How much does the GRE cost?
How much does the GRE cost?
$220 GRE General Test registration fee
$150 GRE Subject Test registration fee
$200 – $1,000 GRE test prep course cost
GRE cost
The Graduate Record Exam, or GRE, costs $220 for the GRE General Test or $150 for a GRE Subject Test. The fee for changing your test center or rescheduling your test is $50. GRE test prep courses cost $200 to $1,000 on average, depending on the course length and format.
| Test or service type | Fee |
|---|---|
| GRE General Test registration fee | $220 |
| GRE Subject Test registration fee | $150 |
| Rescheduling fee | $50 |
| Changing your test center | $50 |
| Changing your Subject Test | $50 |
| View scores online | Free |
| Print official score report online | Free |
| Additional Score Reports (ASR) | $35 each |
| Score Reinstatement Fee | $50 |
| Score Review for Analytical Writing measure | $60 |
| Question-and-Answer review service (Verbal & Quantitative Reasoning sections only; available for New York State residents only) |
$50 |
You must register at least 2 days before you plan to take the GRE. Register as early as possible to prevent the risk of forfeiting your registration fee if you need to reschedule your test.
Additional GRE fees
You'll face these additional fees if you change, reschedule, or cancel your test:
Rescheduling your test – Rescheduling your GRE test costs $50. You must reschedule no later than 4 days before your test date or you will forfeit your registration fee.
Cancelling your test – You will receive a refund of 50% of the original test fee if you cancel your registration no later than 4 days before your test date. There are no refunds for other service fees or test prep materials.
Changing your test center – ETS charges $50 to change your test center or location.
Changing your Subject Test – Though most students are unlikely to change their GRE Subject Test, ETS offers this option for a $50 fee.
GRE scoring service fees
EST charges the following fees for services related to scoring your exam and reporting your scores:
On the test day, after viewing your scores for the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections, you can send your scores from your most recent GRE test or from all tests in the last 5 years to up to 4 recipients for free.
Viewing scores online or printing your official score report online is free. Scores are available 10 to 15 days after your test date.
Additional Score Reports (ASR) cost $35 per recipient. ETS will send your scores to your designated institution approximately 5 days after you place your order. Scores are reportable for 5 years after your test date.
Score Reinstatement costs $50. After taking the GRE General Test, you can view or cancel your score. Once viewed, you cannot request score cancellation. If you're confident you scored poorly, you can choose to cancel your score. You can reinstate a cancelled score within 60 days of testing.
Score review for the Analytical Writing section costs $60. If your score for this section of the GRE was lower than you expected, you can pay for an optional second review of your work.
Cost for GRE study & test prep materials
GRE prep courses cost $200 to $1,000 on average, depending on the course format and length, number of practice tests included, and whether the program is self-paced or includes live sessions.
EST offers three official GRE test prep guides with practice questions for $20 to $40 each or $72 for the three-book bundle.
GRE Fee Reduction Program
ETS offers a Fee Reduction Program for individuals who demonstrate financial need. A limited number of Fee Reduction Vouchers are available on a first-come, first-served basis. These vouchers are for one GRE General Test or GRE Subject Test.
| GRE test type | Reduced fee |
|---|---|
| GRE General Test with fee reduction voucher | $100 |
| GRE Subject Test with fee reduction voucher | $75 |
Individuals who receive a Fee Reduction Voucher also get free access to GRE test prep materials valued at $100, including POWERPREP PLUS® Online Practice Tests 1 and 2 and ScoreItNow!™ Online Writing Practice.
Who is eligible for a GRE Fee Reduction Voucher?
To be eligible for a Fee Reduction Voucher, individuals must meet the following requirements:
College seniors must be:
Receiving financial aid through an undergraduate college, and
A dependent with a FAFSA Student Aid Report showing a parental contribution of not more than $2,700 for the senior year, or
Self-supporting, with a FAFSA Student Aid Report that shows a contribution of not more than $3,200 for the senior year
Unenrolled college graduates must have applied for financial aid and have a FAFSA Student Aid Report that shows a self-supporting status and a contribution of not more than $3,200.
Unemployed individuals must have become unemployed within the past 6 months and must submit a copy of their Unemployment Benefits Statement from the past 90 days as proof.
What is the GRE?
The Graduate Record Exam, or GRE, is a graduate school entrance exam accepted by thousands of schools around the world. The exam is a multiple-choice, standardized test designed to measure an applicant's preparedness for graduate-level academic studies.
Many colleges and universities require the GRE for admission to graduate programs, MBA programs, or law school.
What is on the GRE?
The GRE General Test includes sections measuring verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing and critical thinking skills:
Verbal reasoning:
Analyze sentences and entire passages of text and understand their meaning individually and in context with the whole.
Understand the structure of a text, select important points, and summarize the text.
