Taking the GRE General Test at Home (2024)

TheGREGeneral Test at home is a safe and convenient option for test takers who prefer to take their test at home rather than at a test center. It's offered everywhere that the test is normally available, based on the country of your account address.

The at home test is identical to a test taken at a test center and taken on your own computer at home or another secure location. All at home tests are monitored by a human proctor. At home testing is available around the clock, 7 days a week.

Equipment and environment requirements

To take a test at home, your computer and testing room must meet the requirements outlined below. Ifyou don’t meet these requirements on test day,you won't be able to test and you won't receive a refund or a free reschedule.

Individuals in Mainland China planning to take the test at home must visittakethegre.cnfor specific information, policies and procedures related to registration and test day.

Ready to Register?

Already determined that your computer and testing room meet the equipment and environment requirements?

Schedule Your Test

Download the ETS Secure Browser by selecting one of the links below.

Then run the file to complete the installation. While in the browser, click the Equipment Check button to confirm that your equipment is ready for test day.

View the screenshots below to learn what you can expect when running the ETS Secure Browser.

Taking the GRE General Test at Home (1)

Once you open the ETS Secure Browser, you’ll be brought to this welcome screen. From here, you can run the Equipment Check.

Taking the GRE General Test at Home (2)

Upon completion of the Equipment Check, you’ll see the status of your equipment. If any parts have failed, you’ll see a red triangle status indicator, as well as tips for how to resolve the problem.

The equipment check includes a bandwidth check. Since bandwidth differs depending on time of day and network usage, run the equipment check at several different times to see which time works best. Additionally, you should run the check on the same day of the week and the same time of day as your test. That way, you're checking your bandwidth in an environment similar to what you would experience when you test.

Taking the GRE General Test at Home (3)

When you have successfully passed the equipment check, you’ll arrive at the Congratulations page.

If your check fails and you can't resolve the issues yourself, visit Equipment Check Support for troubleshooting tips.

Equipment requirements

  • Desktop or laptop computer; you cannot use a tablet, Chromebook™or mobile device.
  • Multiple monitors or dual screens are not permitted.
  • Approved operating system, which must be licensed. Unlicensed or test-mode versions are not permitted.
    • PC: Windows®operating system, version 10 or higher
    • MAC®: Mac OS X®10.13 or higher
  • Chrome™or Firefox®browser.

  • Use an internal or external speaker to hear the proctor.
  • Headsets or earphones are not allowed.

  • Use an internal or external microphone that is not part of a headset to communicate with the proctor.

  • Can be a camera built into the computer or a separate webcam.
  • Camera must be able to be moved to show a 360-degree view of the room, including your tabletop surface, before the test.

Environment and testing space requirements

  • You must be alone in a room with no one else entering during the test.
  • You cannot take the test in a public space such as a park, internet cafe or restaurant.
  • You must close all doors in the room before beginning the test.

  • Your computer and keyboard must be on a desk or other tabletop surface.
  • Position your table and chair so the door to the room will be visible to the proctor. The proctor may require you to do this at check in.
  • The tabletop and surrounding area must be clear of all items not approved for use during the test, including cell phones (except when used for check in), cameras, notes and study materials. The furniture and décor in the room do not need to be removed.
  • You must sit in a standard chair; you may not sit or lie on a bed, couch or overstuffed chair.
  • Food and drink are not allowed during the test.

  • Your ears must remain visible throughout the test, not covered by hair, a hat or other items. Religious headwear is permitted if your ears remain visible during the test.
  • Face masks may not be worn during check in or any part of the at home testing session.
  • You must be dressed appropriately for your test. You will be monitored via camera by the proctor, and your photo will be shared with institutions that receive your scores.
  • Avoid wearing jewelry, tie clips, cuff links, ornate clips, combs, barrettes, headbands and other hair accessories.

