GRE 2026 Shorter Format: 1 Hour 58 Minutes, 8-Day Score Release, Waivers Rising

ETS is now running every GRE General Test on the shorter 1 hour 58 minute format that first went live in September 2023, and the 2026 testing cycle has locked in the timing, the fee, and the score release window students should plan around. The GRE 2026 shorter format collapses what used to be a 3 hour 45 minute ordeal into under two hours, drops the unscored experimental section entirely, and delivers official scores in your ETS account 8 to 10 days after test day. Registration in the United States sits at $220 for both test center and at home appointments. Meanwhile, a growing list of top graduate programs, from UC Berkeley to Columbia Engineering to MIT, either waive the exam or make it optional for Fall 2026 intake. Applicants now have to decide whether to submit at all.

What the GRE 2026 shorter format actually looks like

The revised exam runs five sections and about 1 hour 58 minutes end to end, with no scheduled break. Analytical Writing comes first as a single 30 minute Issue essay, scored 0 to 6 in half point increments. Two Verbal Reasoning sections and two Quantitative Reasoning sections follow in any order after the essay, delivering 27 Verbal and 27 Quant questions in total, each section scored 130 to 170. ETS killed the old unscored experimental section, which means every question you see now counts toward your score. There is no separate research section tacked on the end either.

Why the 8 day score release matters for Fall 2026 applications

Under the GRE 2026 shorter format, unofficial Verbal and Quant scores flash on your screen at the test center or at home the moment you finish. Official scores, including Analytical Writing, land in your ETS account 8 to 10 days after your test date, and ETS emails you when they post. That turnaround gives applicants targeting December and January graduate deadlines a realistic buffer to retake if needed. For candidates who wait until October or November to sit the exam, the compressed 8 day score release is the difference between hitting a Round 1 cutoff and slipping to Round 2.

The $220 fee, rescheduling costs, and fee reductions

ETS charges $220 for the GRE General Test in the United States and most global markets, whether you pick a Prometric test center or the at home ProctorU delivery. Rescheduling or changing your test center costs $50 if you act at least four days before your appointment. Additional Score Reports run $35 to $40 per recipient depending on the source, and canceling at least four days out refunds only half the registration. The ETS Fee Reduction Program cuts the registration to $100 for applicants who qualify through documented financial need, unemployment status, Peace Corps service, or participating national access programs.

Which top grad programs are waiving the GRE for 2026

The waiver list is now large enough that many US applicants are asking the opposite question: do I even need to take it? UC Berkeley requires the GRE for only 13 of its more than 125 graduate programs. MIT does not require the GRE across most departments. Columbia Engineering has dropped the GRE for every engineering master's program. Purdue waived the exam for all computer science graduate tracks. University of Wisconsin Madison, Georgia Tech, and University of Illinois Urbana Champaign either waived it or made it optional across broad slates of programs. MBA and PhD policies still vary program by program, so verify each department page before you register.

How to decide whether to sit the GRE this cycle

Check every target program's official admissions page before you pay the $220. If two or three of your target schools still require or strongly recommend the GRE, a solid score protects your entire list and often unlocks merit funding at the schools that made it optional. Test optional does not mean test blind, and a 320 plus composite still moves the needle for competitive STEM master's and funded PhD tracks. If every school on your list has moved to test blind or hard waiver status, redirect prep time into research statements, faculty outreach, and portfolio work instead. Book early either way, because at home slots and popular test centers fill fast near application deadlines.

Key Takeaways

• The GRE 2026 shorter format runs 1 hour 58 minutes with no unscored section and no scheduled break.
• Official scores post to your ETS account 8 to 10 days after test date, with unofficial Verbal and Quant visible on screen immediately.
• Registration is $220 in the US, $50 to reschedule, and $100 with an approved ETS Fee Reduction voucher.
• UC Berkeley, MIT, Columbia Engineering, Purdue, and Georgia Tech have waived or made the GRE optional for most graduate programs.
• Verbal and Quant remain 130 to 170; Analytical Writing stays 0 to 6 with one Issue essay.

What's Next

Fall 2026 applicants targeting December 1 or January 5 deadlines should book test dates by mid September at the latest to leave room for the 8 to 10 day score release and one retake if scores fall short. Confirm current requirements on each program's admissions page and cross check the ETS GRE General Test fees page for any mid cycle pricing updates before you register. Applicants seeking fee relief should submit Fee Reduction Program documentation early, since vouchers are limited and processed in order.