IB Philosophy HL · 2025
IB Philosophy HL past papers
458 past paper questions from 19 papers across 4 exam sessions. See what repeats, then practise the same skills with AI marking.
Starter set across the most-tested skills, with AI marking and model answers.
By paper:Paper 1Paper 2Paper 3
HL archive · 2025 to 2026
IB Philosophy HL past papers
Latest exam session: May 2026
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Units in Philosophy HL
In syllabus order. The ring is the share of the marks each one carries.
Unit 1
Being human
5% of marks · 14 questions
Unit 2
Aesthetics
5% of marks · 14 questions
Unit 3
Epistemology
5% of marks · 14 questions
Unit 4
Ethics
5% of marks · 14 questions
Unit 5
Philosophy of religion
5% of marks · 14 questions
Unit 6
Philosophy of science
5% of marks · 14 questions
Unit 7
Political philosophy
5% of marks · 14 questions
Unit 8
Social philosophy
5% of marks · 14 questions
Unit 9
HL extension: Philosophy and contemporary issues
2% of marks · 10 questions
Unit 10
Prescribed philosophical texts
59% of marks · 336 questions
- DueThe verification principle
Papers in Philosophy HL
Each paper across every sitting. The ring is the share of the marks it carries.
7 sittings · no calculator
Paper 1
39% of marks · 112 questions
Most tested What are social structures and institutions?
7 sittings · no calculator
Paper 2
59% of marks · 336 questions
Most tested Eliminating metaphysics
5 sittings · no calculator
Paper 3
2% of marks · 10 questions
Most tested Can philosophy help us navigate technology?
Exam pattern
How often each micro-topic has been examined, year by year. Each label is explained under the grid.
Does it repeat?
Top 4 of 129 micro-topics for the next sitting. Numbers are questions per year.
fewermore
| Micro-topic | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
10.5.5The ascetic ideal | 8The ascetic ideal, 2025: 8 questions | 4The ascetic ideal, 2026: 4 questions |
10.7.1The "mass man" | 6The "mass man", 2025: 6 questions | 6The "mass man", 2026: 6 questions |
10.1.2Eliminating metaphysics | 4Eliminating metaphysics, 2025: 4 questions | 10Eliminating metaphysics, 2026: 10 questions |
| 6'One is not born, but becomes, a woman', 2025: 6 questions | 4'One is not born, but becomes, a woman', 2026: 4 questions |
4 more micro-topics with a free account
- DueThe verification principle· last May 25 P2 TZ3
- Dueusually examined, but missing from the last two exam sessions
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Every micro-topic in the heatmap and the complete watch list, free with an account.
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Frequently asked questions
Short answers about this page.
Which Philosophy HL exam sessions are covered?
4 exam sessions from 2025 to 2026, the latest May 2026. Every Paper 1, 2 and 3 in every timezone is read and classified in full, which gives 19 papers in this archive.
Which IB Philosophy HL topic comes up most?
The ascetic ideal (10.5.5): in 32% of papers, last seen May 26 P2 TZ2. Usually "Evaluate / Explain", worth about 25 marks in a paper that includes it.
Can I see the original question and mark scheme?
No. The wording belongs to the IB. You get the citation, the marks, the command term and the skill tested, plus our own matched practice questions with worked answers and AI marking.
What do "banker", "due" and "rising" mean?
Banker: examined in at least one sitting in four and still appearing. Due: regular before, but absent for the last two exam sessions. Rising: clearly more common in the last two years. Our classification of real papers, not an IB statistic.
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Reading this page and the exam pattern is free. A free account generates three sets of ten questions and launches one practice set. Pro opens every question in any scope, sets of twenty or all, and unlimited practice.
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What each Philosophy HL paper tests across all its sittings: the marks by unit and the micro-topics it keeps coming back to.
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