Most nursing programs allow you to take the HESI A2 exam twice within a 12-month period. Some schools cap it at two attempts per admission cycle, while others set the limit per calendar year. The exact number depends entirely on the nursing program you’re applying to, since each school sets its own retake policy.
The Standard Limit: Two Attempts Per Year
The most common policy across nursing programs is two attempts within 12 months. East Central College, Vernon College, and many others follow this structure. If you don’t hit the minimum score on your second try, you’re typically disqualified from that admission cycle and would need to wait until the next year to test again.
A smaller number of programs allow three attempts within a set timeframe, and a few have no formal cap beyond what Elsevier (the company that administers the HESI) permits. But two is the number you’ll encounter at the vast majority of schools. Before you register, check your specific program’s policy, because taking the exam at a different testing site doesn’t reset your count. Schools track attempts regardless of where you tested.
Mandatory Waiting Periods Between Attempts
You can’t retake the HESI the next day. Programs require a waiting period between your first and second attempt, typically ranging from three weeks to 30 days. East Central College requires at least 30 days between attempts. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley enforces a three-week waiting period and won’t accept late scores, meaning you need to plan your retake carefully around application deadlines.
This waiting period applies even if you test at a different institution. If your nursing program requires a three-week gap and you take the exam at another college’s testing center 10 days later, that score won’t count. Build the waiting period into your timeline from the start, especially if your application deadline is approaching.
What Each Attempt Costs
The HESI A2 typically costs around $60 per attempt, and you pay that fee each time you sit for the exam. Some schools bundle the cost into a testing center fee that runs slightly higher, but $60 is the standard baseline. There are no discounts for retakes. If you test twice, you’re paying twice.
Beyond the exam fee itself, factor in the cost of your time. The HESI A2 takes roughly four hours depending on which sections your program requires. A second attempt means another half-day commitment on top of whatever additional study time you put in.
Which Score Gets Used
If you take the HESI A2 more than once, many programs will consider your highest cumulative score rather than your most recent one. Laurel Ridge Community College, for example, explicitly states that the attempt with the highest cumulative score is used for the application process, as long as all individual subject areas still meet the minimums.
This is good news if your second attempt goes sideways. A bad retake won’t necessarily erase a solid first score. However, not every school works this way. Some programs only look at your most recent attempt, and others average the two. Confirm your school’s policy before deciding whether a retake is worth the risk.
When Retaking Makes Sense
Taking the HESI a second time is worth it when you have a clear plan to improve. If you fell short by a few points in one or two sections, targeted study over three to four weeks can close that gap. The HESI A2 tests specific content areas like math, reading comprehension, grammar, vocabulary, anatomy, and biology, so you can focus your prep on the sections that dragged your score down.
Retaking without preparation rarely produces a meaningfully different result. The questions change between attempts, but the content areas and difficulty level stay consistent. If you scored well below the minimum on multiple sections, you may benefit more from a full study cycle and a fresh attempt in the next admission period rather than rushing a retake within 30 days.
What Happens After Two Failed Attempts
If you don’t meet the minimum score on either attempt, most programs require you to wait until the next admission cycle or calendar year before testing again. At East Central College, failing both attempts disqualifies you from that cycle entirely. Your attempt counter resets after the 12-month window passes, giving you two fresh tries.
This doesn’t mean you’re locked out of nursing school permanently. It means you have a built-in period to strengthen your weak areas before trying again. Many students use that gap to take prerequisite courses, work through HESI prep materials, or enroll in a formal review program. A year of focused preparation often leads to a dramatically better score the next time around.