What is a Good IELTS Score for Study Abroad?

An IELTS Band Score of 7.0 and above is considered to be a good IELTS Score as this would make the applicant eligible to apply to most universities abroad without having to worry about the English language proficiency cut off. Candidates should note that while a IELTS score of 7 and above is a good IELTS score it does not guarantee admission to the university. 

The IELTS exam is a popular English language proficiency test used by candidates to get admission to higher education institutions in major English-speaking countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, the UK, and many more.

The IELTS scores are required to get admission in UG and PG courses abroad and to obtain PR in English-speaking countries. IELTS Scores are calculated on a scale of 1 to 9. Candidates looking to learn how IELTS Band Scores can check out our website. Candidates can use the IELTS score calculator in case of any confusion. This will help you in understanding your IELTS results. 

Once you understand how IELTS scores are calculated then you should know what is a good IELTS Score is. Generally, a score of 7.0 or above is considered as a good IELTS score. An IELTS score of 7.0 or above can help you to get admission in any of the top universities of the world. Many students even think that 6.5 or more is IELTS good score. In this article, we have discussed what is a good IELTS score is. You will get to know what scores are required for a visa and to study abroad. Candidates can also register below to use a free IELTS training class and increase their chances of scoring high.  

What is a Good IELTS Score?

An IELTS Score of 7 or above is considered to be a good IELTS Score. Achieving an IELTS Band Score of 7 and above will qualify applicants to most universities abroad. While a 7 Band Score is considered a good IELTS score. However, candidates should note that getting a higher IELTS score will only help the applicant.

A good IELTS score is required to get admission to your desired university located abroad. Now, every country has an IELTS cut-off according to them. Top universities in the USA, like Harvard and Stanford, accept IELTS scores of 7 or more. Similarly, UK universities like Oxford or Cambridge require 7.5 or more. For universities in Canada and Australia, an IELTS score of 6.5 or 7 or more is required to get into their top colleges.

Generally, an IELTS band score is one of the requirements of a university for granting admission to international students. A good IELTS score will increase the chances of your application, but not solely responsible for your admission. Commonly, an IELTS score of 6.5-7.0 is considered good for decent university admission, while top universities in the world require an IELTS band of 7.0 or above. 

Good IELTS Scores by Section

1. IELTS Listening:
• A score of 7.0 typically requires around 30 correct answers out of 40 questions.
2. IELTS Reading:
• For a score of 7.0, you generally need to answer around 30 questions correctly out of 40, though this can vary slightly depending on the test version.
3. IELTS Writing:
• A score of 7.0 in Writing requires strong performance in task achievement, coherence and cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range, and accuracy.
4. IELTS Speaking:
• To achieve a score of 7.0 in Speaking, you need to demonstrate fluency and coherence, a good range of vocabulary, and accurate grammar, with some minor errors.

Also Read:

• Minimum IELTS Score for USA
• Minimum IELTS Score for Ireland

How to Get a Good IELTS Score?

We are providing a few tips that will help you get a good score on the IELTS:

1. Candidates are required to understand the IELTS exam pattern before they begin their preparation and make a proper strategy depending on the time that they have. Candidates can refer to our 15-day strategy to incorporate it into their study plan.
2. Candidates are advised to improve their English language proficiency. This can happen by expanding your vocabulary, practising grammar and sentence structure, and reading and listening to English media.
3. Make sure to practice enough mock tests and stress on the weaker sections of the test. Ignoring them might hamper your performance on the examination day. Candidates should evaluate their performance on the mock tests and make the necessary changes in their study plans. 
4. To score well on the IELTS, you must follow the best IELTS resources for your preparation
5. Other tips to improve your IELTS scores include:
   • Improve your writing skills
   • Improve your reading skills
   • Practice your listening skills, and
   • Practice Time Management

IELTS Scores for Top Universities 2025

In this section, we are going to be talking about the IELTS cut off across top universities in the world. This will give readers a fair idea of the IELTS score requirements while applying to universities abroad.

Also Check: How to Get IELTS Band 7

How are IELTS Scores Calculated?

IELTS is scored on a scale of 0 to 9. The IELTS overall band score is calculated by taking the mean score of all the sections. The score for each section is weighted equally. The final IELTS score is rounded off to the nearest tens. If a candidate has scored 6.25 then it would be rounded off to 6.5, and if a candidate has scored 6.75, then it would be rounded off to 7.

For every score, the user's skill can be measured, which we have given in the above description. If a candidate has scored an 8, then he/she is a very good user of the language, whereas, if a candidate has scored 4 then he/she is a limited user of the language and might face difficulty in understanding and using the language.

Organizations and institutions of English-speaking countries accept IELTS scores worldwide. Those who are taking the IELTS for immigration should know that is a good IELTS score is based on the type of visa they require to move abroad. Whether one is going for immigration or a job or as a student plays a crucial role in deciding a good IELTS score. For an international student, a score acceptable to the college/university or the institute might work to get a student visa.

IELTS Band Scores

Before knowing a good IELTS score, one must be aware of the IELTS band scores. The IELTS test is scored between 0 and 9. You can learn about the skill level for every band in the table below. IELTS scores are trusted by organizations across the world. Your IELTS band scores decide your level of competence in the English language. It tells how much you understand English Speaking, Listening, Reading, and Writing. So, if you have scored 7 or more, then you are marked as a good user. If you scored 8 then you are a very good user. Also, if you scored 6, then you are also a competent user.

Below we have described the different IELTS Band scores to understand the IELTS score better.

IELTS Scoring for Different Sections

Reading and Listening sections have 40 questions each, and one can get a score of a maximum of 40 in each of the sections. The marks awarded are raw scores that are then converted to the band score by the IELTS administrator. Whereas, for the Speaking and Writing sections of the IELTS exam, different band descriptions have been given. The average score of these descriptions will be the score in these two sections.

Task achievement, coherence, cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range, and accuracy are the band descriptions for the Writing section. Fluency and coherence, Lexical resource, grammatical range and accuracy, and pronunciation are the band descriptions for the Speaking section.

Check this video to know all about 'Good IELTS Scores'

IELTS Scores Validity

Candidates should note that their IELTS results are valid for 2 years. However, for Skilled Migration applications, the validity of their IELTS scores is three years.

Also Read: Grammar for IELTS: Syllabus, Topics, Tips & Strategy