IELTS Band Scores — Scoring System Explained
Understand the IELTS 0-9 band score system used by universities and immigration authorities worldwide. Learn what each band level means, how overall scores are calculated, and what bands are required for your goals.
Band Score Scale
IELTS scores range from 0 (non-user) to 9 (expert user) in 0.5 increments. Band 9 indicates complete command of English, while Band 7 represents a good user who handles complex language well with occasional inaccuracies.
How Overall Scores Are Calculated
Your overall band score is the average of your four individual skill scores (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking), rounded to the nearest whole or half band. For example, scores of 7.0, 6.5, 6.0, and 7.0 average to 6.625, which rounds to 6.5.
University Requirements
Most universities require an overall band of 6.0-7.0 for undergraduate admission and 6.5-7.5 for postgraduate programs. Top universities like Oxford and Cambridge typically require 7.0+ with no band below 6.5.
Immigration Band Requirements
Immigration programs have specific band requirements. For example, Canadian Express Entry requires a minimum of CLB 7 (IELTS 6.0 in each skill), while Australian skilled migration requires at least 6.0 overall.