Quick answer: What is the IB MYP? The IB Middle Years Programme is a five-year framework for students aged 11 to 16, built on eight subject groups, a Community Project and a final Personal Project. Optional eAssessment leads to the IB MYP certificate, which needs 28 points. In Barcelona, St Peter's School and Benjamin Franklin International School teach it.
Last reviewed: November 2026 by Emma from ISA. Fee ranges are indicative; always confirm with the school.
Key takeaways
- The MYP covers ages 11 to 16 and requires at least 50 hours of teaching per subject group in every year, according to the International Baccalaureate (IB).
- Students follow eight subject groups and at least two languages; in MYP 4 and 5 the IB allows courses from six of the eight groups.
- Under the IB's current passing criteria, the IB MYP certificate needs at least grade 3 in each required component and 28 points overall.
- eAssessment is optional for schools, and the IB also allows shortened two, three or four-year versions of the programme.
Your child is about to start secondary school in Barcelona and every prospectus seems to mention the IB MYP. The letters stand for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, the stage between the IB's primary programme and its Diploma. It is not an exam board in the way Cambridge IGCSE is, and that difference causes most of the confusion when families compare schools.
This guide covers the subjects, the two projects, the optional certificate, the comparison with IGCSE and the Spanish ESO, and the Barcelona schools that teach it, using IB documents and school websites checked in November 2026.
What does IB MYP mean, and what ages does it cover?
The MYP is a five-year programme for students aged 11 to 16, with years called MYP 1 to MYP 5. In an American school that is Grades 6 to 10; in Spain it overlaps with the last year of primary and the four years of ESO, which is why Barcelona schools on the Spanish calendar label it Year 6 to Year 10.
It is a framework rather than a fixed syllabus. The IB sets the subject groups, the minimum teaching time and the assessment criteria, while each school writes its own units, which is why the IB says the MYP can sit alongside most national curricula. Schools also do not have to run all five years: the IB allows shortened two, three or four-year versions of the programme. If a school says it "follows the MYP", ask which years it is authorised for.
What is in the IB MYP curriculum?
Every MYP student studies eight subject groups each year and must learn at least two languages: the language of instruction and one more. The groups are:
- Language and literature: the student's strongest language.
- Language acquisition: an additional language taught by level.
- Individuals and societies: history, geography, economics and related subjects.
- Sciences and mathematics.
- Arts: visual arts, music or drama.
- Physical and health education.
- Design: digital and product design using the MYP design cycle of inquiring, developing ideas, creating a solution and evaluating it.
Units are planned around key concepts, big ideas such as change, systems or global interactions, and one of six global contexts: identities and relationships; orientation in space and time; personal and cultural expression; scientific and technical innovation; globalisation and sustainability; and fairness and development. Schools also teach approaches to learning skills, which Benjamin Franklin International School lists as communication, self-management, thinking, research and social skills. Achievement in each subject is reported on a 1 to 7 scale, the same scale the Diploma uses.
What are the Personal Project and the Community Project?
The Community Project is compulsory in schools whose programme includes MYP 3 or 4. Students work alone or in small groups to explore their responsibility towards their community and take service-based action, then reflect on it.
The Personal Project is compulsory for every student in MYP 5. Each student works independently on what the IB calls a personal, creative piece of work showing they can manage an extended project alone. Its marks go through mandatory moderation by the IB, so a school's grade is checked against a global standard. Ask who supervises it and how it fits around other subjects.
How is the MYP assessed, and what is the MYP certificate?
Most MYP assessment is internal: teachers mark work against IB criteria throughout the programme. External assessment only happens in MYP 5, and only if the school registers for the optional eAssessment: on-screen examinations of up to two hours in language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics and interdisciplinary learning, plus ePortfolios in arts, design and physical and health education.
Under the IB's passing criteria, the IB MYP certificate requires a student to:
- take part in the final year of the programme (the IB recommends at least two years);
- complete eAssessment in six subjects: language and literature, language acquisition (or a second language and literature), individuals and societies, mathematics, sciences, and one of arts, physical and health education or design;
- reach at least grade 3 in each of those subjects, in the interdisciplinary examination and in the Personal Project;
- score at least 28 points overall and meet the school's community service expectations.
With eight graded components on a 1 to 7 scale, 28 points means an average of 3.5. Students who take eAssessment also receive MYP course results.
IB MYP vs IGCSE vs ESO: what is the difference?
