IELTS Score Chart 2026: Band Descriptors, Raw-to-Band Tables & Score Requirements
The 60-second answer
- IELTS scores are reported on a 0–9 band scale in 0.5 increments. Each of the four sections (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) gets its own band, then they are averaged for an overall band score.
- Listening and Reading are objectively scored — your raw mark out of 40 maps to a band via a fixed conversion table (see below).
- Writing and Speaking are examiner-assessed against four criteria each, scored in whole bands from 0 to 9, then averaged.
- Most universities require overall 6.0–7.0; immigration programs (Canada Express Entry, Australia Skilled) typically need 7.0–8.0 per section.
Whether you are planning your study, predicting your score from a practice test, or checking if you meet a university's entry bar — the IELTS score chart is the single reference you need. This guide gives you the official 2026 raw-to-band conversion tables for Listening and Reading, explains band descriptors for Writing and Speaking, shows how the overall band is rounded, maps IELTS bands to CEFR levels, and lists the minimum scores required by popular universities and immigration programs.
📊How IELTS Bands Work
The IELTS band scale runs from 0 (did not attempt) to 9 (expert user). Each of the four test components — Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking — is graded on this scale. The four component scores are averaged and rounded to the nearest 0.5 to produce your overall band score.
Two of the four components (Listening and Reading) are machine-markable: you answer 40 questions, your raw total is counted, and a fixed conversion table (published by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge) maps that raw score to a band. The other two (Writing and Speaking) are examiner-assessed against published band descriptors, so there is no "raw score" — examiners assign a band directly.
This distinction matters because it means you can predict your Listening and Reading bands from a practice test with near-perfect accuracy (assuming the practice test mirrors real difficulty), while Writing and Speaking bands require examiner-level judgment.
🎧IELTS Listening Score Chart (Raw to Band)
The Listening test has 40 questions across four sections. Each correct answer is worth one mark. There is no penalty for wrong answers. The same conversion table applies to both Academic and General Training — the Listening paper is identical for both modules.
| Raw score (/40) | IELTS band | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 39–40 | 9.0 | Expert — near-native comprehension |
| 37–38 | 8.5 | Very good — rare misunderstandings |
| 35–36 | 8.0 | Very good user |
| 32–34 | 7.5 | Good user — handles complex language |
| 30–31 | 7.0 | Good user — occasional inaccuracies |
| 26–29 | 6.5 | Competent — effective despite errors |
| 23–25 | 6.0 | Competent user |
| 18–22 | 5.5 | Modest — partial command |
| 16–17 | 5.0 | Modest user |
| 13–15 | 4.5 | Limited — basic competence |
| 10–12 | 4.0 | Limited user |
Key takeaway: the gap between band 6.0 and band 7.0 is just 7 raw marks (23 vs 30). That is exactly why targeted practice on the question types you get wrong — rather than "listening to more English" — is the fastest route to a higher Listening band.
📖IELTS Academic Reading Score Chart
The Academic Reading test has 40 questions across three long passages. The conversion table below is specific to Academic — General Training has its own table (next section) because the texts are easier and the thresholds are higher.
| Raw score (/40) | IELTS band | CEFR |
|---|---|---|
| 39–40 | 9.0 | C2 |
| 37–38 | 8.5 | C1 |
| 35–36 | 8.0 | C1 |
| 33–34 | 7.5 | C1 |
| 30–32 | 7.0 | B2 / C1 |
| 27–29 | 6.5 | B2 |
| 23–26 | 6.0 | B2 |
| 19–22 | 5.5 | B1 / B2 |
| 15–18 | 5.0 | B1 |
| 13–14 | 4.5 | B1 |
| 10–12 | 4.0 | A2 / B1 |
📄IELTS General Training Reading Score Chart
General Training Reading uses everyday texts (notices, advertisements, work-related documents) rather than academic passages. Because the texts are simpler, the thresholds are higher — you need more correct answers to get the same band.
| Raw score (/40) | IELTS band |
|---|---|
| 40 | 9.0 |
| 39 | 8.5 |
| 38 | 8.0 |
| 36–37 | 7.5 |
| 34–35 | 7.0 |
| 32–33 | 6.5 |
| 30–31 | 6.0 |
| 27–29 | 5.5 |
| 23–26 | 5.0 |
| 19–22 | 4.5 |
| 15–18 | 4.0 |
Notice that band 7.0 in GT Reading requires 34/40 versus 30/40 for Academic — a 4-mark difference. This catches out candidates who switch modules expecting an easier ride.
