Do You Need the GRE for Grad School?

GRE requirements are set by each programme, not the university

There is no US-wide rule about whether graduate programmes require the GRE. Each department or programme sets its own policy, which means two master's or PhD programmes at the same university can have completely different requirements. Some programmes require the GRE as a hard requirement; many have made it optional in recent years; and a number have removed it from their requirements entirely.

Because of this, you must check the official admissions page of each specific programme you are considering. Assuming that a university's general policy applies to your programme is a common mistake. The policy can also change from one admissions cycle to the next, so verify it for the cycle you are applying in, not based on what a programme required two or three years ago.

What happened to GRE requirements?

The shift toward GRE-optional policies at many US graduate programmes accelerated considerably in the early 2020s. A number of institutions that made the GRE optional as a temporary measure during that period have not reinstated a hard requirement. Studies and discussions within graduate education circles have questioned how predictive GRE scores are of doctoral success, particularly across different applicant backgrounds. This has contributed to a broader, ongoing re-evaluation of the GRE's role.

That said, many programmes — particularly in certain STEM, quantitative social science, and some business fields — continue to value or require GRE scores. The picture is genuinely mixed, and generalisations in either direction can mislead. The only reliable method is checking each programme's current official position.

What does "GRE optional" actually mean?

When a programme says the GRE is optional, it means you can submit a complete application without a GRE score and your application will be reviewed. It does not necessarily mean scores are irrelevant if submitted. In some programmes, a strong score can reinforce an application from a student whose undergraduate GPA is lower or whose academic background is less traditional. In others, the admissions committee genuinely does not weight it either way.

If you are uncertain whether submitting an optional score would help your specific application, consider reading the department's own FAQs or emailing the graduate admissions office to ask directly.

Fields where the GRE is more vs less commonly required

This is a general observation only — always verify per programme. As of recent cycles, business schools that use the GRE as an alternative to the GMAT are common; law school (JD) and medical school (MD) programmes use the LSAT and MCAT respectively, not the GRE; many pure STEM PhD programmes have moved to optional; professional master's programmes in management, public policy, and related fields vary widely; and humanities PhD programmes historically required field-specific GRE subject tests, but ETS discontinued the Literature and History subject tests (2021 and 2000 respectively); only Psychology, Mathematics, and Physics subject tests remain. Check each programme's current official admissions page.

ETS (the body that administers the GRE) provides a programme search tool that can give you a starting point, but always cross-check against the programme's official page, because not all programmes keep external databases updated.

• Business (MBA): GMAT or GRE accepted at most programmes; check each
• Law (JD): LSAT is the standard test; GRE now accepted at some schools
• Medicine (MD): MCAT is required; GRE is not used
• STEM PhD: many now optional or waived; some still require
• Humanities/social-sciences PhD: mixed; most subject-specific GRE tests discontinued (Literature 2021, History 2000) — check each programme's current page
• Professional MS programmes: varies; check each programme's current page

Deciding whether to take the GRE

If every programme on your list has fully waived the GRE, preparing for and sitting the test is unlikely to be the most productive use of your preparation time. If the programmes you are targeting still list the GRE as required or if you expect it to strengthen your application as an optional submission, factor in the preparation time and the official test fees (verify current fees on the ETS website).

This page provides general guidance on the landscape. For the current specific requirement, use the admissions page of each programme. This is not an ETS or admissions office publication, and requirements change every cycle.