Analyze and draw conclusions from a text.
Understand multiple levels of meaning, including literal, figurative, and authorial intent.
Quantitative reasoning:
Analyze, interpret, and understand data.
Solve mathematical problems..
Apply basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis
Analytical writing and critical thinking:
Clearly and effectively communicate complex ideas.
Support your ideas with relevant examples and logical reasoning.
Use standard written English correctly.
The test features two verbal reasoning sections and two quantitative reasoning sections. The GRE uses adaptive testing, and your performance on the first section determines the difficulty level of the questions in the second section. The scoring process takes into account the difficulty of the sections.
GRE Subject Tests measure a person's knowledge and skill in psychology, physics, or mathematics. Subject tests are designed to evaluate students who already have an undergraduate degree in their field.
How do I register for the GRE?
To register for the GRE, create an account at ETS.org for online registration or call 1-866-473-4373 to register by phone. You must register at least 2 days before your preferred test date.
How can I pay for the GRE?
You can pay the GRE registration fee with a credit or debit card, PayPal, or an authorization voucher. The test administrator (ETS) doesn't accept checks, money orders, or cash payments.
How long does the GRE take?
The GRE General Test takes 1 hour and 58 minutes total and features five sections, each ranging from 18 to 30 minutes. There are no breaks between sections.
| Test section | Allotted time |
|---|---|
| Analytical Writing | 30 minutes |
| Verbal Reasoning (Section 1) | 18 minutes |
| Verbal Reasoning (Section 2) | 23 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning (Section 1) | 21 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning (Section 2) | 26 minutes |
| Total GRE test time | 1 hour and 58 minutes |
GRE Subject Tests take 2 hours for the Physics Test or Psychology Test and 2 hours and 50 minutes for the Mathematics Test.
How does the at-home GRE test work?
The at-home GRE test is identical to the test administered at test centers so that you can take the test on your own computer at home, at a library, or in another secure location. At-home testing is available 24/7.
To ensure fair and secure administration of the test, human proctors monitor all at-home GRE tests through ProctorU®.
Check-in – During the check-in process, the proctor will require you to use a handheld mirror or cellphone to show your computer screen. You'll also need to use your computer's camera to show a 360-degree view of the room, including your desk or tabletop surface.
Testing – ProctorU® will record the entire test session, and the human proctor will monitor you via your video camera and computer screen to ensure you follow the testing rules and procedures.
Can you retake the GRE?
You can retake the GRE General Test once every 21 days, for a maximum of 5 times in any rolling 365-day period. You can take a GRE Subject Test once every 14 days.
The majority of people who retake the GRE score higher on their second attempt. However, you should only retake the test if your first score was not high enough to meet the scoring requirements for your preferred graduate school program.
Retaking the GRE costs an additional $220 per attempt. When registering to retake the test, commit to additional studying or hire a GRE tutor to help you improve your next score.
What is a good GRE score?
A good GRE score depends on which school you're applying to and how competitive the program is. GRE scores range from 130 to 170 for the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections and from 0 to 6 in half-point increments for the analytical writing section.
The table below shows the good, competitive, and best GRE scores:
| Test section | Good score (top 50%) |
Competitive score (top 25%) |
Best score (top 10%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 152 – 157 | 158 – 162 | 163 – 170 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 153 – 158 | 159 – 164 | 165 – 170 |
| Analytical Writing | 4.0 – 4.4 | 4.5 – 4.9 | 5.0 – 6.0 |
Ask your prospective graduate program if there is a minimum GRE score for applicants.
Do GRE test scores expire?
GRE scores are valid for 5 years after your test date. You'll need to print out a copy of the test score to keep a record of it because the ETS system will delete your old scores after 5 years.
Finding the best GRE tutor
Preparing for the GRE with a tutor can help you achieve a higher score and eliminate the need to take the test again. Follow these tips to find a reputable GRE tutor near you:
Look for tutors with experience helping students prep for the GRE. If you plan to take a GRE Subject Test, confirm the tutor has experience with that subject and exam.
Read GRE tutor reviews on Tutors.com and Google.
Ask for references with contact information.
Confirm their tutoring experience and educational background.
Ask if they'll offer a trial session to see how well you work together.
Questions to ask GRE tutors
Ask these important questions when hiring a GRE tutor:
How much experience do you have with tutoring students for the GRE?
Have you taken the GRE tests yourself, and if so, how long ago?
Did you help students improve their GRE scores when they retook the test?
What is your teaching approach?
How much is your hourly rate?
Do you offer packages or discounts?
How often should we meet?
How many sessions will it take to prep for the GRE?
Which study materials do you recommend?
Do your prices include practice exams?
Can you provide references?
Using our proprietary cost database, in-depth research, and collaboration with industry experts, we deliver accurate, up-to-date pricing and insights you can trust, every time.