Required Tests

Some graduate fields require applicants to submit Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores. Several fields require or accept the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) instead of GRE scores. All applicants must meet our English language proficiency requirement and may be required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores.

Applicants are expected to take an in-person test whenever possible. The Graduate School remains committed to supporting avenues of access to graduate education. Therefore, if an in-person option is not available to you, you may take and submit scores from a home-based test. Please note, however, that in our experience, home-based test scores are more likely to be canceled than in-person test scores. Consequently, if your scores are canceled, you will need to retake the test.

Chemistry students tutoring chemistry students

GRE requirements

GRE requirements vary by field. Please check the application requirements for your proposed field for details on which tests are required.

  • Institution Code: All official test scores should be reported directly to Cornell University’s institution code 2098. Department codes are not needed for matching scores to applications. If ETS requires you to select a department code, you may choose “0000 undecided.”
  • Score expiration: GRE test scores are valid for five years from the test date.
  • GRE contact information: Educational Testing Service (ETS), Graduate Record Examinations

GMAT requirements

GMAT requirements vary by field. Please check the application requirements for your proposed field for details on which tests are required. The fields of hotel administration, real estate, management, industrial and labor relations, and the Sloan program in the field of public policy accept either the GRE or the GMAT.

TOEFL and IELTS requirements

Please see: English Language Proficiency Requirement