GRE Exam Eligibility: Who is Eligible for GRE Exam

GRE, Graduate Record Examinations is an internationally accepted standardized examination that is designed to measure overall academic readiness in students for graduate schools. Applicants seeking admission in master’s, doctoral degrees, or MBA programs across various universities worldwide can assess their readiness in various academic fields. The duration of the GRE examination is about 3 hours and 45 minutes. Offered as both paper-based and computer-based exams as per the convenience of the applicants, GRE scores are an important selection factor along with degree and academic scores for granting admission.

Conducted and managed by the Education Testing System (ETS), the GRE examination, according to ETS, aims to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills of the applicants acquired over a long period of learning. Offered as a computer-based exam, the GRE General Test is administered at various testing centers. GRE Subject Tests are designed to test the knowledge in the specific areas of Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology. A high score on the GRE will positively impact your application to graduate or business school. So, look at everything starting from guidelines, GRE exam eligibility, and important takeaways of the GRE examination before you start preparing for it. 

Eligibility criteria for GRE entrance examination

Age criteria

ETS, the conducting body of the GRE examination has not set any official age criteria or prerequisite for test-takers. There is no upper age limit set for candidates wanting to appear for their GRE test. The GRE examination is intended for applicants that are graduates or undergraduate students who are about to graduate. The test is taken for taking admission to master’s, MBA, and doctoral degrees. It is not meant for high school or school-level graduates. The level of difficulty is set as per the standards of graduate students, so the ideal applicants are usually the graduates. A good percentage of GRE applicants are above 30 years of age. 

Education qualification

ETS has not announced any official statement regarding the qualification required to appear for the GRE Exam. However, candidates are expected to have a graduate degree in any discipline from a recognized university. There is no official educational requirement. Since the test is meant for evaluating the readiness of graduate students to take admission to postgraduate programs, the ideal academic degree would be a full-time recognized graduate degree. 

Grades and scores

There is no official eligibility for the GRE entrance exam in terms of previous academic scores and grades. There are no minimum cut-off marks. However, this should not be confused with the academic score requirement to get admission to universities and colleges. To take the GRE examination, you don’t need any minimum or maximum score in graduation or high-level school examination. 

Language

Fluency in English is important. The test takers must be proficient in English speaking and writing skills. To take admission in master’s programs and degrees in reputed Universities of English-speaking countries, applicants must be fluent in English. 

Work experience

There are no official eligibility criteria in terms of work experience. For GRE, work experience will not have any relevance. Applicants can be fresher or industry experts, which will not matter anyway in the GRE examination. 

Documentation

The applicants appearing for the GRE examination need to provide a valid passport. If they don’t have a passport, they need to produce a National Photo ID proof or Military Identification Card.

Conclusion

GRE scores are used and accepted by top-ranked Universities in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Europe. It is an ideal entrance examination to prove the overall academic readiness of undergraduate and graduate students. GRE is an important factor in the selection process. To know more about eligibility and guidelines about GRE, consult with the academic counselors of upGrad Abroad.

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