Sometimes life doesn’t go quite as planned. Maybe you’d scheduled your GRE exam for what you thought was the perfect day. You were all set. But! Then you discover that you have an event that will keep you up really late the night before 😑 That’s no good! You should be well-rested for your GRE exam. There are many reasons people reschedule their GRE exams. It’s an incredibly common occurrence! So, if life throws a wrench in your test-taking plans, you’re going to need to reschedule. Curious about just how to do that? Well, we’re here to guide you through the process.
But first, let’s get clear on ETS’s rescheduling policy.
The Rules
ETS is pretty good about making sure it explains its policy for rescheduling a GRE test. However, you have to know where to look. It’s not front and center on its website (although, that certainly would be convenient), which is why we’re going to explain everything you need to know in this article. Still, if you’d really like to see the policy for yourself, you can find it in the GRE Information Bulletin.
The Deadline
For test-takers in most countries, you must reschedule your test no later than FOUR DAYS before the date of your exam. However, if you are taking the GRE at a test center in Mainland China, you must reschedule no later than 10 days before your scheduled exam. If you miss the deadline to reschedule, you have no other option than to forfeit the money you paid for the initial test and then register (and pay) for a new test.
The Fee(s)
The good thing about rescheduling your test before the cutoff is that it’ll be less of a financial burden than forfeiting and registering for a whole new test. But! ETS loves to take your money, so, of course, it will still charge a fee for what it calls “Special Handling Requests.” Here’s what you can expect to pay to reschedule your exam:
| Special Handling Request | Fee |
|---|---|
| Rescheduling fee — China | $53.90 |
| Rescheduling fee — All other areas of the world | $50 |
| Changing your test center | $50 |
*NOTE: If you’re changing the date AND the location, you have to pay both fees.
Rescheduling Your GRE Exam
- Go to ETS and log into your online account.
- Once you’re logged in, navigate over to your “My GRE” page. That’s where you’ll find your upcoming GRE test date and location.
- After you select the reschedule option, a window will open where you will be able to change your test’s date, location, or both.
At Home Process
If you’re rescheduling an “At Home” exam, you’ll get the option of selecting the two-month period during which you’d like to take the test. You’ll then be presented with available test dates. Once you select an available date, you’ll be presented with available times. When you find the one you desire, hit the register button.
Testing Center Process
If you’re rescheduling a test at a center, you will select your appointment date, type in the location where you’d like to take your rescheduled exam, choose the two-month timeframe, and then hit the “Continue” button. A map with nearby locations and available time slots will appear. Once you select a location, you’ll be shown the available times. When you find a time and location that works, you’ll select register.
- When you’ve registered for a new test date, time, and/or location, you’ll be prompted to confirm all the information.
- If everything looks correct, you’ve made it to the last step–the one where ETS collects the fee.
Last Minute Test Rescheduling
As mentioned above. This option doesn’t exist. If you wake up feeling sick on test day, it’s too late to reschedule the exam. Thus, if you just don’t show up to your exam, you won’t get a refund and you’ll have to pay full price to register for a new test date. That’s like paying twice to take the test once No Good!😞
Is there anything you can do to avoid losing your refund AND having to pay to register for a new test date?
Well, yes. BUT! It won’t be easy.
If you truly were sick, you can contact ETS to see what they say. Some test-takers have reported that ETS was willing to give them a voucher to retake the exam later. But ETS was only willing to offer this to students who sent in a letter from a doctor certifying that they were indeed sick. If you attempt to go this route, be patient. ETS may take quite some time to investigate the matter.
Don’t Sweat It!
Unless you’re attempting to reschedule after the deadline, rescheduling really isn’t a big deal. Sure, it will cost you a $50 (or more) fee. But think about that fee in the grander scheme of your graduate school education.
Ultimately, graduate school is going to cost you many thousands of dollars. An extra $50 for a reschedule is probably worth it if it means you’ll score better and have a better chance of getting admitted to the program of your choosing.
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Best of Luck!
