Hawaii Education offers high-quality English language instruction through foreign teachers and tailored programs in Southern Vietnam. The document explains IELTS scoring, outlining that scores are represented in bands from 0 to 9, calculated based on performance in listening, reading, writing, and speaking. It also discusses acceptable scores for various institutions and purposes, highlighting differences across countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA.

1. IELTS SCORING
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What You Need to Know About IELTS Scoring
What IELTS score will you get? To know the answer to this question, it helps to understand
how IELTS scoring works. Here are some important things you should know.
The IELTS bands
First the basics. Your official IELTS score will be expressed as a band. There are 9
bands on the IELTS, numbered 1 through 9. Band-based IELTS scores are given in
increments of half a band, so the following IELTS scores are possible: 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3,
3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, 6.5, 7, 7.5, 8, 8.5 or 9. (In theory, a 0 is also possible, but with even the
most basic English ability, you’ll score higher than 0.)

2. IELTS scoring is not adjusted for difficulty
Many standardized English tests — including the TOEFL — make adjustments to
scores based on the difficulty of the questions a particular test-taker answers. So, for instance,
if you take the TOEFL and get a harder-than-average mix of questions in a Reading section,
your reading score will be adjusted upward on your official score report.
This doesn’t happen on the IELTS, however. Instead, your official IELTS score is
based on your raw score — the score that is calculated immediately in the testing center.
IELTS Scoring: How IELTS Reading scores and IELTS Listening scores are calculated
IELTS Reading and Listening raw scores are calculated based on the percentage of answers
you get right. This percentage is then converted proportionally to an IELTS band.
To show you how this conversion works, I’ll give you an example. Say that you
answer 65% of the IELTS Listening questions correctly. Your IELTS band score would be
65% of the highest possible score, or 65% of IELTS band 9. 65% of 9 is 5.85, which would
round up to a Band 6 for the IELTS Listening section.
IELTS Scoring: How IELTS Speaking scores and IELTS Writing scores are calculated
IELTS Speaking and Writing responses aren’t simply right or wrong. Instead they are
graded based on quality using a rubric. Well… sort of using a rubric. IELTS examinersdon’t
use the kind of rubric you might see for writing responses on the TOEFL, the GRE, or other
standardized tests.
Instead, IELTS scorers grade your responses based on the IELTS Band Descriptors for
skills of English speech and writing. These descriptors describe the level of skill someone has
if they can reach a certain IELTS band. There are actually publicly available versions of the
IELTS Band Descriptors. Here’s the IELTS Speaking Band Descriptor, and here are the ones
for IELTS Writing Task 1 and Task 2. The descriptors used by IELTS scorers are basically
the same, but with some extra instruction for score calculation.
How to Estimate Your IELTS Band Score
As you probably are aware, the IELTS exam ranks your level of English mastery in
four areas – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. You are given a band score for each
part of the test and the average of these produces your overall IELTS band score. The scores
range from 1 to 9 and can include whole and half bands (e.g. 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5). It should be
added that if the average across the four skills 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. Thus, a candidate
achieving 6.5 for Listening, 6.5 for Reading, 5.0 for Writing and 7.0 for Speaking would be
awarded an overall band score of 6.5 (25 ÷ 4 = 6.25 = Band 6.5).
That’s all well and good to know, but how do you estimate what band YOU are currently at?

3. First, Test your Listening and Reading
It is relatively easy to calculate your band score in the Listening and Reading
modules. In each of these sections you have to answer 40 questions each. Take one of
these recommended free practice tests, and once you know the number of answers you got
correct, use the chart below to estimate your band score for each module. (Note: The
weighting varies slightly between the Listening and Reading modules and the Academic and
Generic tests, so use this as a rough guide only.)

4. Next, Self Assess Your Writing and Speaking
Your writing and speaking will be assessed by an examiner based on how competent
you are in a variety of skills. To estimate your band score in these two modules, check your
current level of performance against the relevant assessment checklist below, which are based
on how the IELTS is marked. Circle the number 1-9 (where 9 is the highest). Be realistic
about your assessment and if possible check it with a friend or even better, with a teacher.
Then calculate your average score by adding up all the numbers and dividing by the number
of questions. For example on the Speaking Skills Checklist you rate yourself a 7 in the first
five questions, 8 in the next five questions and 6 on the last five questions. Your total score
would be 105 and your average score would be 7.0. This would be your estimated band score.
Do this for both the Writing and Speaking.

6. Finally, Calculate and Check Your Estimated Band Score
Once you have your estimated band score for each module, add them together and
divide by four (i.e. Reading 6.0; Listening 6.5; Writing 7.0; Speaking 7.5 = 27 ÷ 4 =6.75,
which would be rounded up to a band score of 7.0)
Once you have your overall estimated band score, check it against the official
description of what your level of mastery should be. Does the description sound like where
you are at? Hopefully so, and you now have a good estimate of what your overall band score
will be when you take the test!

7. What is a good IELTS score?
Regardless of why you’re taking the IELTS, the better question to ask is
probably, “What is an acceptable IELTS Score?”
The IELTS score is used by a vast number of institutions and organizations to figure out
whether or not your English is ‘good enough’ for eligibility – immigration, admissions,
hiring, etc. If you are taking the IELTS for immigration, what they’re looking for will depend
on kind of visa you need (e.g. work, business, for investors, for students, etc.). If you’re
taking the IELTS as an international student, both the government and the institution may
have a say about what is acceptable.
IELTS Score Scale and Skill Level
First of all, how does your IELTS score relate to your “skill level” in English?
According to the British Council, here are the descriptions of the different bands:
IELTS Bandscore Skill Level
9 Expert
8 Very good
7 Good
6 Competent
5 Modest
4 Limited
3 Extremely limited
2 Intermittent
1 Non-user

8. According to the British Council, if you score a 9 on the exam, you’re an “expert”
in English; if you score an 8, you’re “very good” at English; and so on.
Here’s a rough idea of what scores some organizations hope to see on your
applications:
“Good” IELTS Scores for Top Universities
Since score requirements vary from university to university, let’s look at requirements
from a few top schools.
Oxford University
Requires an overall score of 7.0 (with at least 7.0 in each of the four components).