✍️Writing & Speaking: How They Are Scored
Unlike Listening and Reading, Writing and Speaking do not have a raw score. Trained IELTS examiners grade your responses against four criteria each, awarding a whole-band score (0–9) per criterion. The four are averaged for a section band.
Writing assessment criteria
| Criterion | What examiners look for |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Response | Did you answer the question fully? For Task 1: cover all key features. For Task 2: present a clear position with developed ideas. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Logical paragraph structure, clear progression of ideas, appropriate use of linking devices (without overuse). |
| Lexical Resource | Range of vocabulary, precision, paraphrasing skill, collocations. Errors reduce the score only when they impede communication. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | Mix of simple and complex sentences, accurate tense/agreement, error frequency. Band 7+ expects the majority of sentences to be error-free. |
Speaking assessment criteria
| Criterion | What examiners look for |
|---|---|
| Fluency & Coherence | Speaking at length without noticeable effort, logical sequencing, minimal self-correction. |
| Lexical Resource | Flexible use of vocabulary, paraphrasing, idiomatic language. Band 7+ expects less-common vocabulary used with awareness of style and collocation. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | Mix of sentence forms, accurate production of complex structures, control of tenses. |
| Pronunciation | Intelligibility, range of features (intonation, word stress, connected speech), consistency. Accent does not affect the score. |
🎯All 9 IELTS Band Descriptors Explained
Each IELTS band corresponds to a level of English proficiency. Here is what each band actually means, with the typical profile of a candidate at that level.
| Band | Descriptor | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Expert user | Full command of English. Appropriate, accurate, and fluent with complete understanding. |
| 8 | Very good user | Fully operational command with occasional unsystematic inaccuracies. Handles complex detailed argumentation well. |
| 7 | Good user | Operational command with occasional inaccuracies and misunderstandings. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning. |
| 6 | Competent user | Generally effective command despite inaccuracies. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. |
| 5 | Modest user | Partial command. Copes with overall meaning in most situations, though likely to make many mistakes. Can handle basic communication in own field. |
| 4 | Limited user | Basic competence limited to familiar situations. Frequent problems in understanding and expression. Cannot use complex language. |
| 3 | Extremely limited | Conveys and understands only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns in communication. |
| 2 | Intermittent user | Great difficulty understanding spoken and written English. Only isolated phrases or memorised formulae. |
| 1 | Non-user | No ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words. |
Band 0 is reserved for candidates who did not attempt any part of the test. Half bands (5.5, 6.5, 7.5, etc.) are used for overall scores only — individual Writing/Speaking criteria are scored in whole bands.
🧮How the Overall Band Score Is Calculated
Your overall band score is the arithmetic mean of the four component scores, rounded to the nearest 0.5 using standard rounding rules:
Overall = (Listening + Reading + Writing + Speaking) / 4
- If the average ends in .25, it rounds up to the next 0.5 (e.g. 6.25 → 6.5)
- If the average ends in .75, it rounds up to the next whole number (e.g. 6.75 → 7.0)
- If the average ends in .125 or .625, it rounds down (e.g. 6.125 → 6.0)
Example calculations
| L | R | W | S | Average | Overall band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.0 | 6.5 | 6.0 | 7.0 | 6.625 | 6.5 |
| 7.5 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| 8.0 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.125 | 7.0 |
| 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 7.0 | 7.125 | 7.0 |
Notice how one weak section (usually Writing) can drag the overall down even when three sections are strong. That is why balanced preparation matters more than over-indexing on your best skill.
