Top MBA Colleges Accepting GRE Scores in India 2026 - IIMs, IITs and Private B-Schools

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is an objective test that is administered on computers by Education Testing Service which is located in the United States. The GRE is accepted by all leading universities of the USA for admissions in Master of Business Administration, MS, Law courses and many other graduate courses and is very much sought after by students from India looking forward to pursuing their education in leading universities of the USA, Europe, Canada and other nations. From 22nd September 2023, ETS has introduced a revised GRE pattern wherein the duration of the test will be reduced to one hour and fifty-eight minutes with no change in score weighting.

GRE Exam & Its Types

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is an internationally accepted, computer-based entrance exam administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). The GRE measures individuals’ skills in three key areas such as Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing and is recognised by over 1,300 graduate schools in various countries including India, the USA, Canada, the UK and Australia offering post-graduate and doctoral degrees in Business Administration and other subjects.

The GRE General Test is the most widely accepted form of the test which is intended for individuals applying to diverse graduate courses including the Master of Business Administration. The GRE marks range between 260 and 340, the test duration is about 1 hour and 58 minutes and the exam is offered all year-round enabling candidates to take the exam when they please. The exam can be conducted both at a test centre and at home. For Indian candidates, the exam fee is ₹22,000 and GRE results are valid for up to five years from the date of the test.

Is Work Experience Required for an MBA through the GRE?

No, work experience is not needed in all MBA colleges. Some of the prestigious Indian management institutions allow GRE marks to admit students who have just completed their education to their Master of Business Administration/PGP program. Moreover, there are about 25 institutes in India that allow GRE marks from freshers but the quality of such courses differs considerably. The full list can be obtained from ETS's official website ets.org. 

Top MBA Colleges Accepting GRE Worldwide

Over 1,300 MBA programs worldwide accept the GRE. The top MBA colleges accepting GRE marks in India are ISB, IIMA, IIMB, SPJIMR, IMT Ghaziabad etc.

Top GRE-accepting MBA colleges in the USA are Stanford Graduate School of Business, 

Harvard Business School, University of Chicago Booth, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Columbia Business School, Yale School of Management, Wharton School, MIT Sloan and Cornell University Johnson College of Business.

In the UK and Europe, top universities that recognise GRE marks include the London Business School, Cambridge University - Judge Business School, Cranfield University, Oxford University and the University of Manchester. Universities in Singapore that accept GRE marks for Master of Business Administration admission include NUS, Nanyang Technological University, INSEAD Singapore and SMU.

List of the Top Indian MBA Colleges Accepting GRE Scores 2026

In recent years many of India's top business schools accepting GRE scores for MBA programs have started accepting the exam scores for admissions to their MBA/PGDM programs. This change offers more flexibility to Indian students to get admitted to the top colleges accepting GRE score in India or who wish to apply to global management schools with a single test.

Institutes like IIMs, ISB and other well-known private universities now accept the GRE as a standard test for their management programs. This trend is making it possible to open doors for a diverse range of candidates. The list below indicates which are the top Indian management institutes 2026 that consider GRE scores in India along with major information concerning eligibility and requirements.

In order to admit recent graduates and working professionals into their management programs the majority of Master of Business Administration schools in India accept GRE test scores. When applying to premier management schools candidates with more than five years of job experience typically have more options. Some of the best Indian B schools in India that accept GRE marks for  executive and full-time MBA degrees are listed below -

1. ISB- Indian School of Business Hyderabad & Mohali (PGP Program)

For admission to its premier one-year postgraduate program the Indian School of Business takes GRE marks into account. The program is well regarded both domestically and abroad, and it appears in prestigious rankings like the QS Global EMBA Rankings and the Financial Times Rankings. To apply candidates must have worked full-time for at least two years.

Note -  ISB accepts only GRE scores from tests that were taken at an exam centre (home-based test scores are not accepted).

• Fees - ₹38.67 Lakhs

• Average Package - ₹33.08 Lakhs per annum

2. IIM - Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (PGPX)

The PGPX is a one-year full-time residential MBA program for experienced professionals with a minimum of 4 years of full-time work experience. Provided by IIM Ahmedabad it is consistently ranked among the top programs in the world particularly for career development as seen in the Financial Times rankings. The program also provides excellent placements to its students. 

