MBA GMAT/GRE Waiver Policies by School, 2026-27

MBA GMAT/GRE Waiver Policies by School, 2026-27

Two different things are called an "MBA waiver," and only one of them is about the test. A test waiver releases you from submitting a GMAT, GRE or Executive Assessment score. An application fee waiver releases you from paying the fee — MIT Sloan waives its $250 fee for Peace Corps members and for veterans and active-duty US military personnel, Harvard Business School publishes a need-based application fee waiver, and Columbia Business School and Yale SOM each publish fee waivers for named groups. None of those touch the test requirement. If you searched for one and landed on the other, this page is the first kind.

Of the twenty-nine full-time programs below, checked on September 5, 2026, sixteen publish a test waiver or a test-optional route open to any applicant, one more publishes a route limited to its own students and alumni, eleven publish none, and one school's answer did not render to us. Twelve of the twenty-nine accept the Executive Assessment alongside the GMAT and GRE, which is worth knowing before you ask to skip a test at all. Yale SOM is the only school in this set that says so in one sentence: it does "not waive the test score requirement for any applicant." Every cell below comes from the school's own admissions page, linked in the program name.

How to read the table

• Waiver offered distinguishes four states: a formal waiver you request and the school grants or refuses; test-optional, where you simply apply without a score; case-by-case, where the school publishes no eligibility list; and none on record, meaning the school's own page publishes no test waiver as of September 5, 2026.
• Eligibility is a compressed version of the school's criteria. The operative sentences are quoted in full under the table.
• Written request says whether the school makes you write something, and the cap it puts on it.
• Timing is the waiver deadline relative to the application round deadline, where the school publishes one.
• Columbia Business School's site refused a direct automated request on September 5, 2026 and was read through a text proxy that day; the row says so.

