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IELTS for UKVI score chart

Checked against the GOV.UK list of approved tests on 9 October 2026

UK visas ask for English at a level on the CEFR scale, from A1 to C2. This chart shows the IELTS result that proves each level. The rule that catches most people out is that the minimum applies to every skill separately, so your lowest band is the one that counts.

IELTS score for each CEFR level

CEFR levelIELTS for UKVI (four skills)IELTS Life Skills (speaking and listening)
A1 BeginnerNot offered at this levelLife Skills A1: pass
A2 ElementaryNot offered at this levelLife Skills A2: pass
B1 Intermediate4.0 in each skillLife Skills B1: pass
B2 Upper intermediate5.5 in each skillNo Life Skills test
C1 Advanced7.0 in each skillNo Life Skills test
C2 Proficient8.5 in each skillNo Life Skills test

"In each skill" means Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Life Skills has no band score: the result is a pass or a fail.

How to read your own result

Find the lowest of your four bands. That band decides the level, whatever your overall score is.

  • Lowest band 4.0 to 5.0: your result proves B1.
  • Lowest band 5.5 to 6.5: your result proves B2.
  • Lowest band 7.0 to 8.0: your result proves C1.
  • Lowest band 8.5 or above: your result proves C2.
  • Lowest band below 4.0: the result does not meet any level on the four-skill test.
Examples
ListeningReadingWritingSpeakingLevel proved
6.56.05.56.0B2Every skill is 5.5 or higher, so this meets B2.
7.57.05.06.5B1Writing is 5.0, below the 5.5 needed for B2, so this result only proves B1, even though the overall band is 6.5.
8.07.57.07.0C1Every skill is 7.0 or higher, so this meets C1.
4.54.03.54.5NoneWriting is 3.5, below the 4.0 needed for B1, so this does not meet any level on the four-skill test.

The level each UK visa asks for

VisaCEFR levelIELTS SELT
Skilled Worker, Health and Care WorkerB2 (all four skills)IELTS for UKVI: 5.5 in each skill
Student (below degree level)B1 (all four skills)IELTS for UKVI: 4.0 in each skill
Family visa, first applicationA1 (speaking and listening)IELTS Life Skills A1: pass
Family visa, extensionA2 (speaking and listening)IELTS Life Skills A2: pass
Settlement (ILR) and British citizenshipB1 (speaking and listening); B2 for most settlement applications from 26 March 2027IELTS Life Skills B1: pass

Rules differ by route and change over time, and some applicants are exempt. Always check the page for your own visa on GOV.UK before you book. See our full guide to IELTS scores for UK visas.

Four skills or Life Skills?

It depends on what your visa asks for. If it needs reading, writing, speaking and listening, you take IELTS for UKVI, Academic or General Training. If it needs speaking and listening only, you take IELTS Life Skills at the level named in the rules: A1, A2 or B1.

The two are not interchangeable. A pass in Life Skills B1 does not prove B1 in reading and writing, so it cannot be used for a visa that needs all four skills.

Questions

What IELTS score is B2 for UKVI?
At least 5.5 in each of Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking on IELTS for UKVI. An overall band of 5.5 is not enough if one skill is lower.
What IELTS score is B1 for UKVI?
On the four-skill IELTS for UKVI test, at least 4.0 in each skill. If your visa only asks for B1 speaking and listening, such as settlement or citizenship, a pass in IELTS Life Skills B1 is accepted.
What IELTS score is C1 for UKVI?
At least 7.0 in each of the four skills on IELTS for UKVI.
Does the overall band score count for a UK visa?
No. The Home Office sets a minimum for each skill separately. Your lowest band decides which level your result proves.
Is the scoring different on IELTS for UKVI?
No. IELTS for UKVI is marked in exactly the same way as IELTS, on bands from 0 to 9. The difference is that it is taken at a centre approved for UK visa tests.
How long is an IELTS for UKVI score valid?
Results from a secure English language test are valid for 2 years from the date the test is awarded.

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Official sources