What is CEFR level in IELTS?

CEFR stands for Common European Framework of Reference.

CEFR is an international standard that is used to describe someone’s language ability.

CEFR portrays language ability on a scale of levels, from A1(beginner) to C2 (expert).

To assess your language competence, you can map your IELTS scores against the CEFR framework.

The CEFR rankings also assist teachers and examiners in comparing IELTS skills and scores to other language tests.

Let’s look at CEFR and IELTS score equivalency.


Expert: CEFR C2
IELTS 9/8.5

Good User: CEFR C1
IELTS 8/7

Competent User: CEFR B2 IELTS 6.5/5.5

Modest User: CEFR B1 - IELTS 5.5/4.5

Limited User: CEFR A2/A1 - IELTS 4 or below

The CEFR was always meant to be a widely used instrument for examining communication skills.

However, constructing a CEFR IELTS equivalent is difficult due to the unclear foundation of the CEFR scale.

To learn more about IELTS Scores and how to define your English language skills, check out IELTSMaterial.com.

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