Updated for the 2026 NCLEX-RN test planSee the NCLEX-RN guide

Which exam are you preparing for?

TEAS 7 Nursing school entrance · ATIHESI A2 Nursing school entrance · ElsevierNCLEX-RN Registered nurse licensePTCB Pharmacy technician (PTCE)

We'll remember your choice on this device.

Try “heparin”, “osmosis” or “TEAS score”.

TEAS test day guide

What to bring, what to leave home and how the clock works, on one page. Every rule links to ATI. Your school or test site can add its own rules, so read your confirmation email too.

Last checked: How we make our content

The short version
  • Bring a physical, current, government-issued photo ID. The first and last name must match your ATI account.
  • A basic calculator is built into the exam, in every section. You can't bring your own.
  • You get one 10-minute break, after Math. It doesn't use your testing time.
  • Testing time is 209 minutes for 170 questions. Plan on about 4 hours from sign-in.
  • Answer every question. There is no penalty for guessing.

Pack list

Tick things off as you pack. Your ticks stay on this device.

Bring

Leave behind

  • Phone, smartwatch, smart glasses, earbuds and headphones
  • Your own calculator (one is built in)
  • Bags, jackets, hats and sunglasses (religious head coverings are OK)
  • Notes, books and study material
  • Food and drinks, unless medically documented (at home: not even water)

The rules that matter on the day

Your ID

  • It must be the physical original, current and government-issued, with your photo. The first and last name must match your ATI registration.
  • Accepted: U.S. driver's license, state or non-driver ID, tribal card, U.S. passport or passport card, U.S. military ID, permanent resident card, U.S. visa, foreign passport.
  • Not accepted: student or work ID, photocopies, printouts or a photo of your ID on your phone.
  • If your ID doesn't qualify, the proctor stops the exam and ATI's no-refund policy applies.

Sources: [1][2]

The calculator

  • A basic calculator is on screen for every question in every section, not just Math. Open it with the calculator icon at the top right, next to Time Remaining.
  • It adds, subtracts, multiplies, divides and has percent, square root and memory keys. It is not scientific or graphing.
  • Personal calculators, phone calculators and calculator watches are not allowed.

Source: [5]

Scratch paper

  • You may have one blank sheet of scratch paper or a small whiteboard, plus two writing tools.
  • At a school or test center, the site gives you scratch paper. Some sites also ask you to bring two sharpened No. 2 pencils.

Varies: Your confirmation email says what your site provides.

Sources: [1][4][5]

The break

  • One optional 10-minute break after Math, at home, at school and at a test center. It doesn't use testing time.
  • Don't touch your phone, notes or other personal items during the break.
  • If you leave your seat at any other time, the section clock keeps running and the time can't be made up.

Sources: [3][6]

Moving around

  • Inside a section you can move between questions, change answers and flag questions to come back to.
  • Once you submit a section, you can't go back to it. Unused time does not carry over to the next section.
  • When a section's time runs out, it closes and unanswered questions count as wrong.

Sources: [6][7]

How much time you get

SectionQuestionsTimePer question
Reading4555 min~75 sec
Math3857 min~90 sec
Science5060 min~70 sec
English and Language Usage3737 min~60 sec

Sections always run in this order, and each has its own clock. The 10-minute break after Math is extra. Approved extended-time accommodations change these limits. [6][7]

Our tip: Do a first pass and flag anything slow. Then spend the minutes you have left on flagged questions, and guess on any you still can't solve before time runs out.

At home vs. in person

At home (online, live proctor)

  • A quiet, private, well-lit room with a plain background and a clear desk. You'll show the room on camera. Cars, coffee shops and open library areas don't count.
  • A laptop or desktop with a working webcam and microphone. Phones and Chromebooks aren't supported.
  • Run ATI's Dry Run (system check) ahead of time, on the same computer and in the same place.
  • Start logging in 30 minutes early. The exam begins only after a proctor approves you.
  • Keep your face in view. The break after Math is the only time you may leave the camera.
  • Problems with your own computer or internet are not grounds for a refund.

Sources: [1][4][10]

In person (school or PSI test center)

  • Arrive 15 to 20 minutes early. Late arrivals are not admitted, and the exam is not refunded.
  • The site provides the computer. Don't bring a laptop.
  • Leave your phone, bag and jacket at home or in your car.
  • At a PSI test center, the name on your ID must match both your PSI appointment and your ATI account.
  • Need help during the exam? Raise your hand.

Sources: [3][4][8]

When you get your score

  1. Right after you finish

    TEAS online with ATI: a preliminary score appears in your ATI account. At a school, the score usually posts right away, but some schools turn this off. [1][10]

  2. A few business days later

    ATI's preliminary score becomes final (ATI's help center says about 4 business days). Transcripts go to schools only after that. [1][10]

  3. Up to 48 hours

    If you test at a PSI test center, your score can take up to 48 hours to show on the MY ATI › Results tab. [8]

  4. If you need a retake

    ATI's help center lists no waiting period, but its registration page says to wait at least 48 hours before booking a retake. Your program decides how many tries you get and how long to wait. [1][9]

If you're nervous

  • Nerves are normal. Take one practice test under real conditions first: timed sections, a basic calculator and one sheet of scratch paper. Then test day feels familiar.
  • Get your ID, login and room ready the night before, so the morning has fewer surprises.
  • Stuck on a question? Flag it, guess and move on. A wrong guess costs you nothing extra.
  • There is no single passing score. Each program sets its own minimum, so check yours and aim for it.

Check with your school or test site

  • Which ways of testing they accept: at home, at the school or at a PSI test center
  • Anything extra to bring, like pencils
  • Their minimum score and how many attempts they allow
  • Whether you'll see your score on screen when you finish

Sources

  1. ATI Help, "ATI TEAS Exam FAQs" Accessed October 15, 2026.
  2. ATI Help, "Approved Photo ID for the ATI TEAS Exam" Accessed October 15, 2026.
  3. ATI Help, "What to Bring to an In-Person TEAS Exam" Accessed October 15, 2026.
  4. ATI Help, "TEAS Exam Day Details and Requirements" Accessed October 15, 2026.
  5. ATI Help, "Do I need to bring a calculator?" Accessed October 15, 2026.
  6. ATI Help, "TEAS Sections, Timing, and Going Back" Accessed October 15, 2026.
  7. ATI Help, "What Is the Time Limit for the ATI TEAS?" Accessed October 15, 2026.
  8. ATI Help, "TEAS at PSI Exam Day Details" Accessed October 15, 2026.
  9. ATI, "TEAS Exam Registration" Accessed October 15, 2026.
  10. ATI, "TEAS Online Proctored by ATI" Accessed October 15, 2026.

Rules change. If your confirmation email or test site says something different, follow them. HealthcareExams is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute), Elsevier/HESI, NCSBN or the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). TEAS and ATI TEAS are registered trademarks of Assessment Technologies Institute, LLC. HESI is a registered trademark of Elsevier Inc. NCLEX and NCLEX-RN are trademarks of NCSBN. PTCB, PTCE and CPhT are trademarks of the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board.