GRE Requirement

GRE Requirement

Our holistic process considers multiple sources of information to determine an applicant’s ability to manage the academic rigors of our graduate program, especially quantitative coursework. 

GRE test scores provide the admissions committee with an additional objective means of evaluating an applicant’s qualifications. However, some applicants have highly strong qualifications, which are evident from their application materials. For these applicants, GRE test scores offer minimal additional information. For other applicants, including GRE test scores can help strengthen an application. This can mean independently demonstrating their academic capabilities on the GRE test if they have graduated from a university with very different academic standards. For other applicants, it can mean using GRE test scores to offset lower areas of an application, such as a lower cumulative GPA or core Computer Science or Math grades. 

The intent of the GRE requirement is to build the strongest application possible.

Admitted students are required to send official GRE scores, unless a waiver has been approved. The ETS institution code for Iowa State University is 6306.

GRE Waiver Criteria for MS Applicants

MS applicants may request a waiver if they meet one of the following waiver request criteria. Documents will be reviewed case-by-case and a decision will be made for each individual applicant. Submitting a request based on the criteria does not guarantee a waiver. This is the criteria to request a GRE waiver; this is not the waiver approval criteria.

  • 3.0 or higher equivalent undergraduate CPGA
  • No more than three "C" equivalent grades in undergraduate Computer Science/Math courses; no more than two "C" equivalent grades in graduate level courses.

GRE Waiver Criteria for PhD Applicants

The GRE is optional (not required) for PhD applications.

Process to Request a GRE Waiver

Submit a GRE waiver request if you meet the request criteria.

MS applicants - use this link to submit a GRE waiver request.

  • The graduate program will review your request and determine if you qualify for a waiver.
  • The graduate program will email the waiver decision (approved or denied) to the email address entered into the GRE waiver request form. GRE waiver decisions are generally ready within 2 weeks.
  • If approved for a GRE waiver, please upload a PDF copy of your GRE waiver email in place of the GRE test taker report for the unofficial GRE exam results task in the application portal.

Do not submit a second request for a different waiver criteria if your first request was denied. All waiver requests are automatically considered for the other criteria before denial.