GMAT testing is available year-round at over 500 locations worldwide. On this page you'll learn more about testing availability and GMAT registration procedures. You'll also examine policies and decision factors for canceling GMAT scores and for repeating the test.
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GMAT Testing Availability
The computer-based GMAT is administered year-round at more than 500 locations, most of which are in North America. Testing centers are located at Prometric Testing Centers as well as certain colleges and universities. The official GMAT Bulletin contains a complete list of GMAT computer-based test centers; an updated list is available at the GMAC website.NOTE: Prometric is a private education ("learning") company licensed by GMAC to administer the computer-based GMAT.
In certain areas outside of North America the GMAT is still administered as a paper-based exam because the computer-based network is not yet available. The number of times per year that the paper-based GMAT is administered varies among countries, and ranges from one to four. A complete list of international paper-based testing locations and test dates is available at the GMAC website. Note that procedures for paper-based GMAT registration differ significantly from those for the computer-based version of the test.
Scheduling an Appointment to Take the GMAT
To take the computer-based GMAT you must schedule an appointment by using any of the following four methods:
- Make an appointment online, via the GMAC website.
- Call the test center of your choice directly. A current test-center list is available at the GMAC website.
- Call a central registration number: 1-800-GMAT-NOW (1-800-462-8669).
- Make an appointment by mail. (You'll need to complete and mail the Authorization Voucher Request Form in the official GMAT Bulletin; you should receive your Authorization Voucher about four weeks after you mail the request form, and you cannot schedule a test appointment until you've received your voucher.)
NOTE: If using method 1, 2 or 3 you'll need a Visa, MasterCard, or American Express credit card. If using method 4 you must submit a check or money order.
You might be able to sit for the GMAT within a few days after scheduling an appointment. However, keep in mind that popular test centers may experience backlogs up to several weeks. Also, you might find it more difficult to schedule a weekend test date than a weekday test date. So be sure to plan ahead and schedule your GMAT early enough to meet your B-school application deadlines.
Canceling or Postponing Your GMAT Appointment
Although you can cancel or postpone your GMAT appointment, only a partial refund of your registration fee is available, and only under certain circumstances. For specific policies and procedures consult the GMAC website.
Canceling Your GMAT Scores
During the test. At any time during the test you can quit the test. If you decide to quit, no score for any test section will be tabulated or recorded by the testing service, or reported to any school.After the test. You may cancel your scores immediately after completing the test, while still in the testing room. However, once you request an unofficial score report (immediately after the test), you no longer have the option of canceling your scores. Assuming you haven't requested an unofficial score report, you may also cancel your scores at any time within one week after the test. (See the official GMAT Bulletin for procedural details.)
Effect of score cancellation. Score cancellations are reported to the B-schools, but scores for cancelled tests are not. B-schools do not look unfavorably at score cancellations; thus the fact that cancellations are reported should not influence your decision about canceling your scores.
NOTE: Partial score cancellations (for only certain test sections) are not provided for. No fee refunds are available due to cancellation during or after the test.
Repeating the GMAT
Although you may take the GMAT as many times as you want, you may not take the GMAT more than once during any calendar month, even if you've quit the test or cancelled your scores. Whether and how many times you should take the GMAT depends on a variety of factors:- how well you think you already performed on the real GMAT relative to your realistic potential
- whether your new GMAT scores will be reported to the B-schools early enough to meet application deadlines
- whether the schools to which you are applying average your GMAT scores or consider only your highest GMAT scores
- whether you can afford the fees for taking the GMAT again (the fee is the same each time you take the test)
After weighing these factors, if you're still undecided, bear in mind that about 90% of repeat GMAT test-takers improve their scores. Thus you should consider taking the GMAT at least twice — if you can afford the registration fee and if time permits.
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