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GRE: The Complete Guide

GRE, Complete Guide | LoSimplifica← Academic exams

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By LoSimplifica · Updated June 2026 · 10 min read

⚠️

Always verify with your test center. Exam formats, dates, fees, and requirements change regularly. This guide is for reference only — confirm current details directly with the official exam body before registering.

Cost

$220 USD

Varies by country

ets.org →

In this guide

What is the GRE?
General Test vs. Subject Tests
General Test: format and sections
Subject Tests: which ones exist
Scoring explained
What top universities require
Test dates and scheduling
Planning around your application deadline
Cost and registration
Official and third-party prep resources

1. What is the GRE?

The GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) is a standardized test administered by ETS (Educational Testing Service) that is required, or accepted, for admission to many graduate, business, and law school programs in the United States and around the world.

Unlike subject-specific exams, the GRE General Test measures skills you've developed over time, verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing, regardless of your field of study. It's used by thousands of graduate programs as a common benchmark to evaluate applicants from different academic backgrounds and countries.

GRE scores are valid for 5 years, so you can take it well before you're ready to apply.

Not all programs require it. The landscape has shifted significantly since 2020, nearly 60% of US graduate universities now make the GRE optional or offer waivers. Always check each program's admissions page individually before registering. Requirements vary by department, not just by university.

2. General Test vs. Subject Tests

There are two types of GRE exams, and they serve very different purposes.

	GRE General Test	GRE Subject Tests
Who takes it	Most graduate and business school applicants	Students applying to specialized STEM programs
What it measures	Verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing skills	Deep knowledge in a specific academic subject
Availability	Year-round (daily at home, most days at centers)	3 windows per year: September, October, April
Format	Computer-based (at home or test center)	Computer-based at test centers only
Duration	~1 hour 58 minutes	~2 hours 50 minutes
Cost	$220 (most countries) / ₹22,000 (India)	$150 (most countries) / ₹14,500 (India)

For most applicants, the GRE General Test is the one to focus on. Subject Tests are only required by select programs, typically in Mathematics, Physics, or Psychology. If you're applying to an MBA program, note that the GMAT is also widely accepted and may be worth comparing.

3. General Test: format and sections

The GRE General Test has three sections. The Analytical Writing section always comes first; Verbal and Quantitative sections follow in any order. See the official ETS test structure page for full details.

Section	Questions	Time	Score range
Analytical Writing	1 essay task	30 minutes	0–6 (half-point increments)
Verbal Reasoning	27 questions	41 minutes	130–170
Quantitative Reasoning	27 questions	47 minutes	130–170

Total time: approximately 1 hour and 58 minutes.

What each section tests

Analytical Writing: You analyze an argument and write a response. Evaluated on clarity, logic, and support of ideas, not grammar perfection.
Verbal Reasoning: Reading comprehension, text completion, and sentence equivalence. Vocabulary matters, but so does your ability to understand complex passages.
Quantitative Reasoning: Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. An on-screen calculator is provided. The math is not advanced, the difficulty is in how questions are framed.

For non-native English speakers: The Verbal section is where preparation time pays off most. Building academic vocabulary and practicing reading comprehension in English is the highest-leverage investment before test day. If English proficiency is also a concern, you may also need to take the TOEFL, the two tests are independent requirements at most programs.

The test is section-level adaptive: your performance on the first Verbal or Quantitative section determines the difficulty of your second section. You can move forward and backward within each section and change your answers before time runs out.

4. Subject Tests: which ones exist

GRE Subject Tests are designed for students who want to demonstrate advanced knowledge in a specific field. As of 2026, ETS offers three Subject Tests:

Subject Test	Who typically takes it
Mathematics	Applicants to math PhD programs
Physics	Applicants to physics PhD programs
Psychology	Applicants to psychology graduate programs

Note: ETS previously offered Subject Tests in Biology, Chemistry, Literature in English, and Biochemistry, but these have been discontinued. Always verify current offerings on the official ETS Subject Tests page before registering.

5. Scoring explained

Section	Score range	Increments	When you see it
Verbal Reasoning	130–170	1-point	Unofficial on screen immediately; official in 8–10 days
Quantitative Reasoning	130–170	1-point	Unofficial on screen immediately; official in 8–10 days
Analytical Writing	0–6	0.5-point	Official score only, in 8–10 days

Your total score (Verbal + Quantitative) ranges from 260 to 340. The Analytical Writing score is reported separately and is not included in the total. Learn more about how GRE scores are calculated on the ETS website.

ScoreSelect, choosing which scores to send

ETS's ScoreSelect option lets you decide which GRE scores to send to schools, from any test you've taken in the last 5 years. Schools only see the scores you choose to send, with no indication that you took the test other times. This gives you real flexibility to retake without penalty.

