Score guide · 6 min read
IELTS band score guide: what 6.5, 7.0, and 7.5 really mean
IELTS reports a band from 0 to 9 in 0.5 increments for each section, then averages them to your overall band. Here is what each band means in practice — and what to aim for.
How IELTS converts raw scores to bands
Reading and Listening each have 40 questions. Your raw score (the number you got right) converts to a 0–9 band. The conversion table shifts slightly between Academic and General Training and from test to test, but the rough mapping below is reliable for self-estimating.
IELTS Listening — both Academic and General
| Raw score (out of 40) | Band |
|---|---|
| 16–17 | 5.0 |
| 23–25 | 6.0 |
| 30–31 | 7.0 |
| 35 | 8.0 |
| 39–40 | 9.0 |
IELTS Academic Reading
| Raw score (out of 40) | Band |
|---|---|
| 15 | 5.0 |
| 23 | 6.0 |
| 30 | 7.0 |
| 35 | 8.0 |
| 39–40 | 9.0 |
IELTS General Training Reading
| Raw score (out of 40) | Band |
|---|---|
| 15 | 4.0 |
| 27 | 5.0 |
| 34 | 6.0 |
| 38 | 7.0 |
| 40 | 9.0 |
What scores programs actually require
- Most UK undergraduate programs: 6.0 – 6.5 overall, no band below 5.5.
- Most UK postgraduate programs: 6.5 – 7.0 overall, no band below 6.0.
- Medicine, law, top universities: 7.0 – 7.5 overall, no band below 6.5.
- Skilled migration (Australia, Canada): commonly 6.0 in each band; higher for some occupations.
Always check your specific program or visa pathway — these are typical ranges, not promises.
How Writing and Speaking are scored
Writing and Speaking are scored on four criteria, each 0–9, then averaged. Writing is rated on Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Speaking is rated on Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. There is no "raw score" for these — they are holistic judgments by trained examiners.
FluentMock's estimated band is computed from your accuracy on objective practice items and is for guidance only. It is not a prediction of your official band.