Test requirement and waiver policy: 29 full-time programs

Quoted: the operative sentence, school by school

• Berkeley Haas: "All candidates are required to take the GMAT or GRE exam prior to the deadline for which they are applying." Also: "There is no minimum acceptable score." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper: "The Tepper School accepts the GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, and Executive Assessment (EA)." And, on the same page: "One of these tests is required regardless of previous advanced academic work or professional experience." The waiver paragraph then reads: "while many Tepper School MBA applicants will submit a GMAT/GRE/EA score, we also recognize there are multiple ways to demonstrate academic readiness. This is the reason we offer a test waiver option." Waivers "will be granted on a case-by-case basis" and "are evaluated on the basis of academic readiness for the Tepper School MBA"; "If you are granted a waiver by the Admission Committee, it does not signal admission"; "Applying with a test waiver will not affect your eligibility for scholarship"; "you will receive a response to the waiver request via email within 10 business days of the application deadline." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Chicago Booth: "You also need to submit your scores on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE)." The single exception on the how-to-apply page: "If you are a current undergraduate student at University of Chicago or have graduated from a UChicago program, the GMAT/GRE is optional." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Columbia Business School: "All applicants must submit a self-reported valid GMAT, Executive Assessment, or GRE score when submitting an application." The page accepts "both GMAT Exam (10th Edition) and GMAT Exam (Focus Edition) scores," valid "five years after your test date," and publishes fee waivers only. (quoted Sep 5, 2026, via a text proxy)
• Cornell Johnson: the waiver asks for "a short statement that describes your personal circumstance" and why "you will flourish in our rigorous academic environment (100 words)." Criteria include "a STEM, business, or analytical/quantitative- focused undergraduate or graduate degree, maintaining a 3.0 GPA," "a CPA or CFA certification or international equivalent," and "Post-undergraduate, full-time work experience in an analytical or quantitative function." The closing rule: "once your application has been submitted, you are no longer able to request a waiver." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Dartmouth Tuck: "Upon request, Tuck may offer GMAT/GRE test waivers to applicants whose academic and professional background demonstrates the quantitative reasoning and analytical capabilities essential for success in Tuck's rigorous MBA curriculum." You must "Have at least two years of post-graduate professional work experience at the time of request," be "a native English speaker OR have earned a bachelor's degree from an institution where English is the sole language of instruction," "Not have already submitted your application," and "Not have received a GMAT/GRE test waiver in a prior application cycle." The request asks for "a brief description of specific job duties that demonstrate the practical application of quantitative and analytical skills and concepts," and: "Candidates who present evidence of strong quantitative competencies through both their academic and professional experiences are more likely to be granted a GMAT/GRE test waiver." Miss the date and "you must submit a GMAT/GRE score if you still wish to apply in that round." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Duke Fuqua: accepts "GMAT, GMAT Focus, GRE, and Executive Assessment (EA) scores," with "no minimum test score requirement" and "no preference for which exam you provide." No test waiver appears on the application-instructions page (checked Sep 5, 2026).
• Emory Goizueta: "Applicants to Goizueta's full-time MBA programs are required to take the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT or GMAT Focus), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), or the Executive Assessment (EA)." Also: "Valid MCAT or LSAT scores will also be accepted." The waiver requires "A conferred bachelors degree and a minimum of 2 years of post-undergraduate full-time professional work experience," and asks you to "complete the Test Waiver Application and submit all supporting documents." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Georgetown McDonough: "Applicants who meet the necessary criteria may apply with a test waiver." The criteria include an "Undergraduate or graduate cumulative GPA of 3.1 or greater" in business, science, engineering, technology or math, or "3.3 in degrees or majors other than what is listed above"; "At least two rigorous (not introductory) quantitative classes"; "CPA or CFA (or international equivalent)"; "Significant post-undergraduate full-time work experience in a quantitative, mathematical, or analytical field"; and "Professional and academic experiences that demonstrate grit." The committee "could require additional proof of quantitative acumen," and "MAAP applicants or current undergraduate students" are outside the policy. (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Harvard Business School: the application-process page lists "GRE or GMAT" among required components and publishes a need-based application fee waiver. Its admissions FAQ carries the question "Can I get a GRE/GMAT test waiver?" but the answer text did not render to our request on September 5, 2026, so no HBS test-waiver policy is quoted here. Read it in the FAQ itself.
• INSEAD: "You may take the GMAT or GRE anytime up to your chosen application deadline. Scores must be sent directly to INSEAD. They are valid for five years." No waiver on record (checked Sep 5, 2026).
• ISB: to apply "you must have 24+ months of work experience (as of March 31st) and a valid GMAT or GRE score (test centre scores only)." No waiver on record (checked Sep 5, 2026).
• London Business School: "You must ensure that you have a valid GMAT / GRE score by the application deadline of the round you apply in." No waiver or exemption appears in the MBA FAQ (checked Sep 5, 2026).
• MIT Sloan: "All applicants must submit a valid GMAT (Focus Edition or 10th Edition) or GRE score by the application deadline." The page's waivers are for the $250 fee, for "Current Peace Corps Members" and "Veteran or Active Duty U.S. Military Personnel." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Northwestern Kellogg: "Kellogg requires you to submit a GMAT or GRE score from a single sitting (no test superscores)," and "No preference is given to one particular test so choose the option that works best for you." No test waiver on the how-to-apply page (checked Sep 5, 2026).
• Notre Dame Mendoza: "GMAT and GRE scores are required for all applicants, though waivers may be available." Also: "We do not accept test scores older than five years." The page publishes no eligibility list, no cap and no waiver deadline (checked Sep 5, 2026).
