HESI A2 retake policy: waiting periods and attempt limits by school
Written and reviewed by Rebecca Moore, MSN, RN, CEN · 3 min read · Updated October 2026
Short answer
There is no single national HESI A2 retake rule. Your program sets how many attempts you get, how long you wait between them, which score counts, and how old a score can be. Published examples range from a 2 to 3 week wait at South Texas College to 60 days at Tarrant County College, with one or two attempts per application period. Check your own program's policy before you rebook.
What real programs say
LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing allows the HESI A2 twice during an application period, requires 6 weeks between test dates, uses the highest score within the past year, and asks you to retest if your score is more than a year old. Tarrant County College allows one attempt per application period and requires attempts to be at least 60 days apart.
The University of Arizona's MEPN program allows up to two attempts per application cycle, however close together, and uses the highest eligible score. It also requires its four sections in a single testing attempt, which matters as much as any waiting period: you cannot fix one weak section later and combine it with an earlier sitting. South Texas College lets you retest after a 2 to 3 week wait, on a different version of the exam, and allows two attempts per eligibility period.
Questions to answer before you rebook
How many attempts does the program allow, and is that per application period, per year, or in total? How long must you wait? Does it take your highest score, your most recent, or an average? Can section scores from different sittings be combined, or must everything come from one attempt?
Also check how long a score stays valid. LSU asks for a score within the past year and South Texas College within the last two years, so an old pass may not be usable. South Texas College adds that the fee is the same whether you retest one section or all sections.
Use the wait well
Your score report shows how you did in each section. Start there: the section furthest below your program's bar is where the next attempt's points are. LSU's FAQ notes that retakes usually bring a different version of the test, so reviewing the exact questions you saw will not help. Review the topics instead.
If your program reads a combined score, raising your weakest section moves the total most. If it sets a per-section floor, every required section needs to clear it on the same day.
Take a timed diagnostic on your required sections with our free HESI A2 practice questions, and plan the gap from there.
Common questions
How many times can you take the HESI A2?
It depends on the program. LSU Health New Orleans allows two attempts per application period and Tarrant County College one. Check your program's policy.
How long do you have to wait to retake the HESI A2?
Your program decides. Published examples include 2 to 3 weeks at South Texas College, 6 weeks at LSU Health New Orleans and 60 days at Tarrant County College.
Can I retake just one section of the HESI A2?
Some testing sites let you retest a single section, but some programs only accept scores from a single sitting. Confirm both rules before you book.