First of all, there is actually no such thing as a minimum IELTS passing score or pass mark for the test, because it is impossible not to pass the test.
The IELTS exam score is measured on a scale from 0 to 9 in each test component with 0.5 increments and then the overall band score is calculated. Whatever score you achieve, you pass the test.
In other words, if you just sat the test, but did not answer any question, then technically you would still pass the exam, but with a score of 0.
However, the next question is what you could do if you scored 0. As you may have guessed, the answer is simple: unfortunately nothing.
Your English skills are graded to a 9 band scale, but whether your score is sufficient is up to different institutions. They set the minimum requirements and also decide how long the test results will be valid for.
Therefore, even though there is no passing score on IELTS, the pass marks are set by the authorities and different institutions.
Let’s take Australia for example. The so-called “pass mark or passing score” or simply put the IELTS score that is required before lodging your visa or university application may vary from an overall band score of 4.5 up to 7 or even 8 in some cases, depending on what purposes you will be taking the test.
So, to fully understand what score you are required to achieve in the IELTS test, find out the IELTS requirements from the relevant institutes.
If you want to read more on IELTS requirements for Australian visas, feel free to check out our blog post, where we cover the minimum IELTS passing scores in detail.