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ATI TEAS 7: the full guide

The ATI TEAS 7 has 170 questions (150 scored) in 209 minutes across four sections. ATI or PSI registration is US$120 plus sales tax.

Checked November 15, 2026
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Short answer: The ATI TEAS 7 (Test of Essential Academic Skills, Version 7) is an entrance exam used by nursing and allied health programs, with 170 questions (150 scored) in 209 minutes across four sections: reading, math, science, and English and language usage. Registration through ATI or PSI costs US$120 plus sales tax, and there is no national passing score because each school sets its own minimum.

Timeline of TEAS 7 test day: reading 45 items in 55 minutes, math 38 items in 57 minutes, an optional 10-minute break, science 50 items in 60 minutes, English 37 items in 37 minutes; 170 questions and 209 minutes in total.

Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) writes and runs the TEAS. Every fact on this page comes from ATI's own pages, read on November 15, 2026.

The TEAS 7 at a glance

Reading Math Science English and language usage Total
Questions 45 38 50 37 170
Unscored pretest questions 6 4 6 4 20
Scored questions 39 34 44 33 150
Time 55 minutes 57 minutes 60 minutes 37 minutes 209 minutes
Share of scored questions 26% 23% 29% 22% 100%

Other key facts:

  • Fee: US$120 plus sales tax for TEAS at ATI and TEAS at PSI. When a school proctors the test, the school sets the price.
  • Scores: a total score, four content area scores and several sub-content area scores, each from 0.0% to 100%, plus an academic preparedness level.
  • Passing score: ATI does not set one. Each program sets its own minimum.
  • Question types: multiple choice, multiple select (select all that apply), fill in the blank, ordered response and hot spot. ATI says about 20% of questions are alternate item types, meaning not standard multiple choice.
  • Break: an optional 10-minute break after math. It does not use testing time.
  • Calculator: a basic on-screen calculator in every section. Personal calculators are not allowed.

What each section tests

ATI divides each section into sub-content areas. The numbers below are scored questions.

  • Reading (39 scored): key ideas and details (15), craft and structure (9), integration of knowledge and ideas (15). See TEAS reading section.
  • Math (34 scored): numbers and algebra (18), measurement and data (16). See TEAS math.
  • Science (44 scored): human anatomy and physiology (18), biology (9), chemistry (8), scientific reasoning (9). See TEAS science section.
  • English and language usage (33 scored): conventions of standard English (12), knowledge of language (11), using language and vocabulary to express ideas in writing (10). See TEAS English section.

The sections always come in this order, and each has its own clock. Time left in one section does not move to the next. Within a section you can go back, change answers and flag questions. Once you submit a section, you cannot return to it.

You cannot tell which 20 questions are unscored, so treat every question as if it counts. Every question is scored right or wrong, with no partial credit, and ATI does not take points off for guessing. When a section's time runs out, any unanswered question counts as incorrect.

How the TEAS is scored

ATI reports three kinds of result:

  • Total score and content area scores (reading, math, science, English). ATI equates these. They start from the percentage correct and are adjusted for small differences in difficulty between test forms, so a score on one form can be compared with a score on another.
  • Sub-content area scores, such as craft and structure. These are the plain percentage correct. They are not equated, so ATI says not to compare them between forms.
  • Academic preparedness level: Developmental, Basic, Proficient, Advanced or Exemplary. ATI says most schools will want Proficient or above.

ATI also says you cannot add up the content area scores to get the total score. Your score report, called the Individual Performance Profile (IPP), shows the national mean, your national percentile rank, and a Topics to Review list of the objectives you missed. A linked Focused Review sends you to study content for each missed topic.

The test is the same whether you choose Nursing or Allied Health. Only the comparison groups on your report change.

How schools use the score

ATI does not decide who passes. Each nursing or allied health program decides its own minimum score, how many attempts it accepts, and how old a score may be. ATI says scores are usually accepted for two years, but each school sets its own window and may shorten it, for example after ATI releases a new blueprint.

Before you register, ask each school four questions:

  1. Which testing method do you accept: at home, at the school, or at PSI?
  2. What is your minimum score or preparedness level?
  3. How many attempts do you allow, and how soon may I retest?
  4. What is your deadline for receiving my score?

ATI suggests emailing the admissions office at least 2 months before the application deadline.

How to register and where you can test

ATI offers four ways to take the TEAS. Your school decides which ones it accepts.

