How Good GRE Score Can Win You Scholarship to Study Abroad

GRE is much more than “just another standardized test”. Yes, if you want to get admission to a good grad school abroad (like in the US), you need to score well in your GRE. The better you score, the higher the chances of getting admission to a top university. But GRE scores can also be very helpful in winning you financial aid for higher education.

Standing out for scholarships

Depending on the country and university, studying abroad can be a bit expensive for many aspirants. In such cases, scholarships can be very helpful.

However, getting a scholarship is a task in itself. Although the number of scholarships has increased with every top university offering financial aid, along with many organizations, the number of applicants has increased as well. So, to win the scholarships, you need to stand out from the crowd. GRE score could be one of the levers that can truly stand you out in the crowd of applicants. A good GRE score can impress the scholarship committees, thereby increasing your chances of getting financial aid for grad school.

So, there’s all the more reason to prepare better and score well in your GRE.

Types of GRE Scholarship

Broadly put, there are two types of scholarships: University-sponsored and other organization-sponsored. In the latter one, a third-party organization provides financial aid to students.

When applying for admission to a university abroad, international students are required to also submit their GRE scores. Alongside, if you also apply for financial aid, the committee at the universities may also use your GRE score to audit your qualification for the scholarship.

Similarly, when you apply for an organization-based scholarship, a host of factors would be considered by that committee, including your GRE score. Along with the scholarship application, you may also be required to submit this score.

What’s the Good GRE Score to Get a Scholarship?

There’s no defined answer to this. It depends on various factors, including the university you’re applying to, the program you have opted for, and more.

For instance, the GRE criterion for the scholarship would be much higher if more students are applying for it. Contrarily, the score requirement would be less if there are fewer applicants.

That said, you can go to the scholarship page of the university or any organization you’re applying to and check if they have any GRE cut-off marks. If they do, that’s the benchmark you need to stick with.

The idea is to score more. The higher you score, the more assured you can be about getting the scholarship.

The 75th percentile is assumed to be a good GRE score. So, you should aim to score at least more than that. Anything above the 90th percentile is considered excellent.

Final words

Remember, many universities and organizations will consider your GRE score when deciding on offering financial aid for grad school. But this would be one of the several factors they would consider.

For instance, even if you have a low GRE score but you have an outstanding track record (maybe you have extensive work experience), you can get the scholarship.

Therefore, when planning to apply for a scholarship, you need to have a holistic approach wherein you focus on a wide range of aspects.

The process starts with finding good scholarships that can support your grad school education abroad. Second, learn more about the scholarships and understand their basic requirements; then plan accordingly. In that journey of successfully getting financial aid, try to score as high in GRE as you can.

Coming to scoring high in GRE, it’s not easy. The test is challenging. This is why it’s recommended you seek help from experts, opt for a good GRE course and invest more time and effort in the preparation.

Summing up, the importance of the GRE to get a scholarship for students who want to study abroad is paramount. If you want admission to a top grad school overseas and with financial aid, you need to prove your account with a high GRE score.