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International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Exam

IELTS Cut Off 2025: Required Band Scores, Previous Year Cut Off

IELTS Cut Off: Students intending to study abroad must strive for good IELTS scores to get admission into their preferred university abroad. That being said, decent IELTS scores are required for admission into the most prominent universities and colleges abroad, especially if you plan to pursue your higher education in predominantly English-speaking countries such as the USA, the UK, Canada or Australia.

The minimum IELTS cut-off for getting admission abroad is 5.5-7.5. It is the minimum score requirement that one must aim for to further their study abroad dreams. The IELTS cut-off for prominent universities such as MIT, Stanford University, and Harvard University ranges from 6.5 to 7.5. Keep reading to know more about IELTS cut-off, country-wise cut-off, and more.

IELTS Cut-Off 2025: Score and Proficiency Level 2025

All of the four sections in IELTS are rated on a band score range from 1-9. Refer to the table below to go through the IELTS scores and their proficiency levels.

Proficiency Level	IELTS Score
Expert	9
Very Good	8.5-8.0
Good	7.5-7.0
Competent	6.5-6.0
Modest	5.5-5.0
Limited	4.5-4.0
Extremely Limited	3.5-3.0
Intermittent	2.5-2.0
Non User	1.5-0

How are IELTS Scores Calculated?

The IELTS test awards individual band scores from 0 to 9 in increments of 0.25, with 0 indicating the lowest proficiency and 9 the highest. These scores, assigned for Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking, are all given equal weight. To calculate your overall band score, the test simply averages your scores from all four sections. This average is then rounded to the nearest whole or half band. Scores ending in 0.25 are rounded up to the nearest half-band.

What Does IELTS Band Score Mean?

Now that you have an idea about each IELTS band score and their corresponding proficiency level, let's explore what each band score signifies for students taking the English language proficiency test.

IELTS Band Score	Detail
Band 9	Individuals have a stronghold of the English language and can express themselves in English eloquently. In other words, your use of English is appropriate, accurate and fluent.
Band 8	Those scoring a Band 8 demonstrate a very good command of English. While occasional inaccuracies and misuse might occur, they do not face many challenges in understanding complex topics in unfamiliar settings.
Band 7	Individuals demonstrate a moderate command of the language. However, their proficiency is somewhat limited, as occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage, and misunderstandings can arise in certain situations.
Band 6	Individuals demonstrate a moderate command of the language. However, their proficiency is somewhat limited, as occasional inaccuracies, inappropriate usage, and misunderstandings can arise in certain situations.
Band 5	Individuals can grasp the general meaning in most everyday situations. However, their understanding and expression of English are limited. They may make frequent mistakes but can handle basic communication related to their field of expertise.
Band 4	Individuals have a limited grasp of the English language. They might frequently encounter difficulties comprehending and expressing themselves, thus unable to fathom complex language structures.
Band 3	Communication is very challenging for Band 3 scorers. Such individuals can find themselves in an impasse whilst trying to express or convey their ideas.
Band 2	Understanding spoken and written English is extremely challenging at this level.
Band 1	You have minimal to no ability to communicate in English beyond potentially understanding a few isolated words.
Band 0	You have minimal to no ability to communicate in English beyond potentially understanding a few isolated words.

IELTS Cut Off 2025: Top 10 Universities in the World

IELTS test-takers who wish to pursue their higher education at some of the most eminent or notable universities in the world should strive for an IELTS band score of 6.5–7 or above. Refer to the table below to go through the IELTS cut-off for the top 10 universities in the world.

Name of the University	IELTS Cut-Off Score	QS World Ranking 2025
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	7.0 – 7.5+	#1
Harvard University	6.5 – 7.5+	#4
University of Cambridge	7.5+	#2
Stanford University	7.0+	#5
University of Oxford	7.0 – 7.5+	#3
Imperial College London	6.5 – 7.0+	#6
University College London	6.5 – 7.5+	#9
ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology)	7.0+	#7
National University of Singapore (NUS)	6.0 – 8.0+	#8
University of California, Berkeley (UCB)	6.5 – 7.0+	#10

Check IELTS Cut Off 2025: Country-Wise Universities

Refer to the data given below to go through the IELTS cut-off scores required for universities across countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Germany.

IELTS 2025 Cut-Off for Universities in the USA

Individuals who wish to pursue their higher education in the USA must strive for a minimum IELTS band score of 7.0 or above. Here is a list of some of the top universities in the USA along with their IELTS cut-off scores for 2025.

Name of the University	IELTS Cut-Off Score
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	7.0 – 7.5+
Harvard University	6.5 – 7.5+
Cornell University	7.5+
University of California, Berkeley	7.0+
Columbia University	7.0 – 7.5+
Yale University	7.5+
University of Chicago	7.0+
Princeton University	7.0+
University of Pennsylvania	7.0+

IELTS 2025 Cut-Off for Universities in Canada

Individuals who wish to pursue their higher education in Canada must strive for a minimum IELTS band score of 6.5-7.0 or above. Here is a list of some of the top universities in Canada along with their IELTS cut-off scores for 2025.

Name of the University	IELTS Cut-Off Score
University of British Columbia	7
University of Toronto	7
University of Alberta	6.5
University of Waterloo	6.5
McGill University	6.5
Dalhousie University	7
McMaster University	6.5

IELTS 2025 Cut-Off for Universities in the UK

Individuals who wish to pursue their higher education in the UK must strive for a minimum IELTS band score of 6.5-7.5 or above. Here is a list of some of the top universities in the UK along with their IELTS cut-off scores for 2025.

Name of the University	IELTS Cut-Off Score
Cambridge University	7
Oxford University	7-7.5
University of Edinburgh	6.5
Imperial College London	7
University College London	6.5
University of Warwick	6.5
University of Bristol	6
King’s College London	7
London School of Economics and Political Science	7-7.5

IELTS 2025 Cut-Off for Universities in Australia

Individuals who wish to pursue their higher education in Australia must strive for a minimum IELTS band score of 6.5 or above. Here is a list of some of the top universities in Australia along with their IELTS cut-off scores for 2025.

Name of the University	IELTS Cut-Off Score
University of Melbourne	7
University of Queensland	6.5
University of New South Wales	6.5
University of Sydney	6.5
Australian National University	7
University of Adelaide	6.5
University of Western Australia	6.5
Monash University	6.5

IELTS 2025 Cut-Off for Universities in Germany

Individuals who wish to pursue their higher education in Germany must strive for a minimum IELTS band score of 5.5-6.0 or above. Here is a list of some of the top universities in Germany along with their IELTS cut-off scores for 2025.

Name of the University	IELTS Cut-Off Score
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology	6.5
Ludwig-Maximilians-University	6.0
Johannes Gutenberg University	5.5
Philipps-University at Marburg	7.0
Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-University at Bonn	7.0
University at Rostock	6.0
University of Duesseldorf	5.5
Bielefeld University	6.5

FAQs

What is the minimum IELTS score requirement for universities in Canada?

The minimum IELTS requirement for universities in Canada is 6.5-7.0.

What is the IELTS Cut-Off Score for MIT?

The IELTS cut-off score for MIT is 7.0-7.5 or above.

What is the minimum IELTS score requirement for Australia?

The minimum IELTS score requirement for Australian universities is 6.5-7.0.

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