IELTS - How long does it take to increase a band score?
- Ghada Nahnoush
- Apr 27, 2021
- 2 min read
A recent IELTS research investigated relationships between learner background, linguistic progression, and score gain on IELTS. This research project studied to what extent IELTS test performances (i.e., overall test scores, speaking section scores, and linguistic constructs of speaking) changed over a period of three months. It further examined how learner background variables affected linguistic progress and band score gains on the IELTS. The findings offer useful implications for the development of language testing and assessment as well as curriculum planning.
This project investigated to what extent IELTS test performances (i.e., overall test scores, speaking section scores, and linguistic constructs of speaking) changed over a period of three months. It further examined how learner background variables affected linguistic progress and band score gains on the IELTS.
Fifty-two Korean students, enrolled in IELTS preparation classes, participated in the study. Participants’ proficiency levels were determined by their in-house placement test scores (i.e., roughly 16 beginners, 17 intermediate, and 19 advanced). After participants completed the pre-test survey, they took the pre-arranged official IELTS test.
Participants’ hours of study and target language use information were collected weekly. The post-survey and online interviews were conducted at the end of the three-month period right after the official IELTS post-test. The individual long-run speaking responses from the pre-and post-tests were used for speech analysis (i.e., pronunciation and lexico-grammatical features) to examine their linguistic gains over time.
The results showed that students made various progress in English over the three-month period with an average gain of slightly less than half a band (.3), and with the most score gain in the writing skill and the least score gain in the speaking skill.
Approximately 60% of the participants gained .5 or 1 band scores. In particular, hours of study and level of proficiency predicted the band score gains most potently. Together with the amount of target language, the background variables explained 34% of the variance in the score gains. Fluency features revealed the most significant improvement over time, but complex relationships were found between learner background characteristics and speech construct changes.
The findings offer useful implications for the development of language testing and assessment as well as curriculum planning.
*By The British Council to Megabrain
The time it takes to increase an IELTS band score depends on your current level, study consistency, and preparation strategy. On average, many candidates can improve by 0.5 to 1 band in 6–8 weeks with focused practice, expert guidance, and regular mock tests. Achieving a higher band score strengthens your academic profile and is especially important when applying to competitive universities, where strong English proficiency supports applications to institutions with selective processes such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology admissions.
Thanks for this insightful post! It’s really helpful to understand how long it takes to increase your band score with focused study. For study abroad aspirants, combining consistent IELTS practice test sessions with targeted exercises like TOEFL writing practice questions can really strengthen English skills across different sections. Regular practice and strategy are key to boosting confidence and achieving the scores needed for university applications.
IELTS – How long does it take to increase a band score? is a common question among test takers. The time required depends on your current level, target band, study consistency, and quality of preparation. On average, improving by 0.5 to 1 band may take several weeks to a few months with focused practice. For students planning to study in Australia, achieving the required IELTS score is essential for university admission and visa approval. Early preparation allows time to strengthen weak areas, practice test strategies, and build confidence, ensuring smoother applications and academic readiness when planning to study in Australia.
Increasing an IELTS band score depends on your current level, target score, and preparation strategy. On average, improving by 0.5 band can take 4–6 weeks, while a 1.0 band increase may require 2–3 months of focused practice. Key factors include regular mock tests, improving weak areas (especially writing and speaking), and guided feedback from experts. Many students aim for higher IELTS scores to strengthen applications for competitive universities, where language proficiency plays a crucial role. For example, admission to top institutions with a low stanford university acceptance rate demands not only academic excellence but also strong English proficiency to stand out globally.