China ranks 35th among academic IELTS test takers in 2024-25

The overall average score for academic IELTS test takers for the Chinese mainland was 5.9 during the 2024-25 academic year, placing it 35th among all participating countries and regions globally, according to the British Council.

Score distribution remained relatively stable, with nearly 60 percent of test takers falling into the 5.5 to 6.5 score band — a slight decrease of 1.7 percent compared to the previous year, according to the recent report on Chinese mainland IELTS test takers' performance.

In terms of individual skills, reading continued to be the strongest area for Chinese candidates, with an average score of 6.2. Speaking and writing, though still challenging, showed the most improvement compared to 2018-2019 levels, indicating notable progress in productive language skills.

The report also highlighted performance trends across different education stages. Compared to 2018-2019, test takers at the secondary, vocational, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels all demonstrated improvement, especially in writing and speaking.

Middle school students showed steady overall progress, with significant gains in speaking and writing. Vocational college candidates improved across all skills, particularly in reading and writing. Undergraduate students performed well in reading, though listening emerged as an area needing attention. Postgraduate candidates maintained consistently high performance in reading and writing.

Regionally, Shanghai led in average scores, though gaps among regions are gradually narrowing.

Among top institutions, 38 universities achieved an average academic IELTS score of 6.5 or above, with Fudan University reaching the 7 band for the second consecutive year.