Your nursing school picks the test, not you.
Try it now
In 30 seconds
- 1The school chooses. Check every program's admission page, and do not assume one test substitutes for the other.
- 2The ATI TEAS is one fixed four-section exam. The HESI A2 is a set of separate exams, and each school chooses which ones you take.
- 3The core skills—reading, math, anatomy and physiology, grammar—carry over either way.
Entrance exams · side by side
One fixed exam, or a menu your school picks from
The school chooses the test. The core skills carry over either way.
ATI TEAS 7
Same four sections for everyone
170 questions · 209 minutes of section time
- Reading45 questions · 55 min
- Math38 questions · 57 min
- Science50 questions · 60 min
- English and Language Usage37 questions · 37 min
Science blends A&P, biology, chemistry, and scientific reasoning.
HESI A2
Separate exams; your school picks
A score for each exam you take
- Math
- Reading comprehension
- Vocabulary
- Grammar
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Anatomy and physiology
- Physics (few programs require it)
The TEAS is the same exam for everyone: four sections, each timed separately.
The HESI A2 is a menu. One program may want only math and the English exams; another may add the sciences.
Most of the work is shared. If your school list includes both tests, build those skills once.
Make it stick. A free account turns what you just read into speed-learning rounds, practice questions and a tutor that explains.
Create my free accountThe school chooses the test
Programs pick one entrance exam and set their own rules for it. Before you study or pay for anything, find these answers on each program's admission page:
- Which exam: TEAS, HESI A2, another test, or none.
- For the HESI A2, which exams are required.
- Minimum scores, overall and by section.
- How many attempts count and how long you must wait between them.
- Where you may test and how scores reach the school (for the TEAS, see where to take the TEAS).
If the page is unclear, email admissions and ask. Do not assume a school will accept the other test. Each answer belongs on your application checklist.
How the TEAS is built
The ATI TEAS 7 is the same exam for everyone: 170 questions and 209 minutes of section time, according to ATI's exam details. Four sections, each timed separately:
- Reading: 45 questions, 55 minutes.
- Math: 38 questions, 57 minutes.
- Science: 50 questions, 60 minutes.
- English and Language Usage: 37 questions, 37 minutes.
Twenty of the questions are unscored pretest items, and you cannot tell which ones. Our TEAS overview goes deeper.
170
TEAS questions, the same exam for everyone
209 min
of TEAS section time, four sections timed separately
20
unscored pretest items you cannot pick out
How the HESI A2 is built
Elsevier's HESI Admission Assessment is a set of separate subject exams. Elsevier's official review book covers math, reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, biology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology; the exam also has a Physics section, which few programs require. Your school decides which of those you take. One program may want only math and the English exams; another may add the sciences. Each one is broken down in HESI A2 sections explained.
Some schools also include a learning-style or personality profile. It is not a knowledge test, and schools that use it describe it as not counting toward your score—but confirm with your program.
How scoring differs
The TEAS gives you a total score plus section scores, and ATI labels overall results with academic preparedness levels. The HESI A2 reports a score for each exam you take, and some programs also set a minimum on a combined score. Either way, your program sets the minimums and decides how scores count toward admission. There is no national passing score for either test. Our guides to a good TEAS score and a good HESI A2 score explain how to set a target from a school's rules.
What transfers between them
Most of the work is shared. Both tests reward strong reading, everyday math (fractions, ratios, unit conversions, basic algebra), anatomy and physiology, and grammar. If your school list includes both tests, build those skills once.
The differences are in format and scope. The HESI A2 can include stand-alone vocabulary, chemistry, or physics exams, depending on your school. TEAS Science blends anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, and scientific reasoning into one section. Learn each test's format before test day.
How to prepare
- Confirm the exam, sections, and minimum scores for every school on your list.
- Take a timed baseline so you know where you actually stand.
- Study your weakest required section first.
- Practice under real time limits before your official attempt.
- Schedule early enough to retake before the deadline if you need to (TEAS, HESI A2).
Taking the TEAS? Start with the free TEAS outline, then use NurseSavvy TEAS prep for section-by-section practice and a full-length diagnostic. Taking the HESI A2? NurseSavvy has free HESI A2 practice tests for the sections your school picks, plus a cheat sheet for every HESI A2 topic; start with what the HESI A2 is. One Premium plan covers both exams.
Quick check · no scrolling back
Who decides whether you take the HESI A2 or the TEAS?
Common questions
Do I get to choose between the HESI A2 and the TEAS?
Usually not. Each nursing program decides which entrance exam it requires. Check the program’s admission page, and do not assume one test substitutes for the other.
Is the HESI A2 harder than the TEAS?
There is no universal answer. The HESI A2 depends on which exams your school requires, and both tests reward the same core skills. Your own strengths matter more than the test name.
Does studying for the TEAS help with the HESI A2?
Yes, for the shared skills: reading, math, anatomy and physiology, and grammar. You still need to learn the other test’s format and any sections the first one does not cover.
How do I find out which test my nursing school requires?
Read the program’s admission requirements page or information-session materials. If it is unclear, email admissions and ask which exam, which sections, the minimum scores, and how many attempts count.