Use this free calculator to convert your IELTS Listening and Reading raw scores into band scores, add your Writing and Speaking bands, and see your estimated Overall Band Score instantly. It's worked out the same way IELTS averages and rounds the four skills.
IELTS Band Score Calculator
This tool is for practice and planning. IELTS does not publish a single universal raw-score grid. The exact conversion is re-calibrated slightly for every test to keep results comparable, so treat these figures as a close estimate rather than a guarantee of your certificated score.
How the IELTS Overall Band Score is calculated
Your Overall Band Score is the average of your four skill scores (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking), rounded to the nearest whole or half band. IELTS rounds averages ending in .25 up to the next half band, and averages ending in .75 up to the next whole band.
Worked example: Listening 6.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 5.0 and Speaking 7.0 give an average of (6.5 + 6.5 + 5.0 + 7.0) ÷ 4 = 6.25, which rounds up to an Overall Band of 6.5.
IELTS Listening band score chart
| Band score | Raw score |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 39–40 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 |
| 8.0 | 35–36 |
| 7.5 | 32–34 |
| 7.0 | 30–31 |
| 6.5 | 26–29 |
| 6.0 | 23–25 |
| 5.5 | 18–22 |
| 5.0 | 16–17 |
| 4.5 | 13–15 |
| 4.0 | 10–12 |
| 3.5 and below | 0–9 |
IELTS Reading band score charts
Reading is scored differently for the two test versions: Academic Reading passages are generally harder, so fewer correct answers are needed for the same band than in General Training.
| Band score | Raw score |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 39–40 |
| 8.5 | 37–38 |
| 8.0 | 35–36 |
| 7.5 | 33–34 |
| 7.0 | 30–32 |
| 6.5 | 27–29 |
| 6.0 | 23–26 |
| 5.5 | 19–22 |
| 5.0 | 15–18 |
| 4.5 | 13–14 |
| 4.0 | 10–12 |
| 3.5 and below | 0–9 |
| Band score | Raw score |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 39 |
| 8.0 | 37–38 |
| 7.5 | 36 |
| 7.0 | 34–35 |
| 6.5 | 32–33 |
| 6.0 | 30–31 |
| 5.5 | 27–29 |
| 5.0 | 23–26 |
| 4.5 | 19–22 |
| 4.0 | 15–18 |
| 3.5 and below | 0–14 |
How Writing and Speaking are scored
Unlike Listening and Reading, Writing and Speaking have no raw score to convert. There's no fixed number of "correct answers." Instead, a certified examiner assesses your performance against detailed public band descriptors.
Writing is marked on Task Achievement/Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Task 2 counts for roughly twice as much of the Writing band as Task 1.
Speaking is marked on Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation, each weighted equally across all three parts of the test.
What band score do you typically need?
Requirements are always set by the individual institution, employer or visa route, so always check the exact number they ask for. As general reference points: most UK undergraduate degrees ask for around Band 6.0–6.5 overall, postgraduate courses often ask for 6.5–7.0, and competitive courses or professional registration (medicine, law, some Russell Group postgraduate programmes) can ask for 7.0–7.5+ with no sub-band below that. Immigration and settlement routes that require IELTS typically ask for a lower band, often around 4.0. Always confirm the current requirement directly with the university, employer or visa guidance you're applying under.
Know your target band but not sure how to close the gap? Our Band 9 Masterclasses break down exactly what examiners reward in each skill.
Explore the MasterclassesFAQs
Is this IELTS Band Score Calculator official?
No, this is an independent estimate built from publicly available IELTS conversion patterns and the official rounding rule published by IELTS. Your certificated Test Report Form is the only official record of your band scores.
Why can't I enter a raw score for Writing and Speaking?
Because those two skills aren't marked by counting correct answers. A trained examiner scores your Writing and Speaking against public band descriptors, so the calculator asks for the band you already scored or expect, rather than a raw score.
Does the Reading conversion really differ between Academic and General Training?
Yes. General Training Reading texts are generally considered more accessible, so more correct answers are typically needed to reach the same band compared with Academic Reading.
What is the highest and lowest possible Overall Band Score?
Overall Band Scores run from 0 to 9 in half-band steps (for example 6.0, 6.5, 7.0). Band 9 is "Expert user" and the scale runs down to Band 1 ("Non-user") and 0 for candidates who did not attempt the test.
Why might my real IELTS result differ slightly from this calculator?
IELTS recalibrates the exact raw-score-to-band grid for every test administration so that results stay comparable across different test versions and difficulty levels. This calculator uses commonly published conversion ranges, so your actual result could land a fraction of a band either side of this estimate.