Test Center Procedures and Regulations

General Procedures and What to Do Before You Arrive at the Test Center

• You must bring your own mask, or you will not be admitted to the test center. Depending on the test center and/or local policy, you may be required to wear it some or all of the time you are in the test center. You are permitted to wear a mask even if it is not required. Medical masks and cloth face coverings are acceptable. Masks with valves or vents are not permitted.
• Dress so that you can adapt to any room temperature.
• Report to the test center at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled testing time. If you arrive late, you may not be admitted and your test fee will be forfeited.
• Plan to be at the test center for up to three and a half hours.
• Test administrators will not honor requests for schedule changes.
• Take your confirmation email and identification document(s) to the test center.
• Take three or four sharpened No. 2 HB pencils and a good eraser. Pencils and erasers will not be supplied at the center. Mechanical pencils and pens are not permitted.
• Food, beverages, tobacco and e-cigarettes are not allowed in the testing room.
• Weapons and firearms are not allowed in the test center.
• Test-related information written on clothing, footwear, ID documents or on any part of the body is prohibited.
• Unless an inspection is required for use or possession of an unauthorized aid during the test session, removal of footwear is prohibited in the testing room.
• If you have health-related needs that require you to bring equipment, beverages or snacks into the testing room or to take extra or extended breaks, you need to follow the accommodations request procedures described in the GRE^? Bulletin Supplement for Test Takers with Disabilities or Health-related Needs.
• The test administrator will assign you a seat.
• You are required to remain in the test center building. It is your responsibility to ask the test administrator for permission to leave the test center vicinity — for example, to go to the nearest restroom. If you leave the test center without permission, you may be dismissed, your test fees may be forfeited, and your scores may be canceled.
• Friends or relatives who accompany you to the test center will not be permitted to wait in the test center or be in contact with you while you are taking the test. Except for ETS-authorized observers, visitors are not allowed in the testing room while testing is in progress.
• The testing session will be actively monitored by test center staff. This includes staff walking around and entering and leaving the testing room.

Security and Inspection

• ETS respects individuals’ privacy and has implemented procedures to ensure that the check-in process is completed in a respectful manner. ETS reserves the right to ensure the security of test content by using electronic detection scanning devices (e.g., handheld metal detectors/wands) and may also employ additional security measures such as visual inspections for unauthorized testing aids or other wearable technology. Test takers should be prepared to undergo these security measures to ensure a fair testing environment. Failure to comply may result in dismissal from the test and forfeiture of your test fees.
• You may be asked to empty your pockets, raise your pant legs above your ankles, pull up your sleeves above your wrists for visual inspection, and you may be scanned with a handheld metal detector wand. You may also be required to remove your eyeglasses for close visual inspection. Additional visual inspections of clothing, footwear, and ID documents may also be conducted. Such inspections are conducted during check-in and upon return from breaks. You may request that the inspections be performed by a staff member of the same gender and/or in an area sheltered from the view of other people. Test center staff will make every effort to accommodate such requests, but ETS cannot guarantee that all test centers will have the necessary staff and space available.

Personal Items

• Personal items other than ID documents and a mask are not allowed in the testing room and cannot be accessed during the break, except for food, beverages or medication. This includes any phones; tablets; all wearable technology; all watches; and any other electronic, recording, listening, scanning or photographic devices. If you are seen using or accessing any of these electronic devices and/or transmitting data, including but not limited to text messaging, email and photographs, your device may be inspected and/or confiscated.
• You may not access your phone during the test or during breaks to check messages, make a call or to check the time, or for any other reason.
• Before the test, you will receive instructions from test center staff regarding where to store personal items.
• Jewelry is prohibited, except for wedding and engagement rings. Do not wear other jewelry to the test center.
• Clothing and other personal items that include, but are not limited to, hair accessories, neckties, bow ties, hats, scarves, jackets and outerwear are subject to inspection by the test center administrator. Refrain from wearing such items as tie clips, cuff links, ornate clips, combs, barrettes, headbands and other hair accessories on test day, as you may be prohibited from wearing them in the testing room.
• Personal calculators are not permitted.
• If you fail to follow the instructions of the test center staff, you will not be permitted to test and your test fee will not be refunded. Any violation of this procedure during the test or during breaks may result in dismissal from the test and/or cancellation of scores.
• Test centers and ETS assume no responsibility for personal items, including watches, jewelry or devices that you choose to bring into the test center.

Test Session Procedures

The following procedures and regulations apply during the entire test session, which begins when you are admitted to the test center, ends when you leave the test center and includes breaks.

• No test taker will be admitted after test materials have been distributed.
• With the exception of your confirmation email, paper of any kind is not permitted in the testing room. Your confirmation email cannot be used as scratch paper.
• You must have the test administrator's permission to leave the room during the test. Any time lost cannot be made up. You are required to remain in the test center building unless it is to use the restroom only during the test administration, including breaks.
• You may work only on the test section designated by the test center administrator and only for the time allowed. You will not be permitted to continue the test or any part of it beyond the established time limit.
• You will enter your answers to test questions on a separate answer sheet. Answers to multiple-choice questions recorded in the test book will not be scored. You may use the test book to work out your answers, but you must mark all your answers on the separate answer sheet before time is called.
• At the end of the test you will be required to return your test book and answer sheet to the test administrator. These materials are the property of ETS.
• At the end of the test, you will be asked to indicate if you want to cancel your scores. If you do not cancel your scores, they will be sent to the institutions that you designated during registration. If you cancel your scores, they will NOT be available for your review online or be reported to any score recipients. No refund will be made. Canceled scores are not added to your reportable history. If you wish to take the test again you must reregister and submit another test payment.

Note: ETS reserves the right to take appropriate action and/or notify appropriate authorities including, but not limited to, law enforcement authorities, if a test taker responds in a threatening or disturbing way to essay questions or communicates with ETS either verbally or in writing in a threatening or disturbing manner.

If Your Test Session Is Cancelled or Delayed

On occasion, weather conditions or other circumstances beyond the test administrator or ETS's control may require a delayed start or the rescheduling of your test appointment. In such cases, you will be offered the opportunity to schedule another test appointment free of charge or receive a full refund of the original test fee. In addition, you may seek reimbursement from ETS for reasonable and documented expenses associated with traveling to the test center. To request reimbursement, contact GRE Services with the following information within 30 days of your original appointment:

• your name
• date of birth
• mailing address
• daytime telephone number
• email address
• original test date
• appointment number and
• a brief description of what occurred at the test center

All reimbursements will be made in U.S. dollars.

Reporting Suspicious Behavior

ETS takes test security very seriously. Although tests are administered under strict supervision and security measures, testing irregularities may sometimes occur. Please contact ETS as soon as possible to report any observed irregular behavior — for example, someone copying from another test taker, taking a test for someone else, having access to test questions before the exam, or using notes or unauthorized aids. All information will be held in strictest confidence. Reports of cheating will be investigated thoroughly and offenders may be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the applicable laws.

Email:

TSReturns@ets.org

Phone:

1-800-353-8570 (United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Canada only)
1-609-406-5430 (All other locations)