IELTS Results

Waiting for your IELTS score can feel like a big moment. Your IELTS results tell you how well you did in Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. You also get an overall band score.

You can check your score online through the Test Taker portal. The exact time depends on how you took the test. IELTS says results for IELTS on computer are available in 1-2 days, IELTS on paper in up to 13 days, and IELTS Online in 3-6 days.

In the section below, you’ll learn what to do after getting your IELTS test results, how to use your score, check your TRF, and what options you have if you do not get your target band score.

IELTS Result Date

The result date of your IELTS will be different for different types of IELTS. Not all tests may have the same date for results.

IELTS gives results at different times based on the test format. Your score should be available to you sooner if you took the test by computer compared to someone who took the test on paper.

This is a brief overview of the time to get IELTS results online:

Test type	Result time
IELTS on computer	1-2 days
IELTS on paper	Up to 13 days
IELTS Online	3-6 days
IELTS for UKVI	1-2 days
IELTS for UKVI	Up to 13 days
IELTS for UKVI Life Skills	Up to 7 days

These are the current result time ranges listed by IELTS. Your test centre may also give you more information about your own result date.

How to Check IELTS Results Online?

You can check your IELTS score online through the portal of the organization where you booked your test. The steps are slightly different for IDP and the British Council.

In the below two sections, you’ll see the process in both the portals.

If You Booked IELTS Through IDP (Internal Developer Portal)

Follow these steps to check your result:

1. Go to the official IDP IELTS Results Portal. 
2. Enter your Given Name and Family Name. 
3. Enter your Passport or ID Number. 
4. Enter your Date of Birth. 
5. Click “Find”. 
6. Your provisional IELTS scores will appear on the screen. 

You can also sign in to the IDP IELTS Customer Portal using your username and password. From there, you can access your result and, where available, your electronic Test Report Form (eTRF).

If You Booked IELTS Through the British Council

If the British Council was your test provider, follow these steps:

1. Go to the British Council Test Taker Portal. 
2. Select “Login to the Test Taker Portal.” 
3. Enter the email address and password for the registration.
4. Open your dashboard. 
5. Select the “Results” section. 
6. Check your Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking, and overall band scores.

IELTS Result Status

Sometimes your score may not appear when you first check. Do not worry right away. Your IELTS result status shows what is happening with your score after the test. You can check your status through your IDP or British Council account.

1. Pending / Under Processing

• Meaning: Your work is still being marked and assessed. 
• What to do: Usually nothing has to be done. Please allow the usual processing time to await a result.

2. Released / Declared

• Meaning: You have received your IELTS Test Results. You will see your listening, reading, writing, speaking and overall band scores. 
• Action: Login to your account and view your score. If available, you may also get your eTRF.

3. Withheld / Under Investigation

• Meaning: IELTS is making additional assessments of your result. 
• What to do: Please consult your email to receive updates from IDP or the British Council and follow their guidance. If there is no problem, don't worry unless the test provider calls you to let you know about a problem.

4. Delayed

• Meaning: Your result is not being released within the expected time. 
• What to do: Wait for an update, check email. If the delay is extended, please reach out to your test centre.

What to do if the result is not showing?

If your IELTS result status are not showing after the expected time:

1. Check that you entered your details correctly.
2. Check your email for messages from your test provider.
3. Check the result portal again later.
4. Contact your test centre if the result is still not available.

Your test centre can help you if you have questions about a delayed result or a problem with your result.

Understanding Your IELTS Results

All your IELTS result band has two parts: the overall band and the scores for Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. IELTS does not have a pass or fail score. 

Your result is given on a 0-9 band scale, with Band 9 being the highest.

Calculation of Overall Score

Each of the four sections (Introduction, Reading, Listening, and Writing) is separately scored.

• Listening
• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking

Average of four of these sections is done to get your overall band. IELTS rounds result to the nearest band (whole or half).

Example:

Listening 7.0 + Reading 6.5 + Writing 6.0 + Speaking 7.0 = 26.5

26.5 ÷ 4 = 6.625

Your overall IELTS score will be 6.5.

What Do IELTS Band Scores Mean?

This table will help you to understand the meaning of different scores of IELTS result band. 

Band	Level	Simple meaning
9	Expert	Excellent English
8	Very Good	Very strong English with few mistakes
7	Good	Good English, with some mistakes
6	Competent	Can use English well in most situations
5	Modest	Can understand the main meaning but makes mistakes

The score you need depends on your goal. A university, employer, or immigration authority may set its own minimum score.

Listening and Reading Scores

In this, each has 40 questions that are asked. Your number of correct answers is converted into a band score.

For example, 

Band	Listening	Academic Reading	General Training Reading
8.0	35-36	35-36	37-38
7.0	30-32	30-32	34-35
6.0	23-25	23-26	30-31
5.0	16-19	15-18	23-26

There may be slight variations in how many answers are required for each version of the test.

Writing and Speaking Scores

This section is not scored by simply counting correct answers. Trained IELTS examiners assess your performance using official scoring criteria.

For Writing, examiners look at areas such as:

• Task achievement or response
• Coherence and cohesion
• Vocabulary
• Grammar

All speaking is evaluated according to IELTS speaking criteria which covers fluency, vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.

What to Do After You Receive Your IELTS Results? 

After you receive your IELTS results, review the overall band score and individual scores in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. 

Here’s what you need to do after your IELTS result status.

1. You have reached your target score: Your score can be used for university, job, immigration applications etc. 
2. Review the requirements: Ensure that your total and section scores are within the requirements of your university/organisation. 
3. Get your TRF: The Test Report Form (TRF) is the official statement of your IELTS score. 
4. If your score is low: You may be able to take the test again or, if you are eligible, you can use IELTS One Skill Retake to boost one of your skills. 
5. Share with Universities or other organizations: You might need to provide your IELTS score to universities or other organizations.

Conclusion

Your IELTS result tells you how well you did in the four parts of the test: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. The time to receive your score depends on the test format. IELTS on computer usually gives results in 1-2 days, IELTS on paper can take up to 13 days, and IELTS Online usually takes 3-6 days. Once your score is ready, you can check it online using your ID details and candidate number. 

Your Test Report Form gives you your official scores. If your IELTS results band is not what you hoped for, you can look at your section scores and then decide what to do next. You may choose another test or explore the options available for your test type. Most importantly, check the score rules of the university, employer, or immigration body you are applying to before using your Results of IELTS exam.

If you want to understand the results of IELTS exam better, you can book a free 1:1 session with upGrad experts and get help with your plan.