The nursing entrance exam, explained in plain language.
The HESI A2, formally the HESI Admission Assessment, is an entrance exam from the publisher Elsevier that many nursing and allied health programs use to screen applicants. It tests academic readiness across up to seven sections, your program picks which ones, and your score is a percentage per section. If you are here because a program you are applying to requires it, this page is the orientation.
Nursing programs, especially ADN and BSN programs, use the HESI A2 as an admissions filter alongside your GPA and prerequisites. Some allied health programs use it too. Each program decides three things independently: which sections you sit, what score counts as passing, and how recent the attempt must be. Two schools in the same city can require different sections with different cutoffs, so the authoritative source is always your program's admissions page.
Because seats in nursing programs are competitive, the practical bar is often above the published minimum. A program may accept 75 percent and admit mostly applicants who scored higher.
Math (arithmetic, fractions, percents, ratios, conversions, dosage style problems), Reading (health related passages, main ideas, inference), Vocabulary (medical word parts and general academic words), Grammar (sentence structure, punctuation, usage), Anatomy and Physiology (body systems and how they work), Biology (cells, energy, genetics), and Chemistry (atoms, reactions, moles, pH).
Each section runs 25 to 50 questions on its own timer; full counts and minutes are on the sections and timing page. Most programs require the core four plus, commonly, anatomy and physiology.
The material itself is high school level, and every topic is teachable. What makes the exam feel hard is breadth and pacing: seven different subjects, each with its own timer, and a score bar that competitive programs push above the minimum. Students who fail usually lose to one weak section, most often anatomy and physiology or math, rather than to the exam as a whole.
The preparation that works is unglamorous: a diagnostic to find your weak sections, focused practice with explanations, then timed mocks. A six week schedule is laid out in the study guide, and you can start right now with the free practice test.
How long does the HESI A2 take?
It depends on the sections your program requires. Each section has its own timer; all seven academic sections together total 285 minutes of testing time, but very few programs require all seven.
How much does the HESI A2 cost to take?
The fee is set by the school or testing center where you sit it, so it varies. Your program's admissions or testing page lists the current fee and how to register.
Can you retake the HESI A2?
Retake rules are set by each program: how many attempts, how far apart, and which attempt counts. Check your program's policy before scheduling, so your first real attempt is not rushed.
Is the HESI A2 the same as the TEAS?
No. They are competing entrance exams used for the same purpose; schools typically require one or the other. See the comparison on the HESI vs TEAS page, and confirm which one your program lists.
HESI and HESI A2 are trademarks of Elsevier Inc. This app is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Elsevier, any nursing school, or any exam provider. Practice content is original and is grounded in openly licensed textbooks. Schools choose which sections they require and set their own passing targets, so always confirm the current requirements with your program.