Your overall IELTS band is the average of your Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking bands, rounded to the nearest half band. Enter how many Listening and Reading questions you got right (out of 40), choose your Writing and Speaking bands, and the calculator works out each band and your overall score.
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How to use the calculator
- Choose Academic or General Training. Only the Reading conversion differs.
- Enter your correct answers for Listening and Reading, from a practice test or your own estimate.
- Choose your Writing and Speaking bands, or your best estimate from a teacher’s feedback.
- Read your overall band and the four section bands.
How the overall band is rounded
IELTS averages the four section bands and rounds to the nearest half band. An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band, and one ending in .75 rounds up to the next whole band. For example:
- 6.5 + 6 + 6 + 6.5 = 25 ÷ 4 = 6.25, which becomes 6.5
- 6.5 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 24.5 ÷ 4 = 6.125, which becomes 6.0
- 4 + 3.5 + 4 + 4 = 15.5 ÷ 4 = 3.875, which becomes 4.0
Raw score to band conversion
| Band | Listening | Academic Reading | General Training Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 39–40 | 39–40 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 | 37–38 | 39 |
| 8 | 35–36 | 35–36 | 37–38 |
| 7.5 | 32–34 | 33–34 | 36 |
| 7 | 30–31 | 30–32 | 34–35 |
| 6.5 | 26–29 | 27–29 | 32–33 |
| 6 | 23–25 | 23–26 | 30–31 |
| 5.5 | 18–22 | 19–22 | 27–29 |
| 5 | 16–17 | 15–18 | 23–26 |
| 4.5 | 13–15 | 13–14 | 19–22 |
| 4 | 10–12 | 10–12 | 15–18 |
IELTS publishes these as approximate. Exact cut-offs vary slightly between test versions, so use the result as an estimate.
What band do universities and visas ask for?
Requirements vary by course, university and visa route, and they change, so always check the official page for the place you’re applying to. As a general picture, many UK postgraduate courses ask for an overall 6.5 with no section below 6.0, and some ask for 7.0. UK visas set their own minimum for each skill, and some routes need the IELTS for UKVI version of the test.
Example: a course asks for 6.5 overall with no skill below 6.0. Scores of Listening 7.5, Reading 7.0, Writing 5.5 and Speaking 7.0 average 6.75, which rounds to an overall 7.0. That beats the overall requirement, but the 5.5 in Writing still fails it. Always check the minimum for each skill, not just the overall band.
Frequently asked questions
How is the IELTS overall band calculated?
It’s the average of your four section bands, rounded to the nearest half band. Averages ending in .25 round up to .5, and averages ending in .75 round up to the next whole band.
Is the Reading conversion different for General Training?
Yes. General Training Reading needs more correct answers for the same band, because its texts are generally easier.
Can I enter my Writing and Speaking raw scores?
No. Writing and Speaking are marked directly in bands by examiners, so choose the band you received or expect.
Is this the official IELTS calculator?
No. It uses the approximate conversion tables and rounding rule IELTS publishes. Your official result comes only from your test centre.
Is it free?
Yes. It runs in your browser and nothing you enter is stored.
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