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How long are GMAT scores valid? Just as importantly, do business schools prefer recent GMAT scores? Or do they consider all valid GMAT scores equally, regardless of whether the scores are “old” or “new”?
In this article, we’ll answer the most commonly asked questions about the GMAT score validity period. Find out how long you can access and send a GMAT score, how the top MBA programs calculate GMAT score expiration, and more.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- How Long Do GMAT Scores Last?
- What Do Schools Consider a Valid GMAT Score?
- Do Schools Prefer Newer GMAT Scores?
- What Happens When a GMAT Score Expires?
- Can I Send an Expired GMAT Score to Schools?
- Key Takeaways
- What’s Next?
Let’s start by answering the main question on everyone’s minds: when do GMAT scores expire?
How Long Do GMAT Scores Last?
GMAC (the GMAT-maker) considers the scores from a GMAT valid for 5 years after the date of your exam. So, if you took your GMAT on May 1, 2023, your score would be valid until May 1, 2028.
When a GMAT score is valid, it will appear in your score history in your mba.com account.
KEY FACT:
Your GMAT score appears in your score history in your mba.com account for 5 years after your test date.
The thing about GMAT score validity is that business schools may calculate it differently than the test-maker does. So, before sending your GMAT scores, check the individual policies of the schools you plan to apply to. That way, you can be sure that you’re sending a score your desired programs will accept. Let’s discuss that next.
TTP PRO TIP:
Since schools may calculate GMAT score validity in different ways, check the individual policies of your desired schools.
What Do Schools Consider a Valid GMAT Score?
As we discussed, GMAC calculates when a GMAT score expires based on your test day. However, business schools tend to calculate GMAT expiration based on their application deadlines.
So, what schools consider a valid GMAT score may change depending on which school you’re applying to and what round you’re applying in.
KEY FACT:
What schools consider a valid GMAT score may change depending on which school you’re applying to and what round you’re applying in.
For example, let’s look at how HBS and Stanford calculated GMAT expiration for admission to the class of 2026:
Harvard Business School
To apply in Round 1: GMAT test date on or between September 6, 2018 and September 6, 2023
To apply in Round 2: GMAT test date on or between January 3, 2019 and January 3, 2024
To apply in 2+2 Round: GMAT test date on or between April 25, 2019 and April 28, 2024
Stanford Business School
To apply in Round 1: GMAT test date on or after September 12, 2018
To apply in Round 2: GMAT test date on or after January 4, 2019
To apply in Round 3: GMAT test date on or after April 9, 2019
Given the parameters above, let’s consider an example scenario.
Example Scenario: Round 1 Applications
Let’s say a student planned to apply to both HBS and Stanford in round 1 of 2023. The student planned to submit his applications by the end of August 2023. That way, he would meet both round 1 deadlines: September 6 for Harvard and September 12 for Stanford. However, the student took his GMAT on September 10, 2018. Would that GMAT score be valid for both applications?
In August 2023, GMAC would consider a September 10 GMAT score valid, since the test date would be less than 5 years prior. The score also would be valid for our theoretical student’s HBS application, since the test date fell after September 6. However, Stanford would not consider that score valid, since the test date was before September 12.
So, the student would have to take the GMAT again to have a valid score for his application to Stanford.
Now, are you planning to apply to MBA programs within a couple of years of your GMAT? If so, you shouldn’t have to worry about these varying deadlines. Your test date will fall well within them. Importantly, 5 years is the standard timeframe of GMAT score validity accepted by everyone. So, business schools won’t require that GMAT scores be no more than 4 or 3 years old, etc. At least, we’ve never heard of such a requirement.
GMAT expiration dates may shift according to application deadlines, but the GMAT score reporting validity window remains 5 years.
KEY FACT:
GMAT expiration dates may shift according to application deadlines, but the GMAT score validity window remains 5 years.
All of this begs the question, however, do business schools prefer newer scores?
Do Schools Prefer Newer GMAT Scores?
If you’re worried that business schools will view your GMAT score negatively because it’s a few years old, I have some good news for you: generally, MBA admissions committees do not view GMAT scores that are a few years old differently from scores that are a few months old. You won’t get “bonus points” because you took your GMAT right before your applications were due. And schools won’t penalize you for submitting a GMAT score that wasn’t taken in the same year you applied. As long as schools consider your GMAT score valid, they will evaluate your score on a level playing field with the scores of other applicants.
Of course, if you took your GMAT a few years ago and are worried that your score may not reflect your current skill set, you may decide to retake the GMAT even though your score is still valid, so that you can apply with a score that reflects your full potential. Retaking the GMAT to get an updated score is a personal decision for every student. Just know that there is no penalty for sticking with your older score.
KEY FACT:
As long as your GMAT score is considered valid by the school to which you’re applying, it will be evaluated on a level playing field with the scores of other applicants.
So, we know how long a GMAT score is valid, but what happens when a GMAT score expires?
What Happens When a GMAT Score Expires?
Once a particular test date reaches the 5-year mark, that GMAT score will no longer appear in your score history. In short, that GMAT score expires and is no longer considered valid by GMAC or by business schools. Now that GMAC no longer allows you to cancel a score, score expiration is the only way to remove a score from your account history.
However, you can contact GMAC customer service to request an old score report (for a fee) in order to see scores that are up to 10 years old. Scores that are older than 10 years are not accessible, even by special request.
KEY FACT:
GMAT scores expire (are no longer valid) after 5 years and no longer appear in your online score history.
Can I Send an Expired GMAT Score to Schools?
Just as you can contact GMAC to request an old score report for yourself, you can request that GMAC send an old score report to schools (again, for a fee). However, you can send an expired score to schools only if you have not taken the GMAT in the past 5 years.
Keep in mind, though, that the vast majority of business schools — if not all — will not allow you to fulfill the exam requirement of your application by submitting a GMAT score that is more than 5 years old. In fact, GMAC states that, when test-takers request that old scores be sent, those scores are “sent to schools with the caveat that they should be interpreted with caution.”
If, for some reason, you want to submit a GMAT score that is more than 5 years old to a school, you certainly should check with the admissions office first to see whether submitting an expired score would be worthwhile. In our experience, scores that old do not provide any value to an MBA candidate’s application. Chances are, schools will not accept old GMAT scores and will tell you not to bother submitting them.
KEY FACT:
Although it’s possible to send scores that are up to 10 years old, most if not all business schools will not accept them.
Key Takeaways
- Your GMAT score appears in the score history of your mba.com account for 5 years after your test date.
- GMAT score validity may vary depending on school and application round. So, check the policies of the schools you plan to apply to.
- Regardless of application deadlines, the GMAT score report validity window is 5 years.
- If your GMAT score is valid, it will be evaluated on a level playing field with other applicants’ scores. You do not need a “new” score.
- GMAT scores expire after 5 years and no longer appear in your online score history.
- GMAC allows you to send scores that are up to 10 years old (for a fee). However, most if not all business schools will not accept them.
What’s Next?
Now that you know when a GMAT score expires, you may be interested in learning what a good GMAT score is.
Curious about how much your GMAT score matters in MBA admissions? Check out this article about the importance of GMAT scores.
