CELPIP Listening Score Chart: Raw Score out of 38 to CLB

Official CELPIP Listening raw score chart

Correct answers (out of 38)	CELPIP level	CLB
35–38	Level 10–12	CLB 10+
33–35	Level 9	CLB 9
30–33	Level 8	CLB 8
27–31	Level 7	CLB 7
22–28	Level 6	CLB 6
17–23	Level 5	CLB 5
11–18	Level 4	CLB 4
7–12	Level 3	CLB 3
0–7	M	Below CLB 3

Source: Paragon Testing, “Raw Scores and CELPIP Levels for the Listening Test”. Paragon calls it an approximate guide. The ranges overlap because the score needed for each level shifts slightly between test forms.

CELPIP Listening score by number of correct answers

Where a score falls on the border of two levels, both are shown. Aim for the top of a range, not the bottom.

Your raw score	Likely CELPIP level
38 / 38	Level 10–12
37 / 38	Level 10–12
36 / 38	Level 10–12
35 / 38	Level 9 or 10–12
34 / 38	Level 9
33 / 38	Level 8 or 9
32 / 38	Level 8
31 / 38	Level 7 or 8
30 / 38	Level 7 or 8
29 / 38	Level 7
28 / 38	Level 6 or 7
27 / 38	Level 6 or 7
26 / 38	Level 6
25 / 38	Level 6
24 / 38	Level 6
23 / 38	Level 5 or 6
22 / 38	Level 5 or 6
21 / 38	Level 5
20 / 38	Level 5

What Listening score do you need?

Goal	Listening level	Aim for (out of 38)
Canada FSW minimum (CLB 7)	7	30+
Express Entry CLB 9 bonus	9	35+
Maximum CRS (CLB 10)	10	37+
Australia Competent English	7	30+
Australia Proficient English (+10)	9	35+
Australia Superior English (+20)	10	37+

Listening is the skill with the least room for error at the top: CLB 9 leaves you only about three questions to miss. For Australian points, see CELPIP scores for Australian PR.

How the 38 Listening questions are split

Part	Task	Questions
1	Listening to Problem Solving	8
2	Listening to a Daily Life Conversation	5
3	Listening for Information	6
4	Listening to a News Item	5
5	Listening to a Discussion (video)	8
6	Listening to Viewpoints	6

How to raise your Listening score

Each recording plays once. Practise in test mode only. Replaying audio while practising inflates your score.
Train the format switches. Question styles change between parts, and Part 5 is a video with three speakers.
Get used to Canadian accents if you are preparing from Nigeria, India or Australia. A few weeks of Canadian podcasts or news helps.
Practise with full 38-question sets, so your raw score maps onto this chart. Try a timed Listening mock.

Frequently asked questions

How many correct answers do I need for CLB 9 in CELPIP Listening?

About 33–35 out of 38. Paragon's official chart puts Level 9 at 33–35 correct and Level 10–12 at 35–38. Aim for 35, because the exact cut-off varies slightly between test forms.

What is 30 out of 38 in CELPIP Listening?

Level 7 or 8. 30 sits where the Level 7 and Level 8 ranges overlap, so it is usually CLB 7 or 8 depending on the test form.

What is 27 out of 38 in CELPIP Listening?

Level 6 or 7. That is the bottom edge of Level 7, so a couple more correct answers make CLB 7 much safer.

How many questions are in CELPIP Listening?

38 scored questions across six parts: Problem Solving, Daily Life Conversation, Information, News Item, Discussion and Viewpoints. The test can also include unscored questions.

Why does CELPIP Listening need more correct answers than Reading?

Paragon sets each chart separately. In Listening, Level 10–12 starts at 35 correct, compared with 33 in Reading, and Level 9 starts at 33 rather than 31.

Is the CELPIP Listening score chart exact?

No. Paragon publishes it as an approximate guide, and the ranges overlap because some test forms are harder than others. Use it to estimate your level from a practice test, not to predict your official score exactly.

CELPIP Listening score chart