Enter your IELTS section scores and get your overall band in seconds. The calculator averages your Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking scores, then rounds to the nearest half band using the standard IELTS rounding rules. Two modes: enter band scores or convert raw correct answers to band scores.
How Is the IELTS Overall Band Score Calculated?
Add your four section band scores together. Divide the total by four. The result is your average. Apply the IELTS rounding rule to get your final overall band.
The formula is: Overall band = (Listening + Reading + Writing + Speaking) / 4.
All four sections carry equal weight. Listening counts the same as Writing. Speaking counts the same as Reading. No section matters more than another in the final calculation.
Here is an example. A student scores Listening 7.0, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.0, Speaking 6.5. Add them: 7.0 + 6.5 + 6.0 + 6.5 = 26.0. Divide by 4: 26.0 / 4 = 6.5. The average is 6.5, so the overall band is 6.5.
Change one score and the result shifts. Listening 7.0, Reading 7.0, Writing 6.0, Speaking 7.0 gives 27.0 / 4 = 6.75. That rounds up to 7.0. A single half-band improvement in Reading pushed the overall band from 6.5 to 7.0.
IELTS Listening Band Score Table
Listening has 40 questions. Each correct answer earns one mark. Your total correct answers convert to a band score on a standard table. The same table applies to both Academic and General Training.
| Correct Answers (out of 40) | Band Score |
|---|---|
| 39 to 40 | 9.0 |
| 37 to 38 | 8.5 |
| 35 to 36 | 8.0 |
| 30 to 34 | 7.0 |
| 26 to 29 | 6.5 |
| 23 to 25 | 6.0 |
| 18 to 22 | 5.5 |
| 16 to 17 | 5.0 |
| 13 to 15 | 4.5 |
| 10 to 12 | 4.0 |
| 0 to 9 | 3.5 |
The conversion thresholds vary between test versions. IELTS uses multiple test forms, and the exact cutoffs shift by one or two marks. The table above reflects the standard conversion used across most test versions.
IELTS Reading Band Score: Academic vs General Training
Reading also has 40 questions. Unlike Listening, Academic and General Training use different conversion tables. General Training passages are easier to read, so you need more correct answers to reach the same band.
| Band Score | Academic Reading | General Training Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 9.0 | 39 to 40 | 40 |
| 8.5 | 37 to 38 | 39 |
| 8.0 | 35 to 36 | 37 to 38 |
| 7.5 | 33 to 34 | 36 |
| 7.0 | 30 to 32 | 34 to 35 |
| 6.5 | 27 to 29 | 32 to 33 |
| 6.0 | 23 to 26 | 30 to 31 |
| 5.5 | 19 to 22 | 27 to 29 |
| 5.0 | 15 to 18 | 23 to 26 |
| 4.5 | 13 to 14 | 19 to 22 |
| 4.0 | 10 to 12 | 15 to 18 |
| 3.5 | 0 to 9 | 0 to 14 |
A General Training student needs 34 to 35 correct answers for band 7.0. An Academic student needs 30 to 32. The gap is 3 to 4 marks. Choose the right module when you enter raw scores in the calculator.
IELTS Writing and Speaking Band Scores
Writing and Speaking do not use raw score tables. Trained examiners assess your performance against four criteria for each section.
Writing has two tasks. Task 2 carries double weight. Examiners score you on Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource, and Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Each criterion gets a band score. The average across all criteria and tasks becomes your Writing band.
Speaking has three parts. Examiners score you on Fluency and Coherence, Lexical Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy, and Pronunciation. Each criterion carries equal weight. The average of the four criteria, rounded to the nearest half band, is your Speaking band.
These bands are harder to predict than Listening and Reading because they depend on examiner judgment. The calculator accepts your estimated Writing and Speaking bands. Use mock test results or feedback from a teacher to set realistic estimates.
IELTS Band Score Rounding Rules
IELTS never reports an overall band with decimals like 6.125 or 6.75. The average always rounds to a whole number or a half band using these specific rules.
| Average Decimal | Round To | Example |
|---|---|---|
| .00 to .24 | Round down to nearest whole band | 6.125 rounds to 6.0 |
| .25 to .74 | Round to nearest half band | 6.25 rounds to 6.5 |
| .75 to .99 | Round up to nearest whole band | 6.75 rounds to 7.0 |
The .25 rule works in your favor. An average of 6.25 becomes 6.5, not 6.0. The .75 rule also gives you the higher band. An average of 6.75 becomes 7.0. A weak section can still drag your average below the threshold. A single section that is 0.5 lower than the rest can drop your overall by half a band.
What Is a Good IELTS Band Score?
The answer depends on your goal. Different institutions and immigration programs set different minimum requirements.
- Undergraduate study abroad. Most universities in the UK, Australia, Canada, and the US ask for 6.0 overall with no section below 5.5. Competitive programs require 6.5 overall.
- Postgraduate study. Master programs require 6.5 overall with no section below 6.0. Top universities ask for 7.0 overall, with law, medicine, and teaching programs among the most demanding.
- Canada Express Entry (PR). The Federal Skilled Worker Program requires a minimum of CLB 7 in each section, which corresponds to IELTS 6.0 in each band of the General Training version. Higher scores earn more points. A 7.0 in each section gives a competitive edge.
- UK visas. The UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirement depends on the visa type. Skilled Worker visas need B2 (IELTS 5.5 in all sections) under the rules that apply from January 2026. Student visas need B2 (IELTS 5.5) for bachelor degree level courses and B1 (IELTS 4.0) for courses below degree level. Universities often set a higher requirement than the visa minimum.
- Nepal students. Most students applying from Nepal target 6.5 overall for master programs and 6.0 for bachelor programs. Universities in Australia and Canada are the most common destinations for Nepali students. Check your target university website for the exact requirement before you book your test.
Visa and immigration requirements change. Confirm the current requirement on the IELTS for UKVI requirements page before you book your test.
Use this IELTS Score Calculator alongside other SajiloX calculators. Convert your grades with the GPA to Percentage Calculator. Calculate your SEE grades with the SEE GPA Calculator. Convert today's date with the Nepali Date Converter. Find your age with the Nepali Age Calculator. All tools are free to use.
Last verified: August 2026. Band score conversions shown here match the calculator's built-in Academic and General Training conversion tables for Listening and Reading. UK visa levels reflect the rules in force from January 2026.