IELTS band score calculator
Enter your correct answers out of 40 for Listening and Reading, and your Writing and Speaking bands. Your overall band is the average of the four, rounded to the nearest half band.
How IELTS rounds the overall band
The four section bands are averaged. An average ending in .25 is rounded up to the next half band, and one ending in .75 is rounded up to the next whole band. For example, 6.5 + 6.5 + 5.5 + 6.5 = 25, and 25 ÷ 4 = 6.25, so the overall band is 6.5.
Raw-score conversions here use widely published ranges. The official conversion varies slightly between test versions, so treat your result as a close estimate.
IELTS raw score to band conversion table
Correct answers out of 40 for each band. These are the ranges this calculator and our mock tests use. For the band of every single score, see the full Listening band score chart and Reading band score chart.
| Band | Listening | Academic Reading | General Training Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 39–40 | 39–40 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 | 37–38 | 39 |
| 8.0 | 35–36 | 35–36 | 37–38 |
| 7.5 | 32–34 | 33–34 | 36 |
| 7.0 | 30–31 | 30–32 | 34–35 |
| 6.5 | 26–29 | 27–29 | 32–33 |
| 6.0 | 23–25 | 23–26 | 30–31 |
| 5.5 | 18–22 | 19–22 | 27–29 |
| 5.0 | 16–17 | 15–18 | 23–26 |
| 4.5 | 13–15 | 13–14 | 19–22 |
| 4.0 | 10–12 | 10–12 | 15–18 |
Questions about IELTS band scores
How is the overall IELTS band calculated?
Your Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking bands are added together and divided by four. The result is rounded to the nearest half band, so 6.25 becomes 6.5 and 6.75 becomes 7.
How many correct answers do I need for Band 7?
Using the widely published ranges, Band 7 needs about 30 out of 40 in Listening and in Academic Reading, and about 34 out of 40 in General Training Reading. The exact number changes slightly from one test to another.
Why is General Training Reading marked differently?
The General Training Reading texts are easier than the Academic ones, so you need more correct answers to reach the same band. Listening is the same test for both.
How are Writing and Speaking bands worked out?
An examiner gives a band for each of four criteria and the result is their average. In Writing, Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1. There is no raw score out of 40 for these two skills.
Find your real numbers
The calculator is only as good as the scores you put in. Take a free Listening test or Reading test to get your raw score, and get an estimated band for your Writing and Speaking. Then check the score you need for your visa or university.