Knowing what to expect when taking your GRE test at home will help you prepare to perform well on test day. The GRE General Test at Home is a safe and convenient choice for test takers who take their exam at home rather than in a testing facility.
The at-home test is identical to the in-person test and is administered on your computer at home or another safe place. A human proctor oversees all at-home tests via ProctorU.
Equipment Required
Computer
● You cannot use a tablet, ChromebookTM, or mobile device instead of a desktop or laptop computer.
● A licensed operating system that has been approved. It is not permissible to use unlicensed or test-mode versions.
➢ PC: Microsoft® Windows® 10 or 8 operating system.
➢ MAC®: 10.5 or higher version of Mac OS X® (10.13 High Sierra is
recommended).
● Chrome or Firefox® browsers are recommended.
● It is not permissible to use multiple monitors or dual displays.
Use of browser and Equipment check
● Install the ETS Secure Test Browser on the computer used for the test. After downloading the file, execute it to install the browser entirely. You will see the following notice, close the browser: "Success! You have the ETS secure test browser installed"
● Run the ProctorU Equipment Check from the computer where you will take the exam. If you fail the equipment check, you must correct any problems before the test day. Live ProctorU representatives are on hand to assist you.
● Computer firewalls and security software can disrupt the test delivery software.
Speaker
● Use speakers (External or Internal)
● Headphones are not applicable.
Microphone
● Use an external or internal separate microphone (Microphone should not be a part of headphone device)
Camera
● Use a webcam or internal camera of your computer/laptop.
● Before the test, the camera must be able to move to provide a 360-degree picture of the room, including your tabletop surface.
Testing space requirements
Privacy
● You must be alone in a room with no one else during the test.
● The test cannot be taken in a public place such as a park, internet cafe, or restaurant.
● Before commencing the test, you must close all doors in the room.
Appearance and Clothing
● Throughout the exam, your ears must be visible and not covered by hair, a hat, or other materials. A religious hat is permissible as long as your ears are visible throughout the examination.
● Face masks are not permitted to be worn during check-in or the at-home testing session.
● You must dress adequately for your examination. The proctor will monitor you via webcam, and your photo will be shared with colleges who get your scores.
● Jewellery, tie clips, cuff links, decorative clips, combs, barrettes, headbands, and other hair accessories should be avoided.
Seating style
● Your computer and keyboard must be placed on a table or desk.
● Place your table and chair so the proctor can see the entry to the room. At check-in, the proctor may need you to do this.
● All things not permitted during the test, including cell phones (save when needed for check-in), cameras, notes, and study materials, must be removed from the tabletop and surrounding area. The room's furniture and décor do not need to be removed.
● It would be best if you sit in a regular chair, not on a bed, couch, or overstuffed chair.
● Food and beverages are not permitted during the test.
Test Taking materials
● For security reasons, you may not take notes on normal paper.
● You may use any of the following:
➢ One little whiteboard on a desk with an erasable marker
➢ With an erasable marker, one sheet of paper within a transparent sheet protector. No pencils or pens are permitted.
● You must show the proctor that all notes have been erased at the end of the test.
Make sure that you fulfill all of the conditions above for a smooth test-taking experience.
Remember to keep calm during the test and focus on one question at a time.
All the best!