University of Notre Dame GRE requirements (2026)
GRE policy at Notre Dame is set program by program through the Graduate School and the professional schools, so it varies widely. The Mendoza MBA accepts the GMAT, GMAT Focus Edition, or GRE, while many Arts & Letters and Engineering graduate programs have made the GRE optional or removed it.
About University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame is a private research university founded in 1842. Its graduate education is administered through the Graduate School and a set of professional and specialised schools, including the Mendoza College of Business, the Keough School of Global Affairs, the College of Engineering, and the College of Arts and Letters.
GRE requirement by program
University of Notre Dame sets its GRE policy by program, so there is rarely a single university-wide answer. Below is each program we have checked, with its status, a link to the program's own admissions page, and the date we last confirmed it.
| Program | Status | Official source | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
Graduate School (PhD and Masters) PhD and Masters | Varies by program The Graduate School at Notre Dame does not set a single GRE policy. Each PhD and master's program decides whether GRE scores are required, optional, or not considered. Many programs moved to test-optional after 2020. Check the specific program's page. | graduateschool.nd.edu | Jun 2026 |
Mendoza College of Business (MBA, Specialised Master's) MBA and Masters | Optional The Mendoza MBA admissions page typically accepts the GMAT, GMAT Focus Edition, or the GRE, with test-waivers available for qualifying applicants. Specialised master's programs have varying test requirements; confirm on each program's page. | mendoza.nd.edu | Jun 2026 |
College of Engineering (graduate programs) MS and PhD | Unconfirmed for 2026 GRE policy at Engineering is set per department (Aerospace, Chemical, Civil, Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical). Most engineering PhDs nationally moved to optional or removed the GRE in recent cycles. Confirm the current cycle on the department's own page. | engineering.nd.edu | Jun 2026 |
College of Arts and Letters (PhD and Masters) PhD and Masters | Unconfirmed for 2026 Across humanities and social-sciences programs at Arts and Letters, the GRE has been made optional or removed by many programs since 2020. Status for the current cycle should be confirmed on each program's own page. | al.nd.edu | Jun 2026 |
Keough School of Global Affairs (MGA, MPA) Masters | Optional The Keough School Master of Global Affairs and similar master's programs have typically treated the GRE as optional in recent cycles. Confirm on the school's admissions page. | keough.nd.edu | Jun 2026 |
Each status was read from the program's own admissions page (last checked 29 06 2026). Policies change between cycles; always confirm on the linked official page before you apply.
Not the program you need? The status is set department by department. Use the three-step check on the is the GRE required page to confirm any program in a couple of minutes.
What GRE score do you need for University of Notre Dame?
There is no single University of Notre Dame GRE cutoff, because programs admit on the whole application and most do not publish a hard minimum. In practice, aim for a score at or above the admitted-student median for your specific program, which some departments share in a class profile or on request. A percentile around the 80th or higher on the section that matters most to your field, Quant for STEM and economics or Verbal for the humanities, is a safe target wherever a score is worth submitting.
Where University of Notre Dame marks a program Optional, a score comfortably above that median can strengthen a borderline application, especially for funded or international applicants. Below it, your effort is usually better spent on the required parts of the file. Where a program is Not accepted, do not send a score, it will not be reviewed.
Unsure where you would land? Sit a free full-length mock and convert your scaled score to its exact official percentile before you decide.
GRE requirements at other universities
Compare University of Notre Damewith the GRE policies at other top programs. Each page is sourced from the university's own admissions pages and dated.