How to interpret IELTS results?
The overall IELTS score ( What is IELTS? ) ranges from 1 to 9. Prepmyfuture explains this score, what a good score is ( How is the score calculated? ) and the minimum score that universities or companies can expect.
Understanding your result
The scale from 1 to 9 gives an indication of your English proficiency.
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Score 1 : very low level, the person only knows a few words of English.
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Score 2 : The candidate has difficulty understanding the language and expressing himself in English.
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Score 3 : The candidate expresses himself in basic situations while making numerous errors.
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Score 4 : The candidate can hold a simple conversation, but it is still difficult to express themselves on overly specific/complex topics.
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Score 5 : Language proficiency is incomplete, but the person is able to cope in a variety of situations.
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Score 6 : the candidate has a good command of English, apart from a few vocabulary or grammatical errors.
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Score of 7 : The person demonstrates good general command, although there are some poor uses of English in unfamiliar situations.
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Score of 8 and 9 : the level acquired is considered very good to expert.
What score to aim for?
If you want to enter a university, you must have at least one average score of 6. This is generally an accepted score, but no score in any part (reading, listening, etc.) should be lower than 6.
Some courses are more selective than others. For example, the law requires an average score of 7 or 7.5. If you're targeting a specific institution, contact them directly to find out their requirements.
Score validity period
The test is valid for two years. After this period, your score will no longer be valid because your level will be considered to have improved during the past two years ( Can you retake the IELTS? ).
Therefore, you should not settle for a minimum score, but aim for the highest possible score. A good score is not only necessary for admission to a university, but also adds value to your CV.
IELTS Test Preparation
