Comparing scores to ielts

A2
Key
Common European 
Framework of 
Reference (CEFR)
C2
Proficiency
Cambridge
English
Scale
Cambridge
English
Scale
General and higher education
Business
C1
Advanced
B2
First
B1
Preliminary
C1 Business
Higher
B2 Business
Vantage
B1 Business
Preliminary
IELTS
*
*IELTS is mapped to, but does not report on the Cambridge English Scale
C2
C1
B2
B1
A2
A1
A1
Pre
Multilevel 
Tests
INDEPENDENT
PR
OFICIENT 
BASIC
90
80
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
90
80
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
190
200
210
220
230
4.5
4.0
5.0
5.5
8.5
6.0
6.5
7.0
7.5
8.0

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Cambridge Assessment English
Comparing scores to IELTS
3
Using B2 First and C1 Advanced scores
Every successful B2 First and C1 Advanced candidate receives a Statement of Results, which contains the
following information:
1. Score – their overall score on the Cambridge English Scale.
2. Candidate profile – their score on the Cambridge English Scale for each of the four skills
(reading, writing, listening and speaking) and for Use of English.
3. Grade – relates to the score and is a letter grade from A to C.
4. Candidates also receive an overall level on the CEFR.
Candidates who have secured scores between 160 and 172 on B2 First are awarded grade C on that exam and
are placed at Level B2 on the CEFR. 
Candidates who have secured a C1 Advanced grade C, having scored between 180 and 192 on the Cambridge 
English Scale, are at Level C1 of the CEFR and can be expected to be comparable in ability with candidates 
who have secured 6.5 or 7.0 in IELTS. Candidates who have secured scores between 180 and 190 in B2 First are 
awarded a grade A for that exam. They are also placed at Level C1 of the CEFR. However, the breadth of coverage 
of B2 First at this level is limited and very careful consideration would be needed before accepting scores on B2 
First as comparable to IELTS scores of 7.0. Candidates who have secured scores of 160 to 179 on C1 Advanced are 
placed at Level B2 and may be expected to be comparable to candidates who have secured 5.5 or 6.0 in IELTS.
Where institutions have specified a minimum IELTS requirement of 5.5, reference may be made to the Scale score, 
and a minimum requirement of 162 specified on either exam. If, say, the requirement is Band 6.0 overall but with 
a minimum score of 5.5 in any skill, then an overall score of 169 may be specified with minimum scores of 162 
in Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Where an overall requirement of IELTS Band 7.0 has been set, then a 
score of 185 should be specified, but as explained above, it may be appropriate to specify that the score has been 
obtained on C1 Advanced rather than B2 First.