GRE requirements: who can take it, retake rules and what you need
The GRE has no academic eligibility rules: you need an ETS account, an accepted ID and the $249 fee. You can take the General Test once every 21 days, up to five times in any rolling 12-month period, at a test center or at home.
Sources: ETS pages on registration, fees and scores, checked October 11, 2026.
What you need
- An ETS account to register, schedule and see scores.
- An accepted ID matching your registration name exactly. See ETS’s ID requirements page for what counts in your country.
- Payment of $249, or $100 with a Fee Reduction Voucher.
- For at-home testing, a computer and room that meet ETS’s at-home requirements.
Common questions
Do I need a degree to take the GRE?
No. ETS sets no degree or age requirement; your graduate programs decide whether they want GRE scores.
Will schools see all my attempts?
Yes. ETS’s ScoreSelect option lets you choose which test dates to send, and schools don’t see scores you don’t send.
Are there any country restrictions?
ETS has paused GRE testing within Iran under a US Treasury rule; Iranian nationals can test elsewhere.
Official source & community discussion
ETS: register for the GRE (official) →
See related questions on Quora →