The MYP is a teaching framework with an optional final assessment, IGCSE is a set of subject qualifications for the last two years, and ESO is Spain's compulsory secondary stage with its own leaving certificate.
| Feature | IB MYP | Cambridge IGCSE | Spanish ESO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ages | 11 to 16 | 14 to 16 | 12 to 16 |
| Length | Up to 5 years; 2, 3 or 4-year versions allowed | Two years | Four school years |
| Subjects | 8 groups; 6 allowed in MYP 4 and 5 | Over 70 subjects in any combination | Set by national and regional rules |
| Assessment | Internal criteria graded 1 to 7; optional eAssessment in MYP 5 | Exams and coursework at the end of the course | Continuous assessment by the school |
| Outcome | IB MYP certificate (28 points) and course results | A grade per subject | Graduado en ESO title |
Sources: IB MYP programme pages and passing criteria; Cambridge International (Cambridge IGCSE, 2026); Spain's Education Act, Ley Orgánica 2/2006, articles 22, 28 and 31 (consolidated text in the BOE).
The MYP on its own does not give a Spanish qualification. In a school that follows the Spanish curriculum it is layered on top of ESO, so pupils still work towards the Graduado en ESO, which the Education Act requires for entry to Spanish Bachillerato.
How does the MYP fit with the PYP and the Diploma?
The MYP is the middle of the IB continuum. It builds on the inquiry-based IB Primary Years Programme and prepares students for the two-year IB Diploma Programme from 16. St Peter's School sums up the shift: in the PYP inquiry crosses subject boundaries, while in the MYP it continues within increasingly specialised subjects. The MYP is not a prerequisite for the Diploma, though: Diploma schools set their own entry requirements and many admit students from IGCSE or national courses.
Which schools in Barcelona teach the IB MYP?
The IB's Find an IB World School directory is the definitive list. These schools say on their websites that they teach the MYP.
St Peter's School Barcelona
St Peter's, in the 08034 postcode in the north-west of the city, is an IB continuum school with the PYP, MYP and Diploma. Its MYP runs from Year 6 to Year 10 and ends with the Personal Project and eAssessment. It places pupils by calendar year of birth with a 31 December cut-off, unlike the 31 August cut-off of British schools, so a child arriving from the UK may join a different year group.
Benjamin Franklin International School
BFIS, an American international school, says all courses from Grade 6 to Grade 10 follow the MYP framework. Non-Spanish speakers take Spanish language acquisition in four phases plus a Hispanic individuals and societies course, while Spanish students add Spanish language and literature, Spanish individuals and societies, and Catalan from the ESO curriculum.
SEK International School Catalunya
SEK Catalunya is in La Garriga, about 30 minutes from Barcelona according to the school, and says it teaches the continuum of IB programmes from age 3 to 18, with a nursery from four months. City families should factor in the daily journey.
Agora Sant Cugat International School also says it gained authorisation for the full IB continuum in 2021 and that its secondary teachers specialise in the MYP.
Questions to ask a Barcelona school about its MYP
- Which MYP years are you authorised for? All five, or a shortened version?
- Do you register students for eAssessment? Without it, your child cannot earn the IB MYP certificate.
- How do pupils obtain the Graduado en ESO? It matters if Spanish Bachillerato is a possible route.
- Which languages are offered in language acquisition, and at what levels?
- What happens at 16? Check whether the school offers the IB Diploma and its entry criteria.
Compare international schools in Barcelona
Location, language support and fees weigh as much as curriculum. To compare options, see our ranking of the best international schools in Barcelona.
Sources: International Baccalaureate Organization (MYP programme page, passing criteria, programme brochure and MYP briefs); Cambridge University Press and Assessment (Cambridge IGCSE); Ley Orgánica 2/2006 de Educación (BOE); websites of St Peter's School Barcelona, Benjamin Franklin International School, SEK International School Catalunya and Agora Sant Cugat International School.
More guides to schools in Barcelona
- International school fees in Barcelona
- Bilingual schools in Barcelona
- International school admissions in Barcelona
- How to choose an international school in Barcelona
- Best international schools in Barcelona
- best international schools in Barcelona
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the IB MYP and the IB DP?
The MYP is a five-year framework for ages 11 to 16 in which students follow eight subject groups and are mostly assessed by their own teachers against IB criteria. The Diploma is a two-year pre-university course from 16, with six subjects, the core and external examinations. Both use a 1 to 7 scale, but the Diploma is the qualification universities use for admission.
Do all MYP students get the IB MYP certificate?
No. The certificate is only available where the school registers students for the optional eAssessment in MYP 5. Students then need at least grade 3 in six subjects, the interdisciplinary examination and the Personal Project, 28 points overall and the school's community service. In schools without eAssessment, students receive school reports and transcripts instead of the IB certificate.
Does the IB MYP replace the Spanish ESO?
Not by itself. The MYP is an international framework, not a Spanish qualification. Spanish-curriculum schools teach it alongside ESO, so pupils work towards the Graduado en ESO, which Spanish law requires for entry to Bachillerato. Foreign-system schools vary: Benjamin Franklin International School in Barcelona says Spanish students in its MYP also take three ESO subjects, including Catalan.