9. Cambridge University
Requires an overall score of 7.5 for undergraduates, usually with 7.0 or above in each
element. Graduate-level students can check their department-specific requirementshere.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Does not accept IELTS scores at the undergraduate level (you’ll need to take the TOEFL!).
For graduate students, the requirement is 7.0 (though some departments require a higher
score–be sure to check the requirements listed on your department’s website).

10. What’s a good IELTS score in Australia?
To the Australian government, a good IELTS score can fall into various categories.
Your scores will tell them whether your skills are good enough to be determined functional,
vocational, competent, proficient, or superior. Each visa-type has a different minimal
requirement. Here is how the overall IELTS scores measure up:
Functional: An overall IELTS score of 4.5
Vocational: A minimum of 5.0 in each category (Listening, Reading, Writing, & Speaking)
Competent: A minimum of 6.0 in each category
Proficient: A minimum of 7.0 in each category
Superior: A minimum of 8.0 in each category
BONUS! Eligibility for migration into Australia is determined on a point system. If
your English is proficient or superior, you will extra earn points (10 and 20, respectively) that
strengthen your application. Check out Australia’s FAQ section on language skills.
Some examples of international student requirements:
Undergraduate and graduate applicants at the University of Sydney should generally have an
overall score of at least 6.5, with at least a 6.0 in each category. Click on the University’s link
to see exceptions.
Minimum IELTS scores for undergraduate and graduate applicants are different, but
generally, the University of Melbourne wishes to see a 7.0 minimum score overall.
University of Adelaide’s requirements are dependent on level (i.e. graduate or
undergraduate), department, and program.
What’s a good IELTS score in Canada?
In Canada, as in Australia, it depends on the kind of visa you’re applying for. For
example, you’ll find that the skilled worker visa has different requirements for each
applicant type. The scores here are listed in CLB – Canadian Language Benchmark – which
is used to represent English and French language skills throughout the country. You must use
a calculator tool to convert your IELTS scores for immigration requirements.
Some examples of international student requirements:
University of Alberta: (undergraduate) written academic- 6.5 or higher, no less than 5.0 on
each band, speaking – 7.5 or higher; (graduate) minimum overall band score of 6.5, with at
least 5 on each band (Academic)
Queen’s University: undergraduate students should have a minimum overall score of 6.5 on
the academic module, graduate students need a minimum of 7.0 on the academic module.
What’s a good IELTS score in New Zealand?
In New Zealand, it’s up to the school or company to decide which IELTS scores are
“good enough” for work and study visas. For example, University of Auckland requires an
overall 6.0 average for undergraduate admission (with a minimum of 5.5 for each category)
and an overall 6.5 for post-graduate work (with a minimum of 6.0 in each category).
An immigration official may verify that you meet the requirements when processing your
application for the work and/or student visa.
For all other visas, the IELTS score requirements vary. Here are some examples:

11. Investors: 3.0 overall score or higher
Entrepreneurs: 4.0 overall score or higher
Parents Category: 4.0 in at least two categories (listening, reading, writing, and/or speaking)
Skilled Migrants: an overall average of at least 6.5
What’s a good IELTS score in the UK?
For work visas, the requirements are based on the tier you’re applying for and how
long you’ll be staying. These are quite varied, but in tiers 1 and 2, for example, those
requesting permission to stay must demonstrate a B1 or B2 minimum, respectively. These
requirements are described in the format of the Council of Europe’s Common European
Framework (A1 – C2). See IELTS equivalents here.
Schools and other organizations can “sponsor” your immigration, and it would be up to them
to determine acceptable IELTS scores.
Some examples of international student requirements:
Oxford: undergraduate students should have an average of 7.0 with no less than 7.0 in each
category; graduate students‘ minimum score depends on the course they’re taking (see link).
University of Birmingham: Requirements vary, check them out: undergraduate
and graduate requirements.
University of Westminster: Graduate students need a minimum of 6.5 overall, with no less
than 6.0 for all bands; undergraduates should have a 6.0 or higher.
What’s a good IELTS score in the USA?
Surprisingly, the U.S. government is the only on this list without minimum English
requirements for visa applicants. If you are heading to the U.S. for your studies, however, you
can expect to have to demonstrate your English skills before being admitted. Minimum scores
for the Academic IELTS vary for each institution and are often different for undergraduate
and post-graduate applicants. Here are some examples:
At the University of South California, PhD applicants must have a 7.0 average or higher
(with no less than 6.0 in each category), while Master’s students should have a minimum
overall score of 6.5 (and no less than 6.0 in each category.) All undergraduate applicants must
have a overall average of 7.0 or higher.
At Berkeley, undergraduate students must have a minimum of 6.5 overall, while graduate
students must have at least a 7.0 average.
While New York University does not have any minimum requirements, they do require that
you submit your English proficiency scores and note that most international students admitted
do not score less than the equivalent of a 7.5 overall average score.
So, what does this all mean for you? If you’re planning to apply to top-ranked
universities, you should likely strive to achieve at least a 7.0. But if you’re not
applying to the world’s top schools, a “good” score will likely be lower for you. Be
sure to check those requirements on each university’s website.

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