GRE in Italy: Who Needs It, Where It’s Accepted, and Why It Matters
If you are studying in Italy and considering a graduate degree—either domestically or abroad—the GRE may become part of your academic strategy. However, unlike the GMAT, Italian admissions practices do not place the GRE in a single, clearly defined position.
In Italy, the GRE is not universally required across master’s programs. Instead, its relevance depends on the field of study, the competitiveness of the program, and whether you plan to remain in Italy or pursue opportunities abroad. For some applicants, it functions as a complementary credential. For others—especially those targeting international universities—it becomes a central admissions component.
Understanding when and why the GRE is necessary is therefore more important than simply knowing what the exam tests. The value of the GRE in Italy lies not in tradition, but in positioning: it is a tool that can expand academic mobility, strengthen international applications, and open pathways beyond a single national system.
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🔹How the GRE Fits into Italian Graduate Admissions
The role of the GRE in Italy is more selective than universal, but that does not mean it is marginal. Rather than forming part of a standardized national admissions framework, the GRE operates within specific academic contexts and program structures.
In Italy, Individual programs generally manage graduate admissions. This means that whether the GRE is accepted, recommended, or irrelevant depends entirely on the individual master’s or doctoral track. Public universities often prioritize academic transcripts and degree performance as primary criteria. However, when programs attract international applicants or follow a more globally aligned admissions model, standardized tests such as the GRE may enter the evaluation process.
You are more likely to encounter GRE policies in:
- English-taught master’s programs with international applicant pools
- Economics and quantitatively oriented social science degrees
- Research-focused tracks
- PhD admissions processes
In these settings, the GRE does not replace academic evaluation. Instead, it functions as a comparative academic signal, allowing admissions committees to assess applicants coming from different grading systems and educational traditions.
This is why understanding GRE policies in Italy requires looking beyond general assumptions. There is no single national rule. Instead, each program defines how — or whether — standardized testing contributes to its selection process.
For applicants, the practical implication is clear: before deciding to sit for the GRE, it is essential to verify the specific admissions criteria of your target program rather than relying on country-level generalizations.
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🔹Italian Programs Where the GRE May Strengthen an Application
Although the GRE is not universally required across Italian graduate programs, there are specific academic contexts in which submitting a strong GRE score can meaningfully strengthen an application.
This is particularly relevant in programs that:
- Attract a high proportion of international applicants.
- Are delivered entirely in English.
- Maintain partnerships with foreign universities.
- Operate within a competitive selection framework.
For example:
Bocconi University (Milan) indicates in various graduate admissions tracks that standardized tests such as the GMAT or GRE may be required or strongly recommended, depending on the specific program and applicant profile. In highly competitive MSc programs, standardized testing serves as a comparative academic benchmark.
Similarly, internationally oriented programs at POLIMI Graduate School of Management reference standardized tests such as the GMAT or GRE within their admissions process, particularly when evaluating candidates from different academic systems.
At Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, each program defines its own admission requirements, particularly for international master’s tracks delivered in English. While the GRE is not a universal requirement across all graduate programs, certain internationally oriented or competitive tracks may accept standardized test scores such as the GRE or GMAT as part of the evaluation process.
University of Bologna, across certain English-taught master’s and business-related tracks, allows applicants to submit GMAT or GRE scores when applicable, depending on the specific program requirements.
At LUISS Guido Carli – Graduate Admissions, admission criteria are defined at the program level, and certain graduate tracks—particularly those with an international orientation—outline when standardized tests such as the GRE or GMAT may be considered as part of the evaluation process.
It is important to emphasize that these policies vary by program, intake, and applicant category. The presence of GRE acceptance does not imply universal necessity. Instead, it signals that standardized testing may be used strategically within competitive or internationally structured programs.
For applicants aiming at selective master’s tracks or doctoral studies within Italy, verifying whether the GRE is accepted — and how it is weighted — can provide a strategic advantage during preparation.
🔹GRE for PhD and Research-Oriented Pathways in Italy
Universities often use the GRE for master’s admissions, and students clearly see its relevance when they pursue research-focused academic paths.
Italian universities structure doctoral (PhD) admissions differently from taught master’s programs. Selection typically includes evaluation of academic records, research proposals, written examinations, and interviews. However, in programs with strong international exposure or competitive applicant pools, standardized tests such as the GRE may be accepted or considered as supplementary evidence of academic readiness.
This is especially relevant for applicants in fields such as:
- Economics
- Political Science
- Psychology
- Quantitative Social Sciences
- Data Science
- Mathematics and Engineering (particularly when applying abroad or to joint programs)
For students planning a PhD within Italy but aiming for an internationally competitive academic profile, a strong GRE score can strengthen their application when competing against candidates from other European systems or from the United States.
Moreover, for Italian students planning doctoral study abroad — particularly in the United States or at internationally ranked European research universities — the GRE often plays a more explicit role in admissions decisions. In such cases, taking the exam early in the academic planning process can prevent delays and expand application flexibility. Those pursuing research-intensive graduate paths may also benefit from reviewing how GRE scoring works in detail in Understanding GRE Scores and Percentiles.
