TEAS Test Guide

The TEAS Test Summary
What: An exam that tests individuals on basic academic knowledge and skills.
Who: The test is available to be taken by individuals looking to enter nursing school.
Where: The TEAS Qualifying Exam is offered at multiple locations across the U.S.
When: Testing dates and times vary.
How: The TEAS tests individuals on Science, Math, English, and Reading skills learned in high school.
Type: Tests are given in a computerized format.
Why: The TEAS is an assessment tool used to grant or deny an individual’s entry into nursing school.
Time: 3 hours and 29 minutes
Language: English
Preparation: Individuals should re-familiarize themselves with fundamental knowledge learned in grades 10-12 in high school. Flash cards and exam preparation books are some helpful study aids.
Cost: Varies

By Jessica McNally, Tests.com

The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), administered by the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI), is a pre-entry examination used to assess the fundamental academic knowledge and skills of individuals applying to nursing school. The TEAS does not test on any specific area of nursing, but is more of an overall measure of general academic education.

The Test

There are 170 multiple choice questions on the TEAS which generally cover content learned in grades 10-12 in U.S. high schools.

Questions are divided into four main subcategories:

  • Science (30 questions)
    • This section tests an individual in such subjects as science knowledge, science reasoning, chemistry, biology, anatomy and physiology, basic physical principles, and general science.
  • Math  (45 questions)
    • The Math section consists of problems involving metric conversion, whole numbers, fractions and decimals, percentages and ration/proportions, and algebraic equations.        
  • English  (55 questions)
    • This subcategory tests an individual's knowledge of grammar, punctuation, contextual words, sentence structure, and spelling.
  • Reading  (40 questions)
    • The Reading section asks an individual questions regarding passage comprehension, paragraph comprehension and inferences/conclusions.

Since the TEAS is offered in computer format, results are received immediately upon completion of the test.

If you are interested in finding additional help preparing for the TEAS, check out our TEAS Directory to find helpful study aids.