How to Register for the GRE

By Muntasir Jul 17, 2026 9 min read

TL;DR

You register for the GRE General Test in your ETS Account at www.ets.org/mygre: create the account, pick a test center or an at-home appointment, choose a date, and pay.

Fee: $249 in most locations, $231.30 in Mainland China, effective August 1, 2026
Lead time: at least 2 calendar days online, 2 business days by phone
Name match: your registration name has to match your ID exactly
At-home: desktop or laptop, two cameras, and a completed ETS equipment check
Changes: reschedule for $55 no later than 4 days before your date, 10 days in Mainland China, or you forfeit the test fee
Retakes: one test every 21 days, up to 5 in a rolling 12 months

Registering for the GRE General Test happens inside your ETS Account at www.ets.org/mygre. You create the account, choose a test center or an at-home appointment, pick a date, pay, and receive an appointment confirmation number. The same account holds the booking afterward, so every change, cancellation, and score order starts in one place.

The sections below follow the order ETS uses during registration: account setup, delivery choice, date and location, payment, ID rules, and confirmation. Read the ID rules before you type your name into the form, because the name on your registration has to match the ID you bring on test day. Registration also needs a minimum lead time, so start early when an application deadline is near.

Create Your ETS Account

Create your ETS Account at www.ets.org/mygre before you look at dates. The account is where you register, view or change an existing registration, view scores, order Additional Score Reports, and reach the free GRE Diagnostic Service. Enter your first and last name exactly as they appear on the ID you plan to present, because ETS compares the two at check-in. Accents are the only difference ETS overlooks.

Test center appointments are bookable online or by phone in most locations, while at-home appointments book online only through your ETS Account. Test takers sitting at a test center in Mainland China register through an NEEA account instead. Online registration needs at least 2 calendar days before your preferred test date, and phone registration needs 2 business days. Build the lead time into your plan before you count on a specific week. If you need extra testing time or other support, apply for GRE testing accommodations before this window opens.

Choose Test Center or At-Home Testing

ETS delivers the GRE General Test two ways: at a supervised test center or at home on your own computer. ETS lists more than 1,000 test centers in more than 160 countries, so a seat within travel distance is realistic for most test takers. At-home testing works differently, because availability depends on the country listed on your ETS account address. Confirm the country on your account before you plan around an at-home appointment. Your delivery choice also sets the equipment and check-in items you need.

At-Home Testing Requirements

Your setup has to clear a fixed equipment list before ETS lets you schedule an at-home test. Run the ETS Secure Browser equipment check before you book the appointment.

A desktop or laptop computer. Tablets, Chromebooks, and Surface Pro devices are not accepted.
A single monitor and keyboard.
Windows 11 or later, or Mac OS X 11 or later.
An internal or external speaker and microphone. Headsets are not allowed.
A movable camera for a 360 degree scan of your room.
A second camera, such as a smartphone or tablet with an internet connection, required since January 5, 2026.

Identity verification, through the mobile app where it applies, has to finish at least 72 hours before your test time. The requirement took effect for tests scheduled on or after March 31, 2026, so it now covers every date open for booking. Handle the check in the days right after you register instead of the night before. Our at-home testing guide walks through the room setup, the room scan, and check-in.

Pick Your Test Date and Location

Dates and open seats appear inside your ETS Account once you pick a delivery method. Online registration needs at least 2 calendar days before your preferred test date, and phone registration needs 2 business days, so the earliest date open to you sits several days ahead of today. Work backward from your application deadlines and leave room for prep and for score reporting.

Test center delivery adds a second choice: the center itself. You select it during registration from the more than 1,000 centers ETS runs in more than 160 countries. Seat availability differs by center and by date, so check a second nearby center when your preferred date shows nothing. Moving to a different center after you book costs $55, so settle the location before you pay.

Retakes carry a hard limit. ETS allows one GRE General Test every 21 days, up to 5 times in any rolling 12-month period. Space your dates so a second attempt still lands before your deadline. Our GRE test dates guide covers how testing windows and seat availability work across the year.

Pay the Registration Fee

Payment closes the registration. The amount depends on your location and on whether you qualify for a fee reduction, and later changes to the booking carry their own charges.

