How Long Is the GRE?—And Other Timing Questions

When it comes to the GRE, timing is everything.

So it’s natural for students and other GRE-takers to wonder about the practicalities of the test:

• How long is the GRE?
• How long should I spend in each section?
• How long are GRE scores valid?
• When will I get my GRE results?

We’ve gathered all the information you need to know about the timing and the GRE, so you can spend those precious hours improving your score instead of worrying about logistics.

How Long is the GRE?

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a standardized, computer-delivered test that takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete. There is also a paper GRE option that is about fifteen minutes shorter. Both are administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), and the computer-delivered version can be taken at home or at a test center. The paper GRE option is only available in locations where a computer-delivered GRE is not available.

The GRE general test measures an individual’s qualifications and preparedness to enter graduate programs, asking questions that require advanced reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.

How Long Is Each GRE Section?

The computer GRE test length is approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes. The GRE test has 6 sections and includes a 10-minute break after the third section of the examination.

Analytical Writing Section Time (1 hour)

The analytical writing section has 2 separately timed tasks, each lasting 30 minutes.

The first is the “Analyze an Issue” essay and the second is the “Analyze an Argument” essay.

Verbal Reasoning Section Time (1 hour)

The verbal sections take 60 minutes to complete and are separated into 2 verbal reasoning sections.

Each section has 20 questions and must be completed within 30 minutes.

The first verbal reasoning section is of average difficulty and determines the difficulty level of the second section.

Quantitative Reasoning Section Time (1 hour, 10 minutes)

The quantitative reasoning (quant) section lasts 70 minutes.

There are 2 quantitative reasoning sections, each with 20 questions.

The first 35-minute section is of average difficulty and determines the difficulty level of the second section.

Unscored Section Time (Timing Varies)

The timing varies for the unidentified unscored section of the GRE, which may appear at any point after the analytical writing section.

Questions in this section are either being tried out for use in future tests or to make sure scores on current and past tests are comparable.

This section can also be called the experimental section and will be either math-based or verbal-based.

The test taker does not know whether it is the actual verbal or quantitative reasoning section.

Research Section Time (Timing Varies)

Instead of an unscored section, an identified research section may appear on the GRE test at the very end of the examination.

Timing varies for this section.

This section does not count toward your GRE test scores and is used for ETS research purposes.

How Many Questions are on the GRE?

There are 82 questions on the computer-based GRE and 102 questions on the paper-based GRE.

Despite the difference in the number of questions, both the computer GRE and the paper GRE have the same test format, measuring the extent of your knowledge through analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning sections.

Top Tips on How to Handle GRE Timing

There are many different strategies on how to pace yourself during the GRE test times. Specifically, to reduce your testing time, you can use certain question-answering strategies and time management tips.

Here are some GRE time management tips we recommend:

1. Skip questions. It is recommended to skip questions, answering the easiest ones first to allow more time to answer questions that are more complex.
2. Don’t spend more than 3 minutes on any single question. Instead of wasting too much time trying to figure out the answer to a challenging question, take an educated guess. There are no penalties for wrong answers on the GRE!
3. Memorize the format and directions for the GRE. Learning and understanding the format and directions for each test section can save you a lot of time on the GRE.

Time management strategies can be learned and practiced in GRE prep courses. Taking practice tests is also a helpful strategy to learn what to expect on test day.

Score Validity and Wait Times

How Long Is My GRE Score Valid?

GRE scores are valid and reportable for up to 5 years.

When Will I Get My GRE Score?

Unofficial scores for the verbal and quantitative sections are available to view immediately after testing.

Official scores become available between 10 and 15 days after the GRE test day and can be checked on the test taker’s ETS account.

When Will Schools Receive My GRE Score?

The ETS gives test takers the option to send 4 free official Institution Score Reports to institutions they identify on the day of the test. GRE scores are sent to graduate schools 10 to 15 days after test day.

Test takers can send additional score reports or send their official scores after test day for a fee. Once the GRE scores are requested, it takes 5 days for the grad school to receive them if they are ordered online or 10 days if they are submitted via email or fax.

How Long Does It Take to Get Results from GRE Subject Tests?

It takes about 5 weeks to receive the results of a GRE subject test.

GRE Exam Pattern 2023

The GRE pattern focuses on the test taker’s critical and abstract thinking, in addition to their problem-solving skills. There is a mix of easy, medium, and difficult questions throughout the exam.

GRE Exam Pattern—Subject Test

The GRE subject test exam pattern depends on the field of study the test is measuring. Each GRE subject test lasts 3 hours and 30 minutes.

The number of questions varies depending on the subject of the GRE subject test.

• The physics test has 1oo questions.
• The chemistry test has 130 questions.
• The mathematics test has 66 questions.
• The psychology test has 205 questions.

GRE Timing—Recap

In order to perform well in the GRE, managing your timing is extremely important.

When it comes to the structure and format of the exam, remember:

• The GRE takes approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete.
• The Analytical Writing and Verbal sections each take 1 hour to complete; the Quantitative Reasoning Section takes 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete; and timing varies for the Unscored and Research Sections.

Time management is one of the skills the GRE examines, so proper time management should lead you to a better score.

To make the best use of your time in the GRE, it is recommended to:

• Answer easy questions first to allow more time for the more difficult questions.
• Make educated guesses rather than spending too much time trying to figure out the answer to particularly difficult questions.
• Memorize the format of the GRE.

After you’ve taken the GRE, you should be aware of some more timing facts and figures:

• GRE Scores are valid for 5 years.
• You can access unofficial scores immediately upon completing the exam, but official scores become available after 10-15 days.
• GRE scores are sent to your selected 4 graduate schools 10 to 15 days after test day. Grad schools receive additional score reports after 5 days if they are ordered online or 10 days if they are submitted via email or fax.
• It takes about 5 weeks to receive the results of a GRE subject test.