Cambridge Exam to IELTS Converter
Enter your Cambridge English Scale score, see the equivalent IELTS band, and instantly know what your CEFR-aligned result unlocks for university admission, immigration, and professional registration.
Your Cambridge Score
Enter the Cambridge English Scale score from your KET, PET, FCE, CAE, or CPE statement of results (80 to 230).
One scale, two reporting formats
Cambridge and IELTS are both built around the CEFR. Cambridge reports a granular scale score (80 to 230) plus a CEFR level. IELTS reports a band (1.0 to 9.0) in 0.5 steps. The Cambridge to IELTS mapping is published by Cambridge Assessment English itself.
Find your Cambridge English Scale score
It appears at the top of your statement of results, alongside the CEFR level and pass grade. KET, PET, FCE, CAE, and CPE all use the same 80 to 230 scale.
Look up the published IELTS equivalent
Cambridge 230 = IELTS 9.0, 220 = 8.5, 210 = 8.0, 200 = 7.5, 191 = 7.0, 180 = 6.5, 173 = 6.0, 162 = 5.5, 151 = 5.0, 140 = 4.5. Below 140 falls below the IELTS 4.5 threshold.
Check what your IELTS-equivalent band unlocks
Most undergraduate programs require IELTS 6.5 (Cambridge 176 to 184). Most postgraduate programs require IELTS 7.0 (Cambridge 185 to 190). Healthcare registration in the UK and Ireland typically requires IELTS 7.0 to 7.5 in each band.
Cambridge and IELTS: same scale family, different formats
Two things to understand before reading either result.
Cambridge English Scale: granular and lifetime
The Cambridge Assessment English suite (KET, PET, FCE, CAE, CPE) reports on the unified Cambridge English Scale, 80 to 230. Each exam covers a specific range, with deliberate overlap so a strong candidate at one level can be re-graded at the next level up. Certificates are valid for life.
Use the Cambridge Exam Score Calculator to convert a raw KET, PET, FCE, CAE, or CPE score into a Cambridge English Scale score and CEFR level.
IELTS: band score with a 2-year shelf life
IELTS reports an Overall Band Score (1.0 to 9.0) plus per-skill bands. Two versions exist: Academic (university admission, healthcare registration) and General Training (immigration, work). Results are valid for 2 years from the test date for most institutional and immigration uses.
Use the IELTS Band Score Calculator to compute your IELTS Overall Band from per-skill band scores under official rounding rules.
Cambridge English Scale to IELTS band
Per Cambridge Assessment English. The conversion is anchored at the headline values; values between anchors interpolate to the closest IELTS half-band.
| Cambridge Scale | CEFR | IELTS Band | What this unlocks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 230 | C2 | 9.0 | Expert user, top postgraduate and academic positions |
| 220 | C2 | 8.5 | Very good user, competitive postgraduate and research |
| 210 | C2 | 8.0 | Very good user, healthcare and law registration |
| 200 | C1 | 7.5 | Good user, most postgraduate programs |
| 191 | C1 | 7.0 | Good user, postgraduate threshold, UK Skilled Worker |
| 180 | C1 | 6.5 | Competent user, undergraduate threshold (most) |
| 173 | B2 | 6.0 | Competent user, foundation programs, UK Student |
| 162 | B2 | 5.5 | Modest user, pathway programs, partner-route visas |
| 151 | B1 | 5.0 | Modest user, vocational and basic study programs |
| 140 | B1 | 4.5 | Limited user, pre-sessional English programs |
KET covers 100 to 150, PET covers 120 to 170, FCE covers 140 to 190, CAE covers 160 to 210, CPE covers 180 to 230. Overlap zones are deliberate.
When the conversion is enough vs when IELTS is required
Most universities accept the CEFR equivalence regardless of which test produced it. A few visa and registration use cases name IELTS specifically.
UK universities accept Cambridge B2 First, C1 Advanced, and C2 Proficiency at their CEFR level alongside IELTS for Tier 4 / Student visas. The university issues the CAS based on either certificate.
Only Secure English Language Tests (SELT) qualify. Cambridge B2 First for Schools, C1 Advanced (UKVI test centre), and IELTS for UKVI are listed. Standard Cambridge sessions outside the SELT pathway are NOT accepted.
The UK Nursing and Midwifery Council accepts IELTS Academic 7.0 (with no band below 6.5) or OET grade B. Cambridge certificates are NOT on the NMC accepted list, even though CAE Grade A is CEFR-equivalent.
Universities in Australia and New Zealand accept Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency at their CEFR level for direct entry. IELTS Academic remains the most common requirement, and Cambridge is universally accepted as the equivalent.
Irish universities, Canadian universities (for course admission, not Express Entry), and most US universities accept Cambridge C1 Advanced and C2 Proficiency. US institutions typically prefer TOEFL or IELTS for international students; Cambridge is accepted but less commonly listed.
IRCC accepts only IELTS General Training and CELPIP General for Express Entry CLB scoring. Cambridge certificates and IELTS Academic are NOT accepted, regardless of the CEFR level achieved.
