One exam, many versions
The full name is the HESI Admission Assessment, and you will also see it called the HESI A2 or the HESI entrance exam. Unlike the ATI TEAS, it is not one fixed test. It is a set of separate section exams, and each nursing program chooses the ones it wants. One school may ask for Math, Reading, and Vocabulary; another adds Grammar and Anatomy & Physiology; a few add Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. So the first job is finding out which sections your program requires. Our guide to HESI A2 sections shows how to check.
Questions and time in each section
Elsevier does not publish a public blueprint. The counts below are the ones school testing centers most consistently list, for example Texas State Technical College and Western Technical College. Each section includes 5 unscored pilot questions mixed in with the scored ones. Your testing center may set different times, so check its page.
| Section | Questions (scored) | Usual time | Schools require it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Math | 55 (50) | 50 min | almost always |
| Reading Comprehension | 55 (50) | 60 min | almost always |
| Vocabulary & General Knowledge | 55 (50) | 50 min | almost always |
| Grammar | 55 (50) | 50 min | often |
| Anatomy & Physiology | 30 (25) | 25 min | often |
| Biology | 30 (25) | 25 min | sometimes |
| Chemistry | 30 (25) | 25 min | sometimes |
| Physics | 30 (25) | 50 min | rarely |
All eight sections together come to 340 questions and about 335 minutes, but almost nobody takes all eight. A common five-section test (Math, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Anatomy & Physiology) is 250 questions and about 235 minutes of section time. Math usually has an on-screen calculator, though Elsevier's faculty guide lets each school switch it off.
Extra parts some schools add
Some schools also ask for a Learning Style assessment and a Personality Profile. Neither counts toward your score, so you cannot fail them. If you are curious, our free 5-minute learning style and personality quiz gives you a feel for the format with study tips that fit your result.
A few programs add a separate Critical Thinking exam. It is scored on its own scale rather than as a percent: Lehman College, for example, asks for 800 out of 1000. If your school lists it, ask admissions how it is used.
How the HESI A2 is scored
You get a percent score for each section you take. Many schools also use a cumulative score, the average of the section scores the school counts. Programs set their own minimums: some require a percent in every section, some a cumulative percent, some both, and some turn the score into points in a ranking rubric. Read what a good HESI A2 score is before you set a target.
What is on each section
- Math: fractions, decimals, percents, ratios and proportions, household and metric conversions, Roman numerals, military time, and basic algebra. Our HESI A2 math guide works examples.
- Reading Comprehension: passages with questions on main idea, details, inferences, author's purpose, tone, fact vs opinion, and word meaning in context.
- Vocabulary & General Knowledge: words used in health care plus everyday academic words. See the HESI A2 vocabulary list.
- Grammar: parts of speech, agreement, pronouns, commonly confused words, and punctuation. See the grammar guide.
- Anatomy & Physiology: body organization and the major systems. See the A&P guide.
- Biology, Chemistry, Physics: separate science sections. Physics is the one schools ask for least.
You can see every HESI A2 section and topic on NurseSavvy, with a cheat sheet for every topic.
The best first step
Confirm your school's sections and minimums, then take a timed practice test of exactly those sections. A baseline shows whether your problem is content, pacing, or one weak section, and that decides how you study. Start with a free HESI A2 practice test.
HESI and HESI A2 are registered trademarks of Elsevier. NurseSavvy is not affiliated with or endorsed by Elsevier.
Common questions
What is the HESI A2?
The HESI A2 (HESI Admission Assessment) is an entrance exam from Elsevier that many nursing and allied-health programs use for admission. It is a set of separate section exams, and each school chooses which ones you take.
How many questions are on the HESI A2?
It depends on your school’s sections. Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar usually have 55 questions each and the sciences 30 each, including 5 unscored pilot questions per section. All eight sections together are 340 questions.
How long is the HESI A2?
Usual section times run from 25 minutes for a science section to 60 minutes for Reading. A common five-section test (Math, Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar, Anatomy & Physiology) has about 235 minutes of section time before check-in and breaks. Your testing center sets the exact times.
Is there a passing score on the HESI A2?
No national one. Elsevier does not publish a pass mark; each program sets its own minimums, usually as a percent for each required section, a cumulative percent, or both.
Is the HESI A2 the same as the TEAS?
No. Both are nursing entrance exams, but the TEAS is one fixed four-section exam from ATI, while the HESI A2 is a set of section exams from Elsevier that each school picks from. Your program decides which test it accepts.