Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)

All nursing applicants (LPN and RN), Radiography, and Dental Hygiene applicants must complete the nationally-normed test for nursing students known as the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). Nursing applicants will not be considered for admission to the program until they achieve a 69% or higher on the Adjusted Individual Score for Reading and an Adjusted Individual Total Score of at least 60%. Radiography applicants will not be considered for admission to the program until they achieve a 60% overall, 69% in Reading, 65% in Science, and a 65% in Mathematics. Dental Hygiene applicants will not be considered for admission to the program until they achieve a 63% overall, 65% in Reading, 60% in Mathematics, 65% in Science, and a 60% in English and Language Usage. This requirement should be completed no later than the application deadline. If you do not complete the TEAS test, your application will not be evaluated. Please read all of the following material before registering to take the ATI TEAS, Version 7.

Frequently Asked Questions about the TEAS

What is the ATI TEAS?

• The ATI TEAS is a multiple-choice test used to measure student testing ability in the areas of math, reading, English, and science.
• For all applicants, the Adjusted Individual Total Score that appears on the score sheet is the one that will be used. This includes the scores from all four sections of the ATI TEAS 7 Version.
   

Who should take the TEAS?

• Students who wish to apply for admission to HCC's Registered Nursing (including all RN Transition Pathways), Practical Nursing, Radiography, and Dental Hygiene programs must take the TEAS before the admission deadline for the respective program.
   

When should I take the TEAS?

• Students must register for and take the TEAS test prior to their appropriate application deadline.
   

What will I need to register for the TEAS?

• Students will need a credit card and an e-mail address to complete the online registration. For more information on how to register for the TEAS exam, please visit the ATI website prep page.
   

When is the TEAS offered?

HCC currently has the following dates available:

2026 TEAS Dates - In-Person (Monday at 12:00 p.m.)

• Monday, January 12
• Monday, February 9
• Monday, March 2
• Monday, April 13
• Monday, May 11
• Monday, June 1
   

2026 TEAS Dates – Remote (Proctorio Friday at 9:00 a.m.)

Please note that this option is proctored by HCC Academic Testing Center staff, but you will NOT be located on the HCC campus. You will set up your computer according to ATI TEAS standards in your own private testing location.

• Friday, January 16
• Friday, February 13
• Friday, March 6
• Friday, April 17
• Friday, May 15
   

How do I register for the TEAS?

• Navigate to the ATI website.
• Follow the instructions to create an account with ATI.
• Follow the instructions to register for the TEAS at an institution.
• Select "Maryland" and "Hagerstown" from the appropriate drop-down menus and select "NEXT".
• You should then see the upcoming dates the TEAS will be offered through HCC. Click "Register" next to the date on which you wish to take the TEAS.
• Follow the instructions to pay for your TEAS test date.
• When prompted, choose "ADN". Ignore the "AH" option.
   

Where should I go on my scheduled test date?

• For those testing on campus, they should go to the Academic Testing Center in Learning Resource Center, room 322. For those testing remotely, they will receive an e-mail from the Testing Center within 24 hours of their testing date with their TEAS Assessment ID. For more information go to the ATI website.
   

How long does the test take?

• You should plan to leave four hours to take the test. You should arrive early; tests will start promptly at the scheduled times and you will not be allowed to test if you are late.
   

What is needed to take the TEAS remotely?

• Students will need to go to the ATI website to see the technical requirements and FAQ for taking the TEAS exam remotely.
   

How much does the test cost?

• The cost of the test is $120 as of April 2026 (please note that exam fees are subject to change by ATI). Students are required to pre-pay and pre-register for the TEAS test (see registration instructions above). Payment requires a credit card or bank card since you must pay online at the time you register for your test date.
   

What if I've already taken the TEAS at another school?

• If you have taken the TEAS AND if your scores are less than three years old, you can log into the ATI website and request that a copy of your official scores be sent to the HCC Office of Admissions.
• If you took the TEAS more than 3 years before the application deadline, you will have to take the test again.
   

What do I do once I have my TEAS scores?

• If you DO meet the minimum scores: You must submit a copy of your results to the HCC Office of Admissions. If you took the TEAS somewhere other than HCC, you must request an official copy of your scores from ATI.
• If you DO NOT meet the minimum scores: You will not be considered to the program you are applying for. You should review the available study materials and retake the TEAS after thorough studying. See below for information about studying for and retaking the TEAS.
   

How can I study for the TEAS?

• ATI offers a study manual and two practice assessments for the TEAS. These study materials can be found on ATI 's website. For information about study materials, click on "ATI Product Solutions" and "Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS)".
• To learn about TEAS study resources available at HCC, contact the Library to ask about the availability of TEAS study manuals or contact the Learning Support Center to ask about tutoring support.
• HCC also has copies of the study manual available at the front desk in the Learning Support Center. Just like in the library, these books can be used while working in the LSC, but cannot be removed from the building.
• There are other websites that offer TEAS prep material. (Simply search online for "TEAS test prep" or "TEAS practice questions".)
• In general, your remedial classes at HCC should also be good preparation for the TEAS. The Science portion of the TEAS does require some knowledge of general cell biology, basic chemistry and Anatomy & Physiology.
   

How often can I take the TEAS?

• Students can only take the TEAS twice during each RN admissions cycle. The admissions cycles for RN are January 16 through July 15 of each year and July 16 through January 15. You are required to pay for the test each time you take it.
• Students applying to Radiography, Dental Hygiene, Practical Nursing Program and the Nursing transition programs (LPN to RN, Paramedic to RN, Military Medic to RN) may take the TEAS test four times during the calendar year since there is only one application deadline for these programs each year.
• Students can only take the TEAS once during any 30-day period. If you wish to take the TEAS a second time, you must wait at least 30 days after the first attempt.
   

How long is my score valid?

• HCC will accept TEAS scores up to 3 years old. If you took the TEAS more than 3 years ago, you must retake the test to be considered for admission.
   

Why does HCC require the TEAS test?

• HCC conducted a multi-year study of TEAS scores of admitted nursing students. Based on the data of HCC nursing students, the required Total and Reading scores have been found to be predictive of success in HCC's nursing programs.
   

As long as I meet the minimum score, does it matter what my specific scores are?

• For RN Applicants: Yes, more points are awarded for admission into the program the higher your TEAS scores are.
• For LPN Applicants: Possibly. Applicants who meet the minimum requirements of 60-Total and 69-Reading, may have their specific TEAS scores used as a determination of admission to the LPN program. This depends on the total number of qualified applicants to the LPN program. (Please see the HCC Academic Catalog for more details.)
• For Radiography and Dental Hygiene: No. You must meet the minimum scores.