Fee type	Amount	Notes
Standard registration (most locations)	$249	Effective August 1, 2026
Standard registration (Mainland China)	$231.30	Effective August 1, 2026
Fee Reduction Program	$100	Includes $100 of complimentary prep materials
Reschedule fee	$55 ($53.90 in Mainland China)	Reschedule no later than 4 days before your test date, 10 days in Mainland China, or you forfeit the test fee
Test center change	$55	To move to a different test center
Cancellation refund	50% of the test fee	Cancel online no later than 4 days before your test date, 10 days in Mainland China

The Fee Reduction Program price is $100 and comes with $100 of complimentary prep materials, two practice tests plus writing practice software. Eligibility covers test takers with financial need, unemployed test takers with documentation of compensation, Peace Corps volunteers, and students at partnered organizations. Your test fee also covers up to four score recipients designated during registration, and reports beyond those four cost extra. Our GRE fees guide puts every charge in one table.

Payment Methods

Accepted payment methods are scoped by region. The list below comes from the ETS India regional bulletin, so treat it as the India set rather than a global one and confirm the options your ETS Account offers at checkout on the official registration page.

Credit or debit card: Amex, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, RuPay Global, UnionPay, or VISA
PayPal
Pay by bank, for US bank accounts and addresses only
Alipay+ regional e-wallets, including AlipayChina, AlipayHK, KakaoPay, Kredivo, GCash, Touch'n Go, Rabbit Line Pay, TrueMoney, and Akulaku Paylater
Authorization vouchers

The same India bulletin adds a non-refundable 4% online service fee to the final charge on online transactions. The surcharge is regional, not universal, so read the total on the checkout screen before you confirm. For the amounts applying in every location, the official ETS fees page is the authority.

ID Requirements at Registration

The name you type at registration decides what happens at check-in. Your first and last name have to exactly match, excluding accents, the name on the ID you present on test day. A mismatch puts you at risk of being barred from testing or having your scores canceled. Check the spelling against the document itself before you submit the form.

ETS accepts identification meeting every condition below. Miss one and the document is not valid at check-in.

Original document, not a photocopy or digital image, aside from limited digital ID cases in the Republic of Korea
Physical, government-issued national, state, or province ID, or a passport or driver's license depending on your country
Current and not expired
A recent photo matching your appearance
Your signature
The exact name you used at registration

ETS turns away these forms of ID at check-in. Order a replacement well ahead of your date when yours falls in this list.

Expired IDs
Photocopies
Photos of an ID on a phone
IDs without a photo or signature
IDs with a name not matching your registration

Beyond a valid ID, at-home check-in requires two extra items. Have both on your desk before the proctor connects.

A mirror or mobile phone to show the proctor your screen
A whiteboard with an erasable marker, or one blank sheet of paper inside a transparent sheet protector with an erasable marker

If you hold refugee status or political asylum and cannot meet the standard ID rules, contact the ETS Office of Testing Integrity at least 7 days before you register. Check-in on test day might include biometric voice and photo ID checks, fingerprinting, videotaping, and signature comparison. Refusing those steps risks forfeiting your test fee and a bar from testing. Our GRE test day guide covers the arrival routine in full.

Confirmation, Rescheduling and Cancellation

Your registration confirms once the payment clears, and ETS issues an appointment confirmation number with it. Save the number next to the exact name on your registration, because a phone reschedule or cancellation requires both. Your ETS Account keeps the same record, and you use it to view, change, or cancel the appointment online.

Rescheduling works online in your ETS Account or by phone. Move the appointment no later than 4 days before your test date, 10 days in Mainland China, or you forfeit the test fee. The reschedule fee is $55, or $53.90 in Mainland China. Appointments are not allowed to move beyond 1 year from the original test date.

Cancellation runs on the same clock. Cancel online no later than 4 days before your test date, 10 days in Mainland China, and you get back half your original test fee. Cancel after the deadline and the full fee is gone. Weigh the 50% refund against the $55 reschedule fee before you drop a date you are able to move instead.

Phone support is scoped by region like the payment list. The ETS India regional bulletin lists 1-609-771-7670, or toll-free 1-866-473-4373, for test takers in the US, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Canada, with Regional Customer Support covering other regions. Confirm the current number for your country on the official GRE registration page before you call.

With the date booked, the rest is preparation. Work through our free GRE practice tests and section drills to build pacing and accuracy under timed conditions. Everything is free and needs no signup.