GRE Registration Process

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test is a standardized examination for applicants seeking admission to graduate schools or business schools in fields other than law, pharmacy, and medicine. Foreign graduate students applying to study in USA may be required to take the GRE test.

The GRE general test is created and administered by Educational Testing Service (ETS). It is a computerized test offered during the last 3 weeks of each calendar month of the year. The test measures students on verbal skills, quantitative skills (mathematics), critical thinking, and analytical writing skills they have acquired during their formative years of academic studies but not related to any specific field of study.

GRE Registration

Planning to give the GRE test? Read about the GRE registration process, fees and the different ways of registration here. You can register for the Computer-Delivered & Paper-Delivered GRE General Test in the following ways.

A. Register Online

• Create a My GRE Account. The name you use when you create your My GRE Account must exactly match your identification documents because it will also be used when you register for a GRE test.
• Pay the fee via credit card or debit card (American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, or VISA) or voucher numbers. E-Check (drawn against US bank accounts only) facility is also available for those who register for Paper-Delivered test.

If you choose the online GRE registration option, consider the following important points.

• Online registration is not available for test takers with disabilities or health-related needs.
• Online registration for paper-delivered test is not available to examinees testing in Nigeria.
• For testing in Nigeria, payment is accepted only via VISA, PayPal, and voucher numbers (for computer-delivered test).
• If you are taking the test in Mainland China, refer to the instructions in your NEEA account for payment methods (for computer-delivered test).
• For testing in Hong Kong, Taiwan, or Korea, additional accepted forms of payment include: E-Check (drawn against US bank accounts only) and PayPal (for computer-delivered test).

B. Register by Phone

• Call the test center or Prometric Services at 1-443-751-4820 or 1-800-GRE-CALL (1-800-473-2255) on weekdays between 8am and 8pm.
• Pay the fee via credit/debit card or a voucher number.

When you call, a confirmation number, reporting time and test center address will be given to you.

If you choose to register by phone, consider the following points.

• If you register to test outside the US, call at least two business days before your preferred test date.
• Phone registration is not available to examinees testing in Nigeria.
• Phone registration facility is also not available for paper-delivered test.

C. Register by Postal Mail

• Download, complete and mail the Authorization Voucher Request Form (PDF) to the address printed on the form, allowing up to three and four weeks for processing and mail delivery for computer-delivered and paper-delivered tests. If you register to test outside the US for a computer-delivered test, mail the International Test Scheduling Form (PDF) to the appropriate RRC. The form must be received at least three weeks before your earliest test date choice.
• Mail the appropriate payment.
• Make the payment via credit/debit card or voucher number. For paper-delivered tests, payment via certified check, money order, or voucher numbers are preferred.
• After you receive your voucher, call the test center or Prometric Services at 1-443-751-4820 or 1-800-473-2255 to schedule an appointment. (For computer-delivered test).
• Make an appointment to test prior to the expiration date on the voucher. (For computer-delivered test).
• If you lose your voucher, contact ETS. Only one replacement will be issued. (For computer-delivered test).

If you choose to register by mail, consider the following points.

• American Express, Discover, JCB, and MasterCard are NOT accepted for testing in Nigeria; only VISA is accepted. (For computer-delivered test).
• Mail registration is not available for test takers in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Korea. (For computer-delivered test).

D. Register by Fax

This option is available for those who register to test outside the US. (For computer-delivered test).

• Fax the International Test Scheduling Form (PDF) to the appropriate RRC. The form must be received at least seven days before your first-choice test date.
• Make the payment via credit/debit card or voucher number.
• A confirmation number, reporting time, and the test center address will be emailed, faxed, or mailed to you.
• You will be assigned a test date, time, and location based on the information you provide on the form.

If you are registering via fax, consider the following points.

• If your assigned test date does not meet your needs, call the appropriate RRC within 24 hours of receipt of your registration confirmation.
• If you do not receive a confirmation of your appointment, call the appropriate RRC at least three business days before your earliest test date choice. Otherwise, your test fee will not be refunded.
• Fax registration is not available for test takers in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea, and Nigeria.

GRE Registration Fees

General Test Fees: Computer-Based and Paper-Based Testing

GRE Search Service Registration

The GRE Search Service is a free opportunity that matches prospective graduate students with participating graduate schools and fellowship sponsors. If you match the recruitment profile of a participating institution or organization, you may be sent information about graduate programs, admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, fellowships, and other graduate education opportunities.

You will automatically be included in the GRE Search Service when you register for a GRE test unless you indicate otherwise. Anyone considering graduate study may also register for the GRE Search Service. To register for the GRE Search Service only, use the online GRE registration form.

Repeating the General Test

It may be to your advantage to take the GRE General Test more than once if you think that the scores you obtained do not reflect your true abilities. If your scores seem unusually low in comparison with other indicators of your preparedness for graduate studies, you may want to consider taking the test again. Those considering repeating a test should be aware that large score increases are unusual, and for some test takers scores will go down. Keep in mind that score reports will include test results obtained within the past five-year period.

You may take the General Test (computer-based and/or paper-based) only once per calendar month and no more than 5 times within any 12-month period. This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously.

In addition to the GRE General Test, foreign students applying to graduate school in USA may be required to register for GRE Subject Tests.