The TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) is a standardized entrance exam used by nursing schools and allied health programs to evaluate applicants. Developed by ATI Testing, it measures your readiness in four academic areas: reading, math, science, and English language usage. Most associate and bachelor’s degree nursing programs require a TEAS score as part of the admissions process, and your result can significantly influence whether you get accepted.
What the Exam Covers
The current version, TEAS 7 (released in June 2022), contains 170 total questions. Of those, 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items that ATI uses to evaluate questions for future exams. You won’t know which questions are unscored, so you need to treat every question as if it counts.
The four sections break down like this:
- Reading: 39 scored items covering comprehension, analysis, and interpretation of written passages
- Science: 44 scored items on human anatomy, physiology, biology, and scientific reasoning
- Math: 34 scored items including algebra, ratios, percentages, and data interpretation
- English and Language Usage: 33 scored items on grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, and spelling
Science is the largest section by question count, while English is the shortest. The exam is timed, and you’ll complete it in roughly three and a half hours total. Each section has its own time limit, so you can’t borrow extra minutes from one section to use on another.
How Scoring Works
Your raw score (total questions answered correctly) gets converted to a composite score on a scale of 0% to 100% through a process called equating, which adjusts for slight differences in difficulty between exam versions. You must complete all four sections to receive a composite score.
ATI groups scores into performance levels that give programs a quick read on your academic preparedness:
- Proficient (58.7% to 77.3%): A moderate level of readiness. Students in this range can generally handle health sciences coursework but may need additional preparation in certain areas.
- Advanced (78.0% to 90.0%): A high level of readiness. Students scoring here are unlikely to need extra preparation for the content covered on the exam.
Along with your composite score, you’ll receive individual scores for each of the four content areas. This breakdown helps you see exactly where your strengths and weaknesses are, which is useful if you need to retake the exam.
What Score You Actually Need
Every nursing program sets its own minimum TEAS score for admission, and competitive programs often expect scores well above the minimum. There’s no single cutoff that applies everywhere, but the data paints a clear picture of what matters.
A study published in the International Journal of Nursing & Clinical Practices found that students who scored 80 or above on the TEAS were over 12 times more likely to complete their BSN degree compared to those who scored below 60. Students in the middle range (60 to 79) didn’t show a statistically significant advantage over the lowest group. In practical terms, this means a score in the low-to-mid range might get you admitted somewhere, but a score of 80 or higher is a strong indicator that you’ll succeed once you’re in the program.
Many competitive BSN programs look for scores in the mid-70s to low-80s as a minimum. Associate degree programs sometimes accept lower scores, but higher is always better for your application.
Registration and Cost
You can take the TEAS either at a testing institution (a nursing school or testing center) or through ATI’s own testing options, including remote proctoring from home. The base exam fee is $120 regardless of whether you test through ATI or through PSI, their testing partner. However, schools and testing centers set their own pricing, so the total cost at an institution may be higher once you factor in proctoring fees, scheduling fees, or room fees.
When registering, check directly with the nursing program you’re applying to. Some schools require you to test at their specific location, while others accept scores from any authorized testing site. Make sure you understand where your scores will be sent before you register.
Retake Policies
If your score falls short, you can retake the TEAS, but there are waiting periods. For exams taken through ATI directly, you must wait at least 14 days between attempts. For exams taken at a school or institution, many programs enforce a 30-day waiting period. Some programs also limit how many times you can retake the exam within a given application cycle or calendar year, so check with your specific school before scheduling a second attempt.
Each retake costs the full exam fee again, so preparation before your first attempt saves both money and time.
How to Prepare
ATI recommends starting your study plan at least six weeks before your test date. A practical approach is to dedicate a minimum of one week to each of the four content areas, then use the remaining time for practice tests and review of weak spots.
Science tends to be the most challenging section for test-takers because it covers a broad range of topics, from cell biology to human body systems to basic chemistry. If you haven’t taken a science course recently, budget extra time for that section. Math trips people up less on difficulty and more on rust. Many of the questions test concepts you learned in high school algebra and statistics but may not have used in years.
ATI sells official prep materials aligned to the TEAS 7 format, including practice assessments that mirror the real exam. These are worth using because they reflect the actual question style and difficulty level. Free resources exist as well, including study guides from community college libraries and nursing program websites, though they vary in quality.
Taking a full-length practice test early in your preparation is one of the most efficient things you can do. It shows you exactly which content areas need the most work, so you can focus your study time where it will have the biggest impact on your composite score rather than reviewing material you already know.