NYU's GRE policy varies by school — NYU Tandon (Engineering) has largely gone test-optional, several GSAS PhD departments still require it, and NYU Stern accepts GRE alongside GMAT for its MBA and specialised master's.
Does NYU Require the GRE?
| School / Programme | GRE Status |
|---|---|
| NYU Tandon School of Engineering (most MS) | Optional |
| GSAS (Arts and Sciences PhD) | Varies — many departments still require |
| NYU Stern School of Business (MBA) | GMAT or GRE accepted |
| NYU Courant Institute (Computer Science, Math) | Optional, competitive applicants submit strong scores |
Competitive GRE Scores at NYU
| Programme | Competitive Quant | Competitive Verbal |
|---|---|---|
| Tandon Computer Science / Data Science | 163 – 168 | 152 – 160 |
| Courant Computer Science | 165 – 170 | 155 – 163 |
| GSAS Economics PhD | 165 – 170 | 158 – 165 |
| Stern (GRE track) | 160 – 165 | 155 – 162 |
NYU's Courant Institute is one of the most research-intensive Computer Science departments in the US — even under an optional policy, admitted PhD applicants typically submit near-top scores.
Should You Submit If GRE Is Optional at NYU?
Submit a strong score if you have one, particularly for Tandon and Courant where a large share of the competitive applicant pool does submit. If your score falls below the competitive range, NYU's optional policy makes omission reasonable provided the rest of your application is strong.
GRE Is Separate From English Proficiency
A GRE score does not satisfy NYU's English language requirement. International applicants still need TOEFL or IELTS:
| Requirement | NYU Policy |
|---|---|
| GRE | Varies by school — see table above |
| TOEFL | Required — see our NYU TOEFL Requirements guide |
| IELTS | Required — see our NYU IELTS Requirements guide |
GRE Score Validity
GRE scores are valid for 5 years from the test date.
Prepare for TOEFL with Gabble — while preparing for GRE, run your TOEFL preparation in parallel; NYU's competitive TOEFL benchmark is 100+. Or prepare for IELTS.