If you are planning to live, study or work abroad, you might be required to prove a certain level of English proficiency. For this purpose, you will need to take IELTS General or Academic or other international exams. In most cases IELTS Academic is suitable for international students who come from countries where English is not spoken at all or non-native English-speaking countries. If you are a citizen of a country where the primary language is English, such as the USA, the UK, South Africa, or Canada, you do not have to provide evidence of your English language proficiency.
The qualifications and grades universities or employers accept vary from one place to another. What are the minimum bands and what level of English do those correspond to? When is the right time to take IELTS Academic? Let’s find out.
What is the minimum level?
It might look obvious that before starting your IELTS preparation journey and reaching your destination (your dream band score) you should be aware of where you are now, at the beginning, i.e. what your level of English currently is. It is necessary to take a diagnostic test that will show you and the course provider what your current bands are in IELTS Reading, Listening, Writing, and Speaking. It will also reveal your weaknesses and strengths and allow the teacher/tutor or the course provider to customize the preparation and make an effective plan so that you could turn your weaknesses into strengths and cover all aspects of the exam. It will also help to avoid the situations when candidates with a very low level of English come and ask teachers to prepare them for getting band 7 or 8 in a few months, for example, while their current band is 4 or 5. It’s evident that it’s impossible but many people do not realize that. Before starting IELTS preparation which is mostly focused on exam skills and requires a certain level of English, it’s a good idea to find out if your level of English is high enough. Otherwise, you will have to focus on language first, and only then master your exam skills.
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Another important thing one should bear in mind is that IELTS is designed to measure your level of English language proficiency and if it is suitable for an academic environment. It reflects aspects of academic language and evaluates whether you’re ready to begin training or studying. This can mean only one thing: you are tested for what you can do in English at this particular moment. Unlike Cambridge exams like FCE or CPE which are taken to prove a certain level of the candidate, IELTS is mostly taken to measure what your level of proficiency in English is. That is why there are so many candidates who do not know what their level is, and that is why the certificate is valid for only 2 years. That is due to the fact that your English can both improve and become worse over that period. That is why you can take the IELTS many times.
So, what is the minimum level of English that is required for IELTS Academic? There is no pass or fail. IELTS is scored on a nine-band scale, with each band corresponding to a specified competence in English. Let’s have a look at the 4 lower bands and their descriptions:
| Band | IELTS Description | What a candidate can do | CEFR |
| 0 | Did not attempt the test. | The candidate does not provide any information that can be assessed at all. | A1 |
| 1 | Non User | The candidate cannot use the language beyond possibly a few separate words. | A1-A2 |
| 2 | Intermittent User | The candidate gives only the most basic information using separate words or short expressions in familiar situations and to meet immediate needs. It’s difficult for the candidate to understand spoken and written English. | A1-B1 |
| 3 | Extremely Limited User | The candidate can express himself / herself and understand only general meaning in very familiar situations. There are often breakdowns in communication. | A1-B1 |
| 4 | Limited User | The candidate’s competence is limited to familiar situations. He/she has frequent problems in understanding and expression and is not able to use complex language. | B1 |
This table gives you an idea of what type of score you might be able to get with your level of English. The good news is that working towards the B1 (Intermediate) level of English doesn’t take a long time – 1 or 2 years depending on how hard-working you are, i.e. your ability and determination.
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When to take IELTS?
Most universities will require you to have at least band 6.5 overall. As a general rule, the top-ranked universities in the USA, for example, tend to demand a higher IELTS band (often, it’s 7.0). The majority of universities accept scores between 6-7 as being suitable for undergraduate study in English. However, you can find programs that require lower bands 5 or 5.5 in each component: Listening, Reading, Speaking, and Writing. That’s because as an international student, you must demonstrate a satisfactory standard of spoken and written English to support your application. Here you can find the Top Global University Ranking by IELTS Requirements. If you are planning to enter a university with English programs, aim at least at band 5, but better 6.5 and higher.
Let find out what level of English you must have to expect such scores:
| Band | IELTS Description | What a candidate can do | CEFR |
| 5 | Modest User | Has partial command of the language, coping with overall meaning in most situations, though is likely to make many mistakes. Should be able to handle basic communication in own field. | B1 (Intermediate) |
| 6 | Competent User | Has generally effective command of the language despite some inaccuracies, inappropriacies and misunderstandings. Can use and understand fairly complex language, particularly in familiar situations. | B2 (Upper-Intermediate) |
| 7 | Good User | Has operational command of the language, though with occasional inaccuracies, inappropriateness and misunderstandings in some situations. Generally handles complex language well and understands detailed reasoning. | B2-C1 (from Upper-Intermediate to Advanced) |
| 8 | Very Good User | Has fully operational command of the language with only occasional unsystematic inaccuracies and inappropriacies. Misunderstandings may occur in unfamiliar situations. Handles complex detailed argumentation well. | C1-C2 (from Advanced to Proficiency) |
| 9 | Expert User | Has fully operational command of the language: appropriate, accurate and fluent with complete understanding. | C2 (Proficiency) |
According to the table above, if your expected band is higher than your level, you have to spend time and work on your English first. If it is high enough, you may start your IELTS preparation and master exam skills.
As a rough guide, Cambridge exams estimate that each level is reached with the following guided learning hours: A2, 180–200; B1, 350–400; B2, 500–600; C1, 700–800, and C2, 1,000–1,200. The higher the level the more time you have to spend to jump up, and it can take many years to get to B2, C1 or C2. However, this also means that candidates with upper-intermediate levels of English (B2) are usually ready to study IELTS rather than just work on their language skills.
Remember, IELTS is not a kind of exam where answers can be guessed. It shows your current knowledge and skills, and what you can really do in English. There is no way you can trick the examiner or the testing system. The only thing you have to do is work hard, and enjoy the journey without focusing too much on the finish line because if your level of English is too low it is probably years away! However, nothing is impossible.
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