How Much Does the GRE Cost in India?

Planning to take the GRE in 2026? Before you book your test date, it helps to know exactly what you’ll be paying  because the sticker price is rarely the final number. Between the base registration fee, taxes, and a handful of optional charges, your total GRE spend can vary quite a bit depending on how you plan.

Disclaimer: GRE fees are subject to change by ETS. Please verify the latest amount at etsindia.org/gre before registering.

GRE General Test Fee in India

As of mid-2026, the GRE General Test fee for Indian test takers is listed at ₹22,550 on the ETS India registration portal. Once the online service charge is applied at checkout, the final payable amount typically comes to around ₹23,452. This applies whether you take the test at an authorized test center or opt for the at-home version  there’s no price difference between the two formats.

If you’re targeting the GRE Subject Test instead (offered only in select subjects like Physics, Psychology, or Literature in English), the fee is lower, typically around ₹17,818.

What’s Included in the Base Fee

Your registration fee isn’t just for the test itself. It also covers score reports sent to up to four graduate programs of your choice, as long as you select them on test day. This is a meaningful saving, since ordering additional score reports later costs roughly $35 (about ₹3,000) per university.

Extra Costs You Should Budget For

Many students underestimate the GRE exam fee in India because they only account for the registration cost. Here are the additional charges worth planning for:

• Rescheduling your test date: Roughly ₹5,650 if done at least four days before your scheduled exam. Wait too long, and you risk forfeiting your entire fee.
• Changing your test center: Around ₹5,000, useful if you booked a location and later found a more convenient or better-reviewed center.
• Additional score reports: About $35 per university beyond your four free sends.
• Late registration: An extra $25 if you’re booking close to your preferred test date.

Refund and Cancellation Rules

If your plans change, ETS allows a partial refund  but only if you cancel at least four days before your test date, in which case you’ll get back 50% of your fee. Cancel later than that, and there’s no refund at all. GRE fees are also non-refundable for test preparation materials or service charges, so plan your booking date carefully rather than rushing into it.

Payment Options for Indian Students

Paying for the GRE has become more convenient over the past couple of years. Indian test takers can now pay using:

• Credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, RuPay Global, American Express)
• UPI, including Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, and BHIM-enabled apps
• Net banking through supported platforms

You no longer need to rely solely on an international card, which used to be a common hurdle for Indian students booking directly through the ETS portal.

Is There a Way to Reduce the Cost?

ETS does offer fee reduction vouchers, but these are primarily available to U.S. citizens or residents facing financial hardship, and they don’t typically apply to international test takers booking from India. For most Indian students, the realistic way to protect your investment is to avoid rescheduling fees altogether  which means not booking your test date until your practice scores are consistently close to your target range.

This is where structured preparation makes a real difference. Instead of registering early and hoping your score catches up, working with a structured GRE coaching program like the one offered by Abhyaas helps you time your test booking around genuine readiness rather than guesswork. Abhyaas’s approach focuses on building consistent practice test performance first, so when you do pay the exam fee, you’re not gambling on a rescheduling cycle later.

Planning Your Total GRE Budget

When you add it all up, a realistic GRE budget for an Indian student should account for:

1. The base test fee (~₹23,452, subject to periodic revision)
2. A buffer for one possible rescheduling (~₹5,650), in case your date needs to shift
3. Any additional score reports beyond your first four universities

Budgeting for these upfront, rather than being surprised by them later, makes the entire process far less stressful  especially when you’re also managing application deadlines and study time.

Conclusion

The GRE exam fee in India for 2026 currently stands at approximately ₹23,452 for the General Test, with the Subject Test priced lower at around ₹17,818. While the base fee covers your test and four free score reports, rescheduling, additional score sends, and late registration can add meaningfully to your total cost if you’re not careful with timing. The best way to protect your investment beyond that is simple: don’t book your test date until you’re genuinely prepared. A structured prep plan through Abhyaas’s GRE coaching program can help you build that readiness efficiently, so your GRE fee goes toward one confident attempt rather than multiple costly retakes.

Ready to prepare for the GRE the right way? Explore Abhyaas’s GRE Online Coaching to build a study plan that gets you exam-ready on your first try.