GMAT Eligibility

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is an entrance exam for applicants targeting a Business or MBA degree. Administered by GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council), this exam measures your skills and knowledge to verify whether you are ready for business school. The latest version of the GMAT Exam (Focus Edition) aims to align with modern business dynamics that prioritize data analytics skills.

Get an in-depth idea about the eligibility criteria for the GMAT exam, reservation criteria and other related details here.

GMAT Exam Eligibility Criteria 2024

The GMAT evaluates analytical, verbal, quantitative, and reading skills that are essential for succeeding in grasping everything taught in elite B-schools. The exam is available both online and offline (at designated exam centers). Here’s a detailed description of the GMAT exam eligibility for the candidates appearing for it in 2024:

• Nationality

1. Candidates of all nationalities are allowed to sit for GMAT. It is applicable to all.

• Academic qualification

1. There is no minimum qualification criteria to be eligible to sit for the GMAT. However, most candidates appearing for the GMAT are final-year undergraduate students or working professionals.
2. Candidates must note that while sitting for the GMAT does not require any academic qualification, B-Schools do require an undergraduate degree, especially MBA schools abroad. Hence, you cannot gain admission into most B-schools in India and abroad solely based on your GMAT score.

• Age limit

1. The minimum age requirement for candidates appearing for GMAT is 18 years.
2. If a candidate between 13 to 17 years of age wants to sit for the exam, they will need documented parental permission and a signed NOC (No Objection Certificate).

• Number of attempts

1. You are allowed to sit for both GMAT online and offline exams up to five times in a rolling 12-month period.
2. There is no limit on the number of attempts for the GMAT.
3. You need to wait a minimum of 16 days after taking the exam before you sit for a retest.

• Language requirements

1. The standardized language in which GMAT is held is the English language.
2. As per the GMAT exam eligibility criteria, you will need to have a basic understanding and fluency in English as a non-native speaker if you want to appear for this exam. Make sure your GMAT exam preparation aligns with this requirement.

Score eligibility requirements

• Overall GMAT exam score range: 200-800 for the 10th Edition and 205-805 for the Focus Edition.
• Focus Edition sections: GMAT exam scores combine Quantitative, Verbal, and Data Insights sections, each scored from 60 to 90.
• Top school range: Competitive programs typically seek GMAT exam scores of 600-700+.

• Work experience

1. You are not required to have any professional experience to be eligible for the GMAT exam. However, most prominent B-schools with leading MBA programs may require you to have 2 to 5 years of industrial experience complementing your academic achievement.
2. Annually, there are thousands of GMAT test takers who have a minimum of 3-4 years of professional experience registering for the GMAT.
3. After the application process begins, the admissions committee will first evaluate the applicant’s work experience and how it is relevant to the modern business environment.

GMAT Exam Eligibility for Retakers 2024

Candidates who want to retake the GMAT should always check the specific GMAC guidelines on the frequency and timing of retakes. This is to ensure fair testing conditions for all test takers. Here is a detailed overview of the GMAT exam eligibility criteria for retakes in 2024:

• Retake frequency: Candidates can retake the GMAT up to 5 times within a 12-month period. This is to offer you flexibility especially if you want to improve your scores.
• Mandatory waiting period: You will have to maintain a minimum 16-calendar-day gap between consecutive attempts. This is to ensure you have enough time to prepare and reduce stress from repeated tests.
• Lifetime cap: There is no limit on the number of attempts for the GMAT

online or offline testing formats.

• Score limit restriction: 800 is the highest possible score in GMAT. If one has acquired this score, they can sit for retakes, but will have to wait for 5 years to retake the test again.

These guidlines are set for both online and offline versions of the GMAT to allow candidates the freedom to plan their GMAT exam preparation and retake schedules efficiently.

Reservation Criteria for GMAT 2024

GMAC does not offer any specific reservation criteria for GMAT Exam Eligibility on the basis of nationality, ethnicity, or other factors. It is a global exam taken for the purpose of making it fair and square for all applicants.

However, applicants with disabilities have special reservation criteria. To claim this, they need to submit a few additional documents with their application form.

Candidates Eligible to Take GMAT Exam under Reservation Criteria

These are the categories considered under the disability reservation criteria:

• Psychological Disabilities
• Learning and Cognitive Disorders
• Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorders
• Sensor Disabilities (Hearing or Vision)
• Physical and Systematic Disabilities

If you are a GMAT test taker with an impairment, you have to the following information during your application:

• Your impairment limits key life activities with compared to a majority of people.
• Your existing impairment and the way it affects your ability to give a computer-adaptive GMAT exam under normal circumstances.
• A viable justification for why the accommodation is important and relevant pertaining to your disability.

Documents Required for GMAT 2024

On the day of the GMAT, you will have to present a valid, accepted form of ID, which must match the details offered during registration. ID requirements vary by testing location, so be sure to review the specific requirements for your area on the official website. Candidates must offer legal information (name, home address, email id, contact number, gender, birth date, citizenship country, government-issued id, a digital photograph, official signature, palm vein pattern, etc.

If you are an Indian candidate, you will need the following:

• An international travel passport is always needed when you’re appearing for an exam at a location away from your country of citizenship. Expired passports and passport renewal papers will not be accepted.
• An Aadhar Card is accepted ONLY for online tests and is not considered a valid form of ID at a GMAT exam center. Make sure that the name and phone number used for registration and profile match the name on your Aadhaar Card. Also, make sure that your Aadhar card is linked to your mobile phone.
• Palm vein identification: This precaution during GMAC tests help prevent forgery during exams and to ensure fairness. Candidates are required to offer a a palm vein impression as a form of identification during check-in. This biometric precautions makes it impossible for anybody to take the GMAT for someone else.