Exams · Admissions
TEAS vs. HESI A2: Key Differences and Which Exam to Take
How the two nursing entrance exams differ, what each section covers, how California programs use them, and how to plan your study time once you know which one you need.
By the SEAPHE Editorial Team
Reviewed by a practicing registered nurse (RN, BSN)
Before most California nursing programs will rank your application, they want an entrance exam score. The two you will hear about most are the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) and Elsevier's HESI Admission Assessment, usually called the HESI A2. Both measure the academic basics nursing school builds on, but they are put together very differently. This guide explains those differences using the publishers' own specifications and the BRN's data on how California programs admit students.
The short answer
You usually do not get to choose. Each program requires one exam (occasionally either), sets its own minimum scores and decides how much the score counts. So the first step is not "TEAS or HESI?" but "what exactly does each school on my list require?" Once you know that, the TEAS is the more predictable exam to study for, because every test-taker sees the same four sections. The HESI A2 needs one more question answered first: which sections does your school assign?
How California programs use entrance exams
The BRN's 2024–25 annual school report asked every pre-licensure program which criteria it uses to decide whether an applicant is qualified. A "pre-enrollment assessment test (TEAS, SAT, ACT, GRE)" was the second most common criterion after GPA:
- Generic ADN programs: 80.9% use an assessment test. Many community colleges also use the multi-criteria screening defined in Assembly Bill 548 (66.3%), and 21.3% use the community colleges' nursing prerequisite validation study, known as the Chancellor's Formula.
- BSN programs: 76.6% use an assessment test, alongside GPA (91.5%) and prerequisite completion (74.5%).
- Entry-level master's (ELM) programs: only 23.1% use one. They lean on GPA, personal statements and letters of reference instead. See our ELM guide.
The BRN groups the TEAS with other tests in that question, so these figures do not tell you how many programs use the TEAS versus the HESI specifically. SEAPHE does not yet track which exam every school requires, so check each program's admissions page. The table below starts with programs that publish their requirement clearly; we'll add more as we confirm them.
Entrance exams required by California nursing programs
From each program's published admission criteria
| Program | Exam required | Minimum | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego State (BSN, Fall 2027 transfer) | ATI TEAS; HESI A2 not accepted | 80.0 | SDSU criteria |
| CSU San Marcos (BSN, 2026–27) | ATI TEAS; no other exam accepted | 71.0 | CSUSM criteria |
Sources checked Oct 9, 2026. Requirements change from cycle to cycle; confirm with each program the year you apply.
The ATI TEAS at a glance
ATI's current version is the ATI TEAS, Version 7. It has 170 questions, of which 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items spread across the sections. Question types include multiple choice, multiple select, fill in the blank, ordered response and hot spots.
ATI TEAS 7 sections
Sections always appear in this order; each has its own clock
| Section | Questions | Time | Scored content |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 45 | 55 min | Key ideas & details, craft & structure, integration of ideas |
| Math | 38 | 57 min | Numbers & algebra (18), measurement & data (16) |
| Science | 50 | 60 min | Anatomy & physiology (18), biology (9), chemistry (8), scientific reasoning (9) |
| English & language usage | 37 | 37 min | Conventions, knowledge of language, vocabulary |
| Total | 170 | 209 min |
Source: ATI TEAS Exam Details and ATI Help Center, checked Oct 2026.
Per ATI, time does not carry over between sections, you can revisit questions only within the section you are in, and there is a 10-minute break after math that does not count against your testing time. ATI suggests planning about four hours from sign-in to finish. You can test remotely with ATI's online proctor, at a school, or at a PSI test center, depending on what your program accepts.
The HESI A2 at a glance
Elsevier describes the HESI Admission Assessment as a set of separate exams in three academic areas plus two personal-assessment components. Schools can "select one or all" of them, and Elsevier's times are recommendations, not fixed limits.
HESI A2 exams offered by Elsevier
Your program chooses which ones you take
| Exam | Items (scored) | Recommended time |
|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 55 (50) | 60 min |
| Vocabulary & General Knowledge | 55 (50) | 50 min |
| Grammar | 55 (50) | 50 min |
| Basic Math Skills | 55 (50) | 50 min |
| Biology | 30 (25) | 25 min |
| Chemistry | 30 (25) | 25 min |
| Anatomy & Physiology | 30 (25) | 25 min |
| Learning Style (not academic) | 14 | 15 min |
| Personality Profile (not academic) | 15 | 15 min |
Source: Elsevier, HESI Admission Assessment Exam fact sheet (copy hosted by Georgia Southwestern State University), checked Oct 2026. Unscored items are pilot questions. See also Elsevier HESI.
Some schools list additional or differently named components. If a school's list does not match this table, follow the school's list.
The key differences
Who decides what is on it
ATI decides the TEAS: everyone gets the same four sections. With the HESI A2, your program decides. A school might assign only reading, math and anatomy and physiology, or every academic exam. That makes the HESI A2 potentially shorter or longer than the TEAS, depending on the school.
Science coverage
The TEAS science section mixes anatomy and physiology (18 scored items) with biology, chemistry and scientific reasoning. On the HESI A2, each science subject is its own optional 25-scored-item exam. If your HESI school assigns only anatomy and physiology, you can skip chemistry entirely. If it assigns all three, you face 75 scored science items, more than the TEAS's 44.
