Recently, ETS released the latest annual GRE report "A Snapshot of Individuals Who Took the GRE General Test July 2018 – June 2023".
The report details the overall global GRE testing landscape for 2023, and today we’re here to break it down!
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Chinese Test-Takers Surge Nearly 40%
In the 2022–2023 testing year, 319,101 individuals worldwide took the GRE. The top three countries of origin were India (113,304), the United States (97,676), and China (57,769).
The number of GRE test-takers in mainland China grew by 36.8% compared to the previous year, maintaining the third position globally. More and more Chinese students are aiming for a strong GRE score to apply to top graduate programs!
As global university admission standards continue to rise, GRE scores are becoming increasingly important—an excellent tool for further demonstrating academic potential!
For the Fall 2024 application cycle, popular programs at UK G5 universities UCL and KCL have announced mandatory or strongly recommended GRE score submissions.
Asian institutions are no exception: the National University of Singapore's Institute of Systems Science (ISS) now requires GRE scores for three full-time master's programs, and Nanyang Technological University mandates GRE scores for almost all postgraduate programs. Many top programs at the University of Hong Kong, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology also require GRE scores.
Average Scores of Chinese Test-Takers Improve Steadily
2022–2023
Global average scores by section:
- Verbal: 151.2
- Quantitative: 158.1
- Writing: 3.4
Source: ETS Official Website
During this period, Chinese test-takers continued to stand out. Their average Quantitative score of 166.2 far surpassed the global average of 158.1! The Verbal section was equally impressive, with an average of 153.8 exceeding the global 151.2.
Even the writing score, often a weak spot for Chinese students, matched the global average at 3.4. Let’s say it together: Chinese test-takers are absolutely winning!
Source: ETS Official Website
Moreover, looking at data from the past five years, Chinese test-takers have shown significant improvement in every section of the GRE. This also means competition is intensifying, and the pressure is on for everyone!
Source: ETS Official Website
Chinese Test-Takers Still Favor Business Programs
Calculations show the most popular graduate fields among Chinese test-takers are Business (26%), Physical Sciences (22%), and Engineering (11%).
Source: ETS Official Website
The report shows that this year, the proportion of Chinese test-takers intending to apply to business programs has jumped to first place, surpassing physical sciences (which includes chemistry, computer and information sciences, earth and ocean sciences, mathematics, physics, and astronomy) after years of dominance!
From 2018 to 2023, the share of Chinese test-takers targeting business programs grew from 13% to 26%. This indirectly reflects the significantly enhanced recognition of GRE scores among leading business schools worldwide. Today, the vast majority of top global business schools accept GRE scores for admission to MBA, specialized master’s, and doctoral programs in business.
Source: ETS Official Website
Interestingly, the report shows that global GRE test-takers’ intended fields of study show a surprisingly similar trend to those of Chinese test-takers. The proportions choosing physical sciences and business are still growing.
Source: ETS Official Website
GRE Test-Takers Are Getting Younger
According to the report, in 2022–23, the proportion of test-takers under age 23 exceeded 53%. An increasing number of GRE test-takers tend to prepare for and take the GRE at an earlier stage, making thorough preparations for graduate school applications in advance.
Be sure to plan your GRE study timeline and finish early to avoid delaying your applications~
Source: ETS Official Website
U.S. Universities Remain the Top Study-Abroad Destination
The report indicates that from 2018–19 to 2022–23, although the pandemic caused a significant drop in the number of students going abroad across all regions, one thing remains unchanged: the United States is still the most popular study destination. Outside the U.S., Canada and Western Europe rank second and third.
Source: ETS Official Website
Clearly, the United States remain the top choice for international students. Moreover, U.S. institutions have the greatest number of programs requiring GRE scores, which attracts more than half of global test-takers to prepare for the GRE!
As the world gets more and more competitive, global GRE averages keep rising—don’t let your score fall behind!!!
Finally, best of luck getting your desired GRE score! If you have any questions during your GRE prep, feel free to reach out to an advisor!
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