TL;DR: The GRE tests reasoning ability; the TOEFL tests English language proficiency. They are not interchangeable. Most international students need both. GRE scores are valid for 5 years; TOEFL scores are valid for only 2 years. If you need both, prep for the GRE first, since GRE Verbal prep naturally builds TOEFL reading and writing skills.
The GRE and TOEFL are both standardized tests required by many graduate programs. They appear on the same applications, get sent to the same schools, and both cost money to take and prepare for. But they test entirely different things, and most international applicants need both.
Confusing one for the other is a costly mistake. Here is what each test measures and who needs which.
What the GRE Measures
The GRE measures reasoning ability. Specifically, it measures three things:
Verbal Reasoning: your ability to read complex texts, understand arguments, recognize relationships between words, and identify logical structure. The Verbal section is not a grammar or fluency test. It tests analytical reading at a sophisticated level.
Quantitative Reasoning: your ability to work through mathematical problems involving arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. The Quant section does not require calculus or advanced mathematics. It tests whether you can apply foundational mathematical reasoning accurately and efficiently under time pressure.
Analytical Writing: your ability to construct a coherent written argument and critically evaluate someone else's argument. The AWA section tests reasoning through writing, not writing style or grammar.
The GRE's premise is that these skills predict success in graduate school better than content knowledge does. Whether that's true is a legitimate debate in education research, but it explains why the test looks the way it does. It is not testing what you know about chemistry or economics or law. It's testing how you think.
What the TOEFL Measures
The TOEFL measures English language proficiency. It tests four skills: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing, each assessed separately.
The Reading section asks you to read academic passages and answer comprehension questions. The Listening section plays recordings of lectures and conversations. The Speaking section has you respond to prompts verbally, which are recorded and scored. The Writing section asks you to write responses to a reading-listening task and an independent prompt.
The TOEFL's premise is that graduate coursework requires functioning in English at an academic level, and international students need to demonstrate they can do that before arriving on campus. The test benchmarks English skill directly. It is not a reasoning test.
They Are Not Interchangeable
Scoring well on GRE Verbal does not satisfy a TOEFL requirement. This is the most common misconception, and it matters enough to say clearly.
A non-native English speaker who scores 164 on GRE Verbal has demonstrated strong analytical reading in English. That is a meaningful accomplishment. It does not tell an admissions committee whether that person can follow a 90-minute lecture in English, speak in a seminar discussion, or write clear explanatory prose. TOEFL tests those things. GRE Verbal does not.
Every graduate program treats these as separate requirements because they measure separate competencies. You cannot waive one with the other.
Who Needs Which Test?
The GRE is required for most graduate program applicants, regardless of nationality. U.S. citizens and non-native English speakers alike need to submit GRE scores if the program requires a standardized admissions test.
The TOEFL is required specifically for non-native English speakers. If English is not your first language, most programs will require a TOEFL score in addition to the GRE.
If you are a U.S. citizen applying to a program that requires the GRE, you take the GRE. You do not take the TOEFL.
If you are an international student applying to the same program, you take the GRE and the TOEFL, unless you qualify for a TOEFL waiver.
TOEFL Waivers: The Conditions
Many programs waive the TOEFL requirement for applicants who completed an undergraduate degree taught entirely in English. The exact conditions vary by school.
Some schools accept any degree from a university where English is the primary language of instruction, regardless of country. Others require the university to be in a specific list of English-medium countries, typically the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand. Some schools accept a letter from your registrar confirming English-medium instruction. Others have strict country lists and no exceptions.
A few common situations where waivers are typically not granted: completing a degree in a non-English-medium country even if some coursework was in English, studying at an international branch campus of a U.S. university if the local campus itself isn't English-medium, or completing coursework online where the instruction language is ambiguous.
Read each program's specific waiver policy. Do not assume a waiver applies to you based on another school's policy. Programs vary more than applicants expect.
Score Validity: A Practical Difference
The GRE is valid for five years from your test date. The TOEFL is valid for two years.
This difference matters most for deferred enrollment situations and applicants who plan a gap year between undergrad and graduate school.
If you take both tests as a college senior and then defer enrollment for two years, your GRE score will still be valid when you matriculate. Your TOEFL score will have expired. You'll need to retake the TOEFL.
Plan your test dates with the validity window in mind. If you're applying to programs with deferred enrollment options, this is particularly relevant.
Test Format Comparison
The GRE takes approximately 2 hours. The TOEFL takes approximately 3 hours. Beyond duration, the formats differ significantly.
The GRE is computer-adaptive at the section level. Your performance on the first scored Verbal section determines the difficulty level of the second Verbal section, and similarly for Quant. This structure means your scores from the two sections interact in ways that affect your final score. You cannot easily assess your performance mid-test based on question difficulty.
The TOEFL is largely linear. The sections are in a fixed order. Reading and Listening are scored on a 0-30 scale each, Speaking on 0-30, Writing on 0-30, for a total of 0-120. Most competitive programs want 100 or above. Programs with particularly high language demands often want 105-110.
The AWA section of the GRE (the writing section) involves one analytical task: the Analyze an Issue essay (the Argument task was removed in September 2023). The TOEFL's writing section involves different task types, including a passage-and-lecture synthesis task. The skills overlap in some ways but the test mechanics are distinct.
Which Should You Prep for First?
Most international students who need both tests should prep for them sequentially, not simultaneously.
The GRE generally requires more total prep time, particularly for Verbal if English is your second language. Start with the GRE.
The reasoning: GRE Verbal prep inherently improves TOEFL performance as a byproduct. Reading academic texts carefully, learning sophisticated vocabulary in context, and developing argument analysis skills all transfer to TOEFL Reading and Writing. The reverse is less true. TOEFL prep doesn't naturally build the reasoning skills the GRE tests.
Take the GRE first. After you have a GRE score you're satisfied with, shift focus to TOEFL. You'll find the TOEFL prep is shorter because your English academic skills are already developed.
Start with a GRE diagnostic here to see where your baseline is before building a prep timeline.
One exception: if your TOEFL deadline is earlier than your GRE deadline, or if you're retaking the TOEFL while you wait for a later GRE test date, prep for the nearer deadline first. Test registration logistics sometimes force the order.
A Note on Timing Applications
When planning your application timeline, map out both test registration deadlines, both prep periods, and both score delivery windows. TOEFL scores take 6-10 days to be delivered to schools. GRE scores take 10-15 days. Both need to arrive before application deadlines.
International applicants sometimes forget that test prep, test registration, and score delivery each have their own timelines. Start earlier than you think you need to.
What to Do Next
- Check each target program's TOEFL waiver policy directly on their admissions page. Do not assume one school's waiver policy applies to another.
- Start with a GRE diagnostic to establish your Verbal and Quant baseline before building your prep timeline.
- Map out both test registration deadlines and score delivery windows against your application deadlines. GRE scores take 10 to 15 days to reach schools; TOEFL scores take 6 to 10 days. Both need to arrive before application deadlines close.
- If you need both tests, plan GRE prep first. The vocabulary and analytical reading skills transfer to TOEFL; the reverse is less true.
The GRE course is $25 per month with a free diagnostic to find your baseline before you commit to a prep timeline. For help building a full application strategy around your test scores and program list, coaching covers the complete picture.
