GRE® for Public Policy: What Policy Schools Require in 2026-27

Applicants to public policy programs get two different answers about the GRE®. One says a Master of Public Policy application comes with a test score, and for years that matched the requirements. The other says the test-optional shift made the score unnecessary. Both answers describe something that happened, and both are now incomplete.

The policies changed at different schools on different timelines, and this cycle they changed again: the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley states on its MPP admissions FAQ that the GRE® is required for Fall 2027 entry, that it cannot be waived, and that official scores are due December 1, 2026.

So the answer depends on the school, and for your own list it's usually an afternoon of checking admissions pages. Below: where eight prominent policy schools stand, what the schools themselves say about why they want scores, and how to set a target in a field where few programs publish class-wide GRE® medians.

Where eight policy schools stand this cycle

The policies below were checked against the schools' own admissions pages in November 2026. One note on the table's scope: Columbia SIPA doesn't offer an MPP. Its MPA and MIA are the school's policy master's degrees, so it appears under its degree names.

Harvard Kennedy School's MPP page states: "The GRE or GMAT is required; however, applicants who have successfully completed certain quantitative coursework have an opportunity to waive this requirement." The waiver is available only to applicants who meet the listed coursework criteria, so at HKS the test is the default and the waiver is the qualification to check first.

Princeton's MPP application page takes the opposite position: "MPP applicants may submit GRE scores but it is not required as part of the application process," and, for applicants weighing whether a score helps them, this sentence: "Applicants who do not submit scores will not be put at a disadvantage."

Michigan's Ford School offers two ways to demonstrate quantitative readiness: its application checklist lists "Demonstration of Quantitative Readiness: GRE or Statement of Quantitative Preparation," and its FAQ adds that the school views the GRE® as one way to demonstrate readiness for quantitative coursework, not as a tool to deter applicants.

Georgetown McCourt strongly recommends GRE® scores, considers waiver requests through the application, sets no minimum, and accepts GMAT® results as well. Its page also notes the at-home GRE® is acceptable for Fall 2027 admissions.

Why the policies differ

The test-optional shift after 2020 reached policy schools unevenly, and the return of requirements is uneven too. Berkeley's Goldman School requires the GRE® for Fall 2027 MPP entry with no waiver path; in earlier cycles its application accepted a quantitative resume in place of scores, per the school's archived 2021-22 program bulletin. Harvard keeps its requirement and pairs it with a coursework waiver. Princeton keeps the MPP optional while requiring the GRE® for its own MPA and PhD programs, so the same school can hold different rules for adjacent degrees.

The practical consequence: third-party lists become outdated quickly in this field. Several aggregator pages still describe Berkeley's MPP as not requiring the GRE®, which matched an earlier cycle and contradicts the school's own FAQ now. When a policy decides your prep calendar, the school's current admissions page is the primary source to check, and the date you checked it matters as much as the page.

Should you submit a score you don't have to?

When a program recommends scores without requiring them, the choice is yours, and the schools that make them optional publish their reasoning in plain sentences. Columbia SIPA's admissions FAQ states that GRE® or GMAT® scores are "useful indicators of academic ability." The Ford School writes that GRE® scores are "effective in helping us to assess students' ability to learn and succeed within Ford School coursework." McCourt explains that public policy requires "critical thinking, analysis of written text, and the ability to communicate effectively," which is why its committees find scores useful for assessing readiness.

Those sentences describe what a score can do in a review: give the committee an independent, standardized data point beside a transcript whose grading standards vary by school. From there, a decision order:

1. If a program requires the GRE® or a waiver, start with the waiver criteria. HKS's waiver depends on specific quantitative coursework, and Harris lists its four criteria on its requirements page. If you meet the criteria, you may not need a score; if you don't, plan to test.

2. If a program recommends scores, compare your baseline with the program's available benchmarks before deciding. A score that sits well against those benchmarks can add another piece of evidence, and ScoreSelect® lets you choose which scores get sent, so a lower second attempt is a score you can leave unsent.

3. If a program makes scores optional with no push to submit, treat the hours as a choice. Princeton commits to no disadvantage for non-submitters, so test-prep hours can go to the essays and the policy memo instead. A strong score can still be sent and a weak one withheld under ScoreSelect®.

The pattern behind those three: admissions committees compare applications built from grade-point averages that vary by institution and grading culture. A standardized score can give them another way to interpret those differences, which is part of why programs with optional scores still encourage submission. If your practice tests put the score where you want it, submitting may add useful evidence at little cost.

Setting a target when schools don't publish medians

Business schools publish class profiles with GRE® medians down to the section. Policy schools mostly don't, and that removes the easiest benchmarking tool in graduate admissions. Few MPP programs post class-wide Verbal or Quantitative averages, and where third-party numbers exist, they come from unofficial trackers rather than the school's own page.

