if you’re thinking about taking the gre, remember that the gre cost includes more than just the exam registration fee. depending on your specific individual situation, costs can quickly add up with additional fees. so asking “how much does the gre cost?” (or more likely, “why is the gre so expensive?!”) requires a little more context. in light of that, we’ll take a look at all of the following:
- gre exam fees
- different costs in india and china
- total cost of the gre in different example situations
- prepping for the gre – cost of studying
- how to save money on gre fees
how much does the gre cost?
the cost to register for the gre is $220, whether you take the exam at home or at a test center. be aware that other services—rescheduling, cancellation, additional score reports—incur additional fees.
here’s a look at the most common gre exam fees in most parts of the world—except for china and india—in 2024:
| item / service | fee (dollars) |
|---|---|
| registration fee | $220 |
| additional score reports | $35 (per recipient) |
| rescheduling exam date | $50 |
| changing test center | $50 |
| reactivating a cancelled score | $50 |
if you cancel your registration at least 4 days prior to your exam, you’ll be refunded half the registration fee ($110). otherwise, you will receive no refund at all.
different costs in india and china
india
if you’re taking the exam in india in 2024, this table lists the costs of the gre in indian rupees:
| item / service | fee (indian rupees) |
|---|---|
| registration fee | ₹ 22,550 |
| additional score reports | ₹ 2,900 |
| rescheduling exam date | ₹ 5,000 |
| changing test center | ₹ 5,000 |
| reactivating a cancelled score | ₹ 5,000 |
if you cancel your registration at least 4 days prior to your exam, you’ll be refunded half the registration fee (₹ 11,275). otherwise, you will receive no refund at all.
china
several of the gre fees are higher if you are taking the test in china in 2024:
| item / service | fee |
|---|---|
| registration fee | $231.30 |
| additional score reports | $35 (per recipient) |
| rescheduling exam date | $53.90 |
| changing test center | $50 |
| reactivating a cancelled score | $50 |
note also that the refund policy is more strict in china. you need to cancel your registration at least 10 days in advance in order to be refunded half the registration fee ($115.75). beyond that window, you’ll receive no refund.
total cost of the gre in different example situations
though the cost of the gre itself is $220 in most countries, that’s often not the full price. let’s take a look at 3 different students in hypothetical situations to see how expensive the gre might be for you.
sam – everything goes smoothly
sam is fortunate that everything goes according to schedule and that she is only applying to 3 main schools. plus, since she’s allowed to send her gre score to 4 schools for free, she includes a backup school. therefore, her costs are:
- registration fee: $220
- 0 additional score reports beyond the allowed 4: $0
- total: $220
mikel – life happens and adds some costs
in mikel’s case, he’s already planning on applying to 5 universities, so he’s going to pay more for an additional score report. additionally, he ends up needing to reschedule his exam date so that he can attend his cousin’s wedding. all of this means that he’ll end up spending about 40% more on gre fees:
- registration fee: $220
- rescheduling fee: $50
- 1 additional score report: $35
- total: $305
odette – a sudden illness ups the price
odette unfortunately gets the flu the week of her gre exam date. knowing that she’s not going to feel well enough later, she cancels her registration 5 days ahead of time to save some money. additionally, she’s applying to 6 different universities, so she needs to order additional score reports. thus, her total costs are nearly double the original registration fee alone:
- original registration fee: $220
- refund for cancelling at least 4 days prior: –$110
- new registration fee: $220
- 2 additional score reports: $70
- total: $400
here’s a look at those 3 different examples of total gre costs side by side:
| gre item / service | just the gre | rescheduled gre & 1 asr | cancelled gre & 2 asrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| registration fee | $220 | $220 | $220 |
| rescheduling fee | – | $50 | – |
| refund for cancellation | – | – | –$110 |
| 2nd registration fee | – | – | $220 |
| additional score reports | $0 | $35 | $70 |
| total | $220 | $305 | $400 |
prepping for the gre – cost of studying
so far, we’ve only taken a look at the costs related to taking the test itself. however, most likely you’re going to need to prepare for the exam as well, so it’s important to factor that in.
gre cost for the lean self-studier (cost: <$20)
you can buy one book and learn quite a bit for less than $20–a good plan if you are a book learner without much money to spend. if you go this route, don’t pick up just any gre book. take a look at our gre book reviews to see which one is worth your study time.
gre cost for the ambitious self-studier (cost: $140 – $200)
there is a wide range of self-study options out there for you to explore, all varying in price and quality. we feel that a magoosh gre premium plan is a great option, both in terms of affordability and comprehensiveness.
gre cost for the classroom plan: free – $2,300
you can lower the cost of gre prep considerably with the free classes offered by some colleges, so be sure to check what’s available at your current school. however, from what i’ve heard, the classes have a bare-bones approach at best. alternatively, there are manhattan, kaplan, and princeton review classes, which will add to your gre costs.
gre cost for a private tutor: $500 – $5,000
if you think the classroom format sounds like a mixed bag, that can be the case with tutors as well. on the one hand, you might find bob off of craigslist for $20/hr. he’s never taken the gre but once took the sat. he tells you he is really good at math and shows you all his “tricks.”
on the other hand, there’s a tutor with 15 years’ experience, who lives and breathes the gre, has hundreds of glowing 足球世界杯举办地2022, and writes his/her own test questions. of course, this tutor may cost you as much as $150/hr. (and private tuition offered through other test prep companies can be even more expensive.)
the first kind of tutor is likely not worth your time, but the second very well could be. it depends how much you’re willing to spend, what your needs and goals are, and how you learn best. we ultimately recommend the self-study route first. but if you’re not seeing the improvement you desire, then look into a class or a tutor. at that point, though, do expect to pay a lot more.
the time cost of studying for the gre
lastly, don’t forget about the time cost of studying for the gre! see how long should i study for the gre? for an idea of how much time you should spend prepping.
how to save money on gre fees
as discussed, the total costs of the gre exam can quickly add up! there are a few important things to keep in mind to help keep your expenses down.
know your schedule to avoid needing to reschedule
sometimes needing to reschedule is just unavoidable, and there’s nothing you can to do. however, taking the gre at home does offer you a lot more flexibility. so, if your schedule is highly variable, you may be able to wait much closer to your desired test date before registering. doing so greatly reduces the chances of unexpected interruptions.
however, if you want to take the gre at a test center, you’ll likely need to schedule more ahead of time (thinks months instead of days). check out this guide on when to take the gre.
decide on your schools and applications early
ets lets you send your gre scores to 4 schools for free. but for each additional school beyond that, it’ll cost you $35 each. thus, if you haven’t already narrowed down the schools on your wishlist, that’s worth spending some time on. that doesn’t mean that you need to narrow it down to exactly 4, but applying to a small handful of schools will cost you a lot less than applying to a ton of different schools.
apply for gre fee waivers
ets does offer a fee reduction program for those that meet certain conditions related to financial need, unemployment, and/or underrepresented groups. learn how to apply for gre fee waivers to reduce some of the costs associated with the gre.
if you’re ready to take the plunge, start a self-study plan today by signing up for an affordable, premium magoosh gre prep subscription.
good luck and happy studying!
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