• Fees - ₹35 Lakhs for single students, ₹37.10 Lakhs for married students

• Average Package - ₹37.25 Lakhs per annum

3. IIM Bangalore (ePGP)

IIM Bangalore provides a one-year full-time Executive PGP (ePGP) for individuals with 5-12 years of work experience. International immersion and alumni mentoring are part of the course. The institute accepts GRE scores from tests taken at authorised centres only. This makes it one of the GRE colleges recognised for Master of Business Administration admissions.

• Fees - ₹33.71 Lakhs

• Average Package - ₹35.5 Lakhs per annum 

4. IIM Lucknow (IPMX)

Professionals with at least five years of experience are eligible to enrol in the International Program in Management for Executives (IPMX) an EMBA program. It is hosted at IIM Lucknow's Noida campus and is AACSB and AMBA-accredited and encourages industry interaction. This program also accepts the GRE score for IIM candidates.

• Fees - ₹26.25 Lakhs

• Average Package - ₹27.72 Lakhs per annum 

5. IIM Indore (EPGP)

IIM Indore's one-year Executive PGP is for professionals with 5+ years of experience and features a five-week international immersion in a globally ranked business school. As an example the 2023 batch went to SDA Bocconi in Italy. The GRE is taken into account for admissions to the EPGP program which is AMBA-accredited. 

• Fees - ₹26.76 Lakhs

• Average Package - ₹27.5  Lakhs per annum

6. IIM Kozhikode (PGP-BL)

Professionals with at least three years of experience can enrol in the 1-year program, full time residential Post Graduate Program in Business Leadership (PGP-BL). The course includes a global immersion and a capstone project.

Note - Only test-centre results from the GRE and Graduate Management Admission Test are allowed. The program is considered one of the GRE exam colleges in India.

• Fees - ₹22.50 Lakhs

• Average Package - ₹25.19 Lakhs per annum

7. XLRI Jamshedpur (PGDMGM)

For working executives with at least five years of experience, it offers an 18-month PGDM-GM curriculum. It is recognised by AMBA and AICTE and offers both core and elective courses. This program accepts the marks of the GRE for MBA exam.

• Fees - ₹25.9 Lakhs

8. IIM Raipur - PhD in Management (Practice Track)

GRE scores are taken into account by IIM Raipur for its Fellow Program in Management (FPM) which is comparable to a PhD. Among the specialities are HR, IT & Systems, Finance, Strategy, Marketing and Economics. It is included among the GRE colleges in India for research programs.

• Fees - ₹10 Lakhs 

9. IIM Udaipur (Executive MBA & PhD)

IIM Udaipur has an EMBA and Fellowship (PhD/FPM) for working professionals. GRE scores are accepted for the EMBA program which requires at least three years of work experience. Additionally the schools provide admission based on the results of the Graduate Management Admission Test and the IIMU Test. PhD programs are available in marketing, accounting, and finance. This makes it a GRE-accepting MBA college in India

• Fees - ₹14.70 Lakhs (EMBA) and ₹22 Lakhs (Executive PhD)

10. IIM Visakhapatnam (EMBA)

For working individuals who are unable to attend full-time classes IIM Visakhapatnam offers a two-year weekend EMBA program with blended learning. Candidates may submit their GRE, Graduate Management Admission Test, CAT or EMAT results and must have at least three years of professional experience.

In addition to recognising GRE scores as part of their selection process these universities offer excellent education for individuals looking to reskill, gain international exposure and advance into leadership roles.  This program also belongs to universities accepting GRE.

• Fees - ₹11.90 Lakhs

11. SP Jain Institute of Management and Research (SPJIMR), Mumbai (GMP)

One of the best business schools of India that takes the GRE is SPJIMR. SPJIMR Mumbai provides admission to its Global Management program (GMP) based on GRE scores in addition to GMAT, CAT, NMAT and XAT. The program accepts fresh graduates as well as experienced professionals. It has two cycles of execution every year one beginning in January and the other in June providing flexibility to candidates based on their timelines.

