Adjust your Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking scores below to instantly see your overall IELTS band, CEFR level, and whether you meet the requirements for popular visa and university programmes.
Your Overall Band Score
6.5
Good User
IELTS rounding rules: Average ending .00-.24 rounds down to .0 | Average ending .25-.74 rounds to .5 | Average ending .75-.99 rounds up to the next .0
Check if your current scores meet the requirements for popular visa and university programmes.
CLB 7 minimum for Federal Skilled Worker. Higher scores earn significantly more CRS points.
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) uses a 9-band scale to measure English language proficiency across four skills: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. Each section is scored independently on the same 1-9 scale in half-band increments (e.g., 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5), and the Overall Band Score is the arithmetic mean of the four individual scores, rounded using official IELTS rules.
Understanding how rounding works is crucial because it can mean the difference between meeting and missing your target score. The rules are straightforward but frequently misunderstood:
Average ending .00 to .24 rounds DOWN
Example: L 7.0 + R 6.5 + W 6.0 + S 6.5 = 26.0 / 4 = 6.5 (no change needed)
Average ending .25 to .74 rounds to .5
Example: L 7.0 + R 7.0 + W 6.0 + S 7.0 = 27.0 / 4 = 6.75, rounds to 7.0 (wait, that is .75 -- see rule 3). L 6.5 + R 6.0 + W 6.0 + S 7.0 = 25.5 / 4 = 6.375, rounds to 6.5
Average ending .75 to .99 rounds UP to the next whole
Example: L 7.5 + R 7.0 + W 6.5 + S 7.0 = 28.0 / 4 = 7.0 (exact). L 7.0 + R 7.0 + W 7.0 + S 6.0 = 27.0 / 4 = 6.75, rounds UP to 7.0
The Listening and Reading sections are objectively scored based on the number of correct answers out of 40. Raw scores are converted to band scores using a conversion table that differs between Academic and General Training Reading (General Training has a stricter curve). Writing and Speaking are assessed by trained examiners using detailed band descriptors covering task achievement, coherence, lexical resource, and grammatical range.
Each section score is reported to the nearest half band (e.g., 6.0 or 6.5, never 6.3). The Overall Band Score is then calculated from these four reported section scores using the rounding rules above. This means small differences matter -- improving one section by just 0.5 can change your overall band from 6.5 to 7.0, which is often the difference between meeting and missing a requirement.
The table below shows how many correct answers (out of 40) you need for each band score in Listening and Reading. Note that General Training Reading has a stricter conversion curve than Academic.
| Band | Listening | Reading (Academic) | Reading (General) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 39-40 / 40 | 39-40 / 40 | 40 / 40 |
| 8.5 | 37-38 / 40 | 37-38 / 40 | 39 / 40 |
| 8.0 | 35-36 / 40 | 35-36 / 40 | 37-38 / 40 |
| 7.5 | 33-34 / 40 | 33-34 / 40 | 36 / 40 |
| 7.0 | 30-32 / 40 | 30-32 / 40 | 34-35 / 40 |
| 6.5 | 27-29 / 40 | 27-29 / 40 | 32-33 / 40 |
| 6.0 | 23-26 / 40 | 23-26 / 40 | 30-31 / 40 |
| 5.5 | 20-22 / 40 | 19-22 / 40 | 27-29 / 40 |
| 5.0 | 16-19 / 40 | 15-18 / 40 | 23-26 / 40 |
| 4.5 | 13-15 / 40 | 13-14 / 40 | 19-22 / 40 |
| 4.0 | 10-12 / 40 | 10-12 / 40 | 15-18 / 40 |
Writing and Speaking are assessed by examiners and do not have a raw-score-to-band conversion. They are scored directly on the 1-9 band scale based on official assessment criteria including task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, and grammatical range and accuracy.
Use this table to convert your IELTS band score to CEFR level, TOEFL iBT score, and PTE Academic score. These are approximate equivalencies based on official alignment studies.
| IELTS | CEFR | TOEFL iBT | PTE Academic | Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | C2 | 118-120 | 86-90 | Expert User |
| 8.5 | C1 | 113-117 | 83-85 | Very Good User |
| 8.0 | C1 | 110-112 | 79-82 | Very Good User |
| 7.5 | C1 | 102-109 | 73-78 | Good User |
| 7.0 | B2+ | 94-101 | 65-72 | Good User |
| 6.5 | B2 | 79-93 | 58-64 | Competent User |
| 6.0 | B2 | 60-78 | 50-57 | Competent User |
| 5.5 | B2 | 46-59 | 43-49 | Modest User |
| 5.0 | B1 | 35-45 | 36-42 | Modest User |
| 4.5 | B1 | 32-34 | 30-35 | Limited User |
| 4.0 | B1 | 0-31 | 0-29 | Limited User |
Know your target band? Start practising with AI-graded IELTS mock tests that provide instant feedback, detailed scoring breakdowns, and personalised tips to reach your goal.
Start Free PracticeThe IELTS overall band score is the average of your four individual section scores (Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking). The average is then rounded to the nearest whole or half band using the official IELTS rounding rules. For example, if your four scores are 7.0, 6.5, 6.0, and 7.0, the average is 6.625, which rounds to 6.5.
IELTS uses a specific rounding convention for the overall band score. If the average of your four section scores ends in .25 or above but below .75, it rounds up to the next half band. If it ends in .75 or above, it rounds up to the next whole band. For example, an average of 6.25 rounds to 6.5, and an average of 6.75 rounds to 7.0. An average ending in .00 to .24 stays at the lower band (e.g., 6.1 stays at 6.0).
A "good" score depends entirely on your goal. For most university programmes, 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 is a common requirement. For competitive programmes like medicine or law, 7.0-7.5 is often required. For immigration to Canada (Express Entry), 6.0 in each band (CLB 7) is the minimum, but 8.0+ earns significantly more points. A score of 7.0 or above is generally considered "good" and opens the most doors.
Yes, this is one of the most common outcomes of IELTS One Skill Retake (OSR). If you are 0.5 below your target in just one section, retaking that section can raise your overall band by 0.5. For example, improving your Writing from 6.0 to 6.5 would change your overall from 6.5 to 7.0 if your other scores are 7.0, 7.0, and 7.0. OSR must be taken within 60 days of your original test.
IELTS maps to the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) as follows: Band 9.0 = C2 (Mastery), Bands 7.5-8.5 = C1 (Advanced), Bands 5.5-7.0 = B2 (Upper-Intermediate), Bands 4.0-5.0 = B1 (Intermediate), and below 4.0 = A2 or lower. These mappings are officially recognized by the IELTS partners and widely accepted by universities and immigration authorities.
The most common minimum is 6.0-6.5 overall, with no individual band below 5.5 or 6.0. However, this varies significantly. UK Russell Group universities typically require 6.5-7.0, US universities accept 6.5-7.0, Australian universities usually require 6.5 with no band below 6.0, and Canadian universities commonly ask for 6.5 overall. Competitive programmes (medicine, law, nursing) often require 7.0-7.5 with no band below 7.0. Always check the specific programme requirements.
Minimum IELTS scores for every major destination
Complete guide to Academic vs General Training
CLB conversion and CRS points guide
Estimate your Canada Express Entry score
How to retake just one IELTS section
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