Before you book
Which HESI A2 Subjects Will I Sit?
Your programme decides, not Elsevier. The HESI A2 is assembled from a menu of subject exams, and each nursing school chooses which of them its applicants sit. Two people preparing for "the HESI" can be preparing for entirely different papers.
Last updated August 2026
- The full Elsevier subject menu
- What to ask admissions
- Which we cover
Why the exam varies by school
Elsevier supplies the components; the programme builds the assessment. A school that wants to screen for science readiness will assign Anatomy and Physiology, Biology and possibly Chemistry. A school more concerned with academic literacy might assign Reading, Vocabulary, Grammar and Mathematics only.
This is why generic advice about the HESI is so unreliable, and why the number of questions and the time allowed both differ between candidates. Neither is published centrally, because neither is fixed.
The full subject menu
These are the components a programme can choose from. Nobody sits all of them.
| Subject | What it assesses | In our course |
|---|
What to ask your programme
Email admissions if the information is not on the admission page, and ask for it in writing. Every one of these changes how you should prepare.
- Which HESI A2 components do you require?
- How long is the sitting, and is it one session or several?
- Do you set a minimum on each subject, or only an overall score?
- How many attempts do you allow, and is there a waiting period between them?
- How recent does a score have to be?
- Do you accept the TEAS as an alternative?
Ask about Chemistry and Physics specifically. They are the two components candidates most often discover they need with a fortnight to go.
Which subjects we cover
Our HESI course covers Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, Anatomy and Physiology, and Biology, with practice questions and a written rationale on each. Chemistry and Physics are not in the course yet. If your programme assigns either, plan to prepare for those elsewhere, and treat everything here as covering the rest.
The HESI study guide works through each covered subject, and the HESI course page shows the topics inside them.
Frequently asked questions
| How many subjects will I sit? | Set by your programme. Four to six is common, but there is no standard. |
|---|---|
| Is the A2 the same as the HESI Exit Exam? | No. The A2 is for admission; the Exit Exam is sat near the end of a nursing programme. |
| Can I choose which subjects to take? | No. The programme assigns them. |
| Is there one overall HESI score? | Subjects are usually reported individually. Some programmes also calculate a composite. |
| Do all schools use the HESI? | No. Many use the ATI TEAS instead, and some accept either. |
| What if I do badly in one subject? | Ask whether your programme sets a per-subject minimum. Where it does, one weak subject can matter more than a strong average. |
Start practising for your exam
Reading about the exam only goes so far. Sit a timed set and find out where you actually stand.
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Keep reading
More HESI Resources
Guides and tools across the HESI course.
HESI A2 Exam Prep
Subjects and format
HESI A2 FAQ
Scoring, retakes, test day
Which HESI Am I Taking?
A2, specialty or exit exam
Which Subjects Will I Sit?
The full Elsevier menu
HESI Math
4 topics · ratios and conversions
HESI Reading
16 topics · inference and tone
HESI Vocabulary
9 topics · affixes and word choice
HESI Grammar
7 topics · usage and punctuation
HESI Anatomy & Physiology
16 topics · one system at a time
HESI Biology
13 topics · cells and genetics
HESI Plans & Pricing
Choose your access
Start HESI Prep
Create your account
Ask Your Programme
What to confirm before you book
HESI A2 Study Guide
All five subjects, free
6-Week Study Plan
Week-by-week schedule
HESI Cheat Sheet
Formulas and high-yield facts
TEAS vs HESI A2
Which exam to take