English
The HESI A2 splits English into reading comprehension, vocabulary and grammar, each with 50 scored items, so a school that assigns all three puts heavy weight on language skills. The TEAS covers similar ground in its reading and English sections.
Scores
Both publishers report section results, and Elsevier says its reports include percentage scores and composite scores. What counts as a "good" score is set by each program, often as a minimum overall score, minimum section scores, or points in a ranking formula. Ask whether a school takes your best attempt, your most recent attempt, or an average, and how long scores stay valid.
How to find out what your school requires
Before you book anything, get these answers from each program's nursing admissions page or adviser:
- Which exam: TEAS, HESI A2, or either?
- For HESI A2: exactly which exams are assigned?
- Minimum scores: overall, by section, or both? And how is the score used in ranking?
- Retake rules: how many attempts, how far apart, and which attempt counts?
- Recency: how old can a score be?
- Where you can test, and how scores are sent to the school.
Two published examples show how much the details matter. San Diego State's Fall 2027 transfer criteria require a TEAS score of at least 80.0, award up to 15 of 80 ranking points for it, and don't accept the HESI A2 in its place (SDSU). CSU San Marcos's 2026–27 criteria set a TEAS minimum of 71.0, worth up to 12 of 68 points, allow three attempts and count the highest score. No other exam is accepted (CSUSM).
For a closer look at how one competitive program weighs the TEAS, see SDSU nursing acceptance rate: what SDSU publishes.
Requirements change from cycle to cycle, so re-check the year you apply. Use our program finder to build your list, then open each school profile for its website link.
A study plan you can adapt
ATI recommends allowing at least six weeks to prepare for the TEAS. That is a reasonable starting frame for either exam, adjusted for how recently you took the underlying courses.
- Take a timed diagnostic first. Use the official practice materials from the publisher of your exam so you see real question styles.
- Rank your gaps. Spend the most time where the scored content is concentrated and you are weakest. On the TEAS, anatomy and physiology alone accounts for 18 scored items.
- Rebuild math by hand. Both exams test fractions, decimals, ratios and proportions, and conversions, which also matter for dosage calculations later.
- Practice under section time limits. The TEAS English section gives you about one minute per question.
- Retest before the real thing. A second timed practice test shows whether your plan is working.
If you are still finishing prerequisites, it can make sense to test after anatomy and physiology, since that content is on both exams.
After the entrance exam
The entrance exam gets you in. The NCLEX-RN gets you licensed. Our exams hub covers all three exams, and the NCLEX pass rate table shows how each California program's graduates perform. If you are still deciding between degree types, read ADN vs. BSN in California.
Applied to a California RN program? Share how it went in our 2-minute anonymous survey. Your answers help future applicants see real admissions odds by program type and region.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the TEAS and the HESI A2?
The ATI TEAS is one fixed exam, the same for every test-taker: reading, math, science and English. The HESI A2, from Elsevier, is a menu of exams, and each school picks the ones you take, so its length and content vary by program. Which one you need depends entirely on the schools you apply to.
Which California nursing schools require the TEAS instead of the HESI?
There's no official statewide list, so check each program. Some publish it clearly: San Diego State's Fall 2027 transfer criteria require the TEAS (minimum 80.0) and don't accept the HESI A2, and CSU San Marcos requires the TEAS (minimum 71.0) and accepts no other exam. Statewide, 80.9% of ADN and 76.6% of BSN programs listed a pre-enrollment test in 2024–25 (BRN Table 46).
Is the TEAS or the HESI A2 harder?
Neither is officially rated harder, and difficulty depends on your strengths. The TEAS is the same for everyone. The HESI A2's length and content depend on which exams your school assigns, which can make it shorter or longer than the TEAS.
Can I take one exam and use it for every school?
Only if every school on your list accepts it. A TEAS score may be sent to several TEAS schools, but a school that requires the HESI A2 will not accept a TEAS score in its place unless it says so. Check each program's policy.
What score do I need?
Each program sets its own minimums and decides how scores affect ranking. Neither ATI nor Elsevier sets a universal passing score for admission. Use the school's published minimum as a floor, not a target, because competitive programs rank applicants above it.
How many times can I retake?
Retake limits and waiting periods come from both the testing company and each school. ATI publishes its retake requirements on its site, and some programs count only certain attempts. Confirm before your first attempt.
Do entry-level master's programs require the TEAS?
Few do. Only 23.1% of California ELM programs listed a pre-enrollment assessment test in 2024–25, versus 76.6% of BSN programs. Many ELM programs rely on GPA, personal statements, letters and interviews instead.
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Sources
- ATI, ATI TEAS Exam Details (checked Oct 2026).
- ATI Help Center, What is the time limit for the ATI TEAS exam? (checked Oct 2026).
- ATI, ATI TEAS Version 7 content outline (PDF).
- Elsevier, HESI Admission Assessment Exam fact sheet (PDF, hosted by Georgia Southwestern State University; checked Oct 2026) and HESI Exam Solutions.
- University of California, San Francisco for the California BRN, 2024–2025 BRN Annual School Report: Data Summary, Pre-Licensure Programs (Table 46).
- San Diego State University School of Nursing, BS Pre-Licensure Transfer Criteria, Fall 2027 admission (checked Oct 9, 2026).
- CSU San Marcos School of Nursing, 2026–2027 Supplemental Impaction Criteria (checked Oct 9, 2026).
Last updated Oct 9, 2026. Figures change every year; check each source for the latest release.