IELTS band score calculator
Work out your overall band exactly the way IELTS does — the rounding rule included — turn correct answers into a Listening or Reading band, and see the CEFR level your score matches.
Your overall band
Set your band in each skill. The overall band updates as you go.
Average of the four: 6.125. 6.125 rounds to the nearest half band: 6.0.
+0.5 in Writing lifts your overall band to 6.5.
Correct answers to a band
Listening and Reading are marked out of 40. Enter how many you got right.
IELTS adjusts these numbers slightly from one test version to the next, so read the band as an estimate. The bands IELTS publishes averages for are exact here; the half bands between them are the usual estimates, set on the cautious side.
IELTS Listening and Reading score tables
How many correct answers out of 40 usually give each band.
Listening
| Correct | Band |
|---|---|
| 39–40 | 9.0 |
| 37–38 | 8.5 |
| 35–36 | 8.0 |
| 32–34 | 7.5 |
| 30–31 | 7.0 |
| 26–29 | 6.5 |
| 23–25 | 6.0 |
| 18–22 | 5.5 |
| 16–17 | 5.0 |
| 13–15 | 4.5 |
| 11–12 | 4.0 |
| 0–10 | Below 4 |
Academic Reading
| Correct | Band |
|---|---|
| 39–40 | 9.0 |
| 37–38 | 8.5 |
| 35–36 | 8.0 |
| 33–34 | 7.5 |
| 30–32 | 7.0 |
| 27–29 | 6.5 |
| 23–26 | 6.0 |
| 19–22 | 5.5 |
| 15–18 | 5.0 |
| 13–14 | 4.5 |
| 10–12 | 4.0 |
| 0–9 | Below 4 |
General Training Reading
| Correct | Band |
|---|---|
| 40 | 9.0 |
| 39 | 8.5 |
| 37–38 | 8.0 |
| 36 | 7.5 |
| 35 | 7.0 |
| 32–34 | 6.5 |
| 30–31 | 6.0 |
| 27–29 | 5.5 |
| 23–26 | 5.0 |
| 19–22 | 4.5 |
| 15–18 | 4.0 |
| 0–14 | Below 4 |
What your band is on the CEFR scale
Universities and employers often ask for a CEFR level. This is how IELTS bands line up with it.
A guide, not an exact conversion: IELTS itself notes that Band 8 sits on the C2 border and that many 6.5 candidates are already working at C1.
Work out your CEFR level from your section scores, and convert Writing and Speaking marks to the 75-point scale.
Multilevel score calculator →Paste a Task 1, Task 2 or Multilevel answer and get a band or level for every criterion, with the fix that matters most.
Check my writing →A new practice every day, marked the moment you finish. No account needed.
What people ask before exam day
How is the IELTS overall band score calculated?
Add your four skill bands and divide by four. The average is rounded to the nearest half band, and an exact quarter rounds up: 6.25 becomes 6.5 and 6.75 becomes 7.0, while 6.125 becomes 6.0.
How many correct answers do I need for Band 7?
About 30 out of 40 in Listening and in Academic Reading, and about 35 in General Training Reading. The exact number changes slightly between versions of the test.
Why does General Training Reading need more correct answers?
Its texts come from everyday sources such as notices, adverts and workplace documents, which are easier to read than academic texts, so the same band asks for more correct answers.
What CEFR level is IELTS 6.5?
IELTS 5.5 to 6.5 is usually B2, and 7.0 to 8.0 is C1. IELTS notes that many 6.5 candidates already work at C1, so aim for 7.0 when a C1 must be certain.
How long is an IELTS score valid?
IELTS recommends treating results as valid for two years after the test. Some organisations accept older results, so check with the one you are applying to.
Is this calculator official?
No. It uses the rounding rule and the score tables IELTS publishes, but your real result is the one on your Test Report Form. EngProgress is not affiliated with IELTS.
EngProgress is an independent practice platform. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by IELTS®, the British Council, IDP, or Uzbekistan's Knowledge and Skills Assessment Agency. Results from this calculator are estimates; your official result is the one on your certificate.