Programs with No GRE Requirement

The Graduate Record Examination is conducted to assess the candidate’s skill in Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing which are the three sections in the General Test. This exam has become widely accepted in over 160 countries with even business schools and law schools considering the GRE score report.

At the same time, there are colleges and universities that do not list GRE in their requirements list and enlist TOEFL or IELTS as part of their requirements. There are also colleges that offer an option between the three and let the student choose according to the skill they want to present. Some colleges also consider only the GPA and the application form and let other examinations like GRE be the extra credit that students can choose to submit along with their application or not.

List of Universities/programs not requiring GRE

These are some of the Universities which do not require GRE for admission even for international students.

Universities/ Colleges	Courses
MIT	Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Washington State University	Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Drexel University	MS in Data Science MS in Information Systems MS in Software Engineering
Boston University	MS in Advertising
Purdue University	MS in Computer Science
Johns Hopkins University	MS in Computer Science MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering Mechanical Engineering
Clarkson University	MS in Engineering and Management Systems
University of Dayton	Engineering
Stevens Institute of Technology	Engineering
George Mason University	MS in Applied Information Technology MS in Civil and Infrastructure Engineering MS in Computer Forensics
University of Washington	MS in Civil Engineering
University of Maryland	Engineering: Professional Master of Engineering
Iowa State University	ME in Chemical and Biological Engineering ME in Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering ME in Systems Engineering
University of Minnesota	MS in Civil Engineering
Brown University	Biomedical Engineering
South Dakota State University	MS in Mechanical Engineering MS in Computer Science
North Carolina State University	Landscape Architecture
Tufts University	Engineering Management
Brandeis University	MA/ MS in Computer Science
Portland State University	Mechanical and Materials Engineering
New Mexico State University	Economics, Applied Statistics, and International Business
University of Maryland, Baltimore County	MS in Geographic Information Systems Applied Sociology
University of Arizona	Economic Geology
University of Nebraska-Lincoln	Industrial and Management Systems Engineering
University of Pittsburgh	Material Science and Engineering
University of Michigan	InterPro-Integrated Microsystems
American University	MS in International Relations and Business
Florida International University	MS in Criminal Justice

Why do Universities Require GRE?

The GRE exam is conducted for students who have completed their undergraduate courses and want to further continue their education. This brings students from different disciplines of education into their field of choice which could either be a continuation of their undergraduate course or an entirely different discipline altogether. In this scenario, colleges demand that students attempt standardized tests to even the ground between all applicants.

In this way, colleges and universities will be able to use the standardized test as a marker more than the GPA to assess the abilities of the student on equal parameters with other applicants. While considering International students, colleges may also have a hard time deciphering the different grading systems they have had. Standardized tests offer a solution to this dilemma as well. Students also choose to take such tests to even out their GPA if they have scored a below-average grade.

Applying Without the GRE Score Report

International applicants often consider not taking the GRE General Test while applying to colleges due to various reasons. The reasons include the cost for the test which is at least $205 depending on the country they are applying from. The other factors include the necessity of students to clear either the TOEFL or IELTS exam for their visa clearance.

Students are also given the option of giving either GRE or GMAT according to the college and course they are applying to. All of these factors along with the availability of colleges that do not require GRE lets students choose which exam they have to focus on for their better future.

Fields that do not Require GRE Generally

While most Engineering and Business programs require GRE, there are some disciplines that generally do not require GRE for their application process. These programs include-

• Public Administration
• Public Health
• Nursing
• Education
• Interior Design
• Fine Arts
• Executive Programs- They waive off GRE for more work experience
• Online Programs

Most online courses offered by universities do not require GRE or GMAT but will require a certain GPA. There are offline courses that waive their GRE requirement if their GPA requirement has been met.

Taking GRE when it is an Optional Requirement

There are colleges that do not explicitly state whether the GRE exam is a necessary requirement or if it has been waived off for other tests. These colleges often state GRE to be optional and leave it to the students to decide whether they should take the test or not.

In this case, the best course of action is to attempt the test and provide the score report. But if the student has other exams to attend like the TOEFL or IELTS for visa procedures, the student can focus on the rest of the application rather than dividing their energy by preparing for all the exams at once.

It should be understood that having a strong application along with the required GPA can provide the candidate with admission even if they do not attempt the exam. At the same time, being unable to score their best in the standardized tests and sending a bad score report can diminish their chances of getting admission. In short, candidates must play to their strengths and attempt only the exams they are confident they can clear with high scores and leave out the rest.