IELTS Average Score by Country: Academic & General Detailed 2024
Updated on 31 July, 2024
Sunita Kadian
IELTS Expert
)The International English Language Testing System popularly known as IELTS was introduced in the year 1989, it is an English language proficiency test among non-native speakers who want to study, work or migrate to countries where English is mostly spoken. The IELTS average score varies between 6.5-8 approximately. The average IELTS band score is calculated on the basis of evaluating all four sections, namely Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. The score in each section gets equal weightage. The average score is what determines knowledge and proficiency of the English language in candidates. Aspirants should be clear about the calculation framework behind their IELTS average test scores. This will help them carefully evaluate their preparation levels.
What is IELTS Average Score
The IELTS average score is 6.5-8 globally, though this can change depending on the year of the available data. The IELTS average score by country refers to the mean score obtained by test-takers on the IELTS exam over a specified period in the region.
Each section of the IELTS evaluates different language skills and is scored on a band scale ranging from 0 to 9, with 9 representing expert proficiency. If you want to study abroad and hence you are taking the IELTS, knowing what the IELTS average scores are is very important.
Table of Contents
- IELTS Average Scores- A Handy Guide
- IELTS Band Score
- Country-Wise IELTS Average Score
- General Training Mean performance
- Download IELTS Sample Papers
- Download E-Books for IELTS Preparation
- Average IELTS Score for India
- Tips for Achieving Desired IELTS Scores
- Conclusion
- Important Study Abroad Articles
- Popular Study Abroad Destinations
IELTS Average Scores- A Handy Guide
This table will help you understand IELTS average scores-
| Particular Modules | The Average Score Threshold |
| Listening | 8 |
| Speaking | 7.5 |
| Reading | 7.5 |
| Writing | 7 |
| Total | 7.5 |
IELTS Band Score
The overall band score is calculated between 0-9. The average IELTS score is rounded upwards or downwards to the upcoming half/whole band. Here’s taking a closer look at the band scores and what they mean:
| Band Score Figure | The Level of Skills | What It Basically Means |
| Band 9 | Expert user | You possess complete operational control over the English language. Usage of the language is suitable, fluent and accurate and there is total understanding. |
| Band 8 | Very good user | There is total operational control over the English language with only unsystematic inaccuracies happening occasionally and usage which is sometimes inappropriate. You may misunderstand a few things in situations that are not familiar although you can take care of detailed argumentation nicely. |
| Band 7 | Good user | In this case, the aspirant has good operational command over English although there are occasional usage, accuracy and understanding deficiencies in some situations.
He/she can generally tackle complex language nicely and suitably understand the reasoning of a detailed nature. |
| Band 6 | Competent user | Candidates in this band have effective English command in spite of usage that is inappropriate, inaccuracies and some misunderstandings. They can fairly understand and use complex language in situations of a more familiar nature. |
| Band 5 | Modest user | Candidates in this band have partial English language command and are likely to cope nicely with overall meanings in most scenarios. However, they are likely to make mistakes too and should be capable of tackling basic communication in their fields. |
| Band 4 | Limited user | The overall competence of candidates will be limited only to situations of a familiar nature. They will display problems frequently in expression, understanding and usage of complex language. |
| Band 3 | Extremely limited user | Candidates can only understand and communicate general meanings in scenarios that are very familiar. There are frequent communication breakdowns too. |
| Band 2 | Intermittent user | Aspirants have difficulties in understanding written and spoken English. |
| Band 1 | Non-user | Candidates have zero ability to use the English language with the exception being some isolated words. |
| Band 0 | Did not attempt the test | Candidates did not answer the questions at all. |
Important Resources to Read About IELTS:
Country-Wise IELTS Average Score
IELTS average scores are given below in this table-
| Country Name | Score for Reading | Score for Listening | Score for Writing | Score for Speaking | Total Score |
| Germany | 7.7 | 7.9 | 6.3 | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Canada | 6.9 | 7.2 | 6.1 | 7.2 | 6.9 |
| France | 7.1 | 7.0 | 5.9 | 6.6 | 6.7 |
| China | 6.2 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 5.8 |
| Cambodia | 5.6 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| Brazil | 7.0 | 6.8 | 5.9 | 6.7 | 6.7 |
| Greece | 7.3 | 7.5 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 7.0 |
| Colombia | 6.8 | 6.5 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Egypt | 6.4 | 6.8 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 6.4 |
| Korea | 6.3 | 6.3 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 6.0 |
| Indonesia | 6.7 | 6.8 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 6.5 |
| Japan | 6.1 | 5.9 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 5.8 |
| Jordan | 6.1 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 6.5 | 6.2 |
