What Is the Difference Between the TEAS and the HESI A2?
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) from Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) and the HESI A2 Admission Assessment from Elsevier are both nursing and allied health admission exams, but they are built differently. As of October 2026, the TEAS, Version 7 is one fixed exam from ATI: 170 total items (150 scored plus 20 unscored), four sections, and 209 minutes of timed testing. The HESI A2 from Elsevier is modular: the nursing or allied health program picks which subtests you take, so Elsevier’s public pages publish no single national item count, time limit, or subtest list. Neither exam has a universal passing score. ATI states there is no universal passing score on the TEAS, and each school sets its own minimum; HESI A2 benchmarks are set by the program as well. ATI also states it requires no waiting period between TEAS attempts, while the school decides how many attempts you get. Because the program controls so much, the one step that matters before you study for either exam is confirming your program’s requirements. The table below puts the documented specs side by side.
| Spec (as of October 2026) | ATI TEAS, Version 7 | HESI A2 Admission Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Who administers it | ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute), with proctoring by ATI, an institution, or a PSI Testing Center | Elsevier (HESI), delivered through the Evolve platform; programs schedule the exam and set the testing window |
| Format | One fixed exam, four sections, all taken | Modular; the program selects which subtests you take |
| Sections or subtests | Reading, Mathematics, Science, English and Language Usage | Pool commonly includes math, reading comprehension, vocabulary and general knowledge, grammar, anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, physics; optional non academic modules |
| Question count | 170 total: 150 scored plus 20 unscored (Reading 45, Math 38, Science 50, English 37) | Not published as one national total; depends on the subtests your program assigns |
| Time limit | 209 minutes: Reading 55, Math 57, Science 60, English 37 | Not published as one national figure; the program configures exam sections and timer settings |
| Cost | Set by the school or testing provider; no single national fee (confirm with your program) | Paid by the institution or by the student depending on the program’s order; fees vary, and remote proctored bundles include a proctoring fee |
| Scoring | Total score on a 0 to 100 percent scale, four section scores, and one of five Academic Preparedness Levels | Results by section; the program can set a benchmark score that triggers remediation |
| Passing standard | No universal passing score; each program sets its own minimum | No universal passing score published; each program sets its own standard |
| Retake policy | ATI requires no waiting period; the program sets attempts and any wait | Program set; Elsevier offers a Version 1 for first time testers and a Version 2 for second time testers |
| Delivery | Online proctored by ATI, online proctored by an institution, in person at an institution, or in person at a PSI Testing Center | In person (school or testing center) or remote with live proctoring, per the program’s setup |
| Score release | For ATI proctored exams, a preliminary score appears right away and becomes final four business days after the exam date | Program decides whether scores show after each section, after all sections, or later |
Checked against ATI’s TEAS exam details and help pages and Elsevier’s HESI A2 faculty and student guides, October 2026. Where a cell says “not published,” the certifier’s public pages do not state it, and your program’s registration materials govern.
Fixed Exam Versus Menu of Subtests
The biggest structural difference is who decides what you sit. The TEAS is a single product: every candidate takes the same four timed sections, and the score report always has the same shape. That makes it easy to describe and easy to compare across applicants, which is one reason programs that use it can publish a clean minimum score.
The HESI A2 works like a menu. Elsevier’s faculty guidance has the program choose the exam sections when it schedules an exam group, and the estimated exam duration updates based on those selections. Two applicants to different schools can sit different HESI A2 batteries, and both are legitimately taking the HESI A2. Programs can also add optional non academic modules, such as a critical thinking module, which are not scored like the subject subtests.
Time, Length, and Pacing
On the TEAS, ATI publishes the numbers, so you can plan a pace. As of October 2026, the section table is Reading 45 items in 55 minutes, Mathematics 38 in 57, Science 50 in 60, and English and Language Usage 37 in 37. Of those, 20 items across the exam are unscored pretest items that cannot be identified while testing. Science has the longest block and the most items, while English and Language Usage has the shortest block at 37 minutes.
On the HESI A2, you cannot plan a pace from Elsevier’s public pages alone, because the total length depends on the subtests assigned and on the timer settings the program chooses, including whether students are force completed when time expires. The practical step is to ask your testing coordinator which subtests, how long, and whether a calculator is enabled. Elsevier’s faculty guide gives programs a toggle to enable or disable the calculator, so the answer is a program decision, not a fixed rule.
| Skill area | On the TEAS | On the HESI A2 |
|---|---|---|
| Reading | Required section | Reading Comprehension, if your program assigns it |
| Math | Required section | Mathematics, if your program assigns it |
| Language skills | English and Language Usage, required | Grammar and Vocabulary and General Knowledge, if assigned |
| Science | One combined Science section (anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, scientific reasoning) | Separate subtests for anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, and physics, as assigned |
Scoring and Cut Scores
For the TEAS, ATI reports a total score on a 0 to 100 percent scale, four section scores, and one of five Academic Preparedness Levels: Developmental, Basic, Proficient, Advanced, or Exemplary. The score report is the authoritative source for your level. ATI states plainly that there is no universal passing score; each school sets its minimum, and many weigh the TEAS alongside GPA and other factors. ATI also notes that schools set how long a score stays valid, and says two years is common but policies vary.