• NYU Stern: "NYU Stern now also accepts the Executive Assessment Test (EA), LSAT, MCAT, and DAT, in addition to the GMAT and GRE." The waiver requires you to have "received a bachelor's degree prior to submitting a request" and be "planning to apply to the Full-Time MBA or Luxury & Retail MBA in the 2026-2027 admissions cycle," and to answer, in a "300 word limit," the prompt: "Please list the coursework completed, certifications held, and professional experience you have that demonstrates academic readiness for an MBA program." Separately, an applicant with "an undergraduate degree from New York University (including NYU Shanghai and NYU Abu Dhabi) with a final cumulative GPA of 3.20 of higher, will not be required to submit a standardized test score." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Rice Business: "Full-Time MBA candidates may be eligible for a standardized test waiver," and "Test waivers need to be submitted 10 days prior to the application." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Stanford GSB: "Either the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT Exam 10th Edition or GMAT Exam Focus Edition, both referred to as 'GMAT' henceforth) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required for admission." And: "Admissions interviews will not be granted without a valid test score submitted to Stanford." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Texas McCombs: "candidates can fulfill the standardized test requirement by submitting either a valid test score (GMAT, GRE, Executive Assessment (EA)), an expired test score, or an approved test waiver." The waiver asks for "A brief statement highlighting the merits of your request (200 words or less)," a "1-2 page professional resume" and transcripts, and expects "Strong academic performance in an undergraduate or graduate degree with an analytical focus… ideally with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher and a solid foundation in quantitative coursework" together with "A minimum of three years of progressive, post-undergraduate work experience that includes significant analytical responsibilities." Timing: "Requests must be submitted at least 10 days prior to the targeted application submission date." One consequence is published: "Applicants admitted to the Full-Time MBA program without a valid test score must complete the Accelerated Foundations Program." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• UCLA Anderson: "We accept the GMAT, GMAT Focus Edition, GRE, or EA," and "While test scores provide an additional, relevant data point for the admissions committee to consider, a test score is not required." An applicant without a score submits "an essay that provides evidence of your MBA readiness to support your case of applying without a test score," drawing on the "Undergraduate or graduate record, especially in analytical or quantitative courses," "Post-undergraduate, full-time work experience in an analytical or quantitative function," "Professional certifications, such as CPA, CFA, or international equivalent," and "Performance on an expired GMAT or GRE." The page adds that "test optionality does not apply to the English Proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS) requirements." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• UNC Kenan-Flagler: "GMAT/GRE waivers are available for new applicants to the UNC Kenan-Flagler Full-Time MBA Program." Criteria include "Applicants who graduated with a 3.2 GPA or above and coursework in STEM, business, economics or analytical fields from a U.S. institution" and "5+ years of professional experience in a quantitative or analytical field." The deadline table publishes a separate test waiver deadline for every round. (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• USC Marshall: "Submission of standardized test scores (GMAT or GRE) is optional." No waiver request and no minimum are published (checked Sep 5, 2026).
• UVA Darden: "For some candidates a test score may not be needed for our Admissions Committee to assess their preparedness for Darden." And: "Waiver applications will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and our Admissions Committee will consider a number of factors when evaluating these applications. Particular regard will be given for indicators of academic and professional accomplishment." The FAQ names a GPA "exceeding the average for UVA Darden's most recent matriculating Full-Time MBA class," a "Master's or advanced degree in analytical discipline," and "At least three years of post-undergraduate, professional work experience, especially from quantitative or analytical career paths," and asks for a strong profile "across several criteria." Timing: submit "at least three to four weeks prior to" your round, because "All waiver applications must be submitted and approved prior to the round deadline." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• UW Foster: "While we do not waive application requirements, Foster provides applicants the option to apply 'Test Optional.'" To use it you must "Have a four-year undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited university in the U.S. or equivalent" and "Have a 3.0 GPA or higher," and complete the "Test Optional Summary of Qualifications" in the "application questions" section, "150 words maximum." Foster accepts "all GMAT Exam types and the GRE" and does not accept the Executive Assessment. (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Vanderbilt Owen: "Vanderbilt accepts the GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment." On the waiver: "Applicants interested in being considered for a test waiver must complete the test waiver request form prior to the application round deadline"; "Applicants who demonstrate multiple examples of academic and quantitative aptitude are more likely to receive a waiver"; "We recommend applying for the waiver at least two weeks in advance of the deadline to allow time for review"; "We cannot offer a test waiver if you have already submitted a self-reported or official GMAT, GRE, or EA test score"; and "Applicants are evaluated for a test waiver once per cycle." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• WashU Olin: "Standardized tests (GMAT or GRE) are one part of the application process," described as "recommended but not required." Without a score the committee weighs "A strong undergraduate GPA from a US institution," "Demonstrated quantitative skills in prior academic and/or professional experience," "An advanced or terminal degree (e.g., JD, MD, PhD or quantitative MS degree)," "A quantitatively oriented professional certificate (e.g., CPA, CFA)," and "An officer's rank in the military." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)
• Wharton: "All applicants must submit results of either the Graduate Management Admission Test (older version or Focus Edition, both now referred to as GMAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)." No test waiver appears on the requirements page (checked Sep 5, 2026).
• Yale SOM: "Yes, we require a verified GMAT or GRE score to apply and do not waive the test score requirement for any applicant." The page also notes: "For candidates who have considered or are currently considering law school, Yale SOM also accepts the LSAT." (quoted Sep 5, 2026)

