Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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We like to hear from you and welcome all of your questions.

If you have a specific question about the GMAT® exam, you may find it here instantly. If you can’t find an answer to your question here, please contact GMAT Customer Service in your region.

About the GMAT

Q: How do I schedule an appointment to take the GMAT exam?
A: If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment to take the GMAT exam, your first step is to register for an mba.com account.

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Q: Where can I take the GMAT exam?
A: The GMAT exam is delivered year-round and on demand in test centers around the world.

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Q: How much does it cost to take the GMAT exam?
A: The cost to take the GMAT exam is US $250 globally. To learn more about payment methods, potential taxes, cancellation fees and other considerations, please visit our Pay for the Test page.

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Q: What are the test dates for the GMAT exam?
A: The GMAT is available year-round and on demand, which offers test takers greater flexibility in scheduling. Available time slots change continuously based on capacity and ongoing registration. You will find out which times are available at your chosen test center when you register to take the exam.

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Q: What does the GMAT exam measure?
A: The GMAT exam measures verbal, mathematical, integrated reasoning, and analytical writing skills that you have developed in your education and work. It does NOT measure your knowledge of business, your job skills, specific content in your undergraduate or first university course work, your abilities in any other specific subject area, or subjective qualities, such as motivation, creativity, and interpersonal skills.

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Q: How can I prepare to take the GMAT exam?
A: The Graduate Management Admission Council® provides free test preparation software and preparation materials to purchase as well as suggestions about how to prepare for the exam. Most GMAT test takers start preparing about three to six months before the actual test date. Think about how you can best prepare, given your discipline, motivation, and personal preference (e.g., self-study, one-one-one tutoring, study groups, and prep courses).

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Q: How do I get GMATPrep® test preparation software?
A: Once you create an account on mba.com, you have the option to download GMATPrep, our free test preparation software that includes two full-length exams based on retired questions from the official GMAT. If you have registered for an appointment to take the exam, you also have the option to request a free CD containing the software.

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Making & Changing Your GMAT Exam Appointment

Q: How do I schedule an appointment to take the GMAT exam?
A: If you’re interested in scheduling an appointment to take the GMAT exam, your first step is to register.

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Q: What if I need to reschedule my exam?
A: Contact GMAT Customer Service in your region or reschedule your appointment online. If you reschedule at least seven days before your original test date, you will be charged a service fee but won’t forfeit the entire test fee. The new appointment must be within six months of the original appointment.

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Q: What if I need to cancel my exam appointment?
A: Contact GMAT Customer Service in your region or cancel your appointment online. If you cancel your test appointment at least seven full calendar days in advance of the date and time of your appointment, you may be eligible to receive a partial refund of US $80. If you cancel your appointment within seven full calendar days of your scheduled test date and time, you may forfeit your entire registration fee.

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GMAT Exam Policies

Q. What if I am a citizen of one country and testing in another?
A: You must present a valid, unexpired passport. If you do not have proper identification, contact GMAT Customer Service in your region before your test date.

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Q: How do I update my profile (name change, date of birth, country of citizenship)?
A: Contact GMAT Customer Service in your region, preferably by email attaching a copy of the appropriate ID required to test in your country. To support a name change you will also need to atach a copy of your name change documentation in addition to your ID.

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Q: How often can I take the GMAT exam?
A: You can take the GMAT once every 31 calendar days and no more than five times in a 12-month period.

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What to Expect at the GMAT Test Center

Q: What ID do I need to bring to the test center?
A: The ID must be government-issued, valid (not expired), original (no photocopies), legible and include:

A recent, recognizable photo
Your name in the Roman alphabet, spelled exactly as you provided when you registered
Your signature
Your date of birth as you provided at registration
Acceptable IDs include a driver’s license, government-issued ID, military ID, permanent resident/green card, or passport. Learn more about presenting proper identification.

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Q: What if I need my cellular (mobile) phone at the test center?
A: You may not take your cellular (mobile) phone in the testing room, nor may you check or use your phone during breaks. You may store your phone in a locker during your test, but the test administrator is not responsible for lost or stolen items. If there is an emergency, you may ask the test administrator to use the center’s telephone during breaks.

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Q: Can I access anything from the storage locker during break?
A: You are permitted to access snacks and necessary items, such as medication that has to be taken at a specified time. You may not access study aids, phones, or other electronic devices during breaks.

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Q: What if I need more break time than I am given?
A: Breaks are timed, and any extra time taken will be deducted from the time you are given to complete the next section.

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Q: What if I need an unscheduled break?
A: If there is an emergency, raise your hand to get the administrator’s attention. The administrator will set your workstation to break mode, and you may leave the testing room. The exam timer will NOT stop during your unscheduled break.

