How to Pass the ATI TEAS Exam for Nursing School in 2026: Scores, Sections & Study Plan

How to Pass the ATI TEAS Exam for Nursing School in 2026: Scores, Sections & Study Plan

By Abirami Arumugam, RN, Chief Editor, GlobalNurseGuide.com

The TEAS exam is the first gate between you and nursing school in the United States. More than three-quarters of US nursing programmes require it as part of their admissions process. There is no universal passing score. Your target school sets its own minimum, and that minimum determines what you actually need to aim for. This guide explains exactly what the current version of the exam covers, what each type of programme expects, which section trips up the most applicants, and how to build a study plan that works before your application deadline.

What the ATI TEAS actually is, and who needs to take it

TEAS stands for Test of Essential Academic Skills. It is developed and administered by Assessment Technologies Institute, ATI, and it is designed to assess whether an applicant has the academic foundation needed to succeed in a nursing curriculum. Nursing programmes use it alongside GPA, letters of recommendation, and other admissions criteria. The current version is the TEAS 7, which launched in January 2022.

An important note for internationally educated nurses reading this: the TEAS is a pre-admission exam for nursing school in the United States. If you already hold a nursing qualification from India, the Philippines, Nigeria, or another country and are pursuing US licensure through CGFNS and NCLEX, the TEAS is not part of that pathway. It applies to people who have not yet started a nursing programme and are applying to a US ADN or BSN programme for the first time.

The TEAS 7 format: sections, questions, and time

The TEAS 7 has 170 total questions across four sections. Of those, 150 are scored. The remaining 20 are unscored pretest items embedded throughout the exam. You will not know which questions are unscored while you are taking the test.

Total testing time is 209 minutes, or roughly three and a half hours. An optional ten-minute break is available between the Math and Science sections. The sections run in a fixed order: Reading, then Mathematics, then Science, then English and Language Usage. Once you close a section, you cannot go back to change or review answers in it.

The section breakdown, sourced directly from ATI’s published content overview, is as follows:

Reading: 45 questions total (39 scored, 6 pretest) in 55 minutes. Covers key ideas, details, craft and structure, and integration of knowledge.

Mathematics: 38 questions total (32 scored, 6 pretest) in 57 minutes. Covers numbers and algebra, measurement and data. A four-function on-screen calculator is available during this section only. No fraction or scientific functions are included.

Science: 50 questions total (44 scored, 6 pretest) in 60 minutes. Covers human anatomy and physiology, life and physical sciences, and scientific reasoning. At 44 scored questions, science is the largest section at approximately 29% of the scored exam.

English and Language Usage: 37 questions total (35 scored, 2 pretest) in 37 minutes. Covers conventions of standard English, knowledge of language, and vocabulary.

The TEAS 7 introduced question types not present in earlier versions: hot-spot questions, ordered response items, and select-all-that-apply questions alongside standard multiple choice. Study materials from before 2022 will not cover these formats. If you have older prep books, this is the reason to replace them.

Scoring: what the levels mean and what your target programme needs

ATI does not issue a pass or fail. Instead, it reports five Academic Preparedness Levels:

• Exemplary: 90.7% to 100%
• Advanced: 78.0% to 90.0%
• Proficient: 58.7% to 77.3%
• Basic: 41.3% to 58.0%
• Developmental: 0% to 40.7%

The national average composite score sits between 65% and 75%, which falls in the Proficient band.

What each programme type typically looks for varies considerably. ADN programmes usually accept minimum composites between 55% and 65%. BSN programmes at non-competitive schools typically require 65% to 75%. Competitive BSN programmes expect 78% or above. Accelerated BSN programmes, which are often the most competitive, frequently require 70% to 85%. You will need to verify the requirement directly with each programme you apply to.

A section score note worth knowing: most nursing programmes review individual section scores alongside the composite. A composite in the Advanced band with a very low Science score may raise concerns. Section minimums exist at some programmes. Check the specific requirements before you assume the composite total is the only number that matters.

