How to Pursue PhD in USA without GRE?

Mar 4, 2024 | 4 min read

Students looking to pursue PhD in USA without GRE need to fulfill additional requirements. Check out top universities, eligibility, application process, and more.

The GRE is a prerequisite for admission to top universities in the United States offering graduate programs. However, it is possible to pursue a PhD in USA without GRE. For those PhD programs that do not require GRE scores, there are other requirements you must meet to be considered.

The purpose of this article is to help you explore the top universities in USA without GRE for PhD, popular programs, eligibility requirements, GRE waiver universities, and much more.

Table of Contents

Top Universities in USA for PhD without GRE
Eligibility Requirements for PhD in USA without GRE
How to Apply for PhD in the USA Without GRE?
List of GRE Waiver Universities In USA 2022-2023
Masters without GRE in USA

Top Universities in USA for PhD without GRE

In the following table, you can find the best universities in USA to pursue PhD without GRE, along with the PhD programs offered by these universities:

University	Programs
Walden University	Doctor of Business Administration
California Southern University	PhD in Psychology
Nova Southeastern University	PhD in Family Therapy
Argosy University	PsyD in Clinical Psychology
Smith College	PhD in Social Work

Walden University

Walden University's doctorate program is designed for students who are interested in gaining advanced knowledge of management theory as well as its modern applications. Walden University's Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is one of the top choices among management students seeking PhD programs in the United States without GRE due to its focus areas like international business, human resource management, marketing, finance, international business, accounting, global supply chain management, etc.

California Southern University

California Southern University offers a behavioral sciences program that provides a Doctorate in Psychology without any GRE requirements. There are several programs that students must complete before they can take a PhD at California Southern University. This program helps you learn about the practical applications of psychology as well as psychology and personality theories. Students who complete this course are qualified to practice clinical psychology within California.

Nova Southeastern University

The doctoral program in Family Therapy at Nova Southeastern University provides career opportunities in research fields. The purpose of this PhD program is to build a thorough understanding of the theoretical ideas related to the different areas of family therapy. As a student in this program, you'll learn how both qualitative and quantitative methodologies are valuable in this study area.

Read More: Nova Southeastern University

Argosy University

Argosy University’s PhD program is mainly designed to teach research scholars with applicable skills required in clinical practice. Furthermore, it devotedly makes it certain that students are trained efficiently to reduce psychological dysfunction.

This research degree combines theoretical, practical, and research elements to ensure that students have the necessary knowledge to contribute to various psychological domains. This university allows you to pursue a PhD in the United States without taking the GRE.

Smith College

This PhD program makes sure that students are well-equipped to spread awareness about social work and its practice. Here, students understand the need to develop and pursue research on clinical social work. This program enhances students’ ability to think critically vis-a-vis understanding the importance and skills necessary in the field of clinical social work.

Read More: Smith College

Eligibility Requirements for PhD in USA without GRE

When seeking alternatives to the GRE, you should first learn about the PhD admission criteria in the United States. Though course requirements vary by course and university, the following are some basic qualifying requirements for pursuing a PhD in the USA:

Students must pursue a master's degree
Applicants must provide academic transcripts from previous institutions. If the certificate or transcript is not written in English, it must be translated.
An SOP/essay of 2000 words will be required. You must briefly describe your research interest in the purpose statement.
You must qualify for one of the language tests, such as the IELTS or TOEFL.
At least three reference letters from a professional academician.
A GPA of at least 3.0 out of 4.0 in a post-baccalaureate degree is required by some universities.

How to Apply for PhD in the USA Without GRE?

When applying for a PhD in the USA, you will find several universities that do not require GRE scores but prefer applications that include these scores. Below are the major alternatives for applying for a PhD in the USA without taking the GRE:

You can apply to PhD programmes at US universities that do not require the GRE.
You can choose from online or part-time PhD programs in the USA or the less-selective programs that do not require the GRE.
You should apply for PhD programs that do not have GRE as an essential requirement. However, you must have a solid academic record, as well as recommendation letters and an exceptional research proposal, to be considered for such PhD courses. This way you can improve the other aspects of your application to make it stand out from the crowd.

List of GRE Waiver Universities In USA 2022-2023

Many universities have changed their entry requirements in response to COVID-19, making it easier for overseas students to get admission. Various colleges have waived the GRE and GMAT assessments for students, among other changes. The following is a list of universities in the United States that have a GRE waiver for the academic year 2022-2023:

Masters without GRE in USA

In addition to IELTS or TOEFL, several universities in the United States require prospective students to take the GRE exam. Students with non-technical backgrounds, on the other hand, find it difficult to pass the GRE exam. However, due to Covid 19, a number of universities offer a GRE waiver for international students to study in the USA. Here is a list of master's degree programs in the USA that do not require GRE: