GRE at Home: How Online Testing Works

ETS offers the GRE General Test at home as a full alternative to testing at an ETS-authorized test center. The at-home version uses the same test content, timing and question types, delivered through the ETS Secure Browser and monitored live by a human proctor over webcam. ETS states the at home test is identical to a test taken at a test center, including content, format and scoring. What changes is your equipment, your room and the check you pass before the test starts.

You choose the at-home option when you register for the GRE General Test, the same signup process covered in our GRE registration guide. ETS charges no separate fee for at-home delivery, so the decision is about your setup rather than your budget. This article covers the equipment, internet, identity checks, room rules, scratch materials, scores and availability specific to testing from home. Read it before you book, because a failed setup check on test day costs you the full fee.

Equipment, Internet and Room Requirements

Your testing space needs to meet ETS technical standards before the exam starts. Here is what the equipment and room check looks at.

Your connection matters as much as your hardware. ETS asks for a stable internet connection and recommends running a bandwidth check at several times of day, so repeat the check at the hour your test is booked. Home connections slow down when other people in the building are streaming or on video calls. Download the ETS Secure Browser in the same week and open it once to confirm it launches, which leaves time to borrow a second camera or change rooms.

Room Setup Rules

The proctor checks your room setup with the webcam before your test starts, so prepare your space in advance.

• Test alone in a private room. No one else is permitted to enter during the test.
• Public spaces such as parks, internet cafes and restaurants are not permitted.
• Keep the door visible to the proctor, and close blinds and curtains.
• Sit in a standard chair. Beds, couches and overstuffed chairs are not permitted.
• Keep the tabletop clear except for approved scratch materials.
• Food and drink at your desk are not permitted.

Identity Verification and Proctoring

Since March 31, 2026, test-takers scheduled for the at-home GRE complete identity verification in two stages. First, you complete IDVaaS online identity verification, which includes a photograph of your ID, an ID chip scan when applicable, and a selfie, at least 72 hours before your test. Second, the proctor confirms your identity again at check-in by matching your ID to your account name.

Face masks are not permitted during check-in or any part of the at-home session, and your ears must stay visible on camera throughout. Avoid ornate jewelry and hair accessories covering your face or ears. Plan your appearance the way you plan your desk, because the proctor needs a clear view of your face before the test starts. Complete the online identity step as early as you are able, since it has to be finished at least 72 hours ahead of your slot.

What the Proctor Watches For

A human proctor monitors your session live and records it. Only communicate with the proctor during the test. For a full walkthrough of test-day timing and check-in, see our GRE test day guide.

• Talking aloud
• Looking away from the screen
• Moving out of camera view
• Running screen-sharing or remote-access software

Violating security procedures on test day or during a break risks dismissal from the test and cancellation of scores, with test fees forfeited. Your session is watched live and recorded, so treat every minute at the desk as observed. Keep your phone out of reach unless it serves as your required second camera. If your equipment fails mid-test, speak to the proctor instead of leaving your seat.

Scratch Materials and Break Rules

At-home testing limits you to one of two approved scratch material options.

• One small dry-erase whiteboard with an erasable marker
• One sheet of paper inside a transparent sheet protector with an erasable marker

Pencils and pens are prohibited for at-home testing. Set your chosen option on the desk before check-in, since the proctor inspects the tabletop through the webcam. Keep the rest of the surface clear, because approved scratch materials are the only exception to a clear tabletop. Buy the whiteboard or the sheet protector days ahead rather than improvising on test day.

Total testing time for the at-home GRE is 1 hour 58 minutes, with no scheduled breaks. Unscheduled breaks are not permitted during the test, so plan to stay at your desk for the full session. Eat and drink before you log in, because food and drink at the desk are not allowed. Use the restroom right before check-in, since check-in runs before the test clock starts.

Scores: At-Home vs Test-Center GRE

ETS states the at-home test is identical to a test taken at a test center, with the same content, format and scoring. The score scale does not change based on delivery mode.

The maximum combined Verbal plus Quantitative score is 340. Analytical Writing sits outside the combined score and is reported on its own 0 to 6 line. Scores remain reportable for 5 years following your test date, regardless of delivery mode. Since content, format and scoring match, the delivery choice comes down to logistics rather than results.

Delivery mode does not change what you pay. The GRE General Test fee is $249 in most locations and $231.30 in China. Test-takers in India should check ETS India's site for local pricing. ETS does not add a separate fee for choosing at-home over test-center delivery.

Country and Region Availability

At-home testing is offered everywhere the GRE General Test is normally available, based on the country listed on your ETS account address. Your account address decides availability, not the place you happen to sit on test day. Check the address on your ETS account before you register. For most locations, at-home appears as a delivery choice inside the standard registration flow.

Test-takers in Mainland China register through takethegre.cn instead of the standard ETS site, and follow separate region specific at-home procedures there. Use the rules published on takethegre.cn rather than the main ETS at-home page, because the procedures differ. The fee differs too, at $231.30 in China against $249 in most other locations. Start on takethegre.cn when the country on your account is Mainland China.

ETS does not publish a list of countries excluded from at-home testing beyond this Mainland China exception. Claims about other restrictions circulate on unofficial sites, so treat them with caution. Check the at-home eligibility details on the ETS site for current availability in your location before you register. When the at-home option does not appear at booking, contact ETS instead of assuming a permanent block.

Common At-Home Technical Restrictions

Here is a quick reference for what the at-home format rules out, gathered from the equipment, room and proctoring rules above.

A failed equipment or room check stops you from testing on test day, and ETS issues no refund and no free reschedule. The price of a failed check is the full fee, $249 in most locations. Run the Secure Browser, the webcam sweep and the bandwidth check days ahead, not on the morning of your test. Fix the small items early: a second monitor unplugged, a headset put away, the door cleared for view.

If your required accommodations are not compatible with at-home equipment rules, see our GRE accommodations guide for test center alternatives. Approved accommodations are arranged with ETS before you book a date, so start the request early. The at-home rules on monitors, headsets and breaks leave little room to adapt once check-in begins.

Content and scoring are identical either way, so prepare once and pick the delivery mode later. Work through our free GRE practice tests and drills with full-length timing and section practice. Everything is free and needs no signup.

Sources

• Taking the GRE General Test at Home
• GRE General Test At Home Testing (test day)
• GRE General Test Scoring and Reporting
• Getting Your GRE General Test Scores
• GRE General Test Fees