The pandemic has caused significant hurdles to the education sector worldwide. Early last year, when the pandemic news broke out, educational institutions worldwide had no other choice but to halt their day-to-day operations. Since then, we have seen universities conducting online classes to deliver lectures to students. In addition to schools and colleges, standardized testing centers have also been shut down to curb the virus’s spread. Due to these shutdowns, students worldwide have had to face difficulties in applying to schools.

It wasn’t long before ETS started offering their “GRE at Home” testing service, and many students have since opted to take the home-based test. However, the home-based GRE test is far from a viable option as cheating reports have been rampant for months. Unfortunately, the pandemic will not go anywhere for the foreseeable future, as the vaccination process will take years to complete.

In light of these circumstances, Universities across the world have started to open up slowly with strict measures to combat the spread. However, the question remains, would GRE scores be required to apply to graduate schools, given the difficulties students have had to face.

Are U.S. universities waiving GRE in light of COVID?

GRE test centers were shut down as a precaution worldwide after reports of covid hit the global news. This was a necessary measure at the time, and in some countries, you still cannot take the general GRE test. As a consequence of the abrupt shutdowns, students found themselves in a tough spot as there was no way they could make graduate schools’ admission deadlines.

Most graduate programs, especially STEM, require GRE scores for admissions. Even business schools require either GRE or GMAT, and without any way to take the test, the prospects of getting into a graduate school in-time seemed bleak.

In light of all this, Universities in the U.S. have announced that they are waiving off GRE requirement for the current year. However, I should mention that not all universities have made this decision, and hence you may need to take the GRE depending on which school you are applying to.

Moreover, it may also be the case that some programs within the same school have waived off GRE while others have not. To be sure, you will have to look up the school you are interested in and find the relevant information on their webpage.

Which Universities have Waived Off GRE Requirement So Far?

It is hard to keep track of all the U.S. universities that have waived off GRE. However, there are quite a few universities that I was able to find that have waived off GRE requirements for the current year. Check the list below:

• Stevens Institute of Technology
• Illinois Institute of Technology
• Duquesne University
• Baylor University
• University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
• The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• The University of North Alabama
• The University of Alabama
• The University of Mississippi
• Southern Methodist University
• The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 
• Rochester Institute of Technology
• Northeastern University
• University of Louisville graduate business programs
• Florida State University
• Jackson State University
• The Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering, IUB
• New York Institute of Technology
• SUNY Buffalo
• The University of Florida
• Oregon State University
• Mississippi State University
• South Dakota State University
• California State University Long Beach
• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• Boston University
• Brandis University Master of Public Policy program
• University of Memphis School of Public Health
• The University of Minnesota
• University of North Carolina Charlotte
• Austin Peay State University
• Drew University
• Loyola University School of business
• University of Arizona Master of Public Health
• Graduate Program at Penn State College of Engineering
• Texas Technology University
• Auburn University
• University of California, San Diego
• Rice University
• University of Colorado, Boulder
• Cornell University

How Can I Find Out If a School Has Waived Off GRE or Not?

There is no database as of yet where you can find out this information in a consolidated manner. However, you can visit the website of whichever school you are interested in to find the relevant information.

Most schools will display covid-related information on the homepage of their websites. If not, then you may need to dig in a little. Visit the specific program you are interested in and try to read through the requirements. If you still don’t find the relevant information, then try emailing the school.

For example, the University of Houston has made this information available under the “admissions” tab. Moreover, there may be some programs that still require GRE while others have waived it. The University of Alabama has published a detailed list of which of its programs are exempted from GRE.

Most universities have decided by now whether to waive of GRE or not. You should be able to find the relevant information by visiting university webpages.

GRE is Still Required for my Program. What do I do?

This is no cause for concern because many test centers worldwide have opened up since July last year. If you are worried about not securing a seat in time for admissions, register yourself for the home-based GRE.

The good thing about at-home GRE is that it is readily available. You can even take the test within 24 hours of registering for it. All you need to take the test is a laptop or desktop computer, webcam, mic, and speakers.

Granted that there have been concerns surrounding the home-based test’s fairness, you should still take it if there are no other options available. ETS has yet to comment on the rampant cheating going on at homes, but if the universities are fine with the test’s validity, there should be no problems.

You may also want to check if the school you are interested in accepts “GRE at-home” test results. ETS claims that any university that accepts the GRE general test would also accept the test’s home version. However, it may be a good idea to check beforehand as you don’t want to find out after the test.