GRE Score Validity: How Long Are Your GRE Scores Valid?

Introduction 

Your GRE score doesn’t just sit there forever like a trophy on a shelf,  it quietly ticks toward expiry, like milk with an invisible use-by date. And the worst part? Most people don’t even realize it’s happening. You might be planning a gap year, juggling job offers, or waiting on the right intake to apply, thinking your GRE score will be there when you’re ready.

But GRE score validity is strict,  ETS gives it a five-year life span, and once it’s past that window, you can’t use it anywhere. In this blog, we’ll walk through what GRE score validity really means, how to plan around it, and what to do if your score is close to expiring.

What is GRE Score Validity?

The GRE score doesn’t wait for your plans to fall into place. It quietly sits on a timer while you take a gap year, switch jobs, or delay your application for “just one more intake.” And before you know it, five years are gone. That’s when students realize too late that their GRE score isn’t valid anymore ,  and it’s back to prep mode all over again.

GRE score validity means how long your test result stays active and usable for applications. According to the official rule by ETS (Educational Testing Service), GRE scores are valid for exactly five years from the test date. Once that five-year mark hits, your score disappears from the ETS system — and no university can see it, even if you try to send it manually.

Here's how it works:

• The five-year countdown starts from your exact test date, not the end of the year or month.
• After that period, ETS removes the score from your profile and it becomes non-reportable.
• Even if a school is flexible, ETS won’t send an expired score, so it’s practically unusable

Most graduate schools around the world accept GRE scores within this five-year window. While a few might prefer more recent scores, they still follow the ETS rule — if it’s within five years, it’s considered valid. That said, it’s always worth checking a university’s website just in case they’ve set a shorter validity period for specific programs.

What Factors Affect GRE Score Validity?

One of the biggest worries after taking the GRE is whether your score will still be valid if the test changes later. And with all the buzz around new formats and test updates, it’s normal to wonder, does any of that affect the score I already have?

 Here’s the good news: GRE score validity stays locked at five years, no matter what changes ETS makes to the test format during that time. Whether the GRE shortens, adds new sections, or updates its question style, your score from the version you took remains fully valid for the entire five-year period.

This means you don’t need to panic if ETS rolls out a new format a year after your test. Schools won’t ask you to retake it just because of that. As long as your score is still within the five-year window, it’s accepted ,  plain and simple.

 Key Factors Impacting GRE Score Validity

• Changes in test format:  No impact at all. Your scores remain valid for five years even if ETS updates the structure or length of the GRE after your test date.
• Score reporting date: You can send your scores to schools anytime within the five-year period. Once the score expires, ETS won’t send it anymore.
• Retaking the test : Every GRE attempt you take has its own five-year validity. You can pick and send the best one using ETS’s ScoreSelect option.

For more information that you need to know, visit here: 3 things about GRE Score | QS Top Universities

How Long is a GRE Score Valid For?

Five years might sound like a long time,  until it isn’t. It flies by when you’re juggling internships, job shifts, or figuring out the “right” intake. That’s why knowing exactly how long your GRE score stays valid can save you from last-minute panic. A GRE score is valid for five years from the exact date you took the test. This means if your test was on August 10, 2025, your score will remain usable and reportable until August 10, 2030. After that, it expires completely , ETS won’t send it to any school, and you won’t even be able to view it in your account.

This five-year window is set by ETS and applies to all test formats,  old or new. So even if the GRE changes during that time, your score stays valid.

Do Schools Consider Your GRE Scores Expired?

One of the worst surprises is finding out your GRE score is expired after you’ve shortlisted schools. It feels like having your ticket in hand—only to be told the show’s already over. And there’s no way in. Here’s the thing: GRE score validity isn’t flexible. Once five years pass from the date you took the test, your score doesn’t just lose value — it disappears. ETS won’t keep it, won’t report it, and there’s no option to send it anywhere. It’s like the score never existed in their system.

So when schools say they won’t accept an expired score, it’s not a choice they’re making — it’s because they simply can’t. They rely on ETS to send the score directly, and ETS won’t send anything that’s past the five-year limit. Some programs do lean toward more recent scores, especially if they’re heavy on quantitative skills. So even if your score is still technically valid, a few schools might mention they prefer results from the last two or three years. But unless they’ve clearly said otherwise, anything within five years is still fair game.

How Universities Handle Expired GRE Scores

To get in detailed information, click here: GRE Test | ETS

How to Interpret Your GRE Score Report

Getting your GRE score report feels like opening a report card in a language no one taught you. The numbers are there, but what do they actually mean — and how do you know if they’re good enough? Your GRE score report shows three section scores, each with a scaled score and a percentile rank. Understanding both helps you figure out not just how you did, but how your performance stacks up against other test-takers. Since GRE score validity is five years, it’s important to read the report right so you can plan when and where to use those scores.

