Raj Vimal

Raj VimalStudy Abroad Expert

Updated on Oct 11, 2024 00:40 IST

Candidates should note that the conducting body of the GRE test, ETS does not publish pre-defined GRE Cut Off for universities worldwide. The candidates need to check the minimum required score for every university separately. Universities that accept GRE scores release the minimum required marks on their official website. A higher GRE Score than the pre-defined cut-off would increase the chances of candidates' admission even perhaps getting a scholarship based on their academic records. The GRE is one of the most widely recognized graduate examinations for candidates looking to pursue higher studies abroad.

GRE Cut Off

Q:   What is GRE Exam cut off?

A:

The GRE cutoff score is the minimum required score that varies by university. A higher GRE score can increase your chances of admission to top universities worldwide, but it's not the only factor considered. The maximum possible GRE score is 340. The closer your score is to this maximum, the chances of getting admission in top universities is stronger.

Q:   What is a good GRE score out of 340?

A:

The ideal score depends on the university you are targeting for admission. You have to get 320 or above out of 340,  for getting easy admission in to the top universities worldwide. Keep in mind that score equal to or above 75 percentile is considered good enough to apply for admission.

Q:   Is there any cut off percentage for the eligibility of GRE exam?

A:

There is no official eligibility for GRE Exam. Students of any age with any educational background can appear for the exam. However, the GRE is an assessment test for admission to graduate courses, students should complete their undergraduate courses to go ahead with their GRE test. Note that, there is no predefined cut-off score required in graduation to appear in the Graduate Record Examination. 

Q:   How is the GRE exam scoring pattern?

A:

Understanding the scoring pattern of Graduate Record Examinations is an important part of your preparation. There is no negative marking in the GRE Exam. It means you don't need to worry about score deductions.

The difficulty of the second section in (Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning) depends on the performance in first section. GRE Analytical Writing measured on a scale of 0 - 6 in half-point increments.

Here is the section-wise range of GRE score:

Section

GRE Score Range

Verbal Reasoning

130–170, in 1-point increments

Quantitative Reasoning

130–170, in 1-point increments

Analytical Writing

0–6, in half-point increments

What is GRE Cutoff?

The full form of GRE is the Graduate Record Examination or GRE exam in short and is required to be taken by students seeking admission to top graduate schools. Candidates planning to pursue MS Studies and MBA programmes at universities abroad would require GRE scores as part of their admission process. In this article we are going to be talking about GRE cut off scores for universities and GRE cut off scores in general.

As mentioned earlier, the ETS (Educational Testing Service) has not laid down any fixed cut off for GRE. Each year over half a million candidates from 160 countries appear for the GRE General Test across 1,000 test centres. Over 1,200 business schools around the world accept GRE scores for graduate programmes. The exam has been developed to evaluate the verbal, analytical and mathematical skills of the candidates appearing for the GRE test. GRE is available in a computer-based format at a test centre or at home via the GRE at Home format and has a user-friendly design. Individuals applying to graduate schools in order to pursue a Master of Science (MS) or MBA are required to take the GRE exam.

GRE Total Marks

GRE Sections Minimum GRE Scores Maximum GRE Scores
Analytical Writing 0 6
Verbal Reasoning  130 170
Quantitative Reasoning  130 170
GRE total marks 260 340

*Analytical Writing is not part of your total GRE score. 

Q:   What is the cut off score for GRE?

A:

The ETS does not release the GRE cut-off after every exam. The GRE score required for admission varies depending on the university and programme you're applying to. It is natural that the top universities in the world tend to have higher GRE exam score requirements than less competitive programs. So, check the university's website for this.

Q:   What is the Full Form of GRE?

A:

The Full form of GRE is Graduate Record Examination. It is one of the most famous exams to study abroad. GRE Exam is conducted by Educational testing service (ETS).  There are three sections in GRE exam that is verbal reasoning, Analytical Writing and Quantitative Reasoning. Several management universities around the world ask GRE score at the time of offering admission.

Q:   What is GRE exam for?

A:

GRE or Graduate Record Examination is a standardized computer based exam conducted by the by Educational Testing Service (ETS). Many top business schools in the world offer admission in Business programs on the basis of GRE Score. This test access the aptitude of a student for abstract thinking. Score equal to 160 or above is a good enough to get admission in various courses. There are two types of GRE tests.

  1. GRE General Test
  2. GRE Subject Test

Also, students can take the GRE exam at home.

