There are no fixed GMAT exam dates. The GMAT runs year-round, and you book your own appointment on mba.com, either online or at a test center, typically up to six months ahead. GMAC's published fees are $300 for the online exam and $275 at most test centers, but the price can vary by country, so the figure mba.com shows when you book is the one that counts. Facts below are as of October 2026, with sources at the end.
When Are the GMAT Exam Dates in 2026?
Unlike exams with one sitting a year, the GMAT has no exam calendar. You pick the day:
- Online: GMAC runs online appointments around the clock. You test at home on your own computer, watched by a live proctor over video.
- Test center: each center sets its own days and hours, and seats can fill up near application deadlines and local holidays.
- How far ahead: appointments are typically open up to six months in advance.
So the real question is which date suits you. Work back from your first application deadline. Official scores take about three to five days to reach schools, and a retake needs at least 16 days after your first attempt, so a test date four to six weeks before your earliest deadline leaves room for one more try. If you are still choosing a start date, our study guide lays out an eight-week plan.
How Do You Register for the GMAT?
Registration happens only on mba.com, GMAC's site for test takers.
- Create an mba.com account. Enter your name, date of birth and country of citizenship exactly as they appear on the ID you will bring. GMAC's policies require the ID to match these details exactly, to be current, government-issued and original, and to show a recent photo and your signature. Accepted documents vary by country.
- Choose online or test center. Both have the same three sections, the same number of questions, the same timing and the same 205-805 score scale.
- Pick a date and time from the open slots.
- Pay the exam fee. If a school has given you a fee waiver, or you have a GMAC voucher, it applies here.
You must be at least 18 to register on your own. GMAC's policies let 13- to 17-year-olds take the exam at a test center with written consent from a parent or guardian.
How Much Does the GMAT Cost?
Two practical points. First, some locations add taxes to the exam fee, and local rules can change the price, so check the total on mba.com before you plan a budget. Second, fee waivers do not come from GMAC: schools issue them, so ask the admissions office of each program you are applying to. A waiver or voucher can't pay a rescheduling fee.
Prep costs are separate. GMAC's Official Starter Kit and Official Practice Exams 1 and 2 are free through your mba.com account. Our own prep course starts with a seven-day free trial, with no card needed.
Can You Reschedule or Cancel the GMAT?
Yes, up to 24 hours before your appointment:
- Make the change online on mba.com. Test center appointments can also be changed by phone, for an extra $10.
- The rescheduling fee, or the share of your fee refunded on a cancellation, depends on how many days ahead you act: the earlier you change, the less you lose. mba.com's exam payment page lists the current amounts.
- Within 24 hours of the start time, no change is possible.
- If you miss the appointment, the full fee is forfeited. You can book a new exam without waiting the usual 16 days, but you pay the full fee again.
How Many Times Can You Take the GMAT?
- Five attempts in any rolling 12 months, online and test center combined.
- At least 16 days between attempts.
- No lifetime limit. GMAC removed the old cap of eight attempts in October 2024. If you score a perfect 805, you must wait five years to test again.
- Superscore. Since August 2026, official score reports include a GMAT Superscore: your best Quant, Verbal and Data Insights scores across valid Focus Edition attempts, combined on the same 205-805 scale. It costs nothing extra, has no percentile of its own, and a school always sees it alongside a single-attempt score that you choose to send.
A retake is worth booking only once you have a reason to expect a higher score. Our score calculator shows what a few points more in one section does to your total and its percentile.
What Happens After the GMAT?
Your unofficial Quant, Verbal, Data Insights and total scores appear on screen the moment you finish. The official score report follows in your mba.com account, about three to five days after the test date according to GMAC. You can send it to up to five programs free within 48 hours of it becoming available. GMAT scores stay valid for five years.
To see what a score means, read what is a good GMAT score. For the exam's format, see the GMAT Focus Edition guide and the GMAT syllabus and exam pattern.
Should You Take the GMAT Online or at a Test Center?
The content and scoring are identical, so choose on logistics:
- Online suits you if you have a quiet room and a computer that meets GMAC's system requirements. You can book at any hour. A live proctor watches by video, and you can't use a VPN or remote-desktop software. The online exam isn't offered in Mainland China, Iran, Cuba, Sudan or North Korea.
- A test center suits you if your home is noisy or your computer or connection is unreliable. If you are unsure whether a program accepts the online exam, ask its admissions office before you book.
Sources
Checked on October 25, 2026:
- GMAC, GMAT Exam Online (updated October 2024): fees, online availability, format.
- GMAC, The GMAT Offers Unlimited Potential (October 24, 2024): the lifetime limit removed, five attempts per rolling 12 months.
- GMAC, GMAT Exam Policies and Procedures (August 2024): age, ID, 16 days between attempts, the 805 rule, rescheduling and the 24-hour rule, the $10 phone fee, vouchers and waivers, taxes by location, the free Official Practice Exams.
- GMAC, GMAC Introduces GMAT Superscore (June 15, 2026) and What is GMAT Superscore? (July 14, 2026).
- GMAC, Access and Understand GMAT Exam Scores: official score timing.
- mba.com, Sending Your Score: five free score reports.
Fees and policies change. Before you book, check the current price for your country on mba.com.
How Should You Use the Time Before Your Test Date?
Book a date first: a fixed day turns "studying for the GMAT" into a plan with a deadline. Then measure where you stand. Try our free GMAT practice questions across all three sections, or start the free 7-day trial, which opens with a 12-question diagnostic and builds a daily study plan around your test date.