The key distinction is this: unlike the GMAT, which is closely tied to business education, the GRE spans disciplines and research tracks. For academically oriented candidates, especially those considering research-intensive careers, it may serve as a versatile credential that extends beyond a single professional field.
🔹 The GRE and Admission to Highly Competitive International Programs
If your objective is admission to internationally prestigious graduate programs, performance on the GRE can move from optional credential to competitive differentiator.
Many of the institutions, most frequently targeted by Italian applicants, operate within highly selective admissions frameworks in which universities play a significant evaluative role when they require or recommend standardized testing. In these environments, the question is not simply whether the GRE is accepted, but how strongly your score positions you within an exceptionally competitive applicant pool.
In the United Kingdom, leading institutions such as London Business School, the London School of Economics (LSE), Imperial College London, the University of Oxford, and the University of Cambridge may require or recommend standardized tests for specific graduate tracks, particularly in economics, finance, management, and research-oriented disciplines.
Schools such as INSEAD, HEC Paris, and ESSEC Business School, in France, explicitly reference GRE or GMAT scores within their admissions processes, especially for internationally competitive programs.
When talking about intitutions in Spain, including IESE Business School, IE Business School, and ESADE Business School, they accept GRE scores alongside the GMAT for various master’s and MBA tracks.
In the United States, where the GRE originated, universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, NYU, and the University of Pennsylvania continue to include the GRE as part of their graduate admissions frameworks across multiple disciplines, particularly in competitive or research-intensive programs.
In these contexts, a strong GRE score does not guarantee admission. However, in highly selective environments, it often functions as a measurable academic benchmark that helps admissions committees compare candidates from different educational systems on a common scale. Applicants who want to understand how standardized test scores are interpreted within admissions frameworks can also review GMAT and GRE Compared: Structure, Scoring, and Strategy.
Because admissions policies, score expectations, and test-optional frameworks evolve over time—and may differ by department, program, and intake year—applicants should always verify the most recent requirements directly through the official admissions pages of their target universities before making strategic decisions.
For Italian applicants targeting top-tier global institutions, the strategic implication is clear: when the GRE is part of the admissions equation, performance matters. In competitive international settings, strong results may significantly strengthen an otherwise solid academic profile.
If, after evaluating the format and strategic implications, you determine that the GRE aligns with your academic objectives, structured preparation becomes a critical next step. You can review EPIC Prep’s dedicated GRE training options through GRE Preparation Course to understand how focused preparation can translate into competitive performance.
🔹Academic Profiles That Benefit Most from the GRE
The GRE does not target a single professional pathway. Instead, it is designed to assess analytical reasoning, quantitative ability, and advanced verbal comprehension across disciplines. For that reason, certain academic profiles in Italy may find that the GRE aligns more naturally with their background and long-term goals.
Students coming from fields such as law, humanities, political science, philosophy, and international relations often discover that the GRE provides a structured way to demonstrate analytical and critical reading skills at an international level. Because the exam includes a strong verbal reasoning component and analytical writing section, it can showcase strengths that may not be fully captured by a domestic grading system.
Similarly, candidates from economics or quantitatively oriented social sciences may use the GRE to reinforce their analytical preparation when applying to competitive master’s or doctoral programs, particularly abroad. In these cases, the quantitative section serves as additional academic evidence rather than as a professional business filter.
STEM applicants — including those in engineering, mathematics, physics, and data-intensive disciplines—, the decision between the GRE and the GMAT should not be framed as a matter of institutional preference. In many cases, graduate programs accept both exams without favoring one over the other.
What ultimately differentiates the two is structure and cognitive style. The GMAT places strong emphasis on data-driven decision-making under strict time pressure, while the GRE distributes weight differently across verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. As a result, two students with similar academic backgrounds may perform very differently depending on the format of the test.
For Italian candidates, the practical question is therefore not which exam is “more prestigious” or more quantitative, but which structure allows them to demonstrate their strengths most effectively. Comfort with pacing, familiarity with question design, and personal response to time pressure often play a more decisive role than field of study alone. If you want a structured comparison of how both exams differ in format, scoring logic, and test-day strategy, see GMAT vs GRE: Key Differences and How to Choose, where we break down the decision framework in detail.
🔹 Final Considerations: Is the GRE the Right Strategic Step?
For students in Italy, the GRE is neither a universal requirement nor an automatic necessity. Its relevance depends on academic direction, application strategy, and individual performance.
When a program explicitly requires the GRE, the decision is straightforward. In other cases, the choice becomes strategic. Submitting a strong GRE score may strengthen an application in competitive contexts, while choosing between the GRE and the GMAT often comes down to which exam format allows the candidate to perform at their highest level.
The most effective approach is therefore proactive rather than reactive. Instead of taking the GRE simply because it appears on an admissions page, applicants should evaluate how the exam aligns with their intended field, geographic goals, and cognitive strengths.
Used strategically, the GRE is not just a test—it is a positioning tool. It can expand academic mobility, reinforce analytical credibility, and support applications across a wide range of graduate pathways, both within Italy and internationally.
We hope this article has answered your questions. If you have any questions about your preparation, please contact us and we will be happy to explain how EPIC Prep can help you achieve your goals.