| Hong Kong | 6.9 | 7.1 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 6.6 |
| Italy | 7.3 | 7.0 | 5.9 | 6.6 | 6.8 |
| Kuwait | 5.2 | 5.6 | 5.1 | 5.9 | 5.5 |
| Oman | 5.0 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 5.2 |
| Mexico | 6.7 | 6.6 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Malaysia | 7.1 | 7.4 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 6.9 |
| Nigeria | 6.5 | 7.0 | 6.2 | 7.2 | 6.8 |
| Nepal | 5.8 | 6.3 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 5.9 |
| Philippines | 6.8 | 7.3 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 6.8 |
| Russia | 6.9 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 6.7 | 6.7 |
| Saudi Arabia | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 5.4 |
| Qatar | 5.1 | 5.6 | 5.0 | 5.8 | 5.4 |
| Spain | 7.3 | 7.2 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 6.9 |
| Sri Lanka | 6.2 | 6.6 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 6.3 |
| Taiwan | 6.3 | 6.3 | 5.6 | 6.0 | 6.1 |
| Turkey | 6.5 | 6.6 | 5.7 | 6.2 | 6.3 |
| Thailand | 6.1 | 6.4 | 5.5 | 5.9 | 6.0 |
| United Arab Emirates | 4.8 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Ukraine | 6.6 | 6.7 | 5.8 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Vietnam | 6.3 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 5.7 | 6.1 |
More Resources to Read About IELTS:
General Training Mean performance
Here is a mean performance table for General Training:
| Nationality | Reading band score | Listening band score | Writing band score | Speaking band score | Overall |
| France | 6.9 | 7.1 | 6.1 | 6.9 | 6.8 |
| Canada | 6.6 | 7.1 | 6.2 | 7.0 | 6.8 |
| United States of America | 7.3 | 7.6 | 7.0 | 7.9 | 7.5 |
| Cameroon | 5.4 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.5 | 5.9 |
| Brazil | 6.8 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 6.7 |
| Argentina | 6.6 | 6.6 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 6.5 |
| Colombia | 6.2 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 6.2 |
| Italy | 6.3 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 6.4 | 6.3 |
| China | 6.3 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 6.2 |
| Indonesia | 5.8 | 6.1 | 5.7 | 6.0 | 6.0 |
| Jamaica | 6.7 | 7.2 | 6.7 | 8.0 | 7.2 |
| Hong Kong | 6.8 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 6.4 | 6.6 |
| Korea | 5.7 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 5.6 | 5.8 |
| Japan | 5.6 | 6.0 | 5.6 | 5.8 | 5.8 |
| Nigeria | 6.4 | 7.0 | 6.5 | 7.3 | 6.9 |
| Malaysia | 6.9 | 7.2 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 6.9 |
| Spain | 6.7 | 6.6 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| Mexico | 6.5 | 6.6 | 6.0 | 6.6 | 6.5 |
| Nepal | 5.9 | 6.6 | 6.0 | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| Philippines | 5.7 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 6.1 |
| Thailand | 4.8 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Saudi Arabia | 4.4 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 5.5 | 5.0 |
| Russia | 7.0 | 7.0 | 6.2 | 6.7 | 6.8 |
| Turkey | 6.1 | 6.3 | 5.8 | 6.2 | 6.2 |
| Sri Lanka | 6.4 | 6.9 | 6.0 | 6.8 | 6.6 |
| Taiwan | 5.9 | 6.2 | 5.7 | 6.1 | 6.0 |
| Ukraine | 6.2 | 6.4 | 5.8 | 6.3 | 6.2 |
Download IELTS Sample Papers
Download E-Books for IELTS Preparation
Average IELTS Score for India
The average score band in India ranges between 5.5-6. Here is a table that shows the average scores.
| Nationality | India |
| Reading | 5.82 |
| Listening | 6.3 |
| Speaking | 6.01 |
| Writing | 5.77 |
| Total | 6.04 |
More Resources to Read About IELTS:
Listening Scores for IELTS
This is the very first module with 40 minutes’ duration and 30 minutes are given for appearing in it. There are four recorded dialogues, monologues and conversations. Multiple choice and short answer type questions have to be answered on the basis of the recordings. Here is a table that shows the marking of Listening scores:
| Basic Score | Band Score Threshold |
| 11- 12 range | 4 |
| 13- 15 range | 4.5 |
| 16- 17 range | 5 |
| 18- 22 range | 5.5 |
| 23- 25 range | 6 |
| 26- 29 range | 6.5 |
| 30- 31 range | 7 |
| 32- 34 range | 7.5 |
| 35- 36 range | 8 |
| 37- 38 range | 8.5 |
| 39- 40 range | 9 |
Reading Scores for IELTS
This module contains three lengthy passages that require approximately 60 minutes for completion. This table will demonstrate marking for both the IELTS General Training and Academic Training sections.
IELTS Academic Reading-
These tests are marked out of 40 and the raw score will be converted into a suitable band score.
| Basic Score | Band Score Threshold |
| 4- 5 range | 2.5 |
| 6- 7 range | 3 |
| 8- 9 range | 3.5 |
| 10- 12 range | 4 |
| 13- 14 range | 4.5 |
| 15- 18 range | 5 |
| 19- 22 range | 5.5 |
| 23- 26 range | 6 |
| 27- 29 range | 6.5 |
| 30- 32 range | 7 |
| 33- 34 range | 7.5 |
| 35- 36 range | 8 |
| 37- 38 range | 8.5 |
| 39- 40 range | 9 |
IELTS General Reading-
This section also has 40 questions with every question containing a single mark each. The band scores are usually reported in increments of half and one point each.
| Basic Score | Band Score Threshold |
| 6- 8 range | 2.5 |
| 9- 11 range | 3 |
| 12- 14 range | 3.5 |
| 15- 18 range | 4 |
| 19- 22 range | 4.5 |
| 23- 26 range | 5 |
| 27- 29 range | 5.5 |
| 30- 31 range | 6 |
| 32- 33 range | 6.5 |
| 34- 35 range | 7 |
| 36 range | 7.5 |
| 37- 38 range | 8 |
| 39 range | 8.5 |
| 40 range | 9 |
Writing Scores for IELTS
The average writing score is 6.0 for IELTS. Task 1 will ask candidates for summarizing or explain any graph, table or chart within 150 words. Task 2 will need you to write a short essay within 250 words.