For the HESI A2, results come back by section, and the program can set a benchmark score that triggers personalized remediation content for any concept below the benchmark. Elsevier’s public pages do not publish a universal minimum, so the number that matters is your program’s. If you are applying to schools that use different exams, do not try to convert one score into the other; each program reads the score of the exam it requires.
Retakes
As of October 2026, ATI’s help pages state that ATI does not require a waiting period between TEAS attempts. That does not mean you can retest freely, because the program you apply to sets how many attempts it accepts and whether time must pass between them. For ATI proctored exams, ATI also notes that not every exam type allows rescheduling, so read the rules for the delivery option you choose before you book.
For the HESI A2, retake rules are also set by the program. Elsevier’s faculty guidance describes Version 1 for first time testers and Version 2 for second time testers, and recommends separate exam groups for each. For remote testing, Elsevier’s support center says that to retake an exam in a different version under the same department ID, you should wait 24 hours after completing the previous exam before registering again. Treat that as a platform rule for that scenario, not a school wait period.
How and Where You Test
Both exams offer in person and remote options, but the details differ. ATI lists four TEAS paths: online proctored by ATI, online proctored by an institution, in person at an institution, and in person at a PSI Testing Center. Elsevier documents HESI A2 delivery as in person at a school or testing center, or remote with live proctoring, and in every case you need an active Evolve account to register and view results. Your program decides which delivery path applies to you. Our test day guides cover the details for each exam: what to bring to the TEAS and what to bring to the HESI A2.
Which One Should You Take?
In most cases you do not choose. The nursing or allied health program you apply to names the required exam, and some programs accept either one. Check the admissions page of every program on your list, because the combination of exam, required sections, minimum score, and score validity window differs from school to school. If you are applying to programs that require different exams, build a plan that covers the shared foundation first: reading, math, grammar, and the basic sciences appear on both. Then add the exam specific pieces once each program confirms its requirements. For a closer look at each exam’s content, see what is on the TEAS and what is on the HESI A2, and for score context, see what is a good TEAS score and how hard the TEAS is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the TEAS or the HESI A2 harder?
Neither certifier ranks its exam against the other, and neither publishes a pass rate that supports a comparison. The structures differ: the TEAS is a fixed 170 item, 209 minute exam, while the HESI A2 length and content depend on the subtests your program assigns. Difficulty also depends on your program’s minimum score, which is set by the school.
Can I use a TEAS score for a program that requires the HESI A2?
Only if the program says so. Each program names the exam it accepts and sets its own minimum, so the TEAS and the HESI A2 are not interchangeable unless the school states that they are. Confirm with the admissions office before you register.
How many questions are on each exam?
As of October 2026, the TEAS has 170 items, 150 scored and 20 unscored, across four sections. Elsevier does not publish one national question total for the HESI A2 on its public pages because the total depends on which subtests your program assigns.
Is there a waiting period before retaking either exam?
ATI states it does not require a waiting period between TEAS attempts, but the program sets the number of attempts and any wait. HESI A2 retake rules are also program set, and Elsevier’s support center notes a 24 hour wait before registering for a different version under the same department ID in a remote testing scenario.
Ready to see which skills each exam rewards? Try a TEAS practice test or try a HESI A2 practice test, or start with the free TEAS practice test and the free HESI A2 practice test to compare the formats before you commit to a plan.
Sources
- ATI, TEAS Exam Details
- ATI, What Is the ATI TEAS Exam and Other FAQs
- ATI, TEAS Score Report (IPP) and Topics to Review
- ATI, TEAS Overview
- Elsevier, HESI Exam Solutions for Nursing
- Elsevier, HESI A2 Exam Process Faculty Guide
- Elsevier, HESI A2 and A-la-carte Remote Proctoring Faculty Guide
- Elsevier, HESI A2 Student Guide for Taking the A2 on Your Own Device
- Elsevier Support Center, Registering for a HESI Distance Testing Exam
Med Preps is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) or Elsevier Inc. TEAS is a registered trademark of Assessment Technologies Institute, LLC. HESI is a registered trademark of Elsevier Inc. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
For educational and exam preparation purposes only. Not a substitute for formal clinical training.
