Test of Essential Academic Skills
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is a standardized, multiple-choice examination administered by Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) to assess the foundational academic readiness of students seeking admission to nursing and allied health programs.[1] Developed to predict success in healthcare education, the TEAS evaluates proficiency in four core subject areas: reading, mathematics, science, and English and language usage.[1] The current version, TEAS 7, consists of 170 questions (including pretest items) to be completed in 209 minutes, with sections allocated as follows: Reading (45 questions, 55 minutes), Mathematics (38 questions, 57 minutes), Science (50 questions, 60 minutes), and English and Language Usage (37 questions, 37 minutes).[1] Question formats include multiple-choice, multiple-select, fill-in-the-blank, ordered response, and hot spot items, covering topics such as key ideas and details in reading, algebraic concepts in math, human anatomy and scientific reasoning in science, and grammar conventions in English.[1] Widely required by educational institutions for program entry, the TEAS helps identify applicants' strengths and areas for improvement in essential skills needed for rigorous health sciences curricula.[2] Scores are reported on a scale from 0 to 100 percent, with individual programs setting minimum thresholds—often around 60-70% overall—based on competitiveness and specific requirements.[2] ATI, founded in 1998, offers the exam in proctored in-person or online formats through its testing centers or approved institutions, and provides preparation resources like study guides and practice tests and has supported over 2 million nursing graduates.[3] The test's evolution to Version 7 in 2022 introduced updated content aligned with contemporary healthcare education standards, emphasizing critical thinking and real-world application over rote memorization.[1]History and Development
Origins and Creation
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) was commissioned in 1999 by Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI), a company founded in 1998 to provide educational assessment tools for nursing and health sciences programs. ATI engaged University of Kansas professors Dr. John Poggio and Douglas Glasnapp, renowned experts in psychometrics and educational measurement, to lead the development of the exam's foundational structure and validity framework.[4][5] This collaboration aimed to create a reliable instrument for evaluating basic academic preparedness, drawing on established psychometric principles to ensure the test's fairness and predictive accuracy for entry-level health professions students.[4] The first version of the TEAS launched in 2000 as a standardized multiple-choice exam designed specifically to gauge foundational skills in reading, mathematics, science, and English language usage among prospective health sciences students.[6] Its core rationale centered on assessing academic readiness to predict success in nursing and allied health programs, addressing the need for objective admissions criteria in an era of expanding healthcare education demands.[7] By focusing on essential K-12-level competencies identified through consultations with nursing educators, the TEAS sought to identify candidates capable of handling the rigors of professional training without requiring advanced subject-specific knowledge.[7] Early adoption of the TEAS by nursing schools accelerated in the early 2000s, driven by a national nursing shortage that intensified after the late 1990s and created urgent pressure to standardize admissions processes for selecting qualified applicants.[8] By 2003, ATI's TEAS had gained widespread recognition among institutions as a key tool for ensuring program entrants met baseline academic thresholds, helping to bolster the pipeline of competent healthcare professionals amid rising enrollment needs.[6] This initial uptake marked the TEAS as an influential benchmark in health sciences admissions, with subsequent refinements building on its established psychometric foundation.Evolution of Versions
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) was first introduced in 2000 by Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) as a standardized assessment for prospective nursing and allied health students.[9] Following its initial launch, the exam underwent significant revisions, with TEAS Version V (TEAS V) released in November 2009, which expanded the science section to include more comprehensive coverage of topics such as human anatomy, physiology, and basic scientific principles to better align with evolving entry-level requirements in health professions education.[10] This version maintained a focus on essential academic skills while introducing refined question types to assess critical thinking in scientific contexts. In August 2016, ATI released TEAS Version 6 (TEAS 6), which increased the total number of questions to 170 (including 150 scored items) and refined subscore reporting to provide more granular insights into student performance areas, enhancing alignment with nursing and allied health curricula.[11][12] These updates aimed to improve predictive validity for student success in programs by emphasizing practical application of skills. The most recent iteration, TEAS Version 7 (TEAS 7), launched on June 3, 2022, introducing subcategories within the science section such as chemistry (covering atomic structure and chemical reactions) and biology (including cell structure and macromolecules), alongside slight adjustments to scored question distribution: 45 in reading, 38 in mathematics, 50 in science, and 37 in English and language usage.[13][14][1] It also incorporated new question formats, including supply answer (fill-in-the-blank) and hot spot (interactive image-based selections), to better simulate real-world problem-solving in healthcare settings.[15] ATI conducts periodic updates to the TEAS every 4 to 6 years, based on ongoing research with subject matter experts in nursing education, mathematics, science, reading, and English to ensure the exam reflects current educational standards and the changing demands of healthcare delivery.[16][17] Each version includes multiple equivalent exam forms