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GRE Cutoff for the Top Universities in the World

In this section, we are going to be providing GRE cut-off scores for top universities in the world

Given below is a range of GRE cut-off scores for top universities. Candidates looking to take admission to the universities mentioned below can use the GRE cut off scores as a benchmark. For more information on modest GRE scores, candidates are advised to visit the official website to learn about score requirements. 

GRE Exam Eligibility Universities

GRE Eligible Verbal Scores

GRE Eligibile Quantitative Scores

GRE Eligibile Writing Scores

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

158

159

5.3

Stanford University

159

158

4.8

University of California, Berkeley

153 – 156

167

4.5

The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

155

167

5.0

University of Virginia

163

166

4.5

University of Michigan – Ann Arbor

160

167

5.0

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

158

160

4.5

Georgia Institute of Technology

158

167

4.3

University of California – San Diego

162

160

5.5

University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign

155

165

4.0

University of Wisconsin – Madison

163

163

4.5

University of Washington

156

167

4.0

Pennsylvania State University

150

165

3.0

University of Florida (UFL)

154

165

3.0

The University of Texas, Austin

155

165

4.0

Ohio State University

156

165

4.0

California Institute of Technology

160

157

5.0

Duke University

160

160

4.5

The University of Chicago

158

167

4.0

Northwestern University

160

160

5.0

Washington University in St. Louis

161

160

5.0

Johns Hopkins University

163

164

4.8

Rice University

160

167

5.0

Emory University

153

163

4.0-6.0

University of Notre Dame

165

165

5.3

Vanderbilt University

157

166

4.8

College of William and Mary

158

160

4.5

Johns Hopkins University

159 162

4.2

Related Reads:

Q:   What is the maximum and minimum score in GRE to get admission for MS in USA?

A:

GRE is a popular standardised test for getting admission in MS program in the world. However, there are many universities in the USA that offer admission to MS courses without GRE scores. There is fixed minimum or maximum GRE score for admission. However, even if your GRE score is below the average for a particular program, you may still be considered for admission if you have strong qualifications in other areas. It is adviseble to check university website for the exact information.

Q:   What is a good GRE score to get into a MS Computer Engineering program in a top 20 US university?

A:

To get into MS in Computer Engineering program offered by any top 20 US university, students should have at least in the range of 320-340. score in Gradute Record Examination. However, this is just a general guideline. Getting a high score in GRE does not gurantee you for getting admission in your desired course/university. Specific requirements can vary depending on the university and the program.








GRE Cut Off Scores for Universities: Country-Wise

Candidates can check out GRE Cut Off scores for universities by Country. Candidates should note that the GRE scores could vary depending on the course preferences. Hence, the scores mentioned here should be used for reference purposes only. Candidates are advised to visit the official website or get in touch with our Study Abroad Counsellors. 

GRE Accepting Universities in the USA GRE Accepting Universities in Canada for MS
Top GRE Accepting Universities in Germany GRE Accepting Universities in the UK
GRE Accepting Universities in Europe US Universities accepting GRE Scores for MBA







What is a Good GRE Score?

A good GRE score is heavily dependent on your preferred university/college. Candidates are required to find out what the GRE cut off is for the particular course at the university. This information would be easily available on the university department website. Once you have the number, candidates should note that they have to aim higher to make their application stand out and for scores to speak for themselves. This is a good way to understand what a good GRE score is all about? 

Candidates can also use the table below for reference purposes only. Do note that the score range provided below, is not necessarily true to any particular college but to give a general sense of idea to a GRE test taker of what a good GRE score could be like.

Best GRE Score Range 2024

These GRE scores will put you in the top 10% of all GRE test-takers

GRE Verbal Section: 163 - 170

GRE Quantitative Section: 165 - 170

GRE Analytical Writing: 5.0 – 6.0

Competitive GRE Score Range 2024

These GRE scores will put you in a highly competitive place in admissions (top 25% of all GRE test takers)

GRE Verbal Section: 158 - 162

GRE Quantitative Section: 159 - 164

GRE Analytical Writing: 4.5

Good GRE Score Range 2024

These GRE scores put you ahead of the pack (50%+), but won’t be as advantageous when applying to highly competitive programmes

GRE Verbal Section: 152 - 158

GRE Quantitative Section: 153  -158

GRE Analytical Writing: 4.0

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What is the Average GRE Score for Universities?

As informed earlier, the average GRE score is highly dependent on your university/programme admission guidelines. However, to give candidates an understanding of what their average GRE score might look like candidates can take a look at the table below.

