Quick Band Reference
5.5 — Foundation / Pre-sessional6.0 — Undergraduate entry (most countries)6.5 — Standard UG & PG entry worldwide7.0 — Top-ranked universities7.5+ — Oxford · Cambridge · Medicine · Law
Universities check both overall band and each component score. A low Writing score can disqualify you even with a high overall.
Browse by Country
🇬🇧
United Kingdom
Oxford 7.0 · Cambridge 7.5
Undergrad
6.0 – 7.5
Postgrad
6.5 – 7.5
🇺🇸
United States
Harvard 7.0 · MIT 7.0
Undergrad
6.5 – 7.5
Postgrad
7.0 – 7.5
🇨🇦
Canada
Toronto 6.5 · UBC 6.5
Undergrad
6.0 – 6.5
Postgrad
6.5 – 7.0
🇦🇺
Australia
Melbourne 6.5 · ANU 6.5
Undergrad
6.0 – 6.5
Postgrad
6.5 – 7.0
🇳🇿
New Zealand
Auckland 6.0 · Victoria 6.0
Undergrad
5.5 – 6.0
Postgrad
6.0 – 6.5
🇩🇪
Germany
TU Munich 6.5 · Mannheim 7.0
Undergrad
6.0 – 6.5
Postgrad
6.5 – 7.0
🇮🇪
Ireland
Trinity 6.5 · UCD 6.5
Undergrad
6.0 – 6.5
Postgrad
6.5 – 7.0
Common Questions
IELTS Academic or General Training for university?
Always IELTS Academic. General Training is not accepted for undergraduate or postgraduate degrees.
Do universities check individual band scores?
Yes. Most set a minimum for each component (e.g. no band below 6.0). Writing and Speaking are most scrutinised.
How long are scores valid?
2 years from the test date. Ensure your score is still valid when your programme starts.
What if I narrowly miss the requirement?
Ask about pre-sessional English courses — typically 6–12 weeks, offered by most UK and Australian universities.