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IELTS band score calculator
Your overall band is the average of the four sections, rounded to the nearest half band — with one rule that surprises people. Put your scores in and see the arithmetic.
Overall —
The rule
The overall band score is the average of the four section band scores rounded to the nearest half band. If the average ends in .25 it is rounded up to the next half band; if it ends in .75 it is rounded up to the next whole band. Everything else goes to whichever half band is nearer.
| Listening | Reading | Writing | Speaking | Average | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 6.25 | 6.5 |
| 4.0 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.875 | 4.0 |
| 6.5 | 6.5 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.125 | 6.0 |
The second row is the one worth staring at: an average of 3.875 becomes a 4.0, because 3.875 is nearer to 4.0 than to 3.5. Rounding gives marks away as often as it takes them.
What this means when you are preparing
- Half a band in your weakest section is the cheapest half band you can buy. All four count equally, and it is far easier to go 5.5 → 6.0 than 7.5 → 8.0.
- Quarter points decide outcomes. 6.5 / 6.5 / 6.0 / 6.0 averages 6.25 and becomes 6.5. Drop any one of those by half a band and it averages 6.125 and becomes 6.0.
- Section minimums are separate. Plenty of requirements say "7.0 overall with no band below 6.5", and the overall score cannot rescue a section below the line.
Questions people ask
How is the IELTS overall band score calculated?
It is the average of your four section scores, rounded to the nearest half band. If the average ends in .25 it is rounded up to the next half band, and if it ends in .75 it is rounded up to the next whole band.
Why did my 6.25 average become 6.5?
That is the .25 rule. An average of 6.25 rounds up to 6.5; an average of 6.75 rounds up to 7.0. An average of 6.125, on the other hand, rounds down to 6.0, because it is nearer 6.0 than 6.5.
Does one weak section pull everything down?
Only through the average, and that is the useful part: the four sections are equal, so half a band gained in your weakest skill is worth exactly as much as half a band in your strongest, and it is usually much easier to find.
Will this tell me how many correct answers I need?
No, and be careful with any site that says it can. The conversion from a raw score out of 40 to a band belongs to the test owners and is not fixed across versions. This calculator works only with band scores you already have.
Do institutions look at the overall band or the sections?
Both, often. Many universities and immigration programs set a minimum for each section as well as an overall minimum, so an overall 7.0 with a 6.0 in Writing can still fall short. Check the requirement you are actually being held to.
Find the half band you are leaving behind
The sections are equal, so the fastest route is the weakest one. Every skill here runs in the computer-delivered interface, and the review tells you which question types cost you marks.
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Source: IELTS scoring in detail, checked 2 October 2026, including the three worked examples above.