For most international students, Band 7 is the ideal score. A score in IELTS of 7.0 or 7.5 shows that your English is good enough to join most courses in English speaking universities even at elite Oxbridge and Ivy League institutions. 

Only a small proportion of higher-education institutions require a score higher than Band 7 and these tend to be language-intensive courses like literature, linguistics, and law.

Your module score, or ‘sub-score’, can be either 7.0 or 7.5 depending on whether you meet these minimum requirements, or exceed them slightly.

Your overall IELTS score will also be classified as either 7.0 or 7.5 depending on the average band score among each of the four modules. For example, Listening Band 7 + Reading Band 8 + Writing Band 8 + Speaking Band 7 = IELTS 7.5.

IELTS Listening Band 7

• Get 30 out of 40 answers correct for IELTS 7.0
• Get 32 out of 40 answers correct for IELTS 7.5
• Spell answers correctly
• Do not write more than the maximum number of words for each question

IELTS Reading Band 7 (Academic Module)

• Get 30 out of 40 answers correct for IELTS 7.0
• Get 33 out of 40 answers correct for IELTS 7.5
• Spell answers correctly
• Not write more than the maximum number of words for each question

IELTS Writing Band 7 (Academic Module)

• Answer both questions fully
• Write in clear paragraphs, each with a main idea and supporting sentences
• Use higher-level vocabulary with an awareness of collocation
• Provide an overview with detailed comparisons in Task 1
• Indicate a clear position and stick to it consistently in Task 2
• Produce generally error-free sentences

IELTS Speaking Band 7

• Speak fluently and at length on any given topic
• Use a range of linking words accurately to connect ideas
• Use less common and idiomatic vocabulary
• Produce generally error-free sentences
• Show good control of pronunciation and intonation

Speaking: https://cafetalk.com/lessons/detail/?id=11664&lang=en

Reading: https://cafetalk.com/lessons/detail/?id=11838&lang=en

Writing: https://cafetalk.com/lessons/detail/?id=11550&lang=en

Listening: https://cafetalk.com/lessons/detail/?id=11401&lang=en