The GRE and PhD Applications: When You Still Need It

The GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) General Test used to be a standard part of a PhD application in the United States. That has changed. Many PhD programs now waive the GRE, or do not look at it at all. But the rule is not the same everywhere. Each university, and often each department inside that university, sets its own policy.

This guide explains how GRE policy works today, how to check the current rule for your target program, and what to do if a program still asks for a score.

Why GRE policy is confusing

There is no single, nationwide rule on the GRE for PhD admissions. Each graduate school, and often each department, decides on its own. A university can require the GRE in one department and waive it in another, in the same admissions cycle.

Policies also change every year. A department that waived the GRE for one cycle can bring it back, or drop it for good, the following year. This guide does not list a single global answer, because there is not one. Instead, it shows you where to look and what to look for.

What "waived," "optional" and "required" mean

Official department pages use different words for their GRE policy. Read the exact wording before you decide:

Required: You must submit a GRE score with your application. Without it, your application is incomplete.
Waived, for a specific cycle: The department does not ask for a GRE score for that application round. Some pages state that a submitted score will not be considered at all.
Optional: You can submit a score if you have one, but it is not required. Some departments still read an optional score if you submit it.
Permanently dropped: The department has removed the GRE from its admission requirements for all future cycles, not just one year.

Tip: A "waived" policy is often set one cycle at a time. Do not assume last year's waiver still applies. Check the page for the specific admission cycle you are applying to.

How this looks in practice

Policies vary by field and by department, even inside the same country. Some examples from official department pages, checked for the 2026-2027 and Fall 2027 cycles:

Institution and department	Current policy
Stony Brook University, Mathematics PhD	GRE not required; scores will not be considered, for the Fall 2027 cycle
Arizona State University, Physics PhD	GRE General and Physics Subject Test no longer required, for any cycle
Wake Forest University, Physics PhD/MS	GRE General and Subject tests optional, for the 2026-27 cycle
Georgetown University, Physics PhD	GRE General and Physics Subject Test waived for the 2026-2027 cycle; absence will not count against an applicant

These examples show how much policy can vary, even within one field such as physics. Do not assume a policy from one university also applies to a different university, or even to a different department at the same university.

How to check the rule for your program

Go to the official admissions page of the specific department or PhD program, not a general university page.
Search the page for the word "GRE." Read the exact sentence, since "optional" and "waived" are not the same as "not considered."
Check which admission cycle the page is talking about ("Fall 2027," for example). A page can describe last year's cycle by mistake if it was not updated.
If the page does not mention the GRE at all, contact the admissions office or the graduate program coordinator directly, and ask in writing.
If you already have a GRE score and the program marks it "optional," decide if a strong score helps your file, or if you would rather apply without it.
Keep a record of what each program's page said, and when you checked it. Policies can change again before the deadline.

If you still need to take the GRE

If your target program requires the GRE, plan for the test early:

Register for the test well before your application deadline, since test dates fill up.
Check the registration fee and accepted test centers on the test owner's official site.
If the program needs your score sent directly, use the department or institution code that the program's admissions page gives you.
Ask the admissions office how long it takes for a score to reach them after your test date, and build in extra time.

For the exact test format, fees, score scales and test dates, check the test owner's own site directly, since these details change and this guide does not list them.

Common mistakes

Assuming a GRE waiver from last cycle still applies this cycle.
Reading a university-wide graduate school page instead of your specific department's page.
Submitting a GRE score to a program that said it will not be considered.
Leaving GRE registration until close to the application deadline.
Not checking whether a required English test, such as IELTS or TOEFL, is separate from the GRE requirement. See our guide on English language tests for PhD applications for that separate requirement.

Where to find open positions

Many funded PhD positions outside the US, for example in Europe or at US PhD programs, do not ask for a GRE score at all, since the GRE is mainly used by US graduate schools. Check our country guides, such as PhD positions in Germany or PhD positions in the Netherlands, for programs with no GRE requirement.