How long does it take to get a GED?

Realistic GED timelines for different starting points, how many hours each subject takes, and how to work out your own finish date.

All guides · Reviewed 7 October 2026

Short answer: Most adults who study steadily need between three and eight months to prepare for all four GED subjects. Someone who left school recently and is confident in maths may be ready in about three months; someone who has been out of school for many years should allow six to twelve. The fastest way to finish is one subject at a time.

What decides how long you need

How long ago you were at school and what grade you reached.
Your maths. For most people Maths takes the longest.
Your English reading speed. All four tests are in English and involve a lot of reading.
How many hours a week you can really protect for study.

Hours per subject

As a guide, our courses are planned at about 80 hours for Mathematical Reasoning, 60 for Science, 50 for Social Studies and 45 for Reasoning Through Language Arts: roughly 235 hours for all four. Stronger students will go faster; if the basics are rusty, allow more.

At 5 hours a week: about 11 months for all four subjects.
At 8 hours a week: about 7 months.
At 12 hours a week: about 5 months.
At 20 hours a week: about 3 months.

Do one subject at a time

You can write each GED subject separately and you keep every pass. Studying one subject, writing it, and then starting the next keeps the work fresh for each test and gives you a win every few weeks.

Many students start with their strongest subject to build confidence, and leave time for Maths. Add about two weeks per subject for the GED Ready practice test and for booking a test date.

Work out your own date

Count the hours you can study in a normal week, honestly.
Divide the hours for your first subject by that number to get the weeks you need.
Add two weeks for revision, GED Ready and booking.
Put the test week in your calendar and work backwards.

Our 12-week GED study plan turns this into a weekly routine.

Common questions

Can I get my GED in 3 months?

It is possible if you can study about 20 hours a week and your school basics are still fresh. Most working adults need longer.

Which GED subject takes the longest to prepare for?

For most people it is Mathematical Reasoning, because it builds step by step from number work to algebra and functions.

Is there a deadline to finish all four subjects?

You keep each subject you pass while the current version of the GED remains in use, so you can spread the tests out. Check your GED.com account for any rule that applies to you.

Sources

GED Testing Service: test subjects