IELTS Band Score Calculator: How Your Overall Score Is Calculated
Your overall IELTS band score is the average of your four section scores (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking), rounded to the nearest half band. This guide shows you exactly how the calculation works so you can set a realistic target for each section.
How the overall band score is calculated
Add your four section scores together and divide by four. The result is then rounded to the nearest half band: if the average ends in .25 it rounds up to .5, and if it ends in .75 it rounds up to the next whole band.
- Example 1: L 7.0, R 6.5, W 6.0, S 7.0 → average 6.625 → overall 6.5.
- Example 2: L 7.5, R 7.0, W 6.5, S 7.0 → average 7.0 → overall 7.0.
- Example 3: L 6.5, R 6.0, W 6.0, S 6.5 → average 6.25 → rounds up to 6.5.
- Example 4: L 8.0, R 7.5, W 6.5, S 7.0 → average 7.25 → rounds up to 7.5.
Why one weak section hurts twice
A low Writing score drags your average down and can also break a 'no section below X' requirement. Many universities ask for 7.0 overall with no section below 6.5 — so a 6.0 in Writing fails even if your other three scores average 8.0. Fix your weakest section first; it is the fastest way to raise the overall band.
What band score do you need?
- UK, Australian and Canadian universities: usually 6.0–7.0 overall, often with minimums per section.
- UK student visa (degree level): typically 5.5–6.0 in each section depending on the institution.
- Canadian Express Entry: CLB 9 equals roughly L 8.0, R 7.0, W 7.0, S 7.0.
- Australian skilled migration: 'Competent English' is 6.0 in each section; 'Proficient' is 7.0 each.
- Always check the exact requirement of your institution or visa — they vary and change.
How Writing and Speaking are scored
Writing and Speaking are marked by examiners on four criteria each, averaged to the section band. Writing: Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy (Task 2 counts double). Speaking: Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, Pronunciation. Our band scores guide explains each criterion in detail.
Find out your Writing and Speaking band now
You do not need to wait for a real test to know your level. Submit a practice essay or speaking recording and our AI tutor gives you a band estimate for each marking criterion, plus the specific fixes that would raise your score — the same criteria real examiners use.
Put it into practice
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