Free HESI A2 Practice Test & Nursing Admissions Planner
By Chris Gaglardi | Published October 8, 2026
Preparing for a nursing-school entrance exam? Start practicing now. Pick a HESI A2 subject, get an explanation after each answer, and use the results to plan what to study next. No account, purchase, or email required.
Important: These are original, unofficial educational practice questions, not actual Elsevier HESI items. Your percentage here measures accuracy on this small question set. It is not an official HESI score or prediction of admission.
Start free HESI A2 practice
Choose a subject or try the mixed diagnostic. Your answers are saved only in this browser if storage is available.
Build your admissions study plan
Select only subjects your program requires. Don't guess: check the admissions page or ask the nursing department before treating a score as a requirement.
The minimum field is a note for planning, not a converter between practice accuracy and official HESI scores. Some schools require separate minimums for different sections.
What subjects are on the HESI A2?
Elsevier's Admission Assessment Exam Review, sixth edition (2024), covers mathematics, reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, biology, chemistry and anatomy and physiology. Your school may require only some of them. Its admissions instructions, not a generic practice website, determine which tests and scores matter for your application.
How to use your practice results
Start with a mixed diagnostic to identify familiar and unfamiliar topics. Review every explanation, including questions you answered correctly by guessing. Then practice individual subjects, record missed concepts, and return for another round. Because each subject contains only a small introductory question set, results are not statistically reliable estimates of exam performance.
HESI requirements are not the same at every nursing school
For example, UTHealth Houston's Pacesetter BSN admissions page specifies seven HESI sections taken together and says it does not accept HESI scores taken for another institution. Lone Star College's testing guidance describes distinct requirements for associate-degree and vocational nursing applicants, including a 60-day waiting period between attempts. These are examples, not nationwide rules; verify policies for your own school and application cycle.
HESI A2 vs. ATI TEAS
Some nursing programs accept one exam, some the other, and some provide options. The HESI A2 commonly uses a program-selected set of subject exams. ATI reports that the TEAS uses four timed sections, 170 questions and 209 minutes of testing time. Don't choose an exam based on which sounds easier: check what the programs you want actually accept.
Already preparing for TEAS instead? Use our free TEAS practice test.
What to confirm before paying for a test
- The exact entrance assessment and required subject sections.
- Any overall and section-level minimums and how the school uses them.
- Which test locations or remote providers are accepted, and whether a department code is required.
- Registration cost, identification, calculator rules and accommodation request procedures.
- How recently scores must have been earned and when they must arrive.
- Retake waiting periods, attempt limits and whether all sections must be repeated.
- Application deadlines, prerequisite courses and GPA requirements.
Still choosing a nursing program?
Start by deciding whether a practical nursing or registered nursing pathway suits your goals. Review the admissions and clinical-placement requirements before requesting information. If you already have a school picked, focus on its official applicant instructions.
Frequently asked questions
What is a passing HESI A2 score?
There is no one percentage that every nursing program accepts. Some schools apply subject-level minimums; others consider multiple admission criteria. Use the published requirements for your specific program and application cycle.
Is this an official HESI A2 test?
No. These are original practice questions with explanations, not Elsevier questions, an officially scored simulation or a predictor of admission.
Does every nursing school require HESI A2?
No. Schools may require HESI A2, ATI TEAS or another admission process. Confirm before you register.
Should I practice subjects my program does not require?
General review can be helpful, but prioritize the subjects your program actually tests, as well as prerequisites you need to complete.
Sources and review notes
- Elsevier: HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review, 6th edition (2024).
- UTHealth Houston: HESI requirements (accessed October 8, 2026).
- Lone Star College: HESI testing instructions (accessed October 8, 2026).
- ATI: TEAS exam overview (accessed October 8, 2026).
- OpenStax science texts and mathematics texts for foundational review.