A GRE score is valid for five years from the date you took the test. This means that any graduate or business school you apply to within that five-year window can consider your scores as official and current. After five years, your scores automatically expire, and ETS (Educational Testing Service), the organization that administers the GRE, will no longer send them to institutions.
For example, if you took the GRE on October 15, 2025, your scores would remain valid until October 15, 2030. Beyond that date, you would need to retake the test if you plan to apply to schools requiring recent scores. This validity period applies to both the GRE General Test and the GRE Subject Tests.
The five-year validity period ensures that the scores reflect your current academic and analytical abilities. Over time, skills in reasoning, vocabulary, and quantitative analysis may change, so universities prefer recent scores that accurately represent your present performance level.
It’s also important to note that individual universities may have their own policies regarding GRE score acceptance. Some programs might prefer scores that are no more than three years old, even though ETS deems them valid for five years. Therefore, it’s always best to verify each institution’s specific GRE requirements before submitting your application.
To avoid issues, keep track of your test date and plan your graduate school applications accordingly. If you anticipate applying to schools several years after taking the GRE, make sure your scores will still be valid during the application cycle.
In summary, GRE scores remain valid for five years, after which they expire and cannot be reported or used. Keeping this timeline in mind will help you plan your graduate studies efficiently.