• Fees - ₹25 to 97 Lakhs

12. BITS School of Management (BITSOM), Mumbai (MBA)

BITSOM's two-year full-time residential MBA program is open to applicants with a valid GRE score. BITSOM also takes CAT and GMAT scores. The program is suitable for both freshers and working professionals with approximately 10–12% of students joining immediately after graduation. Students who graduate from BITS Pilani a prestigious institution are given an MBA degree.

• Fees - ₹28.55 Lakhs

• Average Package - ₹23.41 LPA

13. IIM Amritsar (Executive MBA)

IIM Amritsar takes GRE scores for admission to its executive program in management. Candidates need to have a bachelor's degree with a good academic background and a minimum of three years of full time work experience as of May 31 2025 in a managerial, entrepreneurial or professional role. IIM Amritsar also considers CAT, GMAT, GATE and its own entrance exam IAAT for admission to the EMBA program. This institution is among gre accepting colleges for MBA programs.

• Fees - ₹12.00 Lakhs

14. IIM Calcutta 

IIM Calcutta also accepts Graduate Record Examination scores to gain entry into its full-time Doctoral (PhD) Program in several specialisations. Students with a strong academic record and with a valid GRE score (test centre-based and not more than two years old as of the deadline date) can apply for fields like Finance, Marketing, Operations, MIS, Public Policy and others. Applicants should also fulfil the educational qualification requirements which are a first-class postgraduate degree or professional qualifications such as CA/CS/CMA with the specified marks.  It is one of the GRE colleges recognised in India.

15. IMT Ghaziabad 

The Fellow Program in Management (FPM) is a 4-year residential PhD program at IMT Ghaziabad that prepares students for academic, research and thought-leadership-oriented careers. It provides a strong theoretical, methodological and practical foundation through a robust curriculum along with faculty mentoring and international collaborations. 

Some of the specialisations offered in this program include Business Analytics, Economics & Sustainability, Finance, Information Technology Management, Marketing, Operations, Human Resource Management, and Strategy, Innovation & Entrepreneurship.

16. Christ University 

Christ University has an integrated, full-time, two-year MBA course across its campuses. The course has six trimesters comprising experiential learning through case studies and simulations. The specialisation options include Finance, Marketing, Business Analytics, Human Resource Management, and Lean Operations and Systems.

Applicants should have at least 50% marks in their bachelor's degree along with valid CAT, MAT, XAT, CMAT, ATMA, Graduate Management Admission Test and GRE scores. Course fees range from ₹10.60-10.95 lakhs. The placements are estimated to be between ₹7.5-8.5 LPA per annum. 

• Fees -  ₹6 Lakhs 

17. Woxsen University, Hyderabad

Woxsen University offers a 2-year full-time residential MBA course with 100% placement record and EFMD Global Accreditation placing it among the top 1% of B-schools worldwide. The program is available in four tracks General, Business Analytics, Financial Services and MBA-XP (for professionals with 3+ years of experience).

Applicants need a bachelor's degree with a minimum 60% marks and valid CAT, XAT, NMAT, GMAT, GRE or Woxsen Aptitude Test scores. Selection involves entrance scores, a psychometric test and a personal interview with an application fee of ₹1,300.

• Fees - ₹14.95 Lakhs 

• Average Package - ₹9.90 Lakhs per annum

18. Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai 

FPM is a one-year-long residential PhD program conducted by top Indian B-schools for those wishing to make their careers in academic research or teaching or even in high-end consultancy firms. 

The program duration is from 4 to 5 years in total. Areas of specialisation such as Marketing Management and Finance & Accounting build research competence in both theory and quantitative analysis. All FPMs have complete funding, including a monthly scholarship of ₹25,000 - ₹65,000

Facts About the GRE Admission Procedure

Having a minimum GRE score does not mean that you qualify for your preferred university since GRE scores fluctuate yearly and admission committees review candidates as a whole. Other aspects such as professional experience, undergraduate GPA, letter of recommendations and personal statements are considered equally.

The GRE is becoming increasingly popular among students and admissions officers from the MBA courses of different universities. Today, business schools regard the GRE and GMAT as equivalent tests with no preference for one or another examination. At the moment, 20% to 60% of students enrolled in the top 50 US business schools are GRE test-takers. In particular, 62% of students enrolled in the Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas-Dallas used the GRE while 20-30% of the students admitted to Harvard, MIT and Yale had GRE scores.