TEAS vs HESI A2: which nursing entrance exam is harder?

Who makes the TEAS and the HESI A2?

The TEAS comes from ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute), and the HESI A2 comes from Elsevier. Both are admission exams that nursing and allied health programs use to judge whether you’re ready for science-heavy coursework.

The current TEAS is Version 7, and ATI says it is live. The HESI A2 is Elsevier’s admission assessment, and Elsevier’s own guide for school administrators shows it is built from separate modules that each program switches on or off.

ATI says there is no universal passing score for the TEAS; each school sets its own minimum. The HESI A2 minimums you’ll see on school pages are set by individual programs too.

Which one do you have to take?

You take the exam your program asks for, so check the admissions page of every school on your list before you study. Some programs require one specific exam, while others accept either.

For example, UTHealth Houston’s Pacesetter BSN lets applicants who finished prerequisites elsewhere submit either the HESI A2 or the TEAS. Other programs name only one, and the exam also has to be taken under the school’s rules about location, dates and score age. Georgia Southern, for instance, only counts HESI A2 results from the last 12 months.

If you’re applying to several schools that use different exams, you may end up needing both. More on that below.

How do the TEAS and HESI A2 compare side by side?

The biggest structural difference is that the TEAS is the same four sections for everyone, while the HESI A2 changes with each school’s setup. The HESI column below uses Georgia Southern University’s five-module setup as one real example, because the A2’s length depends on which modules each school turns on.

	ATI TEAS 7	HESI A2 (example: Georgia Southern)
Made by	ATI	Elsevier
Sections	Always 4: Reading, Math, Science, English and Language Usage	School chooses modules; Georgia Southern uses Math, Reading Comprehension, Grammar, Vocabulary & General Knowledge, Anatomy & Physiology
Questions	170 (150 scored, 20 unscored)	250 across those 5 modules (55 each, 30 in A&P)
Time	209 minutes of testing time	Module times add up to 235 minutes; the session is scheduled for 4.5 hours
Scoring	0–100% scores, adjusted so different test forms compare fairly	Scores are reported per module; programs set percent minimums (UTHealth recommends 85% or higher on each section)
Calculator	Built into the exam; personal calculators not allowed	School turns it on or off; Georgia Southern and Tarrant County College use an on-screen calculator
Cost	Set by the school or testing provider; example: North Shore CC, $106 per test (2026)	Set by the school or testing site; example: Georgia Southern, $75 group session or $85 scheduled appointment (2026)
Retakes	ATI pages differ: no wait, or 48 hours before booking a retake; programs set limits (North Shore: 3 attempts per academic year)	Set by programs (Georgia Southern: 30 days apart, 2 per 12 months; TCC: 60 days apart)

Fees and rules on school pages change, so treat these as examples from named schools’ pages in 2026, not national prices. Always confirm with the school where you’ll test.

What’s different about the content?

The TEAS tests the same four areas for everyone, while the HESI A2 can split English into three separate modules and may or may not include science. That difference shapes what you study.

On the TEAS 7, ATI lists the scored content in each section. Science is the largest section, with 44 scored items: 18 on human anatomy and physiology, plus biology, chemistry and scientific reasoning. English and Language Usage covers conventions of standard English, knowledge of language, and vocabulary used in writing, all within one 37-minute section.

The TEAS also mixes in alternate item types. Besides standard multiple choice, ATI lists multiple select, fill in the blank, ordered response and hot spot questions.

On the HESI A2, English skills are usually tested in three standalone modules: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary & General Knowledge and Grammar. Science depends on the school. Tarrant County College offers Anatomy & Physiology as its only science section. It says it doesn’t offer Biology or Chemistry. UTHealth Houston, by contrast, requires seven sections, including Biology and Chemistry.

The version you take can matter too. Elsevier’s guide tells administrators to set up exam groups by version, with V1 for first-time testers, and UTHealth tells repeat testers to register for Version 2.

Is the TEAS harder than the HESI?

Neither exam is officially harder, because ATI and Elsevier don’t publish a difficulty comparison and the HESI A2 itself changes from school to school. Which one feels harder depends on your strengths and on the modules your program requires.

Here’s an honest way to think about it:

• The TEAS may feel harder if science is your weak spot. Every TEAS taker faces a 50-question science section that reaches beyond anatomy into chemistry and scientific reasoning.
• The HESI A2 may feel harder if you’re slow or your school requires a long module list. In Georgia Southern’s setup, you answer 250 questions in one sitting, compared with 170 on the TEAS.
• Grammar and vocabulary get more questions on the HESI. Each gets its own 55-question module at Georgia Southern, while on the TEAS they share one section.

Pacing is different, too. By our own math from the published times, the TEAS gives you about 60 to 90 seconds per question depending on the section. Georgia Southern’s HESI A2 modules work out to roughly 50 to 65 seconds per question.

The target score also changes how “hard” an exam feels. A program asking for 85% on every HESI module, as UTHealth recommends, is a much higher bar than one asking for 75%.

How should you prepare for each exam?

Start by getting your school’s exact requirements in writing: the exam name, the HESI modules or TEAS version, the minimum score and the retake limit. Then take a timed baseline test so you know where you stand.

For the TEAS, study all four sections, because every one counts toward your total. ATI recommends allowing at least six weeks to prepare.

Give science extra time if you haven’t taken anatomy and physiology recently, and practice the alternate item types so they don’t slow you down. Our TEAS hub maps each section, and the free TEAS practice test lets you check your pacing.

For the HESI A2, study only the modules your program uses, and weight them by the program’s minimums. Build a vocabulary habit early, since word knowledge is hard to cram.

Our HESI A2 hub is organized by module, and the free HESI A2 practice test helps you practice pacing. If you’re not sure where to begin, the HESI A2 diagnostic test shows your weakest module first.

Can you take both the TEAS and the HESI?

Yes, nothing stops you from taking both exams if your schools require different ones. The catch is each program’s own attempt limits and deadlines.

Some schools count attempts across both tests. UTHealth Houston allows no more than two attempts in total, in any combination of TEAS and HESI A2, and uses your last attempt as the official score. If you’re applying to schools with different exams, plan your test dates so each score is ready before each application deadline.

Quick answers

Is the HESI A2 or the TEAS more common? We found no official count from ATI or Elsevier comparing how many programs use each exam, so check each school you’re applying to.

Can I use a calculator on the TEAS and the HESI A2? On the TEAS, a calculator is built into the exam and personal calculators aren’t allowed. On the HESI A2, the school decides whether the on-screen calculator is on.

What is a passing score on each exam? There’s no universal passing score for the TEAS, and HESI A2 minimums are set by programs. Your school’s admissions page is the only reliable answer.

How soon can I retake the TEAS or the HESI A2? ATI’s own pages differ: its help center lists no waiting period, but its registration page says to wait at least 48 hours after an exam before booking a retake through ATI. Your program may limit attempts or set a longer wait. HESI A2 waiting periods on school pages range from 30 to 60 days in the examples above.

Do TEAS scores transfer to schools that require the HESI? Only if that school accepts the TEAS. A program that asks for the HESI A2 sets its own rules, so confirm before you register.