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, some make it optional, and some do not consider it at all.

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?

Programmes review their GRE policies, so a requirement you read about for an earlier cycle may no longer apply — in either direction. A programme that set the GRE aside usually explains its current position on its own admissions page.

Some programmes — for example in certain STEM, quantitative social science, and business fields — require or recommend 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. Business schools that accept the GRE as an alternative to the GMAT are common; law school (JD) programmes use the LSAT, which all ABA-approved law schools accept, and some also accept the GRE; medical school (MD) programmes use the MCAT; STEM PhD policies vary; professional master's programmes in management, public policy, and related fields vary widely; and ETS now offers GRE Subject Tests only in Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology. 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): many programmes accept the GMAT or the GRE; check each
• Law (JD): the LSAT is accepted by all ABA-approved law schools; some also accept the GRE
• Medicine (MD): most US medical schools require the MCAT; the GRE is not used
• STEM PhD: policies vary — required, optional, or not used
• Humanities/social-sciences PhD: policies vary; GRE Subject Tests are now offered only in Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology — 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.