What changed for 2026-27

Everything in this section comes from the pages read on September 5, 2026; where a school's own sentence carries the change wording, it is quoted.

1. Both GMAT editions now sit on the same page, under one name. Wharton writes "older version or Focus Edition, both now referred to as GMAT." Stanford defines "GMAT Exam 10th Edition or GMAT Exam Focus Edition, both referred to as 'GMAT' henceforth." MIT Sloan asks for a "valid GMAT (Focus Edition or 10th Edition) or GRE" score, Columbia accepts "both GMAT Exam (10th Edition) and GMAT Exam (Focus Edition) scores," and Foster accepts "all GMAT Exam types." The practical effect: an older GMAT score is not automatically dead, and the five-year validity rule (published by Columbia, Cornell, Kellogg, Mendoza, Yale SOM and INSEAD) is what actually decides.
2. The Executive Assessment has spread past executive programs. Twelve of the twenty-nine here accept it for the full-time MBA: Carnegie Mellon Tepper, Columbia, Cornell Johnson, Duke Fuqua, Emory Goizueta, Georgetown McDonough, NYU Stern, Rice, Texas McCombs, UCLA Anderson, UVA Darden and Vanderbilt Owen. UNC Kenan-Flagler counts Executive Assessment results as waiver evidence rather than as an application score. Foster is the counter-example that states its position outright: it accepts all GMAT types and the GRE, and not the EA.
3. NYU Stern widened the list past management tests. Its page says it "now also accepts the Executive Assessment Test (EA), LSAT, MCAT, and DAT, in addition to the GMAT and GRE." Yale SOM accepts the LSAT for candidates who have also considered law school. Emory Goizueta accepts valid MCAT or LSAT scores.
4. An expired score is now a route at three schools. Texas McCombs lets an expired score satisfy the requirement outright. Georgetown McDonough accepts expired GMAT and GRE scores. UCLA Anderson and WashU Olin both list "Performance on an expired GMAT or GRE" as evidence when you apply without a current one.
5. Test-optional and test waiver are drifting apart. Foster spells out the distinction — "While we do not waive application requirements, Foster provides applicants the option to apply 'Test Optional'" — and UCLA Anderson, USC Marshall and WashU Olin run genuinely optional policies where nobody grants you anything. The waiver schools work the other way: Tuck, UNC, Darden, McCombs, Rice, Georgetown, Goizueta and Vanderbilt all make you ask, in advance, and can say no.
6. Waiver deadlines have moved ahead of application deadlines. Tuck publishes waiver dates weeks before each round (Aug 12, 2026, Nov 9, 2026, Mar 5, 2027) and will not extend them. UNC Kenan-Flagler publishes a test waiver deadline in every row of its deadline table. Darden asks for three to four weeks. McCombs and Rice both want ten days. Vanderbilt suggests two weeks and closes the door once you have reported any score. Cornell closes it the moment you submit.

What a waiver request has to contain

This is a description of what the schools say they evaluate, taken only from the pages above. It is not a strategy, and no school on this list publishes a formula.

Quantitative evidence from your transcript. Every school with published criteria starts here. Georgetown McDonough names "At least two rigorous (not introductory) quantitative classes" with a B or better and a GPA threshold that moves with your major. Cornell Johnson names a "STEM, business, or analytical/quantitative- focused" degree at 3.0. UNC Kenan-Flagler names 3.2 with analytical coursework at a US institution. Texas McCombs names an analytical degree "ideally with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher." Darden compares your GPA to its most recent entering class. Tuck asks for "a list of quantitative graduate and undergraduate course names and grades."

Professional certifications. The CPA and CFA, and their international equivalents, appear by name at Cornell, Georgetown, UNC, UCLA Anderson, WashU Olin and Darden. Tuck asks for "proof of professional certifications, designations, or non-degree coursework." WashU Olin also lists "An officer's rank in the military."

Prior graduate work. Advanced and terminal degrees are named at UNC (JD, MD, PhD or an MS in a quantitative field), WashU Olin (the same set) and Darden ("Master's or advanced degree in analytical discipline"). Cornell counts a quantitative graduate degree the same way it counts an undergraduate one.

