University of Texas at Austin GRE requirements (2026)
UT Austin leaves GRE policy to each program. The Graduate School notes most programs require the GRE or GMAT, but many high-demand departments have made it optional or waived it — Computer Science is GRE-optional, while the McCombs MBA and some specialized programs such as Energy and Earth Resources still require a test score.
About University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is the flagship campus of the University of Texas System. Its graduate programs are coordinated by the Graduate School, with individual departments and colleges setting their own admission criteria.
GRE requirement by program
University of Texas at Austin 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 / central policy PhD and masters | Varies by program The Graduate School's how-to-apply page states most programs require the GRE or GMAT and directs applicants to check with their program of application to see which test is required or if a waiver is available; the requirement is set per program. | gradschool.utexas.edu | Jun 2026 |
Computer Science (MS, PhD) MS and PhD | Optional The CS graduate apply page lists the GRE General score as optional, stating applicants may take the GRE and submit official scores if they believe it would strengthen their application. | cs.utexas.edu | Jun 2026 |
McCombs School of Business — Full-Time MBA Masters | Required The Full-Time MBA application page states all applicants are required to submit a GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, or Executive Assessment score; merit-based and expired-score test waivers are available on petition. | mccombs.utexas.edu | Jun 2026 |
Middle Eastern Studies (MA, PhD) MA and PhD | Varies by program The department's GRE/TOEFL page states that for Fall 2026 admission the GRE is optional for the MA program and waived for the PhD program. | liberalarts.utexas.edu | Jun 2026 |
Energy and Earth Resources (Jackson School of Geosciences) Masters | Required The program's admission requirements page lists an acceptable score on both the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE General Test among required materials. | jsg.utexas.edu | Jun 2026 |
Each status was read from the program's own admissions page (last checked 20 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.
Should you submit a GRE score?
Where University of Texas at Austin marks a program Optional, a score comfortably above the program's admitted-student median can strengthen a borderline application, especially for funded or international applicants. Below that median, 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.