Canada holds a global reputation for offering world-class education and lucrative job opportunities to national and international students. Some of the well-ranked universities offering various degree programs are based in Canada, which makes it a popular study abroad destination. This is one of the reasons why ~2,20,000 Indian students in Canada were enrolled at various Canadian educational institutions in 2022.
Students from non-English speaking nations must demonstrate their English language proficiency and clear International English Language Testing System (IELTS) test. So, let’s understand the meaning of band score, band requirements and other related information.
Key Highlights
- IELTS requirement for Canada based on band scores
- What you should know about the band requirement?
- Minimum IELTS score for Canada student visas
- IELTS score required for Canada by top universities
- Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
IELTS requirement for Canada based on band scores
The IELTS exam measures English skills against band scores ranging from 0 to 9. You will get an individual band score and an overall band score for each section. Individual band score is the score that is allotted to each section. Whereas, the overall band score is an average of band scores obtained across four sections viz, Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking. Each band score corresponds to a certain level of language competence, which is mentioned below:
|
Band Score |
Skill Level |
|
9 |
Expert user |
|
8 |
Very good user |
|
7 |
Good user |
|
6 |
Competent user |
|
5 |
Modest user |
|
4 |
Limited user |
|
3 |
Extremely limited user |
|
2 |
Intermittent user |
|
1 |
Non-user |
|
0 |
Did not attempt the test |
Now, let’s understand the band score with an example where a student has earned the following scores in IELTS.
|
Listening |
Reading |
Writing |
Speaking |
Overall |
|
6.5 |
7 |
7.5 |
7 |
7 |
Here, the student has received an individual band score in each section, i.e., 6.5, 7, 7.5 and 7 and an overall band score of 7 (6.5 + 7 + 7.5 + 7 = 28/4 = 7). Thus, an overall band score of 7 demonstrates that the student is a “good user”. The higher the band score, the better the chances of securing a seat.
What should you know about the band requirement?
The Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) is the standard used to define, recognise and measure English language proficiency across four sections. The ability is measured against 1 to 12 levels of benchmarks. Let’s understand the CLB score against the score obtained in each section of the IELTS through this table:
|
CLB Score |
IELTS Speaking |
IELTS Listening |
IELTS Writing |
IELTS Reading |
|
1 |
1.0 |
1,0 |
1.0 |
1.0 |
|
2 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
1.5 |
|
3 |
3.0 |
3.5 |
3.0 |
2.5 |
|
4 |
4.0 |
4.5 |
4.0 |
3.5 |
|
5 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
5.0 |
4.0 |
|
6 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
5.5 |
5.0 |
|
7 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
6.0 |
|
8 |
6.5 |
7.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
|
9 |
7.0 |
8.0 |
7.0 |
7.0 |
|
10 |
7.5 |
8.5 |
7.5 |
8.0 |
|
11 |
8.0 |
9.0 |
8.0 |
8.5 |
|
12 |
9.0 |
9.0 |
9.0 |
9.0 |
Minimum IELTS score for Canada student visas
To study post-graduate courses in Canadian universities, international students need to get an overall score of at least 6.5 with a band score of not less than 6 in each of the four sections. To apply for a work visa in 2023, students need to qualify for the IELTS exam with a minimum CLB score of 7, i.e. at least a 6.0 band score in each section.
IELTS score required for Canada by top universities
|
Sr. No. |
Name of University |
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World Rankings 2023 |
Times Higher Education (THE) Rankings 2023 |
Minimum Overall IELTS score |
|
1 |
McGill University |
1 |
3 |
6.5 |
|
2 |
University of Toronto |
2 |
1 |
7 |
|
3 |
University of British Columbia |
3 |
2 |
6.5 |
|
4 |
University of Alberta |
4 |
6 |
6.5 |
|
5 |
5 |
5 |
6.5 |
|
|
6 |
McMaster University |
6 |
4 |
6.5 |
|
7 |
University of Waterloo |
7 |
9 |
7.0 |
|
8 |
Western University |
8 |
10 |
6.5 |
|
9 |
University of Ottawa |
9 |
7 |
6.5 |
|
10 |
University of Calgary |
10 |
8 |
7.0 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Is it possible to get Canadian PR with a 5.5 IELTS band score?
Ans. You can obtain a Canadian PR visa with a band score of 5.5 and above.
Q2. Is it possible to apply to a Canadian university with a 6.5 IELTS band score?
Ans. You can easily apply to several Canadian universities with a 6.5 IELTS band score.
So, if you aspire to study in Canada but facing financial constraints, you can opt for a student loan. At Avanse Financial Services, we offer an education loan for Canada and other destinations so that students can fulfil their academic aspirations. So, contact us today to know more about a loan for education!
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