Education
IELTS Band Score Converter
Convert between IELTS, TOEFL iBT, CEFR, and Cambridge English (FCE/CAE/CPE) scores, or average four IELTS section bands into your overall band using the official IELTS rounding rule.
Convert IELTS, TOEFL, CEFR, and Cambridge scores
Enter your four IELTS section scores (each 0 to 9 in 0.5 steps).
Overall band
6.5
Average of 7.0, 6.5, 6.0, 7.0, rounded to the nearest half band.
- Listening
- 7.0
- Reading
- 6.5
- Writing
- 6.0
- Speaking
- 7.0
Frequently Asked Questions about the IELTS Band Score Converter
What does the IELTS band scale actually measure?
IELTS reports each of the four skills (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) and an overall band on a 0 to 9 scale in half-band steps. A 0 means the candidate did not attempt the test, 4 is a limited user, 5.5 is a modest user, 6.5 is competent, 7 is good, 8 is very good, and 9 is the expert user. The overall band uses the same scale as each section so a single number captures full proficiency.
How is the overall IELTS band calculated from the four section scores?
Add the four section scores, divide by four, and round to the nearest half band using the official IELTS rule. If the raw average lands at .25 above a band, it rounds up to the next half band (6.25 to 6.5). If it lands at .75 above a band, it rounds up to the next full band (6.75 to 7.0). A 6.875 rounds to 7.0 because it sits closer to 7.0 than to 6.5; a 6.625 rounds down to 6.5. The calculator follows this rule exactly.
Which IELTS-to-TOEFL concordance table do you use?
The IELTS-to-TOEFL iBT mapping comes from the joint concordance published in 2010 by the British Council, IDP, Cambridge English, and ETS. That table is the one ETS itself reuses in its own comparison tool and the one universities cite in admissions materials. A single TOEFL total corresponds to an IELTS band range rather than one exact band, so the calculator returns the full published range (e.g. IELTS 7.0 maps to TOEFL 94-101) plus a representative single score.
How does IELTS map to the CEFR (Common European Framework)?
IELTS 9.0 and 8.5 sit at C2 (proficient). IELTS 7.0 to 8.0 sits at C1 (advanced, the typical undergraduate-study threshold in English). IELTS 5.5 to 6.5 sits at B2 (upper intermediate). IELTS 4.0 to 5.0 sits at B1 (intermediate). Lower bands fall into A2 and A1. The mapping is the band thresholds used by Cambridge Assessment English and matches the CEFR descriptors in the IELTS official scoring guide.
What IELTS band do universities require for admission?
Ivy League and other highly selective US universities typically require an overall 7.0 or higher, with most sections at 7.0 or above. UK Russell Group universities usually require 6.5 overall with no section below 6.0 for undergraduate programs, and 7.0 overall with 6.5 in each section for masters. Many Canadian, Australian, and continental European universities accept 6.0 to 6.5 for undergraduate study, while business schools and law schools sit at 7.0 to 7.5. Always check the program's published cutoff because requirements vary by department.