1. Verbal Reasoning: This section is scored from 130 to 170 in 1-point increments. It assesses your ability to comprehend and evaluate written material. The percentile rank shows how your score compares to others.

2. Quantitative Reasoning: Like Verbal, this section is scored from 130 to 170 and focuses on your mathematical reasoning skills. Your percentile rank indicates how well you performed compared to other test-takers in this area.

3. Analytical Writing: Scored on a scale from 0 to 6 in half-point increments, this section evaluates how effectively you can articulate ideas and support arguments. The percentile rank provides insight into how your writing skills measure up against others.

Percentile Ranks

Percentile ranks are a critical part of the report as they offer context for your raw scores. A higher percentile rank means you outperformed a large percentage of test-takers. For example, a 90th percentile rank in Quantitative Reasoning means you did better than 90% of people who took the test.

Note: It’s important to note that GRE score validity remains intact for five years, so you have a significant period to use these scores for your applications​

How to Access and Send GRE Scores to Universities

Taking the GRE is one thing,  getting your scores into the right hands is another. And with deadlines coming at you from all sides, knowing how to send scores quickly and correctly can save you from a lot of last-minute stress. After you finish your GRE, ETS gives you a simple way to view and send your scores directly to universities. Here’s how to do it, step by step — all within the GRE score validity period of five years from your test date.

1. Log in to Your ETS Account
Head to ets website and sign in with the same details you used to register. Your scores usually show up within 8–10 days of your test date (faster than the old 10–15 day timeline).

2. View Your Scores
Go to the “Scores” tab in your dashboard. You’ll see your section-wise scores along with a “reportable through” date — that’s the official expiry under GRE score validity rules.

3. Send Free Scores on Test Day
When you take the GRE, you can send your scores to up to four schools for free. Choose them before or right after your test at the test center.

4. Send Additional Score Reports Anytime
If you want to apply to more than four schools or send scores later, use the “Send Additional Score Reports” feature in your account. Just make sure your scores are still within the valid five-year window — ETS won’t send expired scores.

5. Use ScoreSelect to Choose Your Best Attempt
Taken the GRE more than once? ScoreSelect® lets you choose which test date’s scores to send. This way, you can show schools your strongest performance — not all your attempts.

6. Pay for Extra Reports
Beyond the free four, each additional score report costs $40 (as of 2025). You can pay online via your ETS account.
 
Sending your GRE scores isn’t complicated — but it does require timing, especially if you’re applying to multiple programs. The five-year GRE score validity window gives you flexibility, but it’s on you to make sure the scores reach schools before they expire.

Does the GRE Score Validity Vary Between Universities?

It’s easy to think universities might have secret rules about old GRE scores—but here’s the truth. The GRE score validity is set in stone by ETS at five years from your test date. When your score is still within that window, ETS can send it, so any school relying on ETS cannot reject it for being “too old.”

That said, some programs, particularly in STEM, business, or law, might prefer fresher scores (usually taken within the last 2–3 years). This preference is about keeping skills current, not about ETS rules. As long as your score is under five years old, it's considered valid.

As a prospective applicant, it is always best to check the specific requirements of each institution or program to which you are applying, as they may differ slightly in terms of how they view GRE score validity.

Note: To know more regarding test waiver, click here:  GRE Waiver colleges

Can You Retake the GRE and Use Your Best Score?

Not every GRE attempt goes as planned. Maybe the timing was off, or test day just didn’t click. The good thing is, you’re not stuck with that score. Yes, you can retake the GRE and choose to send only your best scores to schools. ETS offers a feature called ScoreSelect, which lets you control exactly which scores get reported.

Here’s what you can choose:

• Most Recent – Send only the scores from your latest GRE attempt.
• All Scores – Share every GRE score you’ve earned in the past five years.
• Any Specific Test Date – Pick and send scores from one or more test dates, based on what reflects your strongest performance.

ScoreSelect gives you the freedom to improve your score without worrying that earlier attempts will hold you back. Schools only see what you decide to share, nothing more. This works as long as the scores are still within the GRE score validity window of five years. So if you’re not happy with how things went the first time, you’ve still got options—and full control over how your GRE story is told.

Related Blogs:

• GMAT or GRE for MBA
• MBA Programs that accept GRE
• GRE Waiver

Conclusion

A GRE score isn’t just a number, it’s a tool. And like any tool, it works best when you know how to use it right. Understanding how long your score stays valid, when it stops being useful, and how to send only your best attempts can save you from a lot of avoidable stress. The five-year window gives you breathing room, but it also sets a quiet deadline. Whether you're applying now or a year from now, a little planning goes a long way. Make the score work for you — not the other way around.