Last updated: October 2026 | Researched and reviewed by Daniel Etheridge, CRNA
Most CRNA schools have quietly dropped the GRE. Of the 29 accredited entry-level nurse anesthesia programs we’ve verified so far, nine say in writing that no GRE is required, twelve more leave it off their requirements list entirely, two call it optional or preferred, three require it only if your GPA falls below a cutoff — and just two still require it of everyone.
That’s the short answer. The rest of this page shows you exactly which schools fall where, in their own words.
One thing before the tables: we pulled every policy on this page from the program’s own admissions page and re-checked each one in October 2026, and we quote the language so you can see the source yourself. Test policies change between cycles. Confirm on the program’s site before you skip the exam — and if a page here contradicts what a school tells you, trust the school and let us know.
Key Takeaways
- 29 programs verified in 8 states
- 9 say “no GRE” outright
- 12 don’t list the GRE at all
- 2 list it as optional or preferred
- 3 waive it above a GPA cutoff
- 2 still require it
- Verified October 2026
Schools That Say It Outright: No GRE Required
These nine programs don’t leave you guessing. Each one states, on its own admissions page or FAQ, that the GRE is not required. The quote in the last column is the program’s own language.
| School | Location | Degree | In their words |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | DNP | “As of July 1, 2021, the GRE is no longer required” (source) |
| Cedar Crest College | Allentown, PA | DNP | “No GRE is required.” (source) |
| St. Joseph Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia / Rhode Island College | Providence, RI | DNP | “You no longer need to take the GRE to be accepted… This is not a requirement.” (source) |
| University of Tulsa | Tulsa, OK | DNP | “No, the GRE is not required to apply.” (source) |
| Oregon Health & Science University | Portland, OR | DNP | “The GRE exam is not required.” (source) |
| University of Southern California | Los Angeles, CA | DNAP | “Effective January 1, 2024, the GRE is no longer required or considered.” (source) |
| UC Davis | Sacramento, CA | DNP | “No standardized tests are required.” (source) |
| National University | Fresno, CA | DNAP | “Do you require the GRE or GMAT or any other entrance exam?” — “No.” (source) |
| Loma Linda University | Loma Linda, CA | DNP | “Is the GRE required? No. There are no required entrance exams.” (source) |
UC Davis is the newest name on this list. Its Sacramento program earned COA accreditation at the January 2025 review. USC’s no-GRE policy is recent too, effective January 2024. Loma Linda moved into this table in October 2026, once we could read the answer on its FAQ page directly.
Schools Where the GRE Isn’t on the List
These twelve programs publish a full admissions checklist — GPA, ICU experience, certifications, references — and the GRE simply isn’t on it.
That’s different from a written “not required,” and the difference matters. A program that never mentions the test almost certainly doesn’t want it, but nothing stops them from adding it next cycle without ceremony. If you’re building your application around skipping the GRE, a two-minute email to admissions closes the gap for good.
| School | Location | Degree | Requirements page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA | DNP | drexel.edu |
| Duquesne University | Pittsburgh, PA | DNP | duq.edu |
| La Roche University | Pittsburgh, PA | DNAP | laroche.edu |
| University of Scranton | Scranton, PA | DNP | scranton.edu |
| DeSales University / St. Luke’s | Center Valley, PA | DNP | slhn.org |
| Geisinger / Commonwealth University | Bloomsburg, PA | DNP | commonwealthu.edu |
| La Salle University | Philadelphia, PA | DNP | lasalle.edu |
| York College of Pennsylvania / WellSpan | York, PA | DNP | ycp.edu |
| ChristianaCare / Wilmington University | New Castle, DE | DNP | wilmu.edu |
| Kaiser Permanente School of Anesthesia / CSU Fullerton | Pasadena, CA | DNP | kpsan.org |
| Samuel Merritt University | Oakland, CA | DNAP | samuelmerritt.edu |
| George Fox University | Portland, OR | DNP | georgefox.edu |
A caution on Samuel Merritt: older university catalogs carried a GRE requirement for the master’s-level CRNA program, which closed years ago (final cohort entered fall 2021). The current entry-level DNAP lists no GRE. Don’t let a stale catalog line scare you off.
Schools Where the GRE Is Optional or Preferred
Two programs name the GRE without requiring it. A good score can help; skipping it won’t disqualify you.
