What is a good IELTS score?
Quick answer
A good IELTS score is one that meets the requirement of the organisation you are applying to, because IELTS has no pass mark and each organisation sets its own. IELTS's guidance for educational institutions treats 7.5 to 9.0 as acceptable for every type of course, while lower bands may need English study first for demanding programmes.
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“Good” is not a property of a score. It is a relationship between a score and a requirement. A 6.5 is more than enough for one purpose and not enough for another, and IELTS itself does not draw the line.
Who decides
IELTS.org states that each organisation sets its own English language requirements, and that different roles and courses demand different levels of language skill. The score report does not say pass or fail. It describes a level, which is what the band scale is for, and is band 7 in IELTS good looks at one common target in detail.
What IELTS suggests to institutions
IELTS.org publishes a guidance table for educational institutions setting entry scores. It says the table gives guidance on acceptable band score requirements, and warns that English ability is not proof of a person’s overall academic capability. The labels it uses are “acceptable”, “probably acceptable” and “English study needed”.
| Band | Demanding academic courses | Less demanding academic courses | Demanding training courses | Less demanding training courses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 to 9.0 | Acceptable | Acceptable | Acceptable | Acceptable |
| 7.0 | Probably acceptable | Acceptable | Acceptable | Acceptable |
| 6.5 | English study needed | Probably acceptable | Acceptable | Acceptable |
| 6.0 | English study needed | English study needed | Probably acceptable | Acceptable |
| 5.5 | English study needed | English study needed | English study needed | Probably acceptable |
This is guidance addressed to organisations, not a requirement you must meet. A particular university can set a higher or lower score than the table suggests.
Purposes with their own official tables
Immigration is different from study, because governments publish their own figures. Canada’s Express Entry system converts IELTS General Training scores to Canadian Language Benchmark levels, and Australia’s Department of Home Affairs sets levels of English from functional to superior. Both are covered in their own answers: Canada and Australia.
How to decide your own target
- Find the written requirement for your specific course, job or visa.
- Note whether it asks for an overall band, a minimum in each section, or both.
- Check which test version it accepts, Academic or General Training, and how recent the result must be.
- Only then look at your current level and decide how far you have to go. The band score calculator shows what your four sections would give overall.
What this means for your score
Two friends both score an overall 6.5. One applies to a course that asks for 6.0 and is well inside the requirement. The other applies to a course that asks for 7.0 and is half a band short. The score is the same and only the requirement differs, which is why the first step is to read the requirement, not to compare scores with friends.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a passing score in IELTS?
No. IELTS reports a band scale from 1 to 9 and each organisation sets its own English language requirements. A score is enough when it meets the requirement of the organisation you are applying to, and not before. Always check the requirement for your specific course, job or visa, including any minimum in individual sections.
What IELTS score do universities usually ask for?
It varies by university and by course. IELTS's guidance for educational institutions shows 7.0 as probably acceptable for linguistically demanding academic courses and acceptable for less demanding ones, and 6.5 as acceptable for training courses. Your university's own admissions page is the only figure that binds anyone.
Is 6.5 a good IELTS score?
Band 6.5 sits between competent user and good user on the scale. IELTS's guidance for institutions marks 6.5 as probably acceptable for less demanding academic courses and acceptable for training courses, while suggesting English study for demanding academic courses. Whether it is good enough is decided by the organisation, not by the number.
Do I need the same score in every section?
Not always, but some organisations set minimums for each section as well as, or instead of, an overall band. An overall of 7.0 does not guarantee 7.0 in Writing. Read whether your requirement is stated as an overall score, a score in each section, or both, because they are different targets.
Sources
- Understanding and setting IELTS scores — IELTS.org
- IELTS scoring in detail: band scores explained — IELTS.org
- What does your IELTS band score mean? — IDP IELTS
Last verified 30 Sep 2026
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