All About the GMAT Exam

Registrations for the GMAT focus can be done online, by phone, or by mail. For more detailed information about registration, download this step-by-step guide on how to register for the GMAT exam.

The GMAT percentile tells you about your relative performance on the exam. If you secure 85 percentile, it would mean that 85% of the students who have taken the exam in the past three years are below you, and 15% are equal to or above you.

GMAT or Graduate Management Aptitude Test, is a standardised test used by B-schools for admissions to various graduate management degree programs. B-school admissions committees assess a candidate’s readiness for a management program based on their GMAT score.

There is no minimum educational requirement to take the GMAT exam. However, candidates usually take the test in the final year or after completing their bachelor's degree. A large number of GMAT test-takers are also working professionals.

No, a bachelor’s degree is not mandatory to take the GMAT focus. However, you’ll have to be a graduate to be eligible for an MBA or a Master’s in Management degree.

The GMAT is a 3-hour and 7-minute long exam with two optional 8-minute breaks in between.

The GMAT exam has a total score of 800, which is scored on a scale of 200-800. Different sections are marked on different scales, with the Verbal and Quantitative sections being marked on a scale of 6 - 51.

The GMAT exam consists of four sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), and Integrated Reasoning.

Registrations for the GMAT exam can be done online, by phone, or by mail. For more detailed information about registering for the GMAT exam, you can check out GMAC's official website.

Yes, you can reschedule your exam. If you reschedule more than 60 days before your exam, you will need to pay a rescheduling fee of USD 50. However, if you reschedule 14 days or less before your GMAT exam date, you will need to pay USD 150.

If you cancel more than 60 days before your exam date, you will get a refund of $100. If you do the same 14 days or less before your exam, you will be refunded only $50. There won't be any refund if you cancel 24 hours or less before the exam.

The GMAT score can be cancelled either immediately after the GMAT exam or within 72 hours of the exam. If the score is cancelled immediately after the exam at the test centre, then there is no cancellation fee. If the score is cancelled after the exam within 72 hours, there is a cancellation fee of USD 25. Cancelled GMAT scores can be reinstated, and the reinstatement fee is USD 50.

Your GMAT score is one of the criteria (and not the only criterion) in your application that B-schools take into consideration. However, a good GMAT score does improve your chances of admission.

Most top Indian B-schools like ISB, IIMs, XLRI, SP Jain, and others accept GMAT scores. For a complete list, refer to this page.

The GMAT registration fee is USD 275, which includes reporting your GMAT scores to the four B-schools of your choice. An additional fee is charged if you have to send scores to more than four B-schools. To learn more about different GMAT Exam fees, click here.

The GMAT exam is held in India usually on all working days from Monday to Friday.

AWA section grades are from 0-6 in 0.5 increments. The IR section is scored on a scale of 1-8 in 1-point increments. Quantitative scores range from 0 to 60 in 1-point increments. However, scores below 6 and above 51 are rare. Verbal scores range from 0-60 in 1-point increments. However, scores below 9 and above 44 are rare. The total score ranges from 200 to 800 in 10-point increments.

You can take the GMAT exam once every 16 calendar days and no more than five times in a 12-month period. There is no overall limit on the number of times you can take the GMAT in a lifetime (effective October, 2024).

Your GMAT score will be valid for 5 years from the date the test was taken.

You will get your scores for the Maths, Verbal, and IR sections the moment you finish the exam. However, official scores (with scores for the AWA section) will take 20 days to reach you.

The GMAT or Graduate Management Aptitude Test - focus edition, is a standardised test used by business schools for admissions to various graduate management degree programs. B-school admissions committees assess a candidate’s readiness for a management program based on their GMAT focus edition score.

The GMAT focus is a shorter version of the GMAT, with a total duration of 2 hours and 15 minutes. It has only 3 sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights. The GMAT focus does not have an AWA (essay) component. You are allowed one optional 10-minute break in between any 2 sections. You’ll also be able to change up to 3 answers in each section in the GMAT focus. Sections can be attempted in any order. Additionally, your GMAT focus official score report offers detailed performance insights.

The maximum overall score is 805, marked on a scale of 205-805, in 10-point increments. All individual sections use the same scale, and scores are between 60-90, marked in 1-point increments.

Yes, you can reschedule your exam. Depending on the days left for the exam before which you reschedule, the fees are as follows:

You cannot reschedule or cancel 24 hours or less before your scheduled GMAT exam time. If you do not reschedule or cancel your appointment more than 24 hours before your exam time, your entire exam fee will stand forfeited.

Depending on the days left for the exam before which you cancel, the fees are as follows:

There will be no refund if you cancel 24 hours or less before the exam.

You need not cancel your GMAT focus scores, since you don’t have to select which B-schools you will be sending your score report to before you take the exam. You can send whichever scores you wish to, and if you choose not to send your scores, schools won’t be able to see them. These scores will be available for you to view on your mba.com account.

The registration fee for the GMAT focus is US$275 (US$300 if you’re taking the GMAT focus online). You can send your score report to 5 schools free of charge within 48 hours of taking the exam. Sending additional score reports costs US$35 each.

Your GMAT focus score will be valid for 5 years from the date the test was taken.

Your GMAT focus score report will be available in your mba.com account within 3-5 days of your test date.

No, there is no negative marking for incorrect answers in the GMAT focus. However, you will lose points if you leave questions unanswered.

Your Aadhar Card and passport are acceptable proof of identity if you take the GMAT exam online. However, if you're taking the GMAT exam at the test centre, a passport is the only acceptable form of ID proof.

Depending on the type of program you're applying for, you may be required to furnish a GMAT score. Based on the Ph.D. program you're opting for, you may have to submit a GMAT or GRE score along with your application.

The GMAT focus is offered usually on all working days in India (i.e. from Monday to Friday, throughout the year). For more information, please visit www.mba.com.