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What is the HESI exam? A2, Exit and specialty tests

HESI is a family of Elsevier exams, the A2 for admission, specialty exams in courses and the Exit exam before the NCLEX. Your school sets the score.

Checked November 15, 2026
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Short answer: HESI is not one exam but a family of nursing school exams made by Elsevier: the HESI A2 (Admission Assessment) before you are admitted, specialty exams during your courses, and the Exit exam in your final semester to check your readiness for the NCLEX. The A2 reports a percent correct by section, while the specialty and Exit exams report a HESI score on which Elsevier uses 850 as a reference point, and your school sets the score it requires.

Decision tree: applying to a program leads to the HESI A2, finishing a course leads to a specialty exam, and the final semester leads to the Exit exam, with 850 as Elsevier's reference HESI score

Which HESI is your school asking for?

Elsevier says HESI covers the full student journey, from admission through graduation. Match the request to where you are:

  • You are applying to a nursing program. It is the HESI A2. Elsevier says this exam evaluates "applicants based on their existing level of knowledge on important areas in your program". Full details: HESI A2: the full guide.
  • You are in a course, for example maternity or pediatrics. It is a specialty exam. Elsevier says specialty exams measure "concepts related to specific clinical nursing content areas".
  • You are in your last semester. It is the Exit exam, RN or PN. Elsevier says it measures readiness for the licensure exam with a blueprint that matches "the latest NCLEX test plan".

Elsevier also lists other HESI exams that some schools use: a computer adaptive test (CAT) exam, custom exams built from a school's own syllabus, the Clinical Practice Readiness Assessment (CPRA), and Mobility Exams for students in transition programs.

How the scores differ

The HESI exams do not all use the same scale.

Exam How results are shown Who sets the required score
HESI A2 Percent correct for each section your school chose Your program
Specialty exams A HESI score, with each category compared to 850 Your program
Exit exam A HESI score, with each category compared to 850 Your program

The A2. Elsevier's A2 faculty guide describes results by "mean percent correct" and "the weakest subject areas". Elsevier's public pages do not publish a passing score for the A2.

Specialty and Exit exams. Elsevier's student guide for its current HESI platform says your report lists "your HESI score", the class and national averages, and "the number of categories where you scored below 850". The report also shows the "acceptable and recommended scores" as reference lines.

What 850 means to Elsevier. On its product page, Elsevier states a predicted first-attempt NCLEX pass rate of 96% or more for students scoring 850 or higher on the Exit exam. That is Elsevier's own published figure about its own exam. It is not a promise about you, and your school may use a different benchmark.

Where to find your school's requirement

Elsevier does not decide who is admitted or who graduates. Your program does. Look in these places:

  1. The program's admission page. For the A2, it should say which sections you must take, the minimum score, and how often you may retake. One example: Tarrant County College in Texas lets students retake the A2 after at least 60 days.
  2. Your student handbook or course syllabus. For specialty and Exit exams, it states the benchmark and what happens below it, such as remediation or a retake.
  3. The registration link from your school. Elsevier's A2 student guide says you register only through "the registration link provided by your instructor or proctor". You need an Evolve account.

If the page does not answer your question, ask the admissions office or your course coordinator in writing.

How HESI exams are delivered

Elsevier says "Live proctoring is required for all HESI exams". You test in the Elsevier Secure Browser, on campus or with a remote proctor, and you enter an access code your proctor gives you. Elsevier says question order and answer order are randomized for each test taker, and every question carries a watermark.

What to do next

  1. Confirm the exact exam name with your school: A2, a named specialty exam, or the Exit exam.
  2. Find the required score in writing before you test.
  3. Pick the right study guide: HESI study guide: which one for which HESI exam?

Common questions

Is the HESI the same as the TEAS?

No. Both are entrance tests, but Elsevier makes the HESI A2 and ATI makes the TEAS. Your school chooses one. See ATI testing: what it is and how nursing schools use it.

Does a HESI score go to the state board?

No. HESI exams are school exams. Your license depends on the NCLEX, which your state board of nursing uses. See the NCLEX-RN guide.

Can I see my HESI results right away?

It depends on your school's settings. Elsevier's faculty guide lets the school show scores after each section, after all sections, or not at all.

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