How long are HESI A2 scores good for?
Written and reviewed by Brittany Scott, BSN, RN, CCM · 3 min read · Updated November 2026
Short answer
HESI A2 scores are good for as long as the school you apply to says they are; there is no universal expiry. The University of Arizona accepts one year, Alvin College five years, and East Carolina University says its scores do not expire. Elsevier keeps your records available online for six years.
Two different clocks: Elsevier's records and the school's window
Elsevier's support center, updated July 2026, says you can view HESI scoring information through your Evolve Student Access account for exams taken within the past six years, and that HESI records six years old will no longer be available. That is a record retention rule, not a validity rule.
Whether a score still counts is decided by each nursing program. Arizona and Alvin measure the age of your score against the application deadline, not the date you submit. So a score can be valid on the day you start an application and expired on the day the application closes.
Published windows at three schools
| School | Score window | Retake rule that affects old scores |
|---|---|---|
| University of Arizona | One year, and the score must be current on the application deadline | Up to 2 attempts per application cycle; highest average used |
| Alvin College ADN | Taken no more than 5 years before the application deadline | Two exams from a 12-month period may be submitted, at least 90 days apart |
| East Carolina University BSN | Scores do not expire | 2 attempts total that never reset; reapplicants must use those scores |
ECU's rule shows that a long window is not always an advantage. Because its two attempts never reset, a weak score from years ago stays on your record for every future application to that program. At a one-year school, an old weak score simply ages out.
A worked example of the deadline rule
The University of Arizona gives its own example: a HESI score from November 1, 2025 expires on November 1, 2026. If you plan to apply to a cycle whose deadline falls after that date, that score will not count, even if it was valid when you started gathering documents.
To check your own score, write down your test date and your target deadline, then add the school's window to the test date. If the result lands before the deadline, plan a new attempt now, leaving room for the school's wait period between attempts and for score posting.
Sending an older score to a new school
Some schools want the PDF score report itself. ECU tells applicants to download the Summary Score Report from the My Exams tab in Evolve and upload it with the application. Others ask for an official transcript, which Elsevier forwards by email to the institution named on your request form after a processing period of 7 to 10 business days.
An in-date score can still fail a new school's requirements. Arizona requires biology, ECU requires biology and anatomy and physiology, and Alvin requires grammar and anatomy and physiology. If your old attempt skipped a section the new school needs, you will have to test again regardless of age.
Sources
Elsevier Support: Where can I find my HESI exam scoring information? (updated July 2026). Scoring access for exams in the past six years; six-year-old records no longer available
Elsevier Support: How do I request a copy of my HESI transcript? (updated August 2025). Transcript emailed to the named institution; 7 to 10 business day processing
University of Arizona College of Nursing: HESI Admission Assessment policy. One-year validity, November 2025 example, current on deadline, 2 attempts per cycle, required sections
Alvin College ADN: HESI A2 exam information. Five-year window from the deadline; 90-day spacing; required sections
East Carolina University College of Nursing: BSN HESI A2 Exam FAQs (updated January 2026). Scores do not expire; attempts never reset; upload Summary Score Report from Evolve; required sections
Common questions
Do HESI A2 scores expire?
Not on a national schedule. Each school sets its own window, from one year at the University of Arizona to five years at Alvin College, and ECU says its scores never expire. Elsevier separately stops showing records after six years.
Can I send old HESI scores to a new school?
Yes, if the score is inside that school's window and includes every section it requires. Upload your Evolve score report or request a transcript from Elsevier, which takes 7 to 10 business days to process.
How long do schools accept HESI A2 scores?
It varies by program, so read the admissions page of each school you apply to. Check whether the window is measured from your test date to the application deadline, as at Arizona and Alvin.