After giving the IELTS exam, now it is time to wait for the scores. It will take less than two weeks to get the results. To know the scores, one needs to visit the IDP or British Council’s official website. Candidates will receive their IELTS scores for all four sections in a band of 1-9. Apart from this, they will also receive their overall band score. Check out the IELTS Band Scores explained in detail to understand how the scoring pattern work.
IELTS Band Scores 2021
The table mentioned below shows how the IELTS Band Scale reads
| Band | Skill Level | Meaning |
| 9 | Expert user | Has fully operational command of the language |
| 8 | Very good user | Fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies |
| 7 | Good user | Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies and misunderstandings in some situations |
| 6 | Competent user | Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations |
| 5 | Modest user | Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes |
| 4 | Limited user | Have frequent problems in understanding and expression. Is not able to use complex language |
| 3 | Extremely limited user | Conveys and understands the only general meaning in very familiar situations. Frequent breakdowns occur in communication |
| 2 | Intermittent user | Has great difficulty understanding spoken and written English |
| 1 | Non-user | Essentially has no ability to use the language beyond possibly a few isolated words |
| 0 | Did not attempt the test | No assessable information provided |
While checking the scores, you need to submit details of candidate number, passport number, test date, identification document number, and date of birth. So, make sure to keep all these basic details with you before checking the scores. Also, keep these details handy for the next 28 days, as after this you won’t be able to see them online. This is just a preview, which is not counted as official. This is to help candidates to see their results before getting an Official Test Report form. The test report comprises the scores of all 4 sections. Make sure to keep this report completely safe as only one copy is issued per candidate. The higher your IELTS score is the better your chances of getting into your dream university.
Minimum Score for IELTS
It depends on the country, university, or the organization you are targeting. As such, there is no concept of a minimum IELTS score. However, the university/college/organization you are targeting may have its own set of minimum requirements for the IELTS score. The IELTS score can play a crucial role in your selection criteria.
IELTS Academic Reading Band Scores
IELTS Reading section comprises 40 questions based on three passages. We have provided the table, so, you can calculate your estimated band scores using it.
| Band | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 | 6.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.5 |
| Score out of 40 | 39-40 | 37-38 | 35-36 | 33-34 | 30-32 | 27-29 | 23-26 | 19-22 | 15-18 | 13-14 | 10-12 | 8-9 | 6-7 | 4-5 |
IELTS Listening Band Scores
In the IELTS Listening section, the applicants have to listen to conversations, recorded texts, and monologues and write answers based on them. We have provided the table, so, you can calculate your estimated band scores using it.
| Band | 9 | 8.5 | 8 | 7.5 | 7 | 6.5 | 6 | 5.5 | 5 | 4.5 | 4 | 3.5 | 3 | 2.5 |
| Score out of 40 | 39-40 | 37-38 | 35-36 | 32-34 | 30-31 | 26-29 | 23-25 | 18-22 | 16-17 | 13-15 | 10-12 | 8-10 | 6-7 | 4-5 |