Average GRE Score for Universities 2024

GRE Section

Average GRE Score

GRE Verbal Reasoning Section

149.97

GRE Quantitative Reasoning Section

152.57

GRE Analytical Writing Section

3.48

Candidates wondering what a good GRE Score should read to understand all about GRE Cut Off. The Graduate Record Examination or more commonly referred to as GRE is the world’s largest assessment program for graduate admissions to top colleges/ universities. Candidates looking to graduate from top colleges in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand among many others are required to appear for the GRE exam. Read: GRE Scoring

GRE Preparation 2024

Candidates looking to perform well in their GRE test would be required to follow a solid GRE Preparation strategy to achieve their desired goal. Read on to unlock the GRE study plan to score well in your next GRE exam. Similar to other exam prep, you can choose to study on your own or join a coaching centre to prepare for the GRE exam. The decision lies entirely with you, as you need to see whether you have enough time and resources for both.

Newer methods of studying are gaining popularity, like GRE preparation online. It includes both self-studying and coaching class methods. You join a virtual classroom and you learn in the comfort of your home. To choose the best method how to prepare for GRE you first need to look at your criteria and decide accordingly. Read: Best Books and Resources to Prepare for GRE  top 10 Tips and Tricks for the GRE

Effective GRE Preparation Strategies

The first section on the GRE is always the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section. This section comprises two analytical writing tasks -- an analysis of an issue task and an analysis of an argument task. These two tasks are timed separately and you get 30 minutes to complete each task. This section is followed by two Verbal Reasoning sections, two Quantitative Reasoning sections, and an unidentified unscored section, either a Verbal Reasoning section or a Quantitative Reasoning section. For students to master the section-wise preparation for GRE, we have Subhajit Bandyopadhyay, Academics - Head (Emeritus) writing about the Section-wise Preparation Tips for GRE for our readers - a must-read.

GRE Cut Off FAQs

Q. Is 320 good GRE score?

A. The GRE exam has been designed to test the candidate’s analytical writing, quantitative reasoning and verbal reasoning skills. A total GRE score of 320 will put your score in the good GRE score range.

Q. Is GRE score 331 good?

A. The GRE exam has been designed to test the candidate’s analytical writing, quantitative reasoning and verbal reasoning skills. A total GRE score of 331 will put your GRE score in the top 10 % of all GRE test takers.

Q. Is 300 a good GRE score?

A. A GRE score of 300 is considered to be a competitive score range. The GRE exam has been designed to test the candidate’s analytical writing, quantitative reasoning and verbal reasoning skills.

Q. What is GRE Cutoff?

A. All universities would have a minimum GRE score that students would require to have to participate in the application process. This is often referred to as the GRE Cutoff for that university. Candidates should bear in mind that the GRE Cutoff is the bare minimum and does not guarantee admission.

Q. Is 325 a good GRE Score?

A. A GRE score of 325 and above should help you to get admission into the topmost colleges.
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Comments

(506)

R

Rutul Kumar

10 months ago

Hi I am unable to book my GRE Physics Test in Ahmedabad, even though test centre are initially showing, but at the time of registration it is showing this error since last two months "No test centers found based on your search criteria. Change search criteria or enter a specific city location and tr

...more

Reply to Rutul Kumar

A

Abhay kumar

9 months ago

go for GRE at home, only Arizona state university doesn't accept GRE at home except them every college in USA accept GRE at home

R

Rutul Kumar

11 months ago

When should I apply for GRE Physics April Session in Ahmedabad, India?

Reply to Rutul Kumar

H

Hari

a year ago

How is physically handicapped dear and dumb?

Reply to Hari

R

Rahul Singha

10 months ago

Hello Hari. Kindly elaborate on your query for me to be able to assist you better.

hi i am architectural student so i need to join cullen university of space architecture college , i.e, university of houston , USA .

Reply to Reshmi Kadamati

R

Rahul Singha

a year ago

Hello Reshmi. If you are looking for assistance with university admissions, do reach out to our team of Shiksha Study Abroad Counsellors: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/apply You can know all about the University of Houston, here: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/usa/universities/university-of-hous

...more

A

Akshat Mishra

a year ago

Hey Studyabroad.shiksha! The dates given for 2023 for gre 2023 are in Jan,Feb,Mar,Apr,May,June. What if I wish to appear in Sep-Oct? Will this be possible? Does ETS reveal new dates as the months pass by?

Reply to Akshat Mishra

R

Rahul Singha

a year ago

Hello Akshat. Yes, GRE dates for September to December have been updated on our GRE exam dates page: https://studyabroad.shiksha.com/exams/gre/important-dates Please feel free to go ahead with your GRE slot booking.