- IELTS still reports results on the nine band scale, and the overall band is the average of the four skill scores rounded to the nearest half band
- A Test Report Form is normally treated as valid for two years and cannot be extended
- IELTS One Skill Retake lets computer test takers resit a single skill within 60 days
- IDP lists the IELTS test fee in India at INR 19,000.
What Is the IELTS Score Band Scale?
IELTS reports results on a nine band scale, from band 1 for a non user to band 9 for an expert user. You receive a separate band for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, plus an overall band that averages the four skill scores.
Every IELTS Test Report Form shows five numbers: one band for each of the four skills and one overall band score. Bands are reported in whole and half scores, so 6.0 and 6.5 are both possible results but 6.2 is not. Band 0 is recorded when a test taker did not attempt the test.
| IELTS Band 2026 | What the Band Means |
|---|---|
| 9 | Expert user with full operational command of English |
| 8 | Very good user with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies |
| 7 | Good user who handles complex language despite some inaccuracies |
| 6 | Competent user with generally effective command of English |
| 5 | Modest user with partial command who copes with overall meaning |
| 4 | Limited user whose competence is restricted to familiar situations |
| 3 | Extremely limited user who conveys only general meaning |
| 2 | Intermittent user who communicates only isolated words |
| 1 | Non user with no real ability beyond isolated words |
| 0 | Did not attempt the test |
How Is the Overall IELTS Score Calculated?
Each of the four skills is marked on the nine band scale, and the overall band score is the average of those four scores rounded to the nearest half band. An average ending in point two five rounds up to the next half band, and point seven five rounds up to the next whole band.
Worked example: Listening 6.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 5.0 and Speaking 7.0 average to 6.25, which rounds up to an overall band of 6.5. A second official example, Listening 6.5, Reading 6.5, Writing 5.5 and Speaking 6.0, averages to 6.125, which rounds down to an overall band of 6.0. Small movements in one skill can therefore change the overall band, which is why many test takers focus on their weakest section.
How Are Listening and Reading Marked?
Listening and Academic Reading each contain 40 questions, and every correct answer earns one mark. The raw mark out of 40 is then converted to the nine band scale. Conversion varies slightly between test versions, but IELTS publishes indicative benchmarks.
| Band Score 2026 | Listening Marks out of 40 | Academic Reading Marks out of 40 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 16 | 15 |
| 6 | 23 | 23 |
| 7 | 30 | 30 |
| 8 | 35 | 35 |
General Training Reading uses a different and slightly more generous conversion than Academic Reading, because the texts are drawn from everyday workplace and social contexts rather than academic sources.
How Are Writing and Speaking Marked?
Writing and Speaking are marked by trained examiners against four published criteria, each carrying equal weight within its skill. Writing has two tasks, and Task 2 carries more weight than Task 1 in the final Writing band.
- Writing: task achievement for Task 1 and task response for Task 2
- Writing: coherence and cohesion
- Writing: lexical resource
- Writing: grammatical range and accuracy
- Speaking: fluency and coherence
- Speaking: lexical resource
- Speaking: grammatical range and accuracy
- Speaking: pronunciation
How Long Is an IELTS Score Valid?
An IELTS Test Report Form is normally treated as valid for two years from the test date, and there is no way to extend it. Universities apply this rule themselves: the University of Illinois graduate school, for example, requires scores dated within two years of the intended start term.
The two year convention exists because language ability changes when a test taker stops studying or using English. Some institutions and immigration routes apply a shorter window, so check the recency rule on the course page or visa guidance rather than assuming the full two years will be accepted.
What IELTS Score Do Universities Require in 2026?
Most English speaking universities ask for an overall band of 6.5 with at least 6.0 in every skill. Sheffield and Toronto both publish that standard, while competitive graduate programmes go higher: Illinois grants full status admission only at band 7.5. Always check the exact course page before booking a test.
| University 2026 | Published IELTS Requirement |
|---|---|
| University of Sheffield | 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6.0 in each component, undergraduate and postgraduate |
| University of Toronto | 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0 for undergraduate entry |
| University of Illinois Graduate College | 6.5 for limited status admission and 7.5 for full status admission |
Toronto also states that the required scores must come from a single test date, and that it does not accept IELTS Indicator or One Skill Retake results. Rules of this kind vary by institution, so a One Skill Retake form is worth confirming with the admissions office before you rely on it.
Best Universities Accepting IELTS ScoreRead →Which IELTS Score Do You Need for a Canadian Study Permit?
Canada sets no single IELTS minimum for a study permit. The Student Direct Stream, which required band 6.0 in each skill, closed on 8 November 2024, so applicants use the standard process and meet the score their designated learning institution asks for, commonly 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0.
Since the Student Direct Stream closed, language proof for a Canadian study permit is driven by the admission requirements of the designated learning institution rather than by a fixed federal band. A band 5.5 profile will not meet the published entry standard at research universities such as Toronto, although some college diploma programmes and pathway routes set lower entry bands.
How Do PTE Academic Scores Compare With IELTS Bands?
Pearson publishes an official concordance updated in July 2025 for the revised PTE Academic test. On that table a PTE overall score of 55 aligns with IELTS band 6.5, 63 with band 7.0 and 79 with band 8.0. It compares scores only, not what any institution actually accepts.
| IELTS Band 2026 | Equivalent PTE Academic Overall Score |
|---|---|
| 9.0 | 90 |
| 8.5 | 86 |
| 8.0 | 79 |
| 7.5 | 71 |
| 7.0 | 63 |
| 6.5 | 55 |
| 6.0 | 47 |
| 5.5 | 39 |
PTE Academic is scored from 10 to 90 on the Global Scale of English, so the mapping is a research based comparison rather than an arithmetic conversion. Governments and universities decide independently which tests they accept and what score they demand, and many publish separate PTE minimums instead of converting from IELTS.
IELTS vs TOEFL: Which Should You Choose?Read →Can You Retake Only One IELTS Section?
Yes. IELTS One Skill Retake lets you resit a single skill instead of the whole test, provided you took the original test on computer at a participating centre. You must book and sit the retake within 60 days, and you may use it once per original test.
- You must have completed a full IELTS test on computer at a participating test centre
- Any one of Listening, Reading, Writing or Speaking can be retaken
- The retake must be booked and taken within 60 days of the original test
- One Skill Retake can be used only once per original test
- You receive a new Test Report Form and can choose whether to use the original or the new one
Paper based test takers are not eligible, and not every organisation accepts a One Skill Retake Test Report Form, so confirm acceptance with your university or immigration route before booking.
How Much Does the IELTS Test Cost in India in 2026?
IDP India lists IELTS Academic and General Training at INR 19,000, the same price for the paper and computer formats and identical at every Indian test centre. IELTS for UKVI costs INR 19,250, IELTS Life Skills INR 18,000, and a One Skill Retake booking costs INR 12,650.
| IELTS Test Type 2026 | Fee in India |
|---|---|
| IELTS Academic, paper or computer | INR 19,000 |
| IELTS General Training, paper or computer | INR 19,000 |
| IELTS for UKVI | INR 19,250 |
| IELTS Life Skills A1 and B1 | INR 18,000 |
| IELTS One Skill Retake | INR 12,650 |
If your goal is a UK visa route, note that only IELTS for UKVI and IELTS Life Skills are approved Secure English Language Tests, so a standard IELTS Academic booking will not satisfy the Home Office requirement even at the same band score.