GRE or GMAT for a Master's Degree? How the Two Tests Compare on Structure, Timing, Scores and Fees, Which Programs Require Them, and Notes for Domestic and International Applicants

When you apply for master's programs in the US and Canada, you will often meet two tests: the GRE and the GMAT. The first step is not choosing a test but finding out whether your programs require one and which they accept: many graduate schools do not require either and leave it to each program. Using official information from ETS (which runs the GRE) and GMAC (which runs the GMAT), this guide sets out the structure, timing, scores, fees and score-sending rules of both tests, with examples of what several universities require. For overall timing, see our application timeline.

1. The GRE General Test

• Format and timing: computer-delivered. Since September 22, 2023 the overall test time is about 1 hour and 58 minutes, in five sections (GRE test structure).
• Sections: Analytical Writing, one section of 30 minutes, always first; Verbal Reasoning, two sections of 12 questions in 18 minutes and 15 questions in 23 minutes; Quantitative Reasoning, two sections of 12 questions in 21 minutes and 15 questions in 26 minutes. Verbal and Quantitative sections may appear in any order after Analytical Writing.
• Scoring: Verbal and Quantitative scores are based on the number of correct answers and are section-level adaptive: the computer selects your second section based on your performance on the first. Analytical Writing is scored on a 6-point holistic scale (understanding GRE scores).
• Fees (US dollars, effective August 1, 2026): China $237.86, all other areas of the world $249; rescheduling China $55.43, other areas $55 (GRE fees).
• Sending scores: on test day you can designate up to four graduate institutions or fellowship sponsors as part of your test fee; Additional Score Reports cost $40 each. Scores are valid for 5 years, and the ScoreSelect option lets you decide which test administrations to send (sending GRE scores).
• Other: ETS offers both at-home and test-center testing; scores are available in your ETS account 8–10 days after your test date.

2. The GMAT Exam

• Name: GMAC states that it moved back to the "GMAT Exam" name from July 1, 2024, after using "GMAT Focus Edition" (GMAT naming).
• Format and timing: 2 hours and 15 minutes, 3 sections, 64 questions and no writing assessment. Quantitative Reasoning 45 minutes, 21 questions; Verbal Reasoning 45 minutes, 23 questions; Data Insights 45 minutes, 20 questions (GMAT exam overview).
• Scores: total score 205–805; each section 60–90 (GMAT scores).
• Fees, score validity and retake limits: not stated on the GMAC pages read for this guide; check the official registration pages before you book.

	GRE	GMAT
Timing	About 1 hour and 58 minutes	2 hours and 15 minutes
Sections	Five: 1 Analytical Writing, 2 Verbal, 2 Quantitative	Three: Quantitative, Verbal, Data Insights; 64 questions
Writing	Yes, 30 minutes, 6-point scale	No
Scores	Score scale not stated on the pages read	Total 205–805; sections 60–90
Fee	China $237.86; other areas $249	Not stated on the pages read
Score validity	5 years	Not stated on the pages read

3. Do programs require it? What some universities say

• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign: the Graduate College states that the GRE and GMAT are not required by the Graduate College but may be required by your proposed program; check with the program (Illinois international applicants).
• University of Wisconsin–Madison: the Graduate School does not require the GRE; your program may or may not. The GRE institution code is 1846 (UW–Madison: apply).
• University of Toronto: the School of Graduate Studies states that some graduate units require the GRE (U of T graduate admission).
• UBC: the graduate school states that applicants to the MBA and MScB programs in the Faculty of Commerce and Business Administration must submit GMAT results, while applicants to the MScB in Transportation may submit the GRE or the GMAT (UBC: check your eligibility).

Requirements can differ between programs at the same university; the program page is what counts.

4. How to choose and plan

1. List programs first, then pick a test: check each program: does it require the GRE, the GMAT, accept either, or require neither? Only skip testing if none of your programs require it.
2. Work back from deadlines: GRE scores appear 8–10 days after the test, and you need time for a possible retake and for sending scores.
3. Use free score reports: on GRE test day you can name up to four institutions at no extra cost, and each one added later costs $40; look up programs and codes before the test.
4. Mind validity: GRE scores are valid for 5 years, so a score from your undergraduate years may still be usable if you apply after working for a few years, subject to each program's rules.

5. Notes for domestic and international applicants (including students in China)

• Domestic applicants: the key is to confirm each program's requirements; a graduate school that does not require a test does not mean the program does not.
• International applicants: besides the GRE or GMAT, most programs also require English test scores. For example, the Illinois Graduate College lists full-status minimums of TOEFL iBT 5.0 (for scores dated after January 20, 2026; 103 before) or IELTS Academic 7.5 (Illinois international applicants). Scores differ by university; check official pages.
• Students in China: ETS lists a separate fee for China ($237.86, rescheduling $55.43). The Illinois Graduate College lists a four-year bachelor's degree with a minimum B average or 80% for Chinese credentials (Illinois minimum requirements); other universities set their own rules on their international pages.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the GRE now, and how many sections does it have?

ETS states that since September 22, 2023 the GRE General Test takes about 1 hour and 58 minutes, in five sections: one Analytical Writing section of 30 minutes, two Verbal Reasoning sections (12 questions in 18 minutes, 15 questions in 23 minutes) and two Quantitative Reasoning sections (12 questions in 21 minutes, 15 questions in 26 minutes).

How long is the GMAT now, and how is it scored?

GMAC states that the GMAT Exam takes 2 hours and 15 minutes, with 3 sections and 64 questions and no writing assessment: Quantitative Reasoning 45 minutes and 21 questions, Verbal Reasoning 45 minutes and 23 questions, Data Insights 45 minutes and 20 questions. The total score range is 205–805, and each section is 60–90.

How much does the GRE cost in China, and how long are scores valid?

The ETS fees page (US dollars, effective August 1, 2026) lists $237.86 for China and $249 for all other areas, with a China rescheduling fee of $55.43. Scores are valid for 5 years; you can name up to four institutions free on test day, and each Additional Score Report costs $40.

Do I have to take the GRE or GMAT for a master's in the US or Canada?

Not necessarily; it depends on the program. The graduate schools of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Wisconsin–Madison do not require the GRE themselves, though programs may; the University of Toronto states that some graduate units require the GRE; and UBC's Commerce MBA and MScB require the GMAT.

References

GRE test structure; GRE fees; sending GRE scores; understanding GRE scores; GMAT exam overview; GMAT scores; GMAT naming; Illinois international applicants; Illinois minimum requirements; UW–Madison: apply; U of T graduate admission; UBC graduate admission. Pages read in November 2026; rules, fees and dates follow the latest official versions.