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So what is the TEAS test? It’s a 170-question, 209-minute admissions exam used by most US nursing programs to decide who gets in. The current version, TEAS 7, has four sections — Reading, Mathematics, Science, and English and Language Usage. It’s built and administered by ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute). And it costs roughly $70 to $120 depending on where you take it. So if you’re prepping for it and want a full study plan, our team at Testavia built the complete TEAS test prep guide for exactly that.

Honestly, most articles about the TEAS get the basics wrong. Some still cite TEAS 6 numbers from 2022. Others list the old $115 fee that ATI bumped to $120. A few even say you can bring your own calculator (you can’t). So here’s the right answer, straight from ATI’s current specs.

What Does TEAS Stand For?

TEAS stands for Test of Essential Academic Skills. It’s built and run by ATI, which stands for Assessment Technologies Institute. So when you see “TEAS” and “ATI TEAS” used interchangeably, they’re the same exam.

The current version is TEAS 7, which launched June 3, 2022, replacing the older TEAS 6. As of 2026, TEAS 7 is still the current version. ATI typically updates the exam every 5 years or so, and no major redesign has been announced for 2026 or 2027.

Hundreds of US nursing programs use the TEAS as a pre-admission gate. That includes ADN (associate degree), BSN (bachelor’s), accelerated BSN, LPN/LVN, RN-bridge programs, and several allied-health programs like radiology tech and dental hygiene. Some Canadian schools accept it too. Meanwhile, a smaller pool of schools use the HESI A2 instead — a different exam from a different publisher, as Nurse.org’s TEAS guide breaks down.

What’s on the TEAS Exam?

The TEAS has 170 total questions split across 4 sections, with a total testing time of 209 minutes. Here’s how those numbers actually break down.

Of those 170 questions, only 150 are scored. The other 20 are unscored pretest items that ATI uses to test future questions. You won’t know which is which during the exam, so answer them all like they count.

The 4 sections always appear in the same fixed order: Reading → Mathematics → Science → English and Language Usage. You can’t skip around.

Section Breakdown

Source: ATI TEAS exam details.

What Each Section Tests

Reading covers key ideas and details, craft and structure, and integration of knowledge across passages. So expect main-idea questions, detail-grabbing questions, and inference questions.

Mathematics covers numbers and algebra (fractions, percentages, ratios, basic algebra) plus measurement and data (unit conversions, geometry basics, data interpretation). No trigonometry, no calculus.

Science carries the heaviest single-topic load. Human anatomy and physiology dominates, followed by biology, chemistry, and scientific reasoning. Honestly, this is the section that decides most TEAS scores.

English and Language Usage tests conventions of standard English, knowledge of language, and vocabulary acquisition. So grammar rules, punctuation, sentence structure, prefixes, and suffixes.

Question Types

Many older articles claim the TEAS is “all multiple choice.” That’s wrong on TEAS 7. There are actually 5 question types:

• Multiple choice (4 options)
• Multiple select (select-all-that-apply)
• Fill-in-the-blank
• Ordered response
• Hot spot

How Is the TEAS Scored?

Your main score is the Adjusted Individual Composite Score — your weighted percent correct across all 4 sections, adjusted for the difficulty of the form you took. So if you got a harder form, the adjustment levels the playing field.

You also get a per-section Adjusted Score showing how you did in each of the 4 sections individually. Plus, your score report includes the National Mean, the Program Mean for any school you sent your score to, your National Percentile Rank, and your Program Percentile Rank.

ATI groups all TEAS scores into 5 Academic Preparedness Levels:

The national composite average usually sits between 65% and 75%, putting most test-takers in the Proficient tier. However, your goal isn’t the national average. Your goal is your specific school’s cutoff.

What’s a Passing TEAS Score?

There’s no universal passing score. None. Every nursing program sets its own cutoff, so “passing” depends entirely on where you’re applying.

Common cutoffs by program type:

• Community-college ADN programs: 60–70%
• Standard BSN programs: 70–80%
• Competitive or accelerated BSN programs: 80%+

Also, some schools weight individual sections more heavily than others. Science is the most commonly weighted section because nursing programs care most about your science readiness. So a strong composite with a weak Science score can still get you rejected from a competitive program.

Your TEAS score stays valid for 1 to 2 years at most schools. But check each program’s requirements — some accept older scores, some don’t.

If you scored below your target on a recent attempt, the smartest move is targeting your weakest section instead of redoing all four. Our free TEAS practice tests help you spot the gap fast.

How Much Does the TEAS Cost?

The TEAS costs $70 to $120 depending on where you take it. Here’s the actual breakdown.

