At a GRE test center, the only thing you must bring is a valid, physical photo ID whose name exactly matches your registration; everything else goes into storage, and the center gives you scratch paper. At home, you also need a whiteboard or sheet protector with an erasable marker, a phone or mirror for check-in, a passed equipment check and identity verification done 72 hours ahead. Arrive at a center at least 30 minutes early. The test runs 1 hour 58 minutes with no break.
Use the checklist to pack, the planner to work out when to wake up and leave, and the 12-item quiz to check what's allowed. Every rule here comes from ETS's GRE test day pages and the 2026-27 GRE Information Bulletin, checked November 7, 2026.
Choose test center or at home. Required items are the ones that can stop you from testing; recommended items prevent the problems that most often slow down check-in.
GRE test day checklist
Pick where you're testing, then tick items off. Ticks stay on this device, so you can pack the night before and check again in the morning.
Required (0 of 2)
Recommended (0 of 5)
Still missing: Valid photo ID (physical original), Your appointment time and test center address.
ETS lets you bring only two personal items into the testing room: your ID and, if you choose, a mask. Staff tell you where to store everything else before the test. That makes packing simple, but it also means anything you'd normally rely on (a watch, water, your own pencil) won't be at your desk.
| Item | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Photo ID | Required | Physical, original, unexpired, with photo and signature. Name must exactly match your registration. |
| Mask | Allowed | You may wear one while testing. |
| Glasses | Allowed | Staff may ask you to remove them for a close visual inspection. |
| Wedding or engagement ring | Allowed | All other jewelry is prohibited. |
| Scratch paper | Provided | The administrator gives it to you. Swap used sheets for new ones; never tear out a page. All paper is collected at the end. |
| Calculator | Provided on screen | Available during Quantitative Reasoning. Personal calculators need an approved accommodation. |
| Phone, watch, bag, food, drinks | Stored | Kept outside the testing room. You can't use your phone at any point, even during a break. |
Dress in layers, because ETS advises dressing for any room temperature, but keep them plain: jackets, hats, scarves and hair accessories can be inspected, and ornate clips, tie clips or headbands may be refused in the room. At check-in, staff take your photo, verify your ID, and may ask you to empty your pockets, roll up your sleeves and pant legs, give a voice sample or pass a metal-detector wand. You'll also sign a confidentiality statement; refusing means you can't test.
The at-home GRE swaps a trip for setup work: install the ETS Secure Browser, pass the Equipment Check, verify your identity in the IDVaaS app at least 72 hours ahead, and prepare an erasable note-taking surface and a room where you're alone. Here's ETS's list, in the order to do it.
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| As soon as you book | Download the ETS Secure Browser (Mac or Windows) and run the Equipment Check. Fix every item marked red. |
| 72+ hours before | Complete identity verification in the IDVaaS app (immediately if you register less than 72 hours out). |
| The day before | Run the Equipment Check at the time of day you'll test. Get a whiteboard and erasable marker, or one blank sheet in a clear sheet protector. Find a phone or hand-held mirror. |
| Test morning | Clear the desk, position it so the door is visible to the camera, close all other apps, disable screen-sharing and remote-access software, and turn off other devices using your internet. |
| 15 minutes before | Click "At Home Check-In" in your ETS confirmation email. That link, not the Secure Browser, connects you to a proctor. |
Check-in takes about 20 to 30 minutes. You show your ID on camera, set up your second camera when prompted, use the mirror or phone to show your screen, and give the proctor a 360-degree view of the room and desk. Keep your ears and face visible the whole time: no hats or hair over your ears, no jewelry, and no mask (masks aren't allowed at home). Religious headwear is fine if your ears stay visible. At the end, the proctor asks you to erase your whiteboard or sheet and hold it up, front and back.
If your equipment has problems, our GRE at home troubleshooting guide walks through equipment-check, webcam and network fixes.
Phones, every kind of watch, wearable technology, notes, personal calculators, and food or drinks in the testing room are all prohibited. The Bulletin's list of aids that can get you dismissed includes:
Twelve items test takers often ask about. The GRE is stricter than many tests, so a couple of answers surprise people.
Allowed or not? 12 GRE items
Eight are about test centers and four about testing at home. Answers follow ETS's GRE rules and the 2026-27 GRE Bulletin.
Rules can differ with approved accommodations. Practicing at home? See our GRE at home troubleshooting guide.
Your ID must be an original, physical, unexpired government-issued ID with a recent photo and your signature, and the first and last name must exactly match the name you registered with, ignoring accents. If they don't match, ETS won't let you test and won't refund the fee (ID requirements).
| Accepted as primary ID | Not accepted |
|---|---|
| Passport | International driver's license or mobile driver's license |
| Driver's license (physical card) | International student ID (a regular student ID counts only as a supplemental ID) |
| State or province ID card | Birth certificate or Social Security card |
| National ID card | Employee ID, credit or debit cards |
| Military ID (test centers only) | Notary-prepared letters, most temporary IDs, photocopies |
A U.S. Passport Card counts only with an acceptable supplemental ID. If your primary ID has no signature, bring a supplemental ID with your photo and signature in the same name.
At a test center, plan to arrive at least 30 minutes before your appointment. At home, plan to be fully set up before you click the check-in link 15 minutes before your appointment. Then work backward with your own travel and getting-ready times.
The GRE General Test has five sections, takes 1 hour 58 minutes, and has no scheduled break. Analytical Writing is always first; the two Verbal and two Quantitative sections follow in any order (ETS test structure).
| Section | Questions | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical Writing (Analyze an Issue) | 1 essay task | 30 min |
| Verbal Reasoning, section 1 | 12 | 18 min |
| Verbal Reasoning, section 2 | 15 | 23 min |
| Quantitative Reasoning, section 1 | 12 | 21 min |
| Quantitative Reasoning, section 2 | 15 | 26 min |
| Total | 54 + 1 essay | 1 h 58 min, no break |
Verbal and Quant are section-level adaptive: your first section in each is medium difficulty, and the second gets harder or easier based on how you did. Within a section you can skip, mark questions for review and change answers. If you need the restroom at a test center, raise your hand; the clock doesn't stop. Because there's no break, eat and drink before you check in. Our GRE format guide covers each question type, and the test day anxiety tips help if nerves are the bigger worry.
When you finish, you choose to report or cancel your scores. If you report them, you see unofficial Verbal and Quant scores right away and can send them to up to four schools free. Analytical Writing isn't shown until official scores arrive in your ETS account 8 to 10 days later (getting your scores).
| Decision | What ETS says |
|---|---|
| Report or cancel | Reported scores join your reportable history and can't be canceled later. Canceled scores aren't added; you can reinstate them online within 60 days, for a fee. |
| Free score recipients | Up to four schools or fellowship sponsors as part of your test fee, chosen on test day. |
| ScoreSelect on test day | Most Recent (this test) or All (every GRE in the last 5 years), per recipient. |
| Sending later | US$40 per recipient, about 5 business days to process. After test day you can also choose Any: one or more specific test dates. |
| How long scores last | Reportable for 5 years after the test date. |
Have your list of schools ready before test day so you can use the four free reports, and check whether any program requires all your scores. Once your unofficial scores are up, compare them with a target using our GRE percentile calculator. If you're planning to retake (you can test once every 21 days, up to five times in 12 months), our GRE retake study plan sets out what to change.
Last verified against ETS's GRE test center, at-home, ID, test structure and score pages and the GRE Information Bulletin 2026-27: November 7, 2026. Rules can differ with approved accommodations and by country.