The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized, computer-adaptive test that is often a key component of an MBA application. This exam was designed by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) in cooperation with business schools to measure and assess the academic readiness of MBA applicants. Thus, a high GMAT score is vital for applicants hoping to be accepted into top MBA programs. However, the process of taking the GMAT can be expensive, especially without adequate preparation.
This article considers the various fees you can expect to pay when you take the GMAT, including registration, rescheduling, and cancellation fees.
| Service Fees | Delivered at a Test Center | Delivered Online |
|---|---|---|
| GMAT Exam | US$275 | US$300 |
| Enhanced Score Report (purchased at time of registration) | US$30 | Not Available |
| Additional Score Report | US$35 each | US$35 each |
| Cancel score (via mba.com My Account page after the exam) | US$25 | Not Applicable |
| Reinstate score | US$50 | Not Applicable |
| AWA Essay Rescoring | US$45 | US$45 |
| Reschedule Fees | ||
| More than 60 days before appointment | US$55 | US$60 |
| 15-60 days before appointment | US$110 | US$120 |
| 14 days or less before appointment | US$165 | US$180 |
| Cancellation Fees | ||
| More than 60 days before appointment | US$110 refund | US$120 Refund |
| 15-60 days before appointment | US$80 refund | US$90 Refund |
| 14 days or less before appointment | US$55 refund | US$60 Refund |
GMAT registration takes place online and can take place up to six months before your GMAT exam date. To register online, you first have to select the GMAT exam delivery format you want: online or at a test center. Next, you need to create an mba.com account and provide biometric data. Finally, to register for your exam, you need to complete your GMAT profile, select your preferred GMAT test date and time, and complete your registration payment. You can use a debit card or credit card to pay for your GMAT exam. You can also contact GMAT customer service to register on the phone. However, it is important to note that you will pay a $10 fee for every call you make.
The cost of the GMAT differs based on location, as different places in the world have particular pricing and local taxes. The cost of the GMAT also depends on whether you want to take it online or at a testing center. In the United States, the online exam costs $300 USD and the test center version costs $275. This price includes sending your score reports to up to five MBA programs. There is an additional service fee if you want an enhanced score report. This service costs $30 and is only open to test takers who take the exam at a testing center. Further, if you decide you want your Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) to be rescored, it costs $45 no matter if you took the exam at a testing center or online.
GMAT prices are relatively comparable across the globe. In the UK, the GMAT costs £250 at a testing center and £275 online. In China, the GMAT exam costs a flat rate of $250. In some European countries like the Czech Republic, Denmark, and Switzerland, the test center GMAT costs $285 and the online GMAT costs $310. However, in most European countries, the GMAT costs €275 and €300 in a testing center and online respectively. Other countries such as South Korea and India have the same GMAT exam pricing as in the United States.
You can reschedule your GMAT exam by logging into your mba.com account, going to the My Account page, and clicking the “reschedule” button. When you reschedule your GMAT exam, you have the option to change your test center or keep the same test center. After completing these steps, you must pay the GMAT reschedule fee. After the reschedule fee is paid, your GMAT exam has been successfully rescheduled.
It is possible to reschedule your GMAT exam to another country. However, you need to contact GMAT customer service rather than rescheduling online.
The GMAT reschedule fee you must pay depends on the amount of time you have before your original test date. If you are taking the exam at a testing center, it costs $55 USD to reschedule your GMAT exam more than 60 days prior to your scheduled test date, $110 to reschedule between 15 and 60 days prior, and $165 to reschedule less than 14 days prior. Online, it costs $60 to reschedule more than 60 days in advance of your scheduled GMAT appointment, $120 between 15 and 60 days, and $180 for 14 days or less. However, you cannot get any registration fee money back if you wish to reschedule less than 24 hours before your GMAT test appointment. Due to these prices, test takers will want to avoid any GMAT rescheduling, especially close to the original test appointment date.
It is possible to cancel your GMAT appointment online via your mba.com account. If you wish to cancel your GMAT exam, you need to go to the My Account page of your mba.com account and click the “cancel” GMAT exam button. However, there is a GMAT cancellation fee to keep in mind.
If you are taking the GMAT at a test center, the updated GMAT cancellation fee is $165 ($110 refund) if you cancel more than 60 days in advance, $195 ($80 refund) if you cancel between 15 and 60 days prior, and $220 ($55 refund) if you cancel 14 days or less. Online, you receive $120 back if you cancel your GMAT more than 60 days prior to your exam appointment, $90 back between 15 to 60 days prior, and $60 back if you cancel 14 days or less. No refunds are given if you cancel within 24 hours or less of your GMAT appointment date.
Different countries have different policies if you want to cancel your GMAT appointment. For example, if you plan to take the GMAT exam in the European Union, you can get a full refund if you cancel your GMAT within 14 days of your registration date. Further, in South Korea, you can get a $150 refund if you cancel your GMAT exam within seven calendar days prior to your GMAT appointment or $50 if you cancel less than seven days.
You will not get a refund if you miss your GMAT test day, because you are not allowed to make any changes to your GMAT appointment less than 24 hours before it was scheduled to begin. However, you may register for a new GMAT appointment date and time without waiting if you do not show up to take your GMAT.
It is only possible to get a partial refund if you cancel or reschedule your GMAT exam in advance.
The GMAT examination is offered globally on most days throughout the year. Specifically, GMAT appointments are available up to seven days per week at testing centers or around the clock if you schedule an online exam appointment.
You can take the GMAT exam up to five times per year and up to eight times in your life. After taking the test, you can register for a new GMAT appointment date after 16 calendar days.
Canceling your GMAT score after leaving the test center costs $25 USD. You do not get a refund of your test fee if you wish to cancel your score. However, if you take the GMAT online, it is not possible to cancel your GMAT score. If you change your mind after canceling your GMAT score, you can reinstate your score for $50.
You can choose to send your GMAT score report to up to five MBA programs on your GMAT test date. If you are applying to more than five programs, you can order additional score reports. Each additional GMAT score report costs $35 whether you took the exam online or at a test center.
There are five acceptable GMAT ID types: passports, green cards, government-issued driver’s licenses, government-issued national/state/province identity cards, and military ID cards. All IDs must be current and legible and include your name, date of birth, signature, and a recent photograph to be in compliance with the GMAT exam security process.
At the testing center, if you do not have an ID, or a combination of two IDs, with you that meets all of these requirements, you forfeit your entire exam fee. For the online GMAT, you must upload an appropriate ID or IDs at registration and present the same ID or IDs to the online proctor at the beginning of your scheduled GMAT appointment.
When preparing for an MBA degree, business professionals often have no choice but to take the GMAT exam. Even though the exam itself is expensive, it is possible to keep GMAT test costs to a minimum, through adequate test preparation and guaranteed availability for the GMAT appointment time you select. There are costs to keep in mind when preparing for your GMAT exam appointment, including services such as tutoring and materials such as textbooks and study guides, but GMAT prep work is the best way to ensure that you do not have to retake the exam. Further, as there are costs involved to reschedule or cancel a GMAT test appointment, test dates should be chosen carefully.
Interested in preparing for the GMAT in a time-effective manner? Sign up for our GMAT prep course put together by industry experts.
