Separate preference from feasibility
You may prefer taking the test at home but lack a room suitable for a proctored exam. Conversely, a test center may feel reassuring but require unreliable travel at the available time. Start with requirements that make a format impossible, then compare the comfort of the remaining options.
ETS describes the at-home test as the same test offered at a center, with a human proctor. This does not mean the procedures are identical. Check application requirements with each program as well; a logistical choice does not replace reviewing its policies.
A table to compare your situation
This table is an Upsilar decision aid. It does not replace your appointment confirmation or the full list of official requirements.
| Dimension | At home | At a test center |
|---|---|---|
| Location | Suitable private room available for the entire session | Plan for the address, travel, and arrival requirements |
| Materials | Compatible computer and equipment checked before the appointment | Review the test-center procedures in your confirmation |
| Keyboard | Your computer’s keyboard; laptops must use their built-in keyboard | The test center’s English QWERTY keyboard |
| Scratch work | Small whiteboard or paper inside a transparent sleeve, with an erasable marker | Paper provided by the test center and returned in full |
| Proctoring | Cameras, room, and ID checked remotely | In-person checks and proctoring |
| Personal risk to reduce | Interruption, internet, or noncompliant setup | Travel delays or incorrect address |
| Useful preparation | Test your equipment at a similar time of day | Review the route and plan a realistic backup |
What to prepare for at-home testing
The current ETS page requires a compatible desktop or laptop, speaker, camera, and microphone; headsets and headphones are not allowed. Also prepare a smartphone or tablet with a camera for the second view, stabilized beside you. Run the Equipment Check in ETS Secure Browser using the setup you plan to use for the test; a successful video call does not validate that setup.
ETS describes advance identity verification through IDVaaS, to be completed at least 72 hours before the test; if you book later, ETS asks you to complete it immediately. The process must be finished before your appointment day.
The room must remain private, and no one may enter during the test; close doors and curtains or blinds. For notes, use a small whiteboard or paper inside a transparent sleeve with an erasable marker. Plain paper, pens, and pencils are not allowed; show the proctor that you erased your notes at the end. Review the full official page before your session because requirements can change.
QWERTY at a test center, your own keyboard at home
At a test center, the GRE uses an English QWERTY keyboard: ETS’s 2026–27 bulletin recommends practicing on one before test day if you have never used it. Candidates accustomed to AZERTY need time to adjust to the letter and punctuation positions.
This matters most for the Analytical Writing essay, typed in 30 minutes in a word processor without spell-check or grammar-check, and for entering numeric answers in Quant. At home, you take the test on your own computer; only one keyboard is allowed, and laptops must use their built-in keyboard. Check your active keyboard layout and practice with the one you will use. If you choose a test center, write practice essays in QWERTY on an English keyboard or with that layout enabled in the weeks before the test.
Three fictional cases for turning the table into a decision
Case 1: You share a home, and no room can remain closed without interruption. At-home testing may seem economical, but privacy is not assured. Find a genuinely compliant private space or choose a test center; warning your housemates the night before is not a sufficient guarantee.
Case 2: You have a quiet room and a suitable computer, but your internet connection is unreliable in the evening. Run the checks under the conditions you expect during your appointment. If reliability remains uncertain, the comfort of home does not make up for that weakness. This practical check cannot predict every possible issue, but gives you a concrete basis for deciding.
Case 3: Getting to the test center takes a long but predictable trip. Plan the route, check the schedule, and allow enough time to follow your instructions. Reliable travel arrangements may be simpler than extensively changing your home setup.
The pitfall
The pitfall to avoid
Using an outdated checklist from a video. At-home procedures can change, especially camera and ID requirements. Refer to the current ETS page and the instructions for your appointment.
Turn each risk into a dated action
After choosing, write down three specific actions. For at-home testing: check the setup, verify your ID, and prepare the room. For a test center: confirm the address, prepare your ID, and plan your route. Schedule each action early enough to resolve any problems.
Do not spend the final hours reconfiguring your setup or looking for your ID. Your final preparation session can focus on the essay or reasoning, but your testing environment should already be ready. If a requirement remains unclear for your situation, contact ETS before considering your preparations complete.
The most reliable format depends on your situation. This article does not claim that one location improves your score or promise a trouble-free test; it helps you choose the requirements you can manage.
Key takeaways
- Check the actual requirements before choosing a location.
- The current at-home checklist includes a second camera and advance ID verification.
- Plan your trip to the test center as carefully as your at-home equipment.
- Test-center keyboards use QWERTY; practice on one if you usually type on AZERTY.