Last Updated: February 24, 2023
I am getting asked this question very often, which is why we created an IELTS Overall Score Calculator you can use.
For those who need to understand the process in detail – here is how the IELTS test centre calculates your overall band score:
Total score = (Listening score + Reading score + Writing score + Speaking score) / 4
For example, if you’ve received Listening 6, Reading 7, Writing 8, Speaking 7, your total score will be (6+7+8+7) / 4 = 7.
Your score can be either a whole band or a band and a half – for example 7 or 7.5. No other fractions are allowed, for example no 7.25 or 7.75.
So what do they do in such cases, when the total score is neither whole nor half band?
There is a rule: if it ends with .25, round up to the nearest half score, and if it ends with .75, round up to the nearest whole band score.
To demonstrate, if you’ve received Listening 6, Reading 7, Writing 8, Speaking 6, your overall score will be (6+7+8+6)/4 = 6.75 – the rule says round up – which means you get 7.
Another example: if your scores were Listening 6 Reading 7 Writing 8 Speaking 8, the overall score will be (6+7+8+8)/4 = 7.25 – the rule says round up to half score – which means you get 7.5.
However, if you’ve received Listening 6, Reading 6.5, Writing 6, Speaking 6, your overall score will be (6+6.5+6+6)/4 = 6.125 – the rule says round down to the nearest whole band score – which means you get 6.
Similarly, if you received Listening 6.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 6.5, Speaking 7, your overall score will be (6.5+6.5+6.5+7)/4 = 6.625 – the rule says round down to the nearest half band score – which means you get 6.5.
It’s not too difficult – just remember to apply the rule of rounding.
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If I scored 7 in spkng,rdng,lstng but scored 6.5 in writing then WHT would be my overall band?
If you scored 7 in three sub-tests and 6.5 in one, you would get Band 7 overall (you can use this IELTS overall score calculator to check).
Good day,
We want to apply for permanent residency in Australia or New Zealand.
Candidate nr. 1 is 42 years of age; Listening:9.0, Reading:6.0 Writing:6.5 and Speaking:9.0. Overall band score:7.5
Candidate nr.2 is 34 years of age; Listening:6.5, Reading:6, Writing:6,
Speaking:7.5
Overall band score 6.5
Do we need to rewrite our ielts exam
Hi Leane, if you’re not sure whether your score is enough for PR, it makes sense to contact a migration agent. They have a great deal of experience with these issues and they are up to date with the latest requirements and changes.
if some one get overall score in ielts academic 5.5 but in one or two module he get 4.5 band than can he get addmission in university into undergraduate program..
I have completed master degree in history subject with 64% marks in may 2018 then how many bands requirement for Canada study visa
5.50overall band means 5.5 or anything more
I’m not sure I understand the question – can you explain what you mean?
If if score7.5 in listening 6 in speaking and 5.5 in reading and writing can i apply for study visa
You should approach the particular country and university or college. Certain colleges have their own ielts requirements. It changes according to each institutes.
In idp TRf my score over all mention is 5.5 and when I calculate in CLB each module it shows 6.. To whom I refer in ielets TRf mention 5.5,why it’s so
Hi Geetika, sorry I couldn’t fully understand your question, would you mind explaining in more detail?
Overall band score is 7
If I get 6.5 band in two modules and 6 band each other 2 module, what will be my band score?
Your overall score would be 6.5. Using our IELTS Overall Score Calculator can help you work out how any combinations of individual module scores translate into the Overall IELTS score.
Sir please help , i scored 7.5 in listening, 6.5 in reading, 6.5 in speaking but 6 in writing… If after rechecking .5 increment occur in writing… Will it be 7 now …or still 6.5 overall…please assist asap
Hi Amar, yes it will be 7 if you get 0.5 extra in writing. Hope this helps.
While my speaking examiner mark 4.25something. What does its mean?plz tell me?
Sir my. Overall score is 5.5 nd only in listening I got 6 bands so if I apply for EOR form then in case I’ll get 6 band in one module then my 2 module has 6 bands nd ohter 2 has 5.5. so can I get admission nd visa for Canada
Hi Tamanna, if EOR changes one of your scores to 6 and you get 6,6,5.5,5.5, the average will be 5.75 and your overall score will be rounded up to Band 6.
I belive as well as I am confident about English language that I can speak and understand too… unfortunately I got a bad experience in ielts ..is there any option so that I can study abroad.. I m so tired about this kind of exam and all that please help Mee ..
I have scored Listening=6.5
Reading=6
Writing=6
Speaking=6
O.A= 6
And I expected 6.5 bands so should i apply for EOR?
What skill are you considering for your EOR request, Writing or Speaking? There is no point in applying to recheck your Reading, as your answers are compared to a list of correct ones and there is no room for bias or human judgement.
Hlo sir, I got S-W- 6, L-5.5 and R-5. Can I fill eor for reading plz reply me
Hello Manjinder, Reading is clerically marked, which means that someone is comparing your answers to a list of correct ones. The score isn’t likely to change as a result of EOR because it’s unlikely that the first marker made a mistake and marked one of your correct answers as incorrect.
7
J main rechecking krwani a ta mere band score decrease ta ni honge??
If revaluate my ielts test then my band can be reduced or not
As a result of remarking your score can go up, down or stay the same – everything is possible.
As a result of remarking your score can go up, down or stay the same – everything is possible.
U fill the requirement of 6 band. Not less then 6 in each module. Only then you can apply for Canada study visa
My overall score is 6.5 so can i apply for canada study Visa with 5 year study gap or should apply for other country (newzealand).
I was confused about my overall band score.I explained each module marks listening 5.5, reading 5, speaking 6, and writing 6.if I add this overall band that is 22.5/4= 5.625.In my test report form shows overall band score is 5.5. My query is .5 increment in this band score that is 6 because .625 is greater than .5 but band score decrement in test report form.
Hi Tarun, the way you worked out your overall score is correct, it is 5.625. Since the score 5.625 is closer to 5.5 than it is to 6.0, your score was rounded down to 5.5. It doesn’t seem as though IELTS made a mistake.
i got L-6.5 R-6 S-6 W-6 but overall is 6 how?
This is how your overall score was calculated: (6.5+6+6+6)/4 = 6.125 and it was then rounded down to Band 6, because 6.125 is closer to 6 than 6.5. Hope this helps.
The ielts band score is calculated from 0 to 9 with .5 increments for instance 5.5 or 6.5.you will be assessed on the basis of an ielts.And I would like to talk about one more query how we calculate overall band score and the ielts chart shows 18-22 which is 5.5 band.And my overall summed up is 22.5
Have an overall score of 5.0 but scored 3.5 in listening. Should l need to rewrite again? I want to apply for a carer worker vissa
Hi Noleen, you can increase your score in Listening, with a bit of practice. Before you sit the real IELTS test, make sure you are getting enough correct answers for a Band 5 when you’re doing listening practice tests. Just pay attention to the questions you get wrong and you will quickly see what your common mistakes are. You can work on them, fix them and then your score will go up quickly.
If I get 8.5 in listening, 6.5 in reading , 7 in writing and 7 in speaking how much bands I get ?
You will get an Overall score of 7.5, because the average of your four scores = 7.25 and that gets rounded up to the nearest half-band score.
What is the overall band of 6.5,5.5,5,5.5 please tell me
Hi Lovejeet, the calculation is (6.5+5.5+5+5.5)/4 = 5.625 and then it is rounded down to 5.5, so the overall band score will be 5.5. Hope this helps.
Listening 8
Writing 6.5
Reading 6
Speaking 5.5
Overall 6.5
If it is possible to transfer it as like listening 7 and speaking 6.5?
Please help
I’m afraid the individual scores can’t be changed, even if the resulting overall IELTS score is the same. Your certificate will show the exact individual scores you received in your test.
If I score S 5.5 L 5.5 R 6.5 W 5.5.
What will be my over all score?
Regards,
Elvis Ayoki
Your overall score will be calculated according to this formula: (5.5 + 5.5 + 6.5 + 5.5)/4 = 5.75 and then it will be rounded up to Band 6.0. Your final score will be 6.0. Hope this helps.
I got 6 in L 5.5 in R 5.5 in W and 5.5 in S can i go for EOR because i need over all 6 bands to get admission in UK
I got overall 5.5 score in ielts 6 in L 5.5 in R 5.5 in W and 5.5 in speaking and i need .5 more can i go for EOR