Band scores & the CEFR
IELTS reports a band for each paper and an overall band. The CEFR column below shows the broadly equivalent Common European Framework level — useful when a university states a CEFR level rather than a band.
| Band | Descriptor | CEFR | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Expert user | C2 | Fully operational command — accurate, appropriate and fluent. |
| 8 | Very good user | C1 | Occasional unsystematic inaccuracies; handles complex argument well. |
| 7 | Good user | C1 | Operational command with occasional inaccuracies. Complex language handled well. |
| 6.5 | Competent+ | B2 / C1 border | The most requested university and visa score — control is emerging but not yet consistent. |
| 6 | Competent user | B2 | Effective command despite some inaccuracies and misunderstandings. |
| 5 | Modest user | B1 / B2 border | Partial command; copes with overall meaning in most situations. |
| 4 | Limited user | B1 | Basic competence limited to familiar situations. |
| 3 and below | Extremely limited to non-user | A1–A2 | Meaning conveyed only in very familiar situations, or not at all. |
How the score is worked out
You get a band for each paper. The overall band is the mean of the four, rounded to the nearest whole or half band.
An average ending in .25 rounds up to the next half band; .75 rounds up to the next whole band. 6.5 + 6.5 + 6 + 6 = 6.25 → 6.5.
40 questions each. Roughly 30/40 in Academic Reading is Band 7; General Training Reading needs about 34/40 for the same band.
Four criteria, each weighted equally, then averaged for that paper's band.
Institutions set their own requirement — commonly 6.0–6.5 overall for undergraduate study and 6.5–7.0 for postgraduate.
Scores are normally accepted for two years. One Skill Retake is available in many centres.