A workable method:

Start with an official baseline. ETS's free PowerPrep practice tests use official test content and scoring, and one sitting gives you section scores you can plan from. Our guide to PowerPrep and other free GRE® practice tests covers the setup.

Set each section target from percentiles. The GRE® reports Verbal and Quantitative separately on a 130 to 170 scale, and ETS publishes percentile tables that show where each section score stands. Our percentiles guide carries the current table. A 160 Quant and a 160 Verbal are different achievements, and admissions committees can evaluate the two sections separately.

Weight both sections. The daily work of policy school includes reading, writing, and policy memos; Princeton's MPP application asks for a four-page policy memo as part of admission. The first-year core at analytically minded programs also includes statistics and economics, which is why Harris can require a GRE® score or a waiver and why Ford asks applicants to demonstrate quantitative readiness in one of the two ways its checklist lists. A target that develops one section while leaving the other underdeveloped can produce a score profile a committee reads less favorably.

Convert the gap into a plan. The distance from your PowerPrep baseline to your target section scores is a number of points, and the study hours per point follow a pattern our study-length guide walks through. From there, when to sit for the exam can be planned from the gap, the hours it needs, and the calendar.

Timing, fees, and the December 1 cluster

Two deadlines in this post fall on the same date: Princeton's MPP application closes December 1, 2026, and Berkeley's official GRE® scores are due that day for Fall 2027 entry. ETS posts official scores to your account about 8 to 10 days after the test, and Princeton's application page advises applicants to take the GRE® "in advance of the application deadline." For a December 1 deadline, that puts the last sensible test date in mid-November, and earlier dates leave room for a retake.

The room exists in the retake rules: you can take the GRE® once every 21 days, up to five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period, and per ETS the limit applies even if you canceled scores on a previous test. Our deadline-driven planning guide covers that math in full.

On cost: the GRE® General Test runs $249 in the US as of the August 1, 2026 fee schedule, and ETS's fee-reduction program brings that to $100 for those who qualify. Princeton's application page links the program. Your test fee includes four free score reports to recipients you designate.

FAQ

Do MPP programs require the GRE®?

Some do and some don't, school by school. For Fall 2027 entry, UC Berkeley's Goldman School requires the GRE® for its MPP and cannot waive it, Harvard Kennedy School requires the GRE® or GMAT® for its MPP with a coursework-based waiver path, and Princeton SPIA makes scores optional for its MPP. Verify each program's own admissions page for the cycle you're applying in.

Which policy schools require the GRE®?

As of November 2026: UC Berkeley Goldman (MPP, required, no waiver, official scores due December 1, 2026), Harvard Kennedy School (MPP, GRE® or GMAT®, waiver for certain quantitative coursework), and UChicago Harris (MPP, GRE® or one of four waiver criteria). Georgetown McCourt strongly recommends scores and considers waivers through its application.

Is the GRE® optional for Princeton SPIA's MPP?

Yes. Princeton's MPP application page states that MPP applicants may submit GRE® scores, but scores aren't required, and applicants who don't submit won't be put at a disadvantage. The GRE® remains required for Princeton SPIA's MPA and PhD programs.

Does Columbia SIPA require the GRE®?

No. SIPA lists GRE®/GMAT® scores as recommended, not required, and its admissions FAQ calls scores "useful indicators of academic ability." SIPA's page also notes the school doesn't accept at-home test scores, so test center selection matters there.

What GRE® score do I need for public policy school?

Few MPP programs publish class-wide GRE® medians, so set the target a different way: take a free PowerPrep test for a baseline, then set each section target from the ETS percentile bands that fit the programs on your list. Both sections matter, and committees at quantitatively oriented programs read the Quant score closely even though policy coursework leans toward reading and writing.

Can I submit my GMAT® instead of the GRE® for an MPP?

At some schools, yes. Harvard Kennedy School accepts the GRE® or GMAT® for its MPP, and Georgetown McCourt also accepts GMAT® results. Some programs accept only the GRE®, so confirm the policy before you plan around it.

How many times can you take the GRE®?

Once every 21 days, up to five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period, according to ETS. Per ETS, the limit applies even if you canceled scores from a previous attempt.

Want to learn even more?

For the national frame behind any target score:

• What is a Good GRE® Score?

For reading your section scores against the current ETS tables:

• GRE® Score Percentiles: What Your Score Actually Means

For the other big test-choice decision in graduate admissions:

• GRE® vs GMAT®: Which Test Should You Take?

For controlling what schools see when you send:

• ScoreSelect®: What Schools See When You Send GRE® Scores

For the calendar math behind a deadline like December 1:

• When Should You Take the GRE®? Working Backward From Deadlines

For the baseline test that anchors the method above:

• How to Use PowerPrep and Other Free GRE® Practice Tests

We also talk through decisions like this one on our podcast.

And if you'd like a second set of eyes on your score target, you're welcome to book a complimentary strategy session. We'll look at your school list, your baseline, and your timeline, and help you set a target that fits both.