TEAS vs HESI A2: how the two nursing entrance exams differ
Written and reviewed by Rebecca Moore, MSN, RN, CEN · 2 min read · Updated October 2026
Short answer
You do not choose between the TEAS and the HESI A2. Your nursing program does, and many accept only one. The TEAS, from ATI, is a fixed four-section exam with a 0% to 100% total score. The HESI A2, from Elsevier, is a set of section exams your program picks from, scored as percentages per section.
Structure
The TEAS is the same for everyone: Reading, Math, Science, and English and Language Usage, 170 questions in 209 minutes, every section required. The HESI A2 is modular. Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Math have 55 questions each, Anatomy and Physiology has 30, and further science sections exist, but your program decides which ones you sit.
In practice that means a TEAS candidate always studies four sections, while a HESI A2 candidate may study three, five, or more, depending on the school.
Content
Both test reading, English, math, and science, at the level a nursing program expects of a new student. The TEAS folds grammar, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary into one English section and covers science as one broad section across anatomy and physiology, life and physical sciences, and scientific reasoning.
The HESI A2 splits English into three separate sections and treats each science as its own exam. If your program requires only English and Math, the HESI A2 may have no science at all. Math looks similar on both: fractions, percentages, ratios, and conversions.
Scoring
The TEAS gives a single adjusted total score from 0% to 100%, a score per section, and one of five ATI preparedness levels. The HESI A2 gives a percentage for each section and combined scores across them. On both, the program sets the cutoff, and the cutoff varies widely between programs.
So the useful question is not which exam is easier but which one your program requires, which sections it reads, and what score it wants. Answer that, then practise the exact sections in play: our free TEAS practice questions and free HESI A2 practice questions are split by section for exactly that reason.
Common questions
Is the TEAS or the HESI A2 harder?
Neither is consistently harder. They test similar skills in a different shape, and how hard each feels depends on which sections you are strong in and which ones your program requires.
Can I take the HESI A2 instead of the TEAS?
Only if your program accepts it. Many programs name one exam, and some accept either. Check the admissions page before you book.
Can I study for both at once?
Yes, the content overlaps heavily. Learn the shared material once, then practise each exam's format and timing separately.