Why science is where the exam is really decided

Science is the largest section and the one where applicants lose the most ground. The 44 scored science questions cover human anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, and scientific reasoning. The TEAS 7 shifted toward more chemistry and biology questions compared to the TEAS 6, which leaned more heavily on anatomy and physiology. If you are using a study guide that predates January 2022, the science content distribution will be off.

For applicants who have been out of science coursework for several years, this section requires the most lead time. Anatomy and physiology, specifically the major body systems and their interactions, tends to be the material most directly useful for nursing programme curricula. Invest study time there first.

Scientific reasoning questions test your ability to interpret experimental data, read graphs, and evaluate conclusions. They do not require memorised content in the same way the biology and chemistry questions do. Treat them as a skills section that responds quickly to focused practice rather than content review.

Mathematics: the calculator change matters

The TEAS 7 allows a four-function on-screen calculator during the math section. The TEAS 6 did not. This changes the preparation strategy. Mental arithmetic speed matters less than it did previously. What matters now is understanding the concepts well enough to set up the calculation correctly.

The math section covers numbers and algebra, including ratios, proportions, fractions, and basic equations, as well as measurement and data, including interpreting charts and applying statistical reasoning. Dimensional analysis, which is the unit conversion skill used constantly in clinical nursing, appears in this section. Nursing school applicants who have worked in healthcare support roles often find dimensional analysis intuitive; those without that background need to build it deliberately.

Do not rely on the calculator for arithmetic you can do in your head. It adds time. Use it for operations that would otherwise require sustained concentration: multi-step fraction conversions, percentage calculations with complex numbers, and measurement conversions.

How TEAS compares to the HESI A2

Some nursing programmes require the HESI A2 rather than the TEAS. About three-quarters of US nursing programmes use the TEAS; the remainder use the HESI A2, which is administered by Elsevier. The two exams are not interchangeable. Each programme specifies which it accepts.

Both tests cover Reading, Math, Science, and English. The HESI A2 includes a vocabulary subsection that the TEAS does not. The HESI science section is more anatomy-and-physiology focused compared to the TEAS 7’s broader science coverage. Applicants who have not studied chemistry recently often find the TEAS 7 harder on science; applicants without strong anatomy foundations often find the HESI A2 harder.

Do not prepare for one and assume the preparation transfers to the other without verifying what your target programme requires. Check the admissions page of every programme on your shortlist before registering for either exam.

Registration, cost, and testing locations

Register at atitesting.com. The cost through ATI’s own testing platform is approximately USD 115 per attempt. Some nursing schools and community colleges administer the TEAS directly at their own testing facilities at a different price point. Check whether your target programme offers school-administered testing, because it may be less expensive and may also streamline how your score report is sent to them.

You can sit the exam at a PSI testing centre, at a participating nursing school’s own testing facility, or online with a live remote proctor. The remote proctored and in-person versions use identical content, timing, and format.

Your unofficial score is available immediately after you finish the exam. The full official score report typically releases within 48 to 72 hours. If you have application deadlines approaching, factor this processing time into your scheduling. ATI recommends scheduling the exam at least six weeks after you begin active preparation.

Score validity and retake policy

Most nursing programmes accept TEAS scores from within the past two years. Some extend that to three years. Verify your specific programme’s policy before assuming your score from a previous sitting is still valid for the current application cycle.

ATI itself does not impose a limit on retake attempts. Individual nursing programmes do, often setting a maximum of two or three attempts per year and requiring a waiting period between attempts, typically 30 days at a minimum. Some programmes specify that they will consider only your most recent score, while others take the highest score across attempts. Knowing your target programme’s policy before you retake is essential.

If you sit the exam and fall short, ask the admissions office directly what they recommend. Some programmes will advise whether a retake would realistically change your admission outcome. That conversation is worth having before you register for a second attempt.

Building a study plan

Six to eight weeks of preparation is the realistic window for most applicants. Two to three hours of focused daily study in that window builds adequate coverage. Compressing preparation into two weeks produces shallow review. Extending it beyond three months without consistent daily practice tends to produce fatigue and diminishing returns.

Start with the science section. It has the most scored questions and typically requires the most time to build from scratch. Cover anatomy and physiology systems first, then biology, then chemistry. Leave scientific reasoning questions until you have content knowledge behind them.

Work on reading and math in parallel during the middle weeks. Both sections respond to timed practice more quickly than science does.

English and Language Usage is the section most applicants underestimate. Punctuation, grammar conventions, and sentence structure questions are the areas where straightforward rules apply and can be learned efficiently. Do not neglect this section in favour of science time.

ATI’s own study manual is the most content-accurate preparation resource, because it is built to match the exam’s exact content areas. Free practice tests from ATI’s website provide accurate question format exposure. Khan Academy’s free math content covers the numerical skills tested in the math section.

What the TEAS is actually measuring

I have mentored student nurses from the point of application through their first clinical placements. The students who struggled in nursing school were rarely the ones who failed the TEAS because they lacked intelligence or dedication. They struggled because nursing school moves fast, demands simultaneous processing of multiple concepts under time pressure, and does not slow down for students who cannot manage test anxiety in high-stakes written formats.

The TEAS is not testing nursing knowledge. It is testing whether you have the academic infrastructure to absorb a curriculum that will move faster than any you have experienced before. A student who finds the science section overwhelming at 50 questions in 60 minutes is getting early information about how they will manage pharmacology, pathophysiology, and clinical reasoning coursework all in the same week. That is not a permanent verdict. It is a signal about where preparation is needed before, not after, you start the programme.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good TEAS score for nursing school in 2026?

There is no single answer. ADN programmes typically accept composites from 55% to 65%. Standard BSN programmes usually want 65% to 75%. Competitive BSN programmes look for 78% or above, which falls in ATI’s Advanced band. Accelerated BSN programmes often require 70% to 85%. Research the specific minimum for each programme you plan to apply to at their official admissions page.

Does the TEAS have a time limit per section?

Yes. Each section has its own fixed time limit: Reading 55 minutes, Mathematics 57 minutes, Science 60 minutes, English and Language Usage 37 minutes. Time does not carry over between sections. Once a section closes, you cannot return to it.

Is a calculator allowed on the TEAS?

A four-function on-screen calculator is available during the Mathematics section only. No calculator is permitted in any other section. This was a change introduced in TEAS 7. Older study guides reflecting TEAS 6 rules will state no calculator is allowed, which is outdated.

How many times can I take the TEAS?

ATI does not impose an attempt limit, but individual nursing programmes typically do. Most programmes allow two to three attempts per year, with a minimum waiting period of 30 days between attempts. Check the policy of each programme you are applying to, because they vary.

Should I take the TEAS or the HESI A2?

Take whichever your target programme requires. About three-quarters of US nursing programmes specify the TEAS 7. The remainder use the HESI A2. The two exams are not equivalent or interchangeable. Verify the requirement on each programme’s official admissions page before registering.

Sources:

Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI), TEAS 7 content area overview and Academic Preparedness Levels, atitesting.com; ATI TEAS 7 score band definitions and section timing, published by ATI at atitesting.com.

TEAS score minimums, retake policies, and score validity periods are set by individual nursing programmes, not by ATI. Requirements change between application cycles. Always verify the current requirements directly with the admissions office of each nursing programme you plan to apply to. Score figures and section details in this article reflect the TEAS 7 format as published by ATI as of the article date. This article is for general informational and educational guidance purposes only and does not constitute admissions advice or academic counselling. GlobalNurseGuide.com is not affiliated with Assessment Technologies Institute or any nursing programme.