University of Oxford GRE Requirements 2026: GRE-Accepting Programs in the UK, Deadlines, Scores & Application Strategy

University of Oxford GRE Requirements 2026

Oxford is a dream university for many UK-bound applicants—but the GRE is not universally accepted across Oxford. In fact, Oxford’s official graduate guidance is very clear:

If your course page doesn’t state that GRE scores are compulsory or accepted, any GRE scores you submit will be disregarded when your application is assessed.

So the right question for 2026 isn’t “Does Oxford accept GRE?” but “Which Oxford programs accept or require GRE?” This guide answers that with official Oxford/Saïd sources, and gives you real 2026–27 deadlines, score expectations, and a clean application plan.

University of Oxford GRE requirements 2026: the rule you must know

Oxford’s Graduate Application Guide states :

• You should include only documents required or recommended for your course.

• If your course page doesn’t say GRE is compulsory or accepted, GRE scores will be disregarded.

Oxford also confirms in an official Q&A that you are only required to submit GRE if applying to specific areas such as:

• Graduate courses offered by the Department of Economics

• Saïd Business School (SBS) postgraduate courses such as the MBA

• And a few other named programs (e.g., MSc in Economics for Development)

Bottom line for 2026: GRE matters at Oxford only for certain programs—mainly Saïd Business School and Economics-related courses (depending on the exact program page requirements).

Which Oxford programs accept the GRE? (Official 2026 guide table)

Below are Oxford programs explicitly connected to GRE/GMAT requirements in official Oxford/Saïd sources.

Table 1 — GRE-accepting / GRE-required Oxford programs (based on official statements)

Oxford area / program	GRE status (2026)	What the official source says
Oxford MBA (Saïd Business School)	GRE accepted (as admissions test)	Oxford’s official Q&A lists SBS programs like the MBA as requiring GRE/GMAT-style tests.
MSc Financial Economics (Saïd Business School)	GRE/GMAT required	“You must provide a valid GMAT or GRE (General)… prior to the deadline… We do not provide GMAT or GRE waivers.”
Department of Economics graduate courses	GRE required for some programs	Oxford’s official Q&A states GRE is required for graduate courses offered by the Department of Economics.
Other Oxford graduate courses (most)	GRE usually not considered unless stated	If the course page doesn’t say GRE is accepted/compulsory, it will be disregarded.

Important: Don’t assume your program accepts GRE just because it’s Oxford. Oxford’s policy is course-page specific

Oxford MBA 2026–27: deadlines and GRE planning

Oxford Saïd confirms that applications for the MBA class of 2026–27 are open, and lists the official stage deadlines.

Table 2 — Oxford MBA application deadlines (Class of 2026–27)

Stage	Deadline (official)
Stage 1	Monday, 1 September 2025
Stage 2	Wednesday, 1 October 2025
Stage 3	Monday, 3 November 2025
Stage 4	Wednesday, 7 January 2026

How to use this for GRE timing (smart 2026 strategy)

• Aim to have your final GRE score ready at least 3–6 weeks before your target stage, so you can focus on essays, references, and interview prep.

• If you’re applying for scholarships, earlier stages are often more practical for planning (and visa timelines), even when scholarships aren’t strictly tied to a stage.

MSc Financial Economics (Oxford Saïd): GRE/GMAT is mandatory

If you’re targeting Oxford’s MSc Financial Economics (MFE), your GRE planning must be strict:

• Oxford Saïd explicitly states that you must provide a valid GMAT or GRE (General) score prior to the deadline for your application to be considered.

• They also state no waivers for GMAT/GRE.

Oxford Saïd also publishes decision release dates for 2026 entry:

Table 3 — MFE (2026 entry): decision release timeline

Stage	Decisions released by
Stage 1	Friday, 5 December 2025
Stage 2	Friday, 27 February 2026

What this means: for MFE, don’t treat GRE as optional—it’s a required part of file completion, and missing it risks your application not being considered.

Oxford taught graduate courses: real 2026 deadline example (MLF)

Even for Oxford courses that don’t require GRE, you still need the correct 2026 timeline. Here’s a strong example from the official University of Oxford course page:

The MSc in Law and Finance (MLF) course page states for entry in 2026–27:

• Final application deadline: Wednesday, 28 January 2026

• It also notes this is the “latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships.”

Table 4 — Oxford MLF key 2026 date (official)

Course	Entry year	Final deadline
MSc in Law and Finance (MLF)	2026–27	Wednesday, 28 January 2026

Now connect that with Oxford’s GRE policy: if MLF (or your course) does not state GRE is compulsory/accepted, sending GRE won’t help because it will be disregarded.

What GRE score is “good” for Oxford in 2026?

Oxford’s official public pages differ by program, and some don’t publish a single “cutoff” score. Because Oxford’s rule is course-specific, focus on this:

For Saïd programs (MBA / MFE)

• You must meet the program’s test policy (GRE accepted/required).

• The best practice is to aim for a score that supports your academic readiness—especially Quant for finance-heavy programs like MFE.

For Economics department programs

• Follow the exact program page requirements (Oxford confirms GRE is required for Economics graduate courses).

For all other courses

• If your course page doesn’t mention GRE, don’t waste time or money sending it—Oxford says it will be disregarded.

Step-by-step: how to confirm if your Oxford program accepts GRE (2026 method)

Use this simple 5-step checklist:

1. Open your official Oxford graduate course page (not third-party websites).

2. Go to Entry requirements.

3. Search within the page for: “GRE”, “GMAT”, “admissions test”, or “standardised test”.

4. If the course page doesn’t mention GRE as accepted/compulsory, Oxford says your GRE will be disregarded.

5. If the course is Saïd Business School or Economics-related, double-check the program’s own admissions pages because many of these explicitly set test expectations.

Common mistakes Oxford applicants make with GRE (avoid these in 2026)

• Submitting GRE for a course that doesn’t accept it (Oxford will disregard it).

• Assuming UK universities work like US admissions (Oxford is course-led; requirements vary program-by-program).

• Missing the test-score timing for required programs like MFE (you need a valid GRE/GMAT before the deadline).

• Not aligning your test plan with stages (MBA stage deadlines are fixed and come early).

FAQ (2026) :-

1) Is Oxford a GRE accepting university in the UK for 2026?

Yes—the University of Oxford accepts/requires GRE for specific graduate programs, especially Saïd Business School programs (such as the MBA) and Department of Economics graduate courses, depending on the course.

2) What are the University of Oxford GRE requirements 2026 for courses that don’t mention GRE?

Oxford’s official guidance says: if your course page doesn’t state GRE is compulsory or accepted, any GRE scores you submit will be disregarded during assessment.

3) Does Oxford’s MSc Financial Economics require GRE?

Yes. Oxford Saïd states you must provide a valid GMAT or GRE (General) before the deadline and they do not provide waivers.

4) What are Oxford MBA deadlines for the 2026–27 intake?

Oxford Saïd lists these stage deadlines: 1 Sep 2025, 1 Oct 2025, 3 Nov 2025, and 7 Jan 2026.

CTA: Apply to Oxford the right way (official links)

Use these official pages to verify GRE policy and deadlines program-by-program:

• Oxford Graduate Application Guide (GRE may be disregarded unless accepted): 

• Oxford official Q&A on who must submit GRE (Economics + Saïd + named programs): 

• Oxford MBA deadlines (Class of 2026–27): 

• MSc Financial Economics: GMAT/GRE required (no waivers): 

• MSc Law and Finance: 2026–27 final deadline (28 Jan 2026):