GRE dates: rolling General appointments and Subject test windows
There is no single annual GRE exam date. The General Test is booked for available appointments on a rolling basis, while GRE Subject Tests are offered in scheduled windows. Candidates should work backward from the exact programme deadline and choose the test only after confirming which GRE version the department uses.
GRE General Test appointments
ETS states that General Test appointments are available continuously in most regions at test centres, with at-home appointments also offered subject to regional availability and the candidate's address, technical setup and room requirements. “Continuous” does not mean every date, time or mode is available in every city. Availability changes as appointments fill, and the public page is not a booking confirmation. Sign in to the ETS account and inspect live slots for the intended location before choosing an application plan. If a city or home option does not appear, treat the account's available inventory as the practical schedule and compare nearby authorised centres or later programme deadlines.
The General Test has no annual date on which every candidate sits together. There is likewise no GRE-wide application deadline, result deadline for universities, or admissions calendar. Departments set their own deadlines and policies, and some require official score delivery by the deadline rather than merely a test booking. Check the exact programme and intake for when the score must arrive, not just when the application form closes.
GRE Subject Test 2026-27 windows
ETS's 2026-27 testing calendar lists three Subject Test windows. The window and score-release pairing is:
These are scheduled windows for Subject Tests, not dates for the General Test. Location and at-home availability can vary. Confirm which window appears for the intended location and test in the ETS account. A score release date is an ETS reporting schedule, not a university review or admission decision date. The dates above belong to the ETS 2026-27 testing year; refresh the official calendar for any later testing year rather than carrying these dates forward.
Plan backward from the programme deadline
For each target department, note four separate dates: the application deadline; the latest date by which official GRE scores must be received; the date of a suitable available test appointment; and the expected score release or reporting window. Leave time to choose recipients, correct any account issue and handle a retake if the programme allows one. General scores usually post 8-10 days after the test, but the programme's receipt process may add time. Subject scores follow the listed scheduled release dates. Do not assume a result will arrive before a deadline because the exam itself occurs before it.
If a department has not published the coming intake's policy or date, label that gap clearly. The last published schedule can help a candidate understand the process, but it does not establish a current deadline. Use one short status note, then make a concrete next move: monitor the department's official admissions page or ask its graduate office whether a GRE result must arrive by submission, review or enrollment. Do not describe last year's schedule as this year's tentative dates.
Appointment changes and retakes
The ETS schedule page says General Test retakes must be at least 21 days apart and are limited to five times in any continuous rolling 12-month period. Subject Test retakes must be at least 14 days apart. These are different rules, so check the specific exam before booking a second attempt. A retake plan also has to fit the programme's score receipt deadline. Verify current cancellation, rescheduling and service-fee rules in the account because the consequence depends on when a change is made and the applicable terms.
Candidates requesting testing accommodations should begin that process before scheduling. ETS says approval and arrangements affect which appointment can be booked. At-home candidates need to check the current equipment and room requirements before selecting an at-home slot. A calendar slot alone does not prove that the setup is suitable.
What to check on test day planning
After booking, use the confirmation in the ETS account as the controlling appointment record. Recheck the test name, location or mode, date and time, identification requirements and any approved accommodation. Keep the university's deadline in a separate calendar entry. For a Subject Test, include the published score release date; for a General appointment, use the current ETS estimate and the programme's own receipt instructions. No central GRE counselling date follows the score release. The next step is the applicant's programme-specific submission or other admissions process.
Sources and scope. Dates and retake intervals reflect ETS pages accessed 28 October 2026. General slots are live availability; Subject dates are specifically the 2026-27 testing year.