GMAT or GRE: Choosing Your Graduate Admissions Test
According to GMAC, almost all business schools now accept both the GMAT and the GRE, so for an MBA or a business master’s the choice is often the candidate’s. The GRE is also accepted by graduate programmes well beyond business, which matters to anyone keeping other options open. This page sets out the official facts on both, side by side.
- Facts from GMAC and ETS
- Structure, scoring and adaptivity compared
- How business schools treat each test
- No test declared “better”
The GMAT and the GRE side by side
The GMAT figures are for the current GMAT, which GMAC calls the 11th Edition and describes as the latest version of the exam; the GRE figures are for the GRE General Test in the shorter format introduced in September 2023.
| Criterion | GMAT | GRE General Test |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | GMAC | ETS |
| Main use | Admission to MBA and other business master’s programmes | Admission to graduate programmes in many fields, and to business and law schools |
| Sections | Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Data Insights | Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning |
| Length | 64 questions in 2 hours 15 minutes, plus an optional 10-minute break | About 1 hour 58 minutes |
| Section timing | Three sections of 45 minutes each | Issue task 30 minutes; Verbal 12 questions in 18 minutes and 15 in 23; Quant 12 questions in 21 minutes and 15 in 26 |
| Section order | Chosen by the candidate | Analytical Writing always first; Verbal and Quant then follow in either order |
| Adaptive design | Computer-adaptive in all three sections, with difficulty adjusted question by question | Section-level adaptive: the first Verbal and Quant sections set the difficulty of the second |
| Reviewing answers | Bookmark and review any question; change up to three answers per section | Mark, skip, review and change answers within a section |
| Calculator | On-screen calculator in Data Insights only; none in Quant | On-screen calculator in Quantitative Reasoning |
| Essay | None | One “Analyze an Issue” task |
| Score scale | Total 205–805; each section 60–90, equally weighted | Verbal and Quant 130–170 each; Analytical Writing 0–6 |
| Sending scores | Sent to schools after the candidate has seen the score | ScoreSelect: send the most recent sitting, all sittings from the last five years, or, after test day, only those you choose |
Sources: GMAC (gmac.com), GMAT exam overview, scores and GMAT–GRE comparison; ETS, GRE General Test structure, scoring and ScoreSelect; all checked 8 October 2026.
Who each test tends to suit
The GMAT often suits
Candidates applying only to business programmes who are comfortable interpreting data and doing quantitative reasoning without a calculator in the Quant section, and who would rather have no essay on test day.
The GRE often suits
Candidates keeping options open beyond business school, such as a master’s or doctorate in another field, and those who prefer having an on-screen calculator throughout the quantitative questions.
Either may suit
Candidates whose practice results are similar on both. Then the programmes on the list, the format of the test and the dates available usually decide it.
How business schools treat the two tests
GMAC, which runs the GMAT, states that almost all business schools now accept both the GMAT and the GRE, while noting that more business schools accept the GMAT. ETS describes the GRE as accepted by graduate, business and law schools worldwide.
Acceptance policies are set programme by programme, and a programme may treat the two tests differently, so read each admissions page for the year you apply. Where a programme publishes no preference, the sensible choice is the test on which you perform relatively better.
How to decide
List your programmes
Write down every programme you might apply to, including any outside business, and note which tests each one accepts.
Take a full practice test of each
Use official practice material from GMAC and ETS under timed conditions. Our free full-length diagnostic is available for both the GMAT and the GRE.
Compare against each programme
Where a programme publishes a class profile with scores for one or both tests, set each practice result against it rather than comparing numbers across two different scales.
Settle the format and the date
Both tests can be taken at a test centre or online, subject to availability in your country. Check the options and fix a date that leaves room for a second sitting.
Sitting either test from Africa
GMAC states that the online GMAT is identical in form and content to the test-centre version and is available globally, with a few exceptions that currently include Sudan. ETS offers the GRE at home wherever the test is normally available, based on the country of your account address, as well as at test centres. Registration and test-day rules are on mba.com and ets.org, the only sources to rely on. GMAT and GRE scores both remain valid for five years.
Related pages
GMAT Preparation
GMAT prep course online for MBA and master’s applicants in Africa: one-to-one or group, Quant, Verbal and Data Insights specialists, free diagnostic.
GMAT prices
GMAT tutoring from USD 80 per 90-minute lesson. Compare lesson packages, group courses and self-study products.
GRE Preparation
GRE prep course online for master’s and PhD applicants: one-to-one or group classes, Verbal and Quant specialists, the Issue essay, a free diagnostic.
GRE prices
GRE tutoring from USD 80 per 90-minute lesson. Compare lesson packages, group courses and self-study products.
SAT vs ACT
Digital SAT and enhanced ACT side by side: sections, timing, scoring, adaptivity, calculators and optional Science, and how to decide which to take.
Exam comparisons
Side-by-side comparisons of the exam choices students in Africa most often face: SAT or ACT, IB or A Level, AP or IB, IELTS, TOEFL or PTE, GMAT or GRE.
Frequently asked questions
Short, direct answers. If yours is not here, ask us.
GMAT or GRE? Start with evidence
Book a free intro call, then take our free full-length diagnostic in the test you are leaning towards. Lessons are live online and taught in English, and the plan is built around your working week.