If you take the TEAS through ATI directly or at a PSI testing center, the fee is $120. This is the standard rate ATI publishes on their official cost page.

If you take it at a school testing center, the cost varies, typically $70 to $110. Each institution sets its own price, often including proctor and room fees.

What’s included: the 170-question exam, proctoring, and one official transcript sent to a school of your choice.

What costs extra: additional transcripts ($27 each), travel or ID-verification fees at some PSI centers, and retakes (no discount — full price every time).

So budget around $120 if you’re testing through ATI or PSI. Otherwise, check your school’s specific price if testing on campus.

How Many Times Can I Take the TEAS?

ATI doesn’t set a universal limit on TEAS attempts. Instead, each nursing program sets its own retake cap, usually 2 to 3 attempts per 12-month period.

You do have to wait between attempts, though. Here’s the rule:

• TEAS at ATI or PSI direct: 14 days between attempts
• TEAS at a school testing center: typically 30 days (school-set)

Many schools also count attempts taken at any testing location against your limit, not just at their own site. So don’t try to game the system by switching between ATI, PSI and your school,  they often share data.

Also worth knowing: there’s no retake discount. Every attempt costs the full $120 (or whatever your school charges). So treat each attempt seriously.

Can I Use a Calculator on the TEAS?

Yes, but only the one ATI gives you. The TEAS provides an on-screen 4-function calculator embedded in the exam interface. You cannot bring your own calculator under any circumstances.

What the on-screen calculator can do: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, square roots, and basic memory functions (M+, M−, MRC, C/CE).

What it can’t do: graphing, scientific functions, fractions as a single key, parentheses. So if a problem needs (3 + 4) × 5, you’re doing the parentheses in your head first.

The calculator appears on Mathematics questions and on Science questions where calculation is required. It doesn’t show up on Reading or English items.

Who Has to Take the TEAS?

Most US nursing programs require either the TEAS or the HESI A2 for admission:

• ADN programs — typically TEAS
• BSN programs — TEAS or HESI A2 (varies by school)
• Accelerated BSN — TEAS or HESI A2
• LPN/LVN programs — many require TEAS
• Allied-health programs — radiology tech, surgical tech, dental hygiene, and others often require TEAS

A small minority of schools require neither. So before you start prepping, check the admissions page of every program you’re applying to. Requirements change yearly.

TEAS vs HESI A2: Which One Does Your School Require?

This trips up a lot of applicants, so here’s the quick version.

Both tests serve the same purpose — nursing-school admission but they’re built by different publishers, follow different formats, and emphasize different content. The TEAS is built by ATI and runs 170 questions in 209 minutes across 4 sections. Meanwhile, the HESI A2 is built by Elsevier and is modular, your school picks which subtests you take, typically 4 to 6 out of 8 academic sections.

Some schools accept either exam. Others require one specifically. So check your program’s admissions page before you spend $120 on the wrong test.

Is the TEAS Hard?

Honestly, the TEAS is hard without preparation and very passable with it. The content sits at high-school-to-early-college academic level. It’s not trying to trick you. Instead, it’s testing whether your reading, math, science and English fundamentals are solid enough to handle nursing school content.

The hardest sections for most students:

• Math — because of the timing pressure (1:30 per question) and the limited on-screen calculator
• Science — because anatomy and physiology carries the heaviest content load and most applicants haven’t taken A&P recently

Average prep time runs 6 to 8 weeks for someone with reasonably current academic skills. If you’re brushing up multiple subjects after years away, plan 12 weeks or more.

How to Prepare for the TEAS

Here’s the realistic 4-step prep path.

First, take a free diagnostic to identify your weakest section. Without a diagnostic, you’re studying blind.

Second, build a 6 to 8 week study plan weighted toward Math and Science, since those carry the highest content load and the most failure risk.

Third, practice with TEAS 7-aligned questions, make sure your prep materials are current, not TEAS 6 leftovers from 2021.

Fourth, take at least 2 full-length timed practice tests before exam day. Pacing kills more TEAS scores than knowledge gaps.

Testavia’s adaptive engine handles this workflow. It identifies your weak sections, weights your practice automatically, and runs on mobile so you can squeeze sessions between shifts or classes.

Start your free trial of Testavia’s adaptive TEAS prep for the full study plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line

The TEAS is a 170-question, 4-section, 209-minute admissions exam from ATI. It costs $70 to $120 depending on location. There’s no universal passing score, your nursing school sets the cutoff. And the on-screen 4-function calculator is provided, so leave your TI-84 at home.

So now that you know what the TEAS is, the next step is figuring out how to crush it. Start with our complete TEAS test prep guide for study plans, section deep-dives and 2026-aligned practice questions.