Cambridge to IELTS questions, answered
How do I convert my Cambridge English Scale score to an IELTS band?
Cambridge English publishes an official mapping between the Cambridge English Scale (80 to 230) and IELTS bands (1.0 to 9.0). The headline anchors: 230 = IELTS 9.0, 220 = 8.5, 210 = 8.0, 200 = 7.5, 191 = 7.0, 180 = 6.5, 173 = 6.0, 162 = 5.5, 151 = 5.0, 140 = 4.5. Each Cambridge exam (KET, PET, FCE, CAE, CPE) covers a specific range of the scale, so the IELTS equivalent depends on both your score and which exam you took.
Which Cambridge exam covers which scale range?
A2 Key (KET) covers 100 to 150 on the Cambridge English Scale. B1 Preliminary (PET) covers 120 to 170. B2 First (FCE) covers 140 to 190. C1 Advanced (CAE) covers 160 to 210. C2 Proficiency (CPE) covers 180 to 230. The exams overlap deliberately: a strong PET candidate can score into the FCE range, and a borderline CAE candidate can fall back into the FCE range. The reported Cambridge English Scale score is comparable across exams within the overlap zones.
How long are Cambridge and IELTS certificates valid?
Cambridge English certificates (KET through CPE) are valid for life. There is no expiration date printed on the certificate, and Cambridge English does not retroactively invalidate older certificates. IELTS scores are valid for 2 years from the test date for most institutional and immigration uses. This is the single most important practical difference: an FCE certificate from 2010 still proves B2 today, while an IELTS 6.5 from 2 years ago is no longer valid for visa or admission purposes.
Is the Cambridge to IELTS conversion accepted by universities?
Most universities in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and continental Europe accept Cambridge certificates at their CEFR level alongside IELTS. A typical undergraduate threshold of IELTS 6.5 maps to Cambridge English Scale 176 to 184 (FCE Grade B / weak CAE). A typical postgraduate threshold of IELTS 7.0 maps to 185 to 190 (FCE Grade A / lower CAE). Always check the specific program requirements: a few highly competitive programs (Oxbridge, top US graduate schools) state the requirement only in IELTS / TOEFL terms.
Can I use Cambridge instead of IELTS for UK visas?
For UK Skilled Worker, Student, and most family visas, the Home Office accepts Secure English Language Tests (SELT). Cambridge B1 Preliminary for Schools, B2 First for Schools, and C1 Advanced (when taken at a UK Visa and Immigration approved test centre) are listed as SELT options. Standard Cambridge exam sessions outside the SELT pathway are NOT accepted for visa purposes, while IELTS for UKVI is accepted at every IELTS UKVI test centre worldwide. If your goal is a UK visa, verify the SELT-approved booking before sitting the test.
What is the relationship between the Cambridge English Scale, CEFR levels, and IELTS?
All three are anchored to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Cambridge English Scale 200 to 230 = CEFR C2 = IELTS 7.5 to 9.0. Scale 180 to 199 = CEFR C1 = IELTS 6.5 to 7.5. Scale 160 to 179 = CEFR B2 = IELTS 5.5 to 6.5. Scale 140 to 159 = CEFR B1 = IELTS 4.0 to 5.0. The Cambridge English Scale is the most granular of the three, IELTS reports in 0.5 band steps, and CEFR is the coarsest with six levels (A1 through C2).
Should I take a Cambridge exam or IELTS?
Take a Cambridge exam (FCE, CAE, or CPE) if you want a lifetime certificate, plan to apply to multiple institutions over several years, or value the granular per-skill feedback. Take IELTS if you need a SELT-listed test for UK visas with a single booking, your target institution states only IELTS in its requirements, or you need results in 13 days (Cambridge takes 4 to 6 weeks). For Canadian PR (Express Entry), neither Cambridge nor IELTS Academic is accepted: use IELTS General Training or CELPIP General.
Why do FCE and CAE both report scores in the 160 to 190 range?
The Cambridge English Scale was designed in 2015 to give a single comparable scale across all suite exams. FCE results above 180 (Grade A, equivalent to CAE C1) report 180 to 190; CAE results below 180 (failing C1, but B2-level performance) report 160 to 179. So a 175 reported on FCE and a 175 reported on CAE represent the same level of English proficiency: a high B2. The exam is just the route, the scale is the truth.
Keep going
Cambridge Exam Score Calculator →
Convert raw KET, PET, FCE, CAE, or CPE scores into the Cambridge English Scale (80 to 230) plus CEFR level and grade.
IELTS Band Score Calculator →
Compute your IELTS Overall Band Score from per-skill bands (Listening, Reading, Writing, Speaking) under the official IELTS rounding rules.
IELTS to CEFR Converter →
Map your IELTS Overall Band to a CEFR level (A1 through C2) the way European universities and employers read your result.
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Start PracticingCambridge English Scale, KET, PET, FCE, CAE, and CPE are registered trademarks of Cambridge Assessment English. IELTS is a registered trademark of the British Council, IDP IELTS Australia, and Cambridge Assessment English. This converter is not affiliated with or endorsed by these institutions.
