IELTS Band Score Calculator

The IELTS (International English Language Testing System) reports scores on a 9-band scale, where each band corresponds to a defined level of English proficiency. Your overall band score is the average of four component scores: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking.

Overall Band Score Formula: Overall Band = (Listening + Reading + Writing + Speaking) ÷ 4

The result is rounded to the nearest 0.5 (e.g., 6.25 rounds to 6.5; 6.74 rounds to 6.5; 6.75 rounds to 7.0).

Raw score to band score conversion (Listening and Reading): Raw scores (number of correct answers out of 40) are converted to band scores using a fixed conversion table that varies slightly between test versions.

Approximate Listening Raw Score → Band:

• 39–40 correct → Band 9.0
• 35–38 → Band 8.5
• 30–34 → Band 8.0
• 26–29 → Band 7.5
• 23–25 → Band 7.0
• 18–22 → Band 6.5
• 15–17 → Band 6.0

IELTS Band Descriptors:

• 9 — Expert user: full operational command
• 8 — Very good: fully operational with occasional unsystematic errors
• 7 — Good: operational with occasional inaccuracies
• 6 — Competent: generally effective despite inaccuracies
• 5 — Modest: partial command; handles overall meaning in own field
• 4 — Limited: basic competence limited to familiar situations

What each variable means:

• Listening / Reading — converted from raw correct answers out of 40 questions each.
• Writing / Speaking — scored by trained examiners using rubrics covering task achievement, coherence, vocabulary, and grammar. No raw score conversion — examiner assigns a band directly.

Worked example: Test results: Listening 7.0, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.0, Speaking 6.5. Overall = (7.0 + 6.5 + 6.0 + 6.5) ÷ 4 = 26.0 ÷ 4 = 6.5

Minimum IELTS scores for common pathways:

• UK skilled worker visa: 4.0 overall
• Australian permanent residency: 6.0 overall
• UK university undergraduate: 6.0–6.5
• UK university postgraduate: 6.5–7.0
• Canadian Express Entry (Federal): 6.0 CLB equivalent
• US nursing licensure (CGFNS): 6.5 overall, no band below 6.0