IELTS band scores
The scale
| Band | Name | CEFR level, overall score |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Expert user | 9.0: C2 |
| 8 | Very good user | 8.0: borderline C1 / C28.5: C2 |
| 7 | Good user | 7.0: C17.5: C1 |
| 6 | Competent user | 6.0: B26.5: borderline B2 / C1 |
| 5 | Modest user | 5.0: borderline B1 / B25.5: B2 |
| 4 | Limited user | 4.0: B14.5: B1 |
| 3 | Extremely limited user | below the levels shown in the IELTS partners’ comparison |
| 2 | Intermittent user | below the levels shown in the IELTS partners’ comparison |
| 1 | Non-user | below the levels shown in the IELTS partners’ comparison |
The comparison with the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is the IELTS partners’ official comparison and applies to the overall band score. The partners caution that it is not an exact match: scores of 5, 6.5 and 8 sit on the border between two levels. Band 0 is given to a test taker who did not attempt the test, so it is not in the table.
How the overall band score is calculated
The overall band score is the average of your scores in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, rounded to the nearest half band. An average ending in .25 is rounded up to the next half band, and one ending in .75 to the next whole band.
Change the score of each part and watch the overall band move.
Average of the four parts: 6.5
Overall band6.5
How each part is marked
- Listening and Reading: each of the 40 questions is worth one mark, and the number of correct answers is converted to a score on the IELTS scale.
- Writing: examiners assess how fully you have done what the task asks, how well the text holds together, vocabulary, and grammar.
- Speaking: the examiner assesses fluency and coherence, vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.
What organisations ask for
A few examples from official pages. Choose a score on the scale:
What score do you need? A few real examples on the IELTS band scale.
CEFR levels as in the IELTS partners’ comparison; bands 5, 6.5 and 8 are borderline between two levels.
Who asks for 6.5?
- TU Delft (Netherlands): English-taught BSc programmes · overall 6.5, IELTS Online is not accepted; not required with a European secondary school diploma that includes a pass in English as a final examination subject
- Università Bocconi (Italy): English-taught bachelor’s programmes · overall 6.5, at least 6.0 in every section
- University of Amsterdam (Netherlands): BSc Business Administration · overall 6.5, at least 6.0 in each part
- Aarhus University (Denmark): English-taught bachelor’s programmes (English B) · overall 6.5, at least 6.0 in each section
- Immigration New Zealand (New Zealand): skilled residence visas, principal applicant · overall 6.5, result no more than two years old
Each example leads to the institution’s own page.
More examples, by purpose: Study abroad, Professional registration, Work and migration. As well as an overall band score, an organisation may set a minimum score for each part: in our examples, the University of Amsterdam, Bocconi University and all the regulators of healthcare professions, among others, do so.
Not sure what level you are at?
The free level check usually takes 15 to 20 minutes. It shows your level from A1 to C2 and the range of overall IELTS band scores it roughly corresponds to, according to the IELTS partners’ comparison.
Questions about band scores
What level is IELTS 6.5?
According to the IELTS partners’ comparison, an overall band score of 6.5 sits on the border between levels B2 and C1. That is what TU Delft and Bocconi University, for example, ask for bachelor’s programmes taught in English: links to their requirements are on the Study abroad page.
Can you fail IELTS?
No. Every test taker who takes the test receives a score from 1 to 9. Whether your result is enough depends on what the organisation you send it to asks for.
Does my overall band score count if one part is weaker?
It depends on the organisation: as well as an overall band score, it may set a minimum score for each part. If you are short of the result you need in only one part, see IELTS One Skill Retake.