  • For security purposes, youmay nottake notes on regular paper.
  • You may use one of the following to take notes:
    • one small desktop white board with erasable marker
    • one sheet of paper inside a transparent sheet protector, with an erasable marker. Pencils and pens are not permitted.
  • At the end of the test, you will need to show the proctor that all notes have been erased.
Taking the GRE General Test at Home (2024)

FAQs

Does it matter if I take the GRE at home? ›

The GRE is a standardized exam, and the difficulty does not change based on whether you take the test in-person or online.

Do schools know if you took the GRE at home? ›

There won't be any indication on your score report that you took the test at home. That being said, schools will see a photo of you taken during check-in, so they will likely infer that you took the test at home.

How is the at home GRE proctored? ›

During the test, the proctor will monitor you (via video camera) and your computer screen to ensure you follow all testing procedures. Make sure you can be seen on camera by the proctor. Suspicious movements could invalidate your test.

Is it better to skip questions on the GRE or guess? ›

Good news: There's no penalty for guessing on the GRE. Fill in an answer for every question, even if you decide to skip it. Guessing on this test is a skill in and of itself that requires practice. For instance, if you wind up reaching your minute check-in and still have no clue, make yourself write down an answer.

Is the GRE at home harder? ›

The at-home GRE has the same content as the in-person exam, so taking the test online isn't about an easier or more difficult test.

Is it better to take the GRE at home or center? ›

The GRE General Test at home is a safe and convenient option for test takers who prefer to take their test at home rather than at a test center. It's offered everywhere that the test is normally available, based on the country of your account address.

What are the disadvantages of GRE at home? ›

Stable Connection: The only cons of giving the GRE at Home is the lack of a stable internet connection. You always need at least 2 MB per sec speed in order to give the test without any trouble. If somehow your internet bandwidth might get lower than required, you starts getting stability issues.

Do you have to memorize school codes for GRE? ›

You don't need to remember any codes, as the GRE will allow you to search for schools by name. Remember that you now have the option of using Score Select to send your scores later or to choose which set of scores to send if you've taken the GRE more than once, but it will cost you.

Why are schools moving away from GRE? ›

Limited Correlation Between the Test and Success

A GRE score is not a good predictor of success because students are able to retake the test multiple times to get a higher score. The minimum GRE score for admission has also changed in many schools to reflect the changing expectations for students.

Can the GRE proctor see your screen? ›

During the test, the proctor will monitor you (via video camera) and your computer screen to ensure you follow all testing procedures. Make sure you can be seen on camera by the proctor.

Is it cheaper to take the GRE at home? ›

As far as the cost of taking the GRE at home, all of the fees are the exact same as taking the GRE general test at a testing center.

Can the proctor see your screen on proctoru? ›

Proctors have the ability to view the screen and utilize the mouse and keyboard as if they were sitting next to you. Once the exam starts, your proctor will monitor everything on the computer screen, but can no longer utilise your mouse and keyboard.

What is the hardest section of the GRE? ›

The most difficult part of the GRE varies from person to person, as it depends on individual strengths and weaknesses. Some may struggle with the vocabulary and reading comprehension in the Verbal Reasoning section, while others may find the Quantitative Reasoning section more challenging.

Does the GRE really take 5 hours? ›

The overall testing time is about 3 hours and 45 minutes. There are six sections with a 10-minute break following the third section. The Analytical Writing section will always be first.

How many questions can you get wrong on GRE for 170? ›

How many questions can you get wrong on GRE to get 170? A near-perfect score for the verbal section can be obtained by answering 5-6 questions incorrectly. So, to get a perfect quant score, you can only get two questions wrong; for verbal, you can get three questions wrong and still get a perfect score.

How many times can I take the GRE at home? ›

You can take the GRE General Test once every 21 days, up to five times within any continuous rolling 12-months period (365 days).

Does the GRE give you your score right away? ›

Scores are available approximately 10–15 days after the test date and are reportable for 5 years following the individual's test date. We have reduced the score delivery time frame for test takers taking the shorter GRE from 10–15 days to 8–10 days after the test date.

How long does it take to take the GRE at home? ›

The overall test time is about 1 hour and 58 minutes. There are five sections. The Analytical Writing section will always be first. The Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections may appear in any order after the Analytical Writing section.

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