Students increase their capacity to personalize their learning and are encouraged to consider multiple perspectives as they conduct independent research and take an active role in their communities.
Learning in High School
Framed by the International Baccalaureate’s Middle Years Programme (Grades 9-10) and Diploma Programme (Grades 11-12), our rigorous curriculum prepares students for success in higher education at universities throughout the world. As students increase their capacity to think critically and act responsibly, they become independent thinkers and responsible participants of the global community.
Becoming a Confident and Independent Learners
High School includes Grades 9-12 and includes two IB programmes, the Middle Years Programme (MYP) in Grades 9-10 and the Diploma Programme (DP) in Grades 11-12.
In Grades 9-10, students prepare for the rigorous Diploma Programme as they apply various learning skills, such as communication, research, thinking, social, and self-managements skills.
In Grades 11-12, students prepare for higher education by earning the IB Diploma, which is widely recognized by leading universities and employers throughout the world.
The IB Diploma Programme
- Is an international qualification
- Increases academic opportunities
DP Core
Subject groups encompass the central core of the DP, which is comprised of three elements, aiming to broaden the educational experience of students and challenge them to apply their knowledge and skills.
- Theory of Knowledge (TOK), in which students reflect on the nature of knowledge and on how we know what we claim to know.
- The Extended Essay (EE), which is an independent, self-directed piece of research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.
- Creativity, Action, Service (CAS), in which students complete a project related to those three concepts.
Current Diploma Programme Course Offerings
There are six subject groups, each containing different courses. Students must take at least one course from each of the groups. However, students may choose to study an additional science, individuals and societies, or language course instead of a course in the arts. The courses are constantly under review and might change. For further information please click on the handbook below:
There are six subject groups, each containing different courses. Students must take at least one course from each of the groups. However, students may choose to study an additional sciences, individuals and societies, or languages course instead of a course in the arts. The courses are constantly under review and might change. For further information please click on the handbook below:
Group 1
Studies in Language and Literature
- English A: Language and Literature: Standard level, Higher level
- Hungarian A: Literature: Standard level, Higher level
Group 2
Language Acquisition
- English B: Standard level, Higher level
- Spanish ab initio: Standard level
Group 3
Individuals & Societies
- Business management: Standard level, Higher level
- History: Standard level, Higher level
Group 4
Sciences
- Biology: Standard level, Higher level
- Chemistry: Standard level, Higher level
- Physics: Standard level, Higher level
Group 5
Mathematics
- Mathematics – analysis and approaches: Standard level, Higher level
Group 6
The Arts
- Visual Arts: Standard level, Higher level
Schedule in the DP
The school day begins at 8:00 and ends at 15:30, with early release on Fridays at 14:50. Students have 5 blocks a day, each lasting 70 minutes. On Fridays, one block is dedicated to assemblies and house meetings.
By the time our students graduate from ISD, they will be able to
- demonstrate developed knowledge and understanding of people and cultures across the world and about issues of global significance,
- appreciate their culture and personal histories, as well as the values and traditions of others,
- treat others fairly and with dignity, regardless of their ethnicity, gender, social status, needs or belief system,
- set meaningful goals and take intentional actions,
- understand their strengths and weaknesses in order to support their personal development,
- understand the importance of balancing different aspects of their lives – intellectual, physical, and emotional – to achieve well-being for themselves and others,
- engage with authentic, real-world problems, by creatively and flexibly developing innovative ideas, strategies and solutions, and
- critically formulate factual, topical, conceptual and debatable questions, arguments, and generate testable hypotheses.
In addition, they will have the power to make informed and positive decisions for themselves and others as well as well-developed self-, social and environmental awareness.
We Celebrated our First Graduating Class of ISD in 2025
University Destinations
ISD is an IB Continuum School and a NEASC accredited school, which ensures that all students have the option to pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma if they wish. Students who complete the IB Diploma at ISD regularly achieve results well above the global average.
The Class of 2025 continued their studies in the following countries:
- King’s College London, UK
- Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic
- Vatel Hotel and Tourism Business School
- EU Business School Barcelona, Spain
- Winchester University, United Kingdom
- University of Groningen, The Netherlands
- Delft University, The Netherlands
First Graduated Class of ISD
Class of 2025 IB Diploma Results
We are incredibly proud to share the DP results of ISD’s very first graduating class!
Just six years after opening the doors of our school, these pioneering students have achieved truly remarkable outcomes that fill us with immense pride.
These results are a powerful testament to the hard work of the students and the dedication of the whole ISD educational community.
– 100% Pass Rate: every one of our full DP students successfully earned their IB diploma!
– Average IB Diploma Score: 32 out of 45 points
– 33% Achieved 37+ Points
University Acceptances of the 2024/25 and the 2025/26 school year
Where ISD Students Go Next
At the International School of Debrecen, success is not measured only by where our students go next—but by who they become on the journey. Our graduates leave ISD as Creative, Curious, Caring Changemakers, ready to thrive at leading universities in Hungary and around the world.
We are proud to celebrate university acceptances across the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, and the United States. From world-renowned research universities such as King’s College London, University of Warwick, University of Southampton, Eindhoven University of Technology, and University of Twente, to innovative applied sciences institutions including Breda University, NHL Stenden, and InHolland University, our students are pursuing pathways that reflect both ambition and purpose. Scholarship offer was made to our student from the Augustana University of South Dakota (USA).
Some are choosing careers in science, sustainability, and global wellbeing through institutions such as Wageningen University & Research and Warsaw University of Life Sciences. Others are preparing for leadership in business, economics, and entrepreneurship at Corvinus University of Budapest, International Business School Budapest, and universities across Europe and the USA.
These offers demonstrate more than academic achievement. They reflect the confidence, resilience, critical thinking, international mindset, and communication skills our students develop throughout their ISD journey.
At ISD, we don’t just prepare students for university. We prepare them to make a difference wherever they go next.
