HESI A2 sections: what is on the exam and how many questions each one has
Written and reviewed by Rebecca Moore, MSN, RN, CEN · 3 min read · Updated October 2026
Short answer
The HESI A2 is built from separate section exams, and your nursing program chooses which ones you take. Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Math have 55 questions each, and Anatomy and Physiology has 30. Some programs also require Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. Your total question count depends on the sections your school picks.
The core sections
Many programs build their HESI A2 from the English and math sections: Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar, 55 questions each, and Math, 55 questions with an on-screen calculator. Some programs add science sections such as Anatomy and Physiology, 30 questions.
Biology, Chemistry, and Physics exist as further science sections that some programs require. Some schools also include a short learning style and personality profile, which describes how you study rather than counting toward admission.
Why your exam may not look like a friend's
Elsevier publishes the HESI A2 as a set of section exams, and each program decides which sections its applicants sit and which scores it reads. The University of Arizona's Master's Entry to the Profession of Nursing (MEPN) program, for example, uses Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Biology. Baylor uses a Math score and an English composite of Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, and Grammar, with no science.
So the first job is to find your program's list. It tells you how many questions you will face, how long you will sit, and which sections are worth your study time. Time limits and the total length of the sitting are also set per program and testing site, so take them from your school or test centre.
What each section tests
Reading Comprehension asks you to find main ideas, draw inferences, and read passages closely. Vocabulary leans on words you will meet in health care. Grammar covers parts of speech, sentence structure, and common usage errors. Math is arithmetic for nursing: fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions, conversions, and everyday calculations.
Anatomy and Physiology covers the body systems, terminology, and how structures work together. If your program includes it, it is usually the section that needs the most dedicated review.
The quickest way to see the question style is to try some. Our free HESI A2 practice questions are grouped by section, so you can start with the ones your program requires.
Common questions
How many questions are on the HESI A2?
It depends on which sections your program requires. Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Math are 55 questions each, and Anatomy and Physiology is 30, so a program using those five sections gives you 250 questions.
Is there a calculator on the HESI A2?
Yes, an on-screen calculator is available during the Math section.
Do I have to take every HESI A2 section?
Only the ones your program requires. Some testing centres ask you to sit a fixed set regardless, so check with both the program and the site where you test.