How long is the GMAT score valid?

The GMAT score is valid for five years from your test date. After this, it cannot be used for MBA admissions.

What happens after GMAT score validity expires?

Once expired, your GMAT score remains visible for up to 10 years but can’t be used for applications. After 10 years, it’s permanently deleted.

Is the GMAT Focus Edition score validity different?

No. GMAT Focus Edition scores are also valid for five years, the same as the classic GMAT exam.

How to check GMAT score validity online?

Log in to your account on mba.com→GMAT Exams → View and Send Score. The validity date will be shown there.

Do all colleges follow a 5-year GMAT validity rule?

Most do, but a few, like IIM Calcutta (MBAEx), accept GMAT scores up to 3 years old, and Stanford sets specific test date windows.

Can I apply to MBA colleges with a 4-year-old GMAT score?

Yes. As long as it’s within the valid 5-year window, most top B-Schools accept your GMAT score.

Should I retake the GMAT if my score is old but valid?

Not necessarily. But if your old score is below the school’s average, retaking it could improve your admission chances or scholarship prospects.

What is the difference between GMAT score validity and availability?

Validity is the 5-year period you can use your score for applications. Availability means how long GMAC keeps your score on record (up to 10 years).

GMAT Score Validity 2026, Check College-Wise Validity Period

Raju|

Oct 15, 2025

GMAT Score Validity 2026

GMAT score is a key part of your MBA application. But it is not valid forever. Understanding GMAT score validity is important for your planning. The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) sets the rules. All GMAT scores are valid for five years. This applies to the classic GMAT and the new GMAT Focus Edition.

This five-year window gives you flexibility. A lot of it. You can take the exam when you are ready. Even years before you apply. But there's a catch. While five years is the standard, top business schools can have their own rules. Knowing these policies is the key. It ensures your score is ready when you are.

What Is GMAT Score Validity?

GMAT score validity is simple. It is the time your score is considered active. It is the window when business schools will accept applications for admission. This period starts on the exact day you take the test. For example, you take the GMAT on March 26, 2025. Your score is valid until March 26, 2030.

Why the time limit? It’s about relevance. Business schools need a recent picture of your skills. They use the GMAT to see if you are ready for challenging classes. A score from eight years ago might not show your current abilities.

It is important to know the difference between a score's validity and its availability.

Validity: The score is valid for a specific time period. After that, you can't use it to get into the top schools. Your GMAT score remains valid for five years
Availability: You might keep the score for years as a memory. Similarly, your GMAT score stays in the GMAC system for up to 10 years. You can see it, but you can't use it for admissions after five years. After 10 years? The score is deleted forever.

Also Take, GMAT Mock Test

How Long are GMAT Score Valid For?

The official rule from GMAC is clear. Your GMAT scores are valid for five years. This starts from your test appointment date. This rule is the same for all versions of the exam. It includes the GMAT Exam (10th Edition) and the GMAT Focus Edition. It applies everywhere in the world. No exceptions.

For most schools, your score must be valid on the application deadline. Not the day after. A score that runs out one day before the deadline will probably be turned down. It's all about timing. Suppose you apply for a deadline in Round 1. It's September 4, 2024. You can't take the GMAT test until after September 4, 2019. You need to plan your test date so that it does not conflict with your application deadlines.

Note: Generally, the GMAT score is valid for 5 years but certain colleges may ask the GMAT score after a specific date. So, please check if your target college has some specific criteria like this.

GMAT Score Validity for ISB, IIMs, and Top Global B-Schools

The five-year rule is standard. But elite business schools can be different. Most top programs in India and around the world use the five-year window. But how they apply it can change. A few schools have policies you need to know.

The table below shows the GMAT policies and average scores for some top business schools.

Business School	Stated Validity Period	Key Nuances & Exceptions	Median/Average GMAT (Classic)
ISB	5 years	Score must be valid on the application deadline date.	~710
IIM Ahmedabad	5 years	The school gives an exact cut-off date for validity on its website.	720+ (for certain categories)
IIM Bangalore	5 years	Score must be valid as of the date of application submission.	~709
IIM Calcutta	3 years (36 months)	Exception: This stricter rule applies to the one-year Executive MBA (MBAEx) program.	~690
Harvard (HBS)	5 years	Validity is tied to the specific application deadline for each round.	740
Stanford GSB	Custom Window	Exception: Requires the test be taken after a specific date (e.g., after June 1, 2021 for the 2025-26 cycle).	738
Wharton (UPenn)	5 years	Standard 5-year validity from the test date.	732
INSEAD	5 years	Standard 5-year validity from the test date.	~708
London Business School	5 years	Scores must be less than five years old at the time of application.	~700

Two schools have policies that can catch you off guard. Real surprises.

IIM Calcutta’s rule is three years for its MBAEx program. A four-year-old GMAT score is valid almost everywhere else. But not here. It would be rejected. This policy makes sure scores from experienced professionals are recent.
Stanford GSB’s policy is the strictest. It sets a specific start date for tests. This makes the validity window shorter than five years. The school wants the most recent proof of your skills.

Can You Apply to MBA Programs with an Old GMAT Score?

Yes. You absolutely can. As long as your GMAT score is valid according to the school, its age does not matter. Admissions committees do not see a three or four-year-old score as a negative. An old, valid score is judged the same as a new one.

But there is a difference. The age of the score versus the age of the applicant. The average age for students in top full-time MBA programs is usually 27 to 29. Imagine you took the GMAT at 23. You apply at 28. Your score is valid, and you fit the age demographic perfectly. But what if you wait until you are 32? The score is still valid. But your profile is different. The admissions committee might ask more questions. Why an MBA now? What about your career path?

Some people with older scores choose to retake the GMAT. It is not required. But a higher score can make an application much stronger, especially if the first score was below the school's average. A better score can also help you get merit-based scholarships.

How to Check Your GMAT Score Validity Period

Checking your score's expiration date is easy. You do it on the official GMAT website.

Go to mba.com and log in to your account.
Go to the "GMAT Exams" section on your dashboard.
Find the test you want to check.
Click "View and Send Score." You will see your official score report. It shows the date you took the test.

Your score is valid for five years from that date. Simple. Remember, only scores from the last five years will be there to send to schools.

GMAT Score Validity 2026: Conclusion

Understanding the GMAT score validity period is vital for proper MBA planning. Your GMAT or GMAT Focus Edition score remains valid for five years, giving you flexibility to apply when ready. However, always check your target school’s specific policy, as top programs like IIM Calcutta and Stanford GSB may have shorter or customised validity windows.