Years and shape of experience. The counts differ and they are stated: two years post-graduate work at Tuck, two years post-undergraduate full-time work at Goizueta, three years "post-undergraduate, professional work experience, especially from quantitative or analytical career paths" at Darden, three years "progressive, post-undergraduate work experience that includes significant analytical responsibilities" at McCombs, five or more years "in a quantitative or analytical field" at UNC. Cornell and UCLA Anderson describe the shape rather than the count: work "in an analytical or quantitative function."

A description of what you actually did. This is the part that is writing rather than paperwork. Tuck asks for "a brief description of specific job duties that demonstrate the practical application of quantitative and analytical skills and concepts." NYU Stern asks you to "list the coursework completed, certifications held, and professional experience you have that demonstrates academic readiness for an MBA program" in 300 words. McCombs asks for "A brief statement highlighting the merits of your request (200 words or less)." Foster asks for a "Test Optional Summary of Qualifications" in 150 words. Cornell asks for 100. UCLA Anderson asks for an essay with no published cap.

What the schools say a granted waiver does and does not mean. Tepper: "If you are granted a waiver by the Admission Committee, it does not signal admission to the Tepper School MBA," and "Applying with a test waiver will not affect your eligibility for scholarship." Georgetown reserves the right to "require additional proof of quantitative acumen." Tepper says the committee "may require or recommend additional academic preparation prior to the start of the program." McCombs publishes the clearest downstream consequence: an applicant admitted to the Full-Time MBA without a valid test score "must complete the Accelerated Foundations Program."

The request is a document, and it has a reader

At six of the schools above, the waiver is not a checkbox. It is a short piece of writing with a hard cap — 100 words at Cornell, 150 at Foster, 200 at McCombs, 300 at Stern, an uncapped essay at UCLA Anderson, a job-duty description at Tuck — read by an admissions committee that has told you, in advance and in public, exactly which four or five things it is looking for. That is an unusual amount of information to be handed about a reader, and it changes what the document is for: not persuasion in the abstract, but a compressed account of coursework, certifications, degrees and analytical work, in the school's own categories, inside the school's own word count.

It is worth writing the way you would write anything else in the application. If you want a second read on the shorter application documents, an MBA essay review works from the rubric for the document in front of it, and the MBA rubric shelf shows which document types are covered. There is no rubric for a waiver request itself yet.

One caution that applies to every row: these policies move between cycles and several of them live partly inside the application portal. Confirm the current rule and the current date on the school's own page before you plan around it, and check the waiver deadline before you check the round deadline, because at seven of these schools the first one falls earlier.

Sources

All pages fetched September 5, 2026.

• Berkeley Haas — Full-Time MBA admissions requirements
• Carnegie Mellon Tepper — Apply to the Full-Time MBA
• Chicago Booth — How to apply and admission requirements
• Columbia Business School — MBA application requirements (read via a text proxy; the site refused a direct request)
• Cornell Johnson — MBA application requirements and FAQs
• Dartmouth Tuck — Applying to Tuck
• Duke Fuqua — Daytime MBA application instructions
• Emory Goizueta — Two-Year MBA application
• Georgetown McDonough — Full-time MBA test waiver policy and application components
• Harvard Business School — Application process and admissions FAQ
• INSEAD — MBA admissions
• ISB — PGP in Management
• London Business School — MBA FAQs
• MIT Sloan — How to apply
• Northwestern Kellogg — How to apply
• Notre Dame Mendoza — Notre Dame MBA apply
• NYU Stern — Standardized tests
• Rice Business — MBA admissions guide and MBA FAQ
• Stanford GSB — GMAT and GRE
• Texas McCombs — Requesting a test waiver
• UCLA Anderson — Full-Time MBA requirements
• UNC Kenan-Flagler — Requirements and deadlines and admissions FAQ
• USC Marshall — Full-Time MBA admissions
• UVA Darden — MBA admissions FAQ and admissions overview
• UW Foster — Full-Time MBA admissions
• Vanderbilt Owen — MBA application instructions
• WashU Olin — Full-Time MBA how to apply
• Wharton — MBA application requirements
• Yale SOM — MBA admissions FAQ