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Tips for Achieving Desired IELTS Scores
Achieving a desired IELTS score requires a strategic approach to preparation. By incorporating these tips into your preparation strategy, you can enhance your skills and increase your chances of achieving your desired IELTS score. Here are the essential tips:
1. Familiarize Yourself with the Test Format: Understand the structure and timing of each section to manage your time effectively during the test.
2. Practice Regularly: Engage in daily reading, listening, speaking, and writing exercises to enhance your English skills.
3. Enhance Vocabulary and Grammar: Diversify your vocabulary and practice using complex sentences correctly to improve lexical resources and grammatical range.
4. Take Mock Tests: Regularly complete full-length practice or mock tests to simulate the exam environment and identify areas needing improvement.
5. Develop Test-Taking Strategies: Learn techniques such as skimming and scanning for the Reading section and note-taking for the Listening section.
6. Seek Feedback: Have your writing and speaking tasks evaluated by teachers or peers to gain insights on areas to improve.
7. Focus on Weak Areas: Identify and target your weaker sections with additional practice and study materials.
8. Stay Calm and Confident: Maintain a positive mindset and practice relaxation techniques to reduce test-day anxiety.
Conclusion
Understanding average IELTS scores is important for setting realistic goals and assessing your language proficiency. By getting to know about the score requirements for different institutions and countries, you can better prepare for the test and improve your chances of achieving your academic and professional aspirations.
Remember, consistent practice and familiarity with the test format are key to achieving your desired score. Aim high and use the resources available to maximize your potential.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average score for IELTS?
There is no exact average score that can be mentioned for IELTS in this case. However, the average usually stands anywhere between 6.5-8. The score is calculated after analyzing and assessing all the four sections of the examination like listening, reading, writing and speaking. The score in every section gets individual and equal weightage as well. 6.5-8 is considered good enough to get you admission into most global universities. Anything above 7 is always a plus point. Anything around 6.0-6.5 may also get you admission into some universities.
How to calculate average IELTS score?
You should know that the average score in IELTS is calculated with a simple system. The individual scores in the four sections of the IELTS examination, namely Writing, Reading, Listening and Speaking, will be equally given weightage.
The total band score will be calculated after taking the average of these four scores. Hence, you have to add these four scores and divide them by four to get the final band score in the IELTS examination. The band score is between 0 and 9 in the test. Scores are rounded off to the immediate whole/half bands.
What is IELTS speaking average score?
It is hard to accurately predict an average score in the IELTS Speaking section. This section assesses the pronunciation, command, accuracy and grammatical range of the candidate along with overall fluency. The average score could be anywhere around 5-6.5 for India. However, you should aim at getting anywhere around 6.5-7.5 at least, if not 8. This will give you a better overall band score in IELTS. You should remember that this is one of the most important sections in the examination.
Is 7.0 a good average score in IELTS?
Yes, you can say that 7.0 is a good score in the IELTS examination. However, what you should ensure is a score that is at least 6.5 in all the individual sections, i.e. listening, speaking, reading and writing. Most students aim for a score of IELTS 7.0 and hence it is a really good score indeed and will get you into your preferred university globally as well. 7.0 is indicative of your command over English being good enough to study in any English-speaking country at an elite institution.
What is IELTS Writing Average Score?
The average IELTS writing score can be between 6.5 and 8. You should aim for at least 6.5-7 in this section. This section will contribute greatly towards your overall band score in the IELTS examination. Try and practice as much as you can before the examination in order to sharpen your abilities to pick up essay topics and enumerate points logically in paragraphs. The more you practice, the more confident you will be on the day of the test.
What is IELTS Reading Average Score?
There is no such specific average that you can refer to in this regard. However, it is usually between 6.5-8 that you should aspire for. There are scores between 5.5-6.5 as well which many candidates get in this section. This section assesses your ability to understand passages and tests your knowledge of the language and vocabulary as well. You should keep practicing in order to score well in this section and bolster your total IELTS band score as a result.
What is IELTS listening Average Score?
The average score in the IELTS listening section is anywhere around 6.5 and 8. You should aim for this score in order to ace the section and enhance your total band score in the examination. This section is very important and you should make sure that you are alert enough to pick up the questions and answer them accordingly. If you cannot understand a question, do not get bogged down by it; simply move on to the next one and maintain your focus at all times.
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The above tips are the Author's experiences. upGrad does not guarantee scores or admissions.