🌍IELTS to CEFR Equivalency Chart
The Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) is the international standard for language proficiency. Universities in Europe, some Canadian programs, and many employers reference CEFR levels alongside or instead of IELTS bands.
| IELTS band | CEFR level | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | C2 | Mastery — near-native proficiency |
| 7.0–8.5 | C1 | Effective operational proficiency |
| 5.5–6.5 | B2 | Upper intermediate — independent user |
| 4.0–5.0 | B1 | Intermediate — threshold level |
| Below 4.0 | A1–A2 | Basic / elementary user |
🎓IELTS Score Requirements by Country & Purpose (2026)
The table below summarises the typical minimum IELTS scores for the most common study and immigration pathways. Individual universities may set higher requirements — always verify on the institution's website.
| Country / Program | Purpose | Overall | Section min |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK (Tier 4 student) | Undergraduate | 5.5–6.5 | 5.5 each |
| UK (Tier 4 student) | Postgraduate | 6.5–7.0 | 6.0–6.5 each |
| Canada (Express Entry) | Immigration (CLB 7) | — | L 6.0 · R 6.0 · W 6.0 · S 6.0 |
| Canada (Express Entry) | Immigration (CLB 9) | — | L 8.0 · R 7.0 · W 7.0 · S 7.0 |
| Canada (SDS) | Study permit | 6.0 | 6.0 each |
| Australia (Skilled visa) | Competent English | — | L 6.0 · R 6.0 · W 6.0 · S 6.0 |
| Australia (Skilled visa) | Superior English (20 pts) | — | L 8.0 · R 8.0 · W 8.0 · S 8.0 |
| USA | Top universities | 7.0–7.5 | Varies |
| Germany | English-taught masters | 6.0–6.5 | Varies |
| New Zealand | Skilled migrant | 6.5 | 6.5 each |
For a full list of IELTS requirements for 61 specific universities, see our IELTS Scores by University page.
🚀What to Do After Checking Your Chart
- Take a full practice test under timed conditions. Knowing the chart is useless unless you know where you currently stand. Our free full IELTS mock tests auto-grade Listening and Reading using the exact conversion tables above and give AI-powered Writing/Speaking feedback.
- Map your section scores to this chart. Identify which section is dragging your overall down — for most candidates, that is Writing.
- Set a raw-score target, not a band target. "I need 30/40 in Academic Reading" is actionable. "I need band 7" is not.
- Drill the question types you get wrong rather than doing full tests on repeat. Our section-specific tests ( Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) let you practise one skill at a time.
- Re-test every 2 weeks and plot your raw scores on this chart to track progression.
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'good' score depends on your goal. For most university admissions, 6.0–6.5 overall is the minimum. Competitive postgraduate programs and immigration pathways (Canada Express Entry, Australia Skilled) typically require 7.0–8.0 in each section. Check your target institution's specific requirements.
The overall band score is the average of your four section scores (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking), rounded to the nearest 0.5. For example, if your section scores are 7.0, 6.5, 6.0, and 7.0, the average is 6.625, which rounds to 6.5 overall.
You need at least 30 correct answers out of 40 for band 7.0 in Listening. That means you can afford to get 10 questions wrong and still hit band 7.
Yes. Because General Training Reading texts are simpler, the thresholds are higher. Band 7.0 requires 34/40 in GT versus 30/40 in Academic. The Listening chart is the same for both modules.
IELTS 6.5 corresponds to CEFR B2 (Upper Intermediate / Independent User). This is the level most European universities accept for English-taught programs.
Yes — half a band can determine whether you meet a visa or university threshold. In Listening and Reading, the difference between two adjacent half-bands is typically just 2–4 raw marks, making targeted practice highly effective.
Not from raw scores, because these sections are examiner-assessed against four criteria (not objectively marked). However, AI-powered mock tests like ours grade against the same band descriptors and give you a reliable estimate with detailed feedback on each criterion.