GRE exam fees and cost (2026)
The GRE General Test costs about US$220 in most countries as of 2026, according to ETS, but the exact price varies by country and currency and is higher in some places. This guide covers what you actually pay, the extra fees that catch people out, and how to pay less if you qualify. Fees change, so always confirm the current price for your country on ets.org before you register.
What the GRE costs
As of 2026, per ETS, the GRE General Test fee is about US$220 in most countries. That single fee covers the test itself and the four score reports you can send for free on test day, which we come back to below.
The important caveat is that this number varies by country and currency. ETS sets a different price in several locations, and the fee is higher in some of them: for example, test takers in countries such as Australia, China, Nigeria, and Turkey have historically paid more than the standard figure. Currency movements and local taxes can shift the amount you see at checkout too, so the dollar figure above is best treated as a rough anchor rather than an exact quote.
Because of that, do not budget from a number you read on a third-party page, including this one. The only reliable price is the one ETS shows for your country when you register. Confirm your current fee on ets.org before you commit.
Extra costs beyond the test fee
The headline fee is rarely the whole story. A handful of optional services cost extra, and they add up if you are not expecting them. As of 2026, per ETS, the common ones look roughly like this. All amounts are approximate and vary by country, so treat them as a guide and check the current figures on ets.org.
| Service | Approximate fee |
|---|---|
| Additional score report (beyond the 4 free on test day) | about US$35 each |
| Rescheduling your test | about US$50 |
| Changing your test center | about US$50 |
| GRE Subject Test | separate fee, set by ETS |
A few notes. You get four free score reports sent on test day; each report after that runs about US$35. Rescheduling and changing your test center each cost around US$50, so it pays to lock in your date and location before you book. The GRE Subject Tests are a different exam from the General Test and carry their own separate fee, so do not assume the General Test price covers them.
Fee reductions and how to pay less
If the cost is a barrier, there is a legitimate way to bring it down. The ETS Fee Reduction Program gives eligible test takers 50% off the General Test fee. According to ETS, it is aimed at US citizens and resident aliens with demonstrated financial need, and at some others, for example people who are unemployed or enrolled in certain national programs.
In broad terms, the financial-need route is for people receiving aid through a US undergraduate college, or who can document low income; the unemployment route is for people receiving unemployment compensation who can show recent proof. You apply through ETS using its fee reduction request form and the supporting documents it asks for, before you register for the test. Exact eligibility rules and the discount can change between cycles, so confirm the current terms on ets.org.
A program reducing your test fee is different from a program dropping its GRE requirement, and the word "waiver" gets used for both. Our GRE waiver guide breaks down the fee reduction and the requirement waiver side by side, with who qualifies for each and how to request one.
How to make sure you do not waste the fee
A couple of hundred dollars is real money, so the goal is to sit the real test once, ready, rather than paying again for a retake you could have avoided. The single most useful thing you can do before you book is take a free full-length practice test under timed conditions, so test day holds no surprises.
Sit a free, no-signup full-length GRE mock test to see where you actually stand, then run our GRE readiness check to decide whether you are ready to register or whether a few more weeks of practice would protect your fee. It is also worth confirming whether you even need the score: our is the GRE required guide can save you the fee entirely if your programs do not ask for it.
Scores last 5 years, so the fee is amortized
One thing that softens the cost: GRE scores are valid for 5 years from your test date, according to ETS. A single sitting can therefore cover several application cycles, so the fee is spread across every program you apply to in that window rather than spent on one application.
That changes the maths. If you are likely to apply over more than one cycle, or to several programs, a well-prepared test you only take once is a reasonable cost rather than a recurring one. As always, confirm the current fee and the current validity period for your country on ets.org before you plan around them.