On test day, you can send scores to up to 4 institutions for free. Additional score reports cost $35 each.

6. What top universities require

GRE requirements vary significantly by university and by department within the same university. The trend since 2020 has been toward test-optional admissions, but many competitive programs, especially in STEM, still require or strongly recommend it. Always verify directly on each program's admissions page.

MITVaries by department. Economics PhD: required. EECS: dropped requirement.StanfordVaries by program. Some programs waived for 2026 cycle. Check each department.HarvardSEAS: optional. HBS MBA: GRE or GMAT accepted.ColumbiaEngineering: optional (not penalized if not submitted).UC BerkeleyEECS: dropped requirement. Other programs vary.CMUComputer Science: recommended but not required.

The key rule: Never assume based on what a friend applied to two years ago. Requirements change frequently. Build a spreadsheet for each program you're targeting and check their admissions page directly, at least 6 months before you plan to apply.

MBA programs

All M7 MBA programs (Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, Sloan, Columbia) accept the GRE as a substitute for the GMAT. You are not disadvantaged for submitting a GRE score instead of a GMAT score. See our GMAT guide if you're deciding between the two.

7. Test dates and scheduling

GRE General Test

The General Test is available year-round with exceptional flexibility. See ETS's scheduling page to find available slots near you.

At home: Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can register and test as soon as the next day. A human proctor monitors you via webcam throughout.
At a test center: Available most days of the week at 1,000+ ETS-approved centers in 160+ countries. Availability varies by location.

You can take the General Test up to 5 times in any 12-month rolling period, with a minimum of 21 days between attempts.

Peak season warning: August through December is the busiest period for GRE registrations, as it aligns with fall graduate school application deadlines. Test center slots, especially in high-demand cities, fill up fast. Book early.

GRE Subject Tests

Subject Tests are offered only three times per year. Check ETS for exact confirmed dates, the approximate annual schedule is:

Window	Approximate dates	Registration deadline
September	Mid-to-late September	~6 weeks before window
October	Mid-to-late October	~6 weeks before window
April	Late April – early May	~6 weeks before window

You can take only one Subject Test per testing month, with a minimum of 14 days between attempts.

8. Planning around your application deadline

This is where most applicants make mistakes, taking the GRE too close to their deadline, leaving no room to retake if needed.

The rule of thumb: Take the GRE at least 4–6 months before your earliest application deadline. This gives you time to prepare, retake once if needed, and have official scores arrive before deadlines close.

Know your deadlines

Most US graduate programs have deadlines in December–January for fall admission. Identify your earliest deadline first, that's the one that sets your timeline.

Allow 8–12 weeks for preparation

Most test-takers need 2–3 months of consistent study. Non-native English speakers may benefit from additional time focused on Verbal vocabulary and reading comprehension.

Account for score delivery

Official scores take 8–10 days to arrive after test day. Schools need processing time on top of that, don't cut it close.

Leave room for a retake

You must wait 21 days between General Test attempts. If your first score disappoints, you want time to retake and still meet your deadline.

Ideal window

For December/January deadlines → aim to take the GRE by September–October at the latest, with a first attempt in July–August if possible.

Application deadline	Latest recommended test date	Ideal first attempt
December / January	Late October	July – August
February / March	December	September – October
April / May (spring admission)	February	November – December

9. Cost and registration

Item	Cost
GRE General Test (most countries)	$220 USD
GRE General Test (India)	₹22,000
GRE General Test (China)	$231 USD
GRE Subject Test (most countries)	$150 USD
4 free score reports (included on test day)	Free
Additional score reports	$35 each
Rescheduling fee	$50
Cancellation (4+ days before test)	50% refund

How to register

Create an account at ets.org. The name must exactly match the ID you'll present on test day.
Select "Register / Find Test Centers" from your dashboard.
Choose General Test or Subject Test, then select location and date.
Pay by credit/debit card or PayPal. ETS does not accept cash or checks.
You can register up to 6 months in advance. At-home tests can be booked as soon as 24 hours before.

Fee reduction available: US citizens or resident aliens who demonstrate financial need may qualify for ETS's Fee Reduction Program, which reduces the General Test fee to $100 and includes free prep materials.

10. Prep resources: official and third-party

Official ETS resources

Official · Free

POWERPREP Online Practice Tests

Two full-length computer-based practice tests from ETS, identical in format and difficulty to the real exam. The closest simulation available. Start here.

Official · Free

GRE Sample Questions (ETS)

Free sample questions for each section on the ETS website, including PDFs with Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing examples.

Official · Paid

POWERPREP PLUS Practice Tests (×3)

Three additional computer-based practice tests from ETS. Paid, but the most realistic practice available after the two free POWERPREP tests.

Third-party prep resources

Paid

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