Record Examination: General Test
Acronym | GRE
Type | Computer-based or paper-based standardized test
Developer / administrator | Educational Testing Service
Knowledge / skills tested | Analytical writing, quantitative reasoning and verbal reasoning.
Purpose | Admissions to master's and doctoral degree programs in various universities
Year started | 1936; 83 years ago (1936)
Duration | About 3 hours and 45 minutes (includes 1-minute breaks after each section and a 10-minute break after third section)
Score / grade range | Analytical writing: 0.0 to 6.0 (in 0.5-point increments), Verbal reasoning: 130 to 170 (in 1-point increments), Quantitative reasoning: 130 to 170 (in 1-point increments).
Score / grade validity | 5 years
Offered | Computer-based test: Multiple times a year (depends on availability of the test center) Paper-based test: Up to 3 times a year in October, November and February
Restrictions on attempts | Computer-based test: Can be taken only once after 21 days from the day of exam in every year. Maximum of 5 times a year. (Applies even if candidate cancels scores on a test taken previously.) Paper-based test: Can be taken as often as it is offered.
Countries / regions | About 1,000 test centers in more than 160 countries (Paper-based test offered only in areas where computer-based testing is not available.)
Languages | English
Annual number of test takers | 584,677 (2016)
Prerequisites / eligibility criteria | No official prerequisite. Intended for bachelor's degree graduates and undergraduate students who are about to graduate. Fluency in English assumed.
Fee | US$ 205 (Limited offers of "Fee Reduction Program" for U.S. citizens or resident aliens who demonstrate financial need, and for national programs in United States that work with underrepresented groups.)
Scores / grades used by | Most graduate schools in USA, and few in other countries
Website | www.ets.org/gre