To get admitted to an institute abroad, there are some tests you can take:
- TOEFL, IELTS, PTE
- GRE
- GMAT
- SAT
- MCAT, and LSAT
GRE is one of them. It is an English language proficiency test taken by students who want to do business-related courses in top business institutes.
It is the test many top business institutes add to their priority list. It means you can only start your application process without GMAT or GRE. Many universities won’t accept your application without GRE or GMAT results. You must know GMAT vs GRE, which is better to take.
So, it is the question of most test takers, “what is GRE exam eligibility?” Because before taking the exam, they want to know whether they are eligible to take it.
Let us discuss what GRE is before discussing GRE exam eligibility.
What is GRE?
The GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) test is created and conducted by ETS (Educational Testing Service).
This is a standard examination that tests a student’s general academic ability for graduate study.
GRE is the most taken test by students to enroll in any business institute in an English-speaking nation.
For students who want to take MS or Graduate courses related to business abroad, the GRE is one of the most popular graduate admissions exams.
There are mainly two types of GRE, and the GRE exam eligibility for both tests is the same.
- GRE General test
- GRE Subject test
GRE General test
This test tells about students’ reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills, which helps selection committees get a more detailed understanding of their skills.
GRE Subject test
This is an academic test that tests a student’s level of knowledge in a particular area of study. This test is created for students who have a strong base in one of the given fields of the subject from their undergraduate studies:
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology
GRE Exam Eligibility 2023
The GRE exam eligibility criteria depend upon the 6 factors discussed below:
Age Criteria
No age criteria or conditions have been set for test takers by ETS (Educational Testing Service).
There is no maximum age set for students who want to take the GRE. Students who have recently graduated from college or are about to graduate can take the GRE. To be admitted to master’s, MBA, and doctorate programs, students take the test.
It’s not only for recent high school or college graduates. The difficulty level is chosen according to the graduate student.
Education qualification
There is no official statement from the ETS side about the educational qualification for taking the GRE exam.
But the test takers are expected to own a graduate degree in any stream from a known and recognized university. As the test is to check whether the student is ready to take admitted to any postgraduate course or not.
So you can say that the GRE exam eligibility in education qualification is a full-time graduate degree from a recognized university.
Grades and scores
Regarding previous academic scores and grades, the ETS has set no requirements. There is no required minimum score to take the exam.
This is different from the requirements by the colleges and universities for enrollment. There is no minimum or maximum score required on high school exams or graduation exams to take the GRE.
Students who do not pass their exams with flying colors also can take the GRE exam. But the college or university you are applying to can ask for your score in high school or graduation. Universities or colleges have set a minimum required score in academics to apply.
Language
You must have a good command of English to take the GRE exam. Because the exam is to test your English language proficiency for taking admission in any business-related course at top universities all around the world.
So to get admitted to top reputed colleges or universities in an English-speaking nation, you must be fluent in the English language. So there is no GRE exam eligibility in the language for taking the exam. But it is necessary to have a good command of the English language to score well in exams.
Work experience
There is no GRE exam eligibility criteria in work experience for students to take the exam. Even a fresher can take the GRE exam. But to take admitted to a reputed college or university, you must have work experience.
Most universities have added this to their requirement list to have work experience to start your application. Without work experience, they won’t consider your application.
So for taking an exam, there is no work experience required. Still, to enroll in a top university after getting a good GRE score, you must have a work experience with a graduate degree from a recognized university.
Documentation
As per the ETS (Educational Testing Service), to take the GRE exam, the student must have a valid passport. Because students need a passport to fill the exam.
When appearing for the exam, the invigilator may ask you to show your ID, so at that time, you must show your original passport to the invigilator.
You must bring your original passport with you on the exam day. Without a passport, you won’t be able to sit in the exam.
So it is advised to you that you must bring your passport with you on the exam day and keep that close to you.
GRE Exam Syllabus
According to the ETS, the GRE exam syllabus 2022 covers the three sections of the exam.
- Verbal Reasoning
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Analytical Writing
GRE Exam Pattern
GRE exam pattern is shown in the table below:
GRE Section Name | Number of Questions | Duration |
GRE verbal reasoning | 40 (2 sections 20 questions in every section) | 60 minutes (30 minutes for 1 section) |
GRE quantitative reasoning | 2 (one Analyze an Issue & second Analyze an Argument task) | 70 minutes (35 minutes for 1 section) |
GRE analytical writing assessment | 40 (2 sections 20 questions in every section) | 60 minutes (30 minutes for 1 task) |
Total | 82 questions | 190 minutes |
Conclusion
In this blog, we have discussed the GRE exam eligibility for the test takers.
We have discussed 6 different factors considered while giving the GRE exam, that is, age criteria, educational qualification, grades and scores, language, work experience, and documentation.
After that, we discussed what GRE exam syllabus and GRE exam pattern.
We hope we have cleared your queries about GRE exam eligibility, and for more content like this, keep visiting Course Mentor regularly.
FAQs
Is the GRE exam tough?
Yes, GRE is considered the toughest entrance exam for college graduates when compared to the SAT and ACT test.
Who is eligible for the GRE exam?
Anyone can take the GRE exam, but students who want to enroll in master’s courses are required to take the GRE exam.