What grades does secondary 2-4 correspond to for international students?
Secondary 2-4 (age 14-16) corresponds to UK years 9-11 and US grades 8-10.

Will past year SJBO papers be made available to schools?

No.

The SJBO paper is a mix of IBO level questions, O level questions and A level questions. Past year IBO papers can be accessed at https://www.ibo-info.org/en/info/papers.html

Some papers on this website may be password protected. There are others which are not. Should you like to use those exam papers which require a password (usually the older exam papers), simply write to us at sjbo@sibiol.org.sg and we will direct you to the personnel from whom you can request access.

What are the biology topics tested in SJBO?

The list of topics that will included are listed in the SJBO registration briefing slides (available from download on the SJBO website). Topics typically tested is based on the IBO syllabus. 

The SJBO Theory Round is 2 hours. Can it be taken anytime throughout the day?

Yes, the school can decide what time to hold the test within the 9am–6pm window on the day of the online theory test.

Where can SJBO Theory Round be held?

SJBO seeks cooperation from teachers and school to uphold he integrity of SJBO as a national level competition. The online test as a competition must be held at the school – we advise the test be conducted in a computer lab or classroom/hall with the school’s portable laptops. If required (e.g. for safe distancing measures), students may take the test in batches, for as long as there is no communication whatsoever between the batches (e.g. two batches immediately one after another). Every batch must be invigilated.

How many invigilators are required?

The number of invigilators would be based on the number of students taking the paper, it should follow typical schoolwide exam conditions and requirements. Specific instructions for invigilation will be circulated to school prior to the competition.

Can students go back to change an answer before submission?

Yes.

Must all students sit through the 2 hours for the theory test, or can they leave should they complete the test early?

Students are allowed to leave at any point during the competition or once they have submitted the test but they are to notify the invigilator before they exit the test venue.

If a student registered but is not able to sit for the Theory Round, will the registration fee still be charged?

Yes, registration fees will still be charged for any absentees. Replacing absent student/s with other student/s on the day of the theory test is not allowed.

If a student is not able to sit for the Theory Round at school, will he/she be allowed to take the test at home?

With the recent announcement of DORSCON level being lowered to GREEN, SIBiol will revert the SJBO 2023 to pre-Covid19 format. As such, the “Challenge” option for SJBO will be removed, and there will not be any provisions or refunds for students who are unable to make it for the SJBO 2023 Theory Round.

What are the allowed payment modes?

From 2020 onwards, SJBO only accepts payment via Vendors@Gov or electronic bank transfer. The preferred payment mode for SJBO should be indicated in the registration form by the school, and an e-invoice will be generated based on the mode of payment indicated.

For any queries regarding SJBO please contact us at sjbo@sibiol.org.sg.