GMAT Exam 2026

The GMAT curriculum has been divided into 3 parts, and each part has a duration of 45 minutes. The test would take 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete, and you have the choice of having a 10-minute break during the time frame. There are 64 questions in all 3 sections.

1. Quantitative Reasoning:Contains 21 questions and takes 45 minutes to complete. In this section, your skills at solving problems using mathematics, algebra, ratios, statistics, and word problems are tested. They do not have geometry and the old-style Data Sufficiency questions anymore because now Data Sufficiency is part of the Data Insights section.
2. Verbal Reasoning:Contains 23 questions and has 45 minutes. It stresses reading comprehension and critical thinking – argument analysis, making inferences, etc. Sentence Correction is no longer covered in the Verbal Reasoning part of the GMAT test.
3. Data Insights:Consists of 20 questions and is 45 minutes long. In this section, numbers, words, and visuals are used to test your ability to reason. You need to comprehend information provided in tables, charts, and graphs and solve problems such as Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, Two-Part Analysis, and Data Sufficiency.

The three parts of the GMAT are all equally important in respect of the grades that you will get, and no particular section is more significant than any other. Moreover, you are also free to determine the order of taking the three sections, as you may save your questions and even change your answers up to three times in each section. These are things you could not do in the old GMAT.

A note on adaptivity: The GMAT is question-adaptive (also called item-adaptive) within each section — your performance on one question influences the difficulty of the next one within that same section. It is not section-adaptive in the sense of one section's overall difficulty dictating the next section's difficulty (that's closer to how the GRE works). GMAC has confirmed there's a minor adjustment to your starting question in a new section based on how the previous one went, but the core adaptive engine operates question by question, not block by block. This is a genuinely confusing point even among test-prep companies, so it's worth being precise about it.

The GMAT score ranges from 205 to 805 and has a difference of 10 points between each score, ending with 5. So someone who takes the GMAT exam can get a score of 605, 615 or 625. The GMAT consists of three sections – Quantitative, Verbal, and Data Insights. Each part of the GMAT is worth 60 to 90 points.

Approximate percentile bands on the GMAT scale:

Is a 750 GMAT good? This is a common point of confusion. A while ago, a score of 750 on the GMAT was great as it fell to the 98th percentile, which is a very high score. But now, the GMAT is scored differently. Now, all the scores end with the digit 5. The closest current equivalent, in terms of percentile standing, is roughly in the 705–715 range. If you're comparing an older classic GMAT score to today's exam, compare percentiles rather than raw numbers, since the scales don't convert one-to-one. For example, many good MBA programs around the world like to see GMAT scores in the 655 to 705 range or higher. Other programs are okay with lower scores. The thing is, each school is different, so you need to check what they are looking for. A good GMAT score for one school may not be good for another school.

The exam is question-adaptive within each section, so when you answer questions in one part of the test, it affects how hard the next questions are in that part. This means that it is very unlikely that two people taking the test will see the same questions. The GMAT is tailored to each person, so the difficulty of the test is different for each person taking it.

That said, a few things generally make the GMAT challenging:

• Time pressure:About two minutes for each question in the Quant section. There is no on-screen calculator for most of that part.
• Data Insights:Some test-takers find this section hard to get used to because it combines math, reading and visual reasoning in one part.
• Adaptive format:Can penalise early mistakes more heavily, since the system uses your initial responses to help calibrate difficulty.

Most candidates report needing a structured, multi-week study plan rather than last-minute cramming, given the mix of content review and timed practice required.

This is a detail that causes more problems for candidates than it should. That's why it needs a separate section instead of being mentioned in a footnote.

Some important practical points that matter on exam day:

• Your mba.com profile name must match your passport exactly. This includes spelling, spacing and any middle names. If there is a difference, such as writing "Ben" when your passport says "Benjamin", you might be turned away at the centre.
• Your passport must be valid on the day you take the test.
• If you have a reason why you can't provide a passport, GMAC suggests contacting test security well before your test date to get advice. Do not assume that an alternative ID will be accepted at the centre.
• It is important to check that your passport is valid before you book your test slot. Do not wait until after you have booked to check.

