Many students are curious about GMAT test dates. The GMAT does not have specific scheduled dates. The exam is given year-round.
The most important thing to consider when scheduling your exam is admissions deadlines – make sure you give yourself enough time to ensure your scores are available.
Summary: The GMAT is given year-round. After picking a GMAT testing date, consider a GMAT course to help you succeed on your exam.
GMAT Dates and Options
The exam is given year-round (regardless of which option you choose to use when taking the exam). You will be able to take the exam with one of the following methods:
- Online
- In-Person
Regardless of which option you choose, there are still GMAT dates given at all times of the year. You should choose a test date that is at least 21 days before your earliest application deadline.
It typically takes 7 business days to get your score report back (but it could take up to 20). Prepare for your exam by using our free GMAT practice test.
If you are ready to take the exam, you can register here.
GMAT Test Locations
If you decide to take the exam at a testing center, you can find different locations by visiting the official site. There are testing centers located all over the world, so you should not have a problem finding a center.
However, if you cannot find a convenient testing location, you can always take the exam online.
Before you schedule your GMAT, consider testing your knowledge with our GMAT practice exam.
Requirements
Before you schedule your test date, make sure that you meet the minimum GMAT requirements:
- Age: You must be at least 18 years old. If you are between 13 and 17, you may take the exam with parental or legal guardian approval.
- Number of times taken: You are not allowed to take the GMAT more than 5 times within a 12 month time period.
- Time since last taken: You must wait at least 31 days since the last time you took the exam.
- Perfect score: If you received a Total score of 800, you must wait 5 years before you take the test again.
You can schedule your GMAT exam year round at various test centers in the U.S., Canada and other countries. The appointments are granted on a first-come, first-served basis, so please be sure to schedule accordingly.
Choosing a GMAT Test Date
Since there are exam dates given year-round, it can be harder to choose a GMAT test date. The most important thing will be to consider when your application deadlines are.
It is important to remember that it will take at least 7 business days to get your score report back, but it could take up to 20 business days.
The best way to choose a test date is to work backwards. You can follow these steps:
- Determine your application deadlines
- Determine how much time you can dedicate to studying per week (100-120 hours total is a good target)
- Determine how many weeks you need to allocate to studying
- Budget some additional time for retaking the exam or life events
- Schedule your test date
100-120 hours is a good target, but everyone is different. Some students may need additional time.
Can You Retake the GMAT?
You are allowed to take the GMAT more than once. You can take the exam a total of 8 times in your lifetiem.
Your GMAT scores, however, are unlikely to substantially change when you retake the test unless there were some unusual circumstances when you originally took the exam.
Additionally, you are not allowed to take the GMAT more than once within any 16 calendar days or more than 5 times within any 12 month period. You can only take the GMAT online exam 2 times.
If you are retaking the GMAT, consider using one of our recommended GMAT prep courses to improve your scores.
