Free tool
Do my IELTS scores meet the requirement?
Enter your four bands and the requirement you were given. See exactly which minimum you miss, by how much, and the smallest change that would get you there.
Your overall 6.5 meets 6.5, but Writing 5.5 misses the minimum of 6.0 by 0.5.
- Listening7.0Minimum 6.0
- Reading6.5Minimum 6.0
- Writing5.5Needs 6.0 (+0.5)
- Speaking6.5Minimum 6.0
What would get you there
- Raise Writing from 5.5 to at least 6.0.
Your Writing needs to rise
Write a practice essay and see which criterion is holding your band back, with the sentences to fix.
The starting options are common requirement patterns, not any particular university’s rules. Always check the exact requirement with the institution or authority.
Overall band and minimums are two separate tests
Your overall band is the average of the four skills, rounded to the nearest half band (see the band score calculator for how the rounding works). Most requirements also set a minimum for each skill, and that minimum has to be met on its own. A high Listening score can pull your overall up; it cannot rescue a Writing band below the minimum.
If Writing is the band you are missing
Writing is the skill that most often falls short. Find out what your band means in what IELTS Writing 6.5 means, then write a practice essay with the free essay checker: it estimates all four criteria and marks the sentences to fix. If you do not know how to start, the essay planner walks you through it.
Applying to Canada or Australia?
For Canadian Express Entry, the IELTS to CLB calculator converts each band to a CLB level and the CRS points it earns. The Australian levels (Competent, Proficient, Superior) are in the list of starting options above.
Questions
What does “overall 6.5, no band below 6.0” mean?
Two things must both be true: your overall band is 6.5 or higher, and each of your four skill bands (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking) is 6.0 or higher. A 6.5 overall with a 5.5 in Writing does not meet it.
My overall score is high enough. Why don’t I meet the requirement?
Because one skill is below its minimum. A strong band in one skill can lift your overall average, but it cannot make up for a minimum you miss in another. The checker shows which skill and by how much.
Can I retake only the skill I missed?
IELTS offers One Skill Retake for tests taken on computer, in the locations where it is available: you retake one skill within a limited time after your test. Whether your university or visa authority accepts the result is up to them, so check with them before you book.
Do I need Academic or General Training?
Universities usually ask for IELTS Academic. Work and migration routes often accept General Training. The requirement you were given should say which; if it does not, ask the institution.
How long are IELTS scores accepted?
Most institutions accept results for two years from the test date, but some set their own period. Check the requirement you are applying against.