For Indian and South Asian students who are thinking about doing an MBA in Dubai or in the UAE, the GMAT is actually a supporting thing, not a primary requirement.

There are two kinds of MBA programs in the UAE:

• Test-required institutions:Some good schools like IIM Ahmedabad's Dubai campus, Hult International Business School and SP Jain School of Global Management want you to have a good GMAT or GRE score. You usually have to take this test within the last five years.
• Test-optional institutions:Most private universities in Dubai and the wider UAE do not need a GMAT score. They look at your school records, Statement of Purpose and an interview.

Even if a school does not need a GMAT score, having a good score can still help you. It can improve your chances at scholarships available for Indian students, since it gives admissions teams an additional, standardised data point to compare you against other applicants.

What score do UAE business schools actually expect?

Few business schools in the UAE have a set official GMAT score requirement. Any number you find online should be considered as an indicator, not a promise. Looking at the admission guidelines and recent information about student profiles:

If you see a score online, do not think that it is the final score you need. You should check with the university to see what score they are looking for, as these change every year and are different for each school. You should do this before you start planning when you will take the GMAT test.

If your score does not meet the requirements, this does not mean you will not get in. Many business schools in the UAE still consider a personal interview at the discretion of the admissions committee.

It's also worth confirming your English-language test requirements early; compare IELTS and TOEFL for UAE admissions to decide which one to prioritise alongside your GMAT prep. See also the full UAE Universities Accepting GMAT page.

If you're not set on the GMAT specifically, it helps to know what else UAE business schools typically accept:

• GRE:Widely accepted as an alternative wherever the GMAT is required, since both are managed with similar rigour and most UAE test-required schools list them side by side.
• CAT:Accepted by some schools with strong India-facing programmes (SP Jain, for instance), particularly useful if you've already taken it for Indian MBA applications.
• University-specific tests (e.g., SPJAT):A fallback option at schools like SP Jain if you don't hold a valid GMAT, GRE or CAT score, typically a shorter, in-house aptitude test.
• No test at all:Many test-optional UAE universities skip a standardised test entirely and evaluate you on transcripts, SOP and interview.

There's no universally "better" choice among these; it depends on which specific schools are on your shortlist and whether you already have a usable score from a different application track.

• How many times can you take the GMAT? Up to five times within any rolling 12-month period, with a lifetime cap of eight attempts. You must wait at least 16 days between attempts.
• How long is a GMAT score valid? Five years from your test date.
• Can you retake if unhappy with your score? Yes, though you'll need to pay the full registration fee again, and most business schools only consider your highest submitted score. GMAC also lets you view your best section scores across different attempts in a combined "Score Insights" summary for your own reference — this is a self-assessment tool, not a substitute official score report, since schools generally look at your best single overall attempt, not a blended composite.

Rescheduling and Cancelling Your GMAT Appointment

• Rescheduling fees scale with how much notice you give. Based on GMAC's published policy structure and current third-party fee trackers, test-centre rescheduling is commonly reported at roughly $55 (60+ days' notice), $110 (15–60 days), and $165 (14 days or fewer); online rescheduling runs about $5–15 higher at each tier. A $10 service fee applies if you make the change by phone. Changes cannot be made within 24 hours of your appointment.
• If you decide to cancel the test instead of just changing the date, you will get some of your money back. However, the amount of money you get back will be smaller if you cancel close to the test date. You will not get any money back if you cancel the test 24 hours before the test. Also, if you used a discount or a voucher to pay for the test the first time, you will not get that money back.

GMAC sometimes changes the amount of money they charge for the test. So the cancellation fees for the test are a rough idea. You should check the website to see how much it will really cost you to cancel or change the date of the GMAT test. More detail is on the GMAT Retake Policy page.