Method Where you sit the test Who proctors Fee
TEAS at ATI At home, online ATI, live online US$120 plus sales tax
TEAS Online at Institution At home, online Your school Set by the school
TEAS at Institution At the school or its testing center Your school Set by the school
TEAS at PSI A PSI testing center, or at home through PSI PSI US$120 plus sales tax

Decision tree: first ask your school which method it accepts, then test at the school (fee set by the school), at home with ATI, or with PSI at a center or online; ATI and PSI cost US$120 plus sales tax; the TEAS is not offered outside the United States.

The steps in order:

  1. Confirm the method with your school. ATI says an exam registered in the wrong format cannot be refunded or converted.
  2. Register with ATI. Create an ATI account and choose the method on ATI's registration page. For TEAS at PSI, you pay ATI first, then schedule with PSI from your ATI account. If your school registers students itself, follow its instructions.
  3. Request accommodations early, if you need them. For TEAS at ATI, ATI asks for the request at least 30 days before the test date. Accommodations cannot be added within 48 hours of the exam.
  4. Check your ID. ATI requires a physical, non-expired, government-issued photo ID. The first and last name must match your registration exactly. Photos and printouts of an ID are refused. A foreign government-issued passport is on ATI's accepted list.
  5. Prepare for an at-home exam, if that is your method. You need a computer with a webcam and microphone and a private room where you are alone. ATI does not support phones or Chromebooks. TEAS at ATI is scheduled in Central Time, and ATI asks you to log in 30 minutes before you plan to start.

For applicants abroad: ATI does not allow any TEAS exam to be taken outside the United States. The only exception ATI lists is active military testing on base. This page is not immigration advice; ask your school how it handles applicants who live overseas.

Rescheduling, cancelling and refunds

You cannot cancel a TEAS. You can reschedule an exam booked on atitesting.com for US$15, at least 48 hours before it starts, to a new date within 30 days of the original date. TEAS at PSI appointments are changed with PSI, which needs notice 2 days before the test date. ATI gives refunds only for documented emergencies, such as a medical emergency.

Results, transcripts and retakes

  • TEAS at ATI: your score appears right away marked "preliminary" and becomes final after about 4 business days.
  • TEAS at PSI: ATI's pages give different times, from up to 48 hours on one page to within 72 hours on another. Plan for the longer time.
  • School-proctored exams: scores usually post right away and go to that school automatically.

TEAS at ATI and TEAS at PSI include one transcript credit. You choose the school and send the transcript yourself from the Results tab of your ATI account. Each extra transcript credit costs US$29.99. If you test more than once, you can choose which result each school receives.

ATI sets no waiting period between attempts and no limit on the number of attempts, but many schools do. Each attempt is a new registration at the full fee, and every scored attempt counts even if you never send it. ATI says about 40% of students take the TEAS more than once. You cannot retake only one section.

How to prepare

ATI recommends at least six weeks of study. Start with a baseline practice test, study your weakest section first, and take a full-length timed practice test near the end. Our TEAS study schedule turns this into a weekly plan. ATI's paid prep is described in ATI TEAS practice tests and the ATI TEAS study guide, and free options are compared in free TEAS practice tests.

Example (written by All Nursing Exams), to show the select-all-that-apply style:

Which of the following numbers are prime? Select all that apply.

A. 2 B. 9 C. 13 D. 21 E. 29

Answer: A, C and E. A prime number has exactly two factors, 1 and itself. 9 is 3 times 3, and 21 is 3 times 7. On the TEAS you earn the point only if you choose every correct option and no wrong one.

What to do next

  1. Email each school on your list with the four questions above, and write down each answer.
  2. Pick a test date that leaves at least six weeks of study and lands before each school's score deadline.
  3. Take a free baseline practice test this week so you know which section needs the most time.
  4. Check that the name on your ID matches the name you will use to register.

Common questions

Can I bring my own calculator?

No. ATI provides a basic on-screen calculator in every section. Personal calculators, phone calculators and calculator watches are not allowed at home or in person.

How long does the whole appointment take?

ATI says to plan on about four hours from sign-in to finish, including the pre-checks for a remote exam.

What may I have on my desk at home?

One blank sheet of paper or a small dry-erase board, two writing instruments, and your ID. Phones, notes, food and drink, including water, are not allowed.

Is there a discount?

ATI says active-duty military members, their spouses and dependents can request a discounted registration.

Sources