-term educational values and the principle of "education for all". Moreover, YCYW is dedicated to nurturing future leaders with a global perspective, cross-cultural communication skills, and a deep sense of social responsibility. The outstanding IBDP results not only celebrate the hard work of our students but also exemplify YCYW's educational philosophy.

What is particularly encouraging is that these high-achieving students have excelled not only in academics, but also in character development and community service, demonstrating well-rounded growth.

Levona, a student from YCIS Shanghai Puxi, achieved a perfect score of 45. As the co-captain and student coach of the school's girls' volleyball team, she played a key role in fostering team cohesion and enthusiasm. In addition to sports, she actively participated in service-learning projects, providing academic support for under-served students outside our school. This is an inspiring example of her leadership and social responsibility.

"I'm very pleased that my journey at YCIS ended on such a positive note! Scoring a 45 in the IB is not just the result of my work over the past two years but a demonstration of the culminated experiences and knowledge I've acquired at YCIS Shanghai in the last 16 years," said Levona. "I'd like to thank my parents, my brother Leroy, my teachers and my friends for their constant encouragement and support. From my primary Chinese teacher 沈老师 who helped shape my moral compass to my IB teachers like Ms Frost, Ms O'Connell, and Mr Marsh who were willing to go above and beyond when responding to my questions. I will be forever grateful to have grown up in such an uplifting, tight-knit community."

Sungwoo from YCIS Shanghai Pudong also achieved an impressive score of 44 points. In addition to academic excellence, he demonstrated a strong commitment to community service. In Year 12, he and his classmates established the "Learner Lab" initiative, which has organised weekly lunchtime study sessions to provide guidance on challenging subjects for younger students.

Reflecting on why the IB was so important to him, Sungwoo explained: "IB studies helped me immensely in preparing for college, not just because of the rigorous coursework, but also due to the experience I gained from writing Internal Assessments and the Extended Essay. In particular, my 4,000-word Physics Extended Essay on domino velocity taught me how to evaluate existing research and form well-reasoned critiques."

Sungwoo noted that producing 2,000-3,000-word research reports for each subject on topics that interested him was one of his greatest challenges. "Having never written a comprehensive research paper before, I was pushed out of my comfort zone," he explained. "The process forced me to spend days refining research questions, designing methodologies for experiments, and critically analysing my results."

YCIS Chongqing's Jimin and Shuyao both achieved an outstanding score of 44 points in their IB examinations. 

"The most valuable lesson that the IB taught me was time management," Jimin said. "Balancing final exams with the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge, and other commitments required careful scheduling." She highlighted how studying a broad range of subjects in arts and sciences had not only expanded her knowledge, but had also fostered holistic thinking. "Overcoming challenges independently in my weaker areas strengthened my resilience. In addition, the IB's focus on global awareness and intercultural understanding has made me more empathetic and open-minded."

Shuyao explained how the IB's focus on empathy and global perspectives had influenced her. She said, "By completing CAS projects and exploring global issues in my Individual Oral, I learned to see things from the perspectives of others, and I became more aware of my role in the global community. Moreover, writing my Extended Essay and Internal Assessments strengthened my research skills—something I believe will give me a strong foundation for university and beyond."

Within YCYW's diverse educational system, students consistently demonstrate exceptional potential and well-rounded excellence, regardless of whether they are pursuing the IBDP or other academic pathways. These qualities are evident not only in their IBDP results, but throughout their learning journeys.

In the 2025 university admissions cycle, YCYW students received offers from prestigious institutions around the world, including: the University of Oxford; University College London; Imperial College London; the London School of Economics and Political Science; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); New York University (NYU), the Rhode Island School of Design; the Juilliard School; the University of Toronto; Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST); The University of Hong Kong; and Australian National University.

Their chosen areas of study include fine arts, sciences, business, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and interdisciplinary fields. Whether in fine arts, computer science, international relations, or fashion design, they have shown courage in pursuing their passions and exploring new paths.

Anthony from YCIS Hong Kong, will study History at the University of Oxford. He shared his aspirations, "There are simply so many stories, precious historical memories which unite communities, countries, and the world together. To me, they were all priceless and increasingly fragile. I hope to use my studies as a stepping stone, further preserving and sharing these stories, forming bonds while anchoring our sense of self amidst the waves of technological and cultural change in the modern world."

With this release of the IBDP results, we celebrate not only the academic excellence of YCYW students, but also their steadfast determination to pursue their dreams and explore the future with international perspectives. These achievements mark both the culmination of their high school journeys and the start of their next chapters. 

We look forward to seeing our graduates navigate life's challenges with courage and vision and creating their own extraordinary stories.