The HESI A2 (Health Education Systems, Inc. Admission Assessment) is the nursing school entrance exam published by ATI — used by hundreds of US nursing programs to evaluate applicants before admission. Whether you are applying to an associate degree, bachelor of science in nursing, or LPN program, clearing the HESI A2 is a critical first step. This guide covers every section, scoring requirements, study strategies, and free practice resources to help you prepare with confidence.
The HESI Admission Assessment Exam — commonly called the HESI A2 — is a standardized academic readiness test developed by ATI (formerly Elsevier Health Sciences). Nursing schools use it to predict which applicants have the foundational academic skills needed to succeed in rigorous nursing curricula.
Unlike the NCLEX (which licenses graduates), the HESI A2 is taken before you start a nursing program. It tests knowledge across science, math, reading, and English language skills. Each school selects which sections it requires, so you should verify the exact requirements with your target program before registering.
The exam is administered at approved testing centers and, at some institutions, in a proctored online format. Because scores are school-specific and not universally transferable, you may need to retake the exam if you apply to multiple programs with different cut-off thresholds.
Each HESI A2 section is scored on a 0 to 100 scale. Most nursing programs set their minimum acceptance threshold at 75% cumulative, though competitive programs and individual sections may require 80% or higher.
Always confirm the exact cut-off scores with each school you apply to, as requirements vary widely.
The total time you spend on the HESI A2 depends on which sections your school requires. A full exam covering all eight subjects typically runs 3 to 5 hours, including short breaks between sections. Individual section time limits range from 25 minutes (Anatomy and Physiology) to 60 minutes (Reading Comprehension).
Registration fees typically fall between $40 and $50 per attempt, though the exact cost depends on the testing center and the number of sections included. You pay when you register, so confirm the fee with your school or the testing center in advance.
Most nursing programs enforce a 60-day waiting period between retakes, and many limit the number of attempts to two or three. After exhausting retake allowances at one school, you may be ineligible to reapply to that program for a full academic year. This makes thorough preparation essential — treating your first attempt as a high-stakes test rather than a trial run.
The HESI brand covers two entirely different exams that are often confused:
If your nursing school mentions the HESI, always clarify which version they mean. Studying NCLEX-style content for your nursing school entrance exam is a common and costly mistake.
Mathematics: Most students find the math section manageable with focused practice on fractions, ratios, percentages, and metric conversions. Pay extra attention to medication dosage calculations — they appear frequently and follow a predictable format. Use dimensional analysis (the unit-factor method) consistently.
Anatomy and Physiology: This is the section that derails the most applicants. Invest the bulk of your study time here. Learn each body system methodically: structure, function, regulation, and common disorders. Visual learners benefit from labeled diagrams; auditory learners from recorded lectures.
Vocabulary and General Knowledge: Medical terminology questions test Greek and Latin root words. Flashcards — physical or digital — remain the most effective tool. Aim to learn at least 10 new medical terms per study session.
Reading Comprehension: Speed and accuracy both matter. Practice reading dense academic passages and answering questions without rereading the full text. Identify the main idea in the first paragraph and use process of elimination for inference questions.
A well-structured HESI practice test covering all sections is the most efficient way to identify your weak areas before the real exam. Use your practice scores to reallocate study time in the final two weeks before your test date.