University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA): “Taking the GRE is optional but may be considered supplemental information in the holistic admission process” (source).
St. Vincent College / Independence Health (Latrobe, PA): lists the GRE as “preferred” — welcome if you have it, not required if you don’t.
Schools Where the GRE Depends on Your GPA
Three programs use the GRE as a backstop, not a gate. Strong GPA, no test. Below the line, you’re taking it.
| School | Location | The rule, in their words |
|---|---|---|
| Villanova University | Villanova, PA | “GRE completion with results included in the application if GPA is less than 3.4” — 50th percentile preferred (source) |
| Medical University of South Carolina | Charleston, SC | “A GRE is required for all applicants who have a cumulative GPA below 3.6.” Waived for anyone holding a master’s or higher (source) |
| University of South Carolina | Columbia, SC | GRE required (305+ “to be competitive”) — may be waived only if both your cumulative and basic-science GPAs are 3.50 or higher, no rounding, or you hold a science-related master’s (source) |
If you’re sitting at a 3.3 and eyeing Villanova, do the math early. A GRE takes weeks to prep properly, and these deadlines don’t wait for your score report.
Schools That Still Require the GRE
Two of the 29, and they’re not shy about it.
UPMC Hamot School of Anesthesia / Gannon University (Erie, PA): “GREs are a requirement of the UPMC Hamot School of Anesthesia,” with a competitive score expected (source). The full ask is steep here — two years of recent full-time critical care experience and four letters of recommendation, too.
Rocky Vista University (Parker, CO — Colorado’s only CRNA program): a combined 300 or better, taken within three years of matriculation (source). One wrinkle: the university catalog accepts “a completed advanced nursing degree… in place of a GRE score,” but the admissions page doesn’t mention that substitution — if it applies to you, confirm with admissions before you skip the test.
One We Couldn’t Fully Verify (Yet)
Honesty corner. One school doesn’t publish its requirements in a form we can quote, so it stays out of the tables above.
Thomas Jefferson University — no GRE mention in any of the official Jefferson sources we checked, including the program handbook. But its application-requirements page doesn’t list requirements we can quote. Call before you plan around it.
We’ll move Jefferson into the main tables once we can confirm its policy in writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do CRNA schools require the GRE in 2026?
Mostly, no. Of 29 accredited entry-level programs we’ve verified across eight states, only two require the GRE of every applicant. Nine state in writing that it’s not required, twelve more leave it off their requirements entirely, two call it optional or preferred, and three require it only below a GPA threshold — typically 3.4 to 3.6.
Which CRNA schools don’t require the GRE?
Programs that say so explicitly include the University of Pennsylvania, Cedar Crest College, St. Joseph Hospital School of Nurse Anesthesia (Rhode Island College), the University of Tulsa, OHSU, USC, UC Davis, National University in Fresno, and Loma Linda University. A dozen more — Drexel, Duquesne, Scranton, and Kaiser Permanente’s program among them — don’t list the GRE at all.
What’s the difference between “no GRE required” and “GRE not listed”?
A written “no GRE required” is a policy you can rely on. “Not listed” means the program’s published checklist simply omits the test — which almost always means the same thing, but hasn’t been put in writing. For not-listed schools, one short email to admissions turns an inference into an answer.
Should I take the GRE anyway?
Take it if your GPA is under about 3.5 and your list includes a conditional program like Villanova, MUSC, or South Carolina — or anywhere it’s optional or preferred and you can post a strong score. Skip it if every school on your list is in the first two tables; those admissions committees are weighing your ICU years, GPA, CCRN, and interview instead, and your prep time is better spent there.
What do CRNA schools require instead of the GRE?
The real gatekeepers are experience and academics: one to two years of full-time ICU experience, a GPA usually at or above 3.0–3.2, CCRN certification at many programs, shadowing hours with a CRNA, strong references, and an interview. Dropping the GRE didn’t make admission easier — it moved the weight onto the parts of your file you can’t cram for.
Explore Programs by State
Every program above has more to its story — cost, outcomes, deadlines, ICU rules. Start with the state guides: Pennsylvania, California, Oregon, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Delaware — or the deep dives on Pitt, Penn, and Duquesne.
Accreditation status for every program comes from the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs (COA) — the July 8, 2026 list of accredited programs, still the current list as of October 2026.