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United States · Entrance exam

What does the HESI exam consist of?

It’s made of separate sections, and your school picks which ones you take. Elsevier’s review book covers the seven subjects a HESI exam can consist of: math, reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, biology, chemistry, and anatomy and physiology. Schools can also add a Critical Thinking section. Your school’s choices also set how long your exam runs.

Free practice test

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

The seven subjects, and where to study each

SectionChapter in Elsevier’s review bookWhat our practice lessons cover
Math1. MathematicsFractions, decimals and percentages, ratio and proportion, metric and household conversions, military time and Roman numerals, simple algebra
Reading comprehension2. Reading ComprehensionMain idea, finding details, fact and opinion, inferences
Vocabulary3. VocabularyWord parts, health care terms, context clues, words that are easy to mix up
Grammar4. GrammarParts of speech, subject-verb agreement, pronoun case, confused words, punctuation
Biology5. BiologyCells, cellular respiration, DNA and genetics, biological molecules
Chemistry6. ChemistryAtomic structure, the periodic table, bonds and reactions, acids and bases
Anatomy and physiology7. Anatomy and PhysiologyDirectional terms, the heart and lungs, digestion and the kidneys, nerves and hormones, muscles and bones

The right-hand column is our own study plan, not an Elsevier list. Elsevier doesn’t publish a topic outline for each section beyond its book’s chapters.

HESI A2 practice test →Elsevier’s HESI A2 study guide →

Does the HESI exam consist of more than seven subjects?

Yes, if your school adds Critical Thinking. The A2 itself isn’t written for one kind of program. When a school orders it, it can add a Critical Thinking section, and then it picks the version for its program: RN, PN or health professions (HP). So a PN program that adds Critical Thinking orders the PN version.

Elsevier also makes two versions of the A2: Version 1 for first-time testers and Version 2 for second-time testers. Your school chooses which one you get when it schedules your exam.

How long is the HESI exam?

There’s no fixed length: the more sections your HESI exam consists of, the longer it runs. When your school picks the sections, Elsevier’s system estimates how long the exam will take, and the school can change that time. It can also choose whether you’re made to finish when the time runs out.

On the day, you choose which section to start with. If you pause and leave a section, the timer keeps running. If you’re fully disconnected, it stops until the proctor gives you a new access code. Ask your school how long you’ll have before you practise against a timer.

Is the HESI A2 multiple choice?

Elsevier doesn’t publish the question formats or the number of questions in each section. Its review book has sample questions in every section to show the kinds of questions you’ll meet. Our 20 practice questions are all multiple choice with four options.

Can you use a calculator on the HESI exam?

Only if your school turns it on. Schools choose whether an on-screen calculator is available when they set up the exam, and Elsevier’s guides describe only that on-screen one. Ask your school before you bring anything.

Either way, conversions come up in the math chapter of Elsevier’s book, which works through each type of problem step by step.

Sources: Elsevier and 3 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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