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GMAT Scores & Score Reports

Q: What schools use GMAT scores?
A: More than 5,000 graduate management programs around the world use GMAT scores as a part of their admissions process. Find schools and programs that use the GMAT.

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Q: When do I get my scores?
A: You will get an unofficial score report with Verbal, Quantitative, and Total scores immediately after you test. Official Score Reports are available online within 20 days to you and to the programs you requested to receive them. To learn more about scoring and score reports, visit GMAT Scores and Score Reports.

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Q: If I’ve taken the GMAT exam more than once, will the score report contain all the scores?
A: Official Score Reports include all GMAT exams you’ve taken within the past five years. If you have taken the exam and canceled your scores, your report will note that scores are unreportable and not include what they were.

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Q: How do I order additional score reports, and how long do they take?
A: As part of your test fee, you may have your scores sent to up to five school programs, which you must select before you take the test. Additional score reports can be ordered for a fee by credit card at mba.com or by faxing a request. You can download the form at mba.com or call GMAT Customer Service in your region to request a form, which can also be mailed with a check or money order.

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Q: What if I want a score report for a GMAT exam taken over five years ago?
A: Score Reports from tests taken from five to 10 years ago are available, but they are sent to schools with the caveat that they should be interpreted with caution. Check with the school before requesting an old score report, because many do not accept them. Scores over a decade old are not available. If you have a score within five years, only scores from the last five years will be reported.

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Palm Vein Recognition

Q: How does the palm vein recognition system work, and how do I use it?
A: Palm vein recognition works by scanning the veins inside of your hand and creating a digital template that represents your vein pattern. To use the system, you hold your hand a few inches above a sensor, which records the pattern of your palm veins on a digital template. Palm vein patterns are unique to each individual—even identical twins have different patterns.

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Q: Why does GMAC use the palm vein pattern reader?
A: GMAC uses palm vein recognition because it offers a form of positive identification that is highly accurate, and less intrusive and more culturally acceptable than some other identity verification technologies, such as digital fingerprinting.

Palm vein recognition allows GMAC to accurately identify people trying to take the test under assumed identities. By preventing impersonators, the technology helps GMAC maintain the test’s integrity and ensure the test is an honest measure of each examinee’s ability.

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Q: What can I expect at the testing center, and how will my vein pattern be used?
A: You will have your palm vein patterns recorded when you arrive at the testing center to enroll for the GMAT exam. Your pattern will be matched when you return to the testing room after a break. Your palm vein patterns will also be compared with those of other test takers to allow Pearson VUE to find people who may have tested under multiple names or identities.

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Q: Why is palm vein recognition considered better than fingerprinting?
A: Several aspects of palm vein recognition make it more reliable and easier to use than fingerprinting. Palm vein patterns are invisible and virtually impossible to forge, making the system highly secure. The digitally encrypted palm vein patterns cannot be read by any other system. The test taker does not touch the palm vein sensor, eliminating the possibility of smudging. The system is also much more accessible for people with some physical disabilities.

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Q: How accurate is palm vein recognition?
A: Fujitsu, makers of the PalmSecure device, tested the system on 140,000 palm vein patterns from 70,000 people and found the false acceptance rate (i.e., the likelihood it recorded one person’s palm as someone else’s) was less than 0.00008 percent. Because the blood veins in your palm stay in the same position as you age and through sickness and injury, their pattern record remains unique to you.

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Q: Are there any safety or health concerns caused by the palm vein recognition system?
A: The pattern reader uses a safe, near-infrared light source, similar to a television remote. You never touch the sensor.

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Q: What security measures does GMAC take with my palm vein pattern to ensure my privacy?
A: Your privacy is protected in several ways. When the reader scans your palm, the information about the vein patterns is stored as a digital template. After you finish taking your exam, the template is sent via encrypted transmission with your test results to Pearson VUE. Your vein pattern template is stored separately from other information about you in the system. Your vein pattern template is not disclosed outside of GMAC and Pearson VUE, except as required to prevent illegal activity and detect fraud. While schools you have selected to receive your GMAT score may elect to receive a copy of your digital photograph with your test score, they do not receive your signature or your palm vein pattern template.

For more information, see the mba.com Privacy Policy.

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Q: What if I refuse to provide my palm vein pattern?
A: If you do not provide your palm vein pattern, you will not be permitted to take the GMAT exam.

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Q: What other organizations use palm vein recognition?
A: Hospitals, libraries, and financial institutions including banks are among other organizations that have successfully launched the new technology. GMAC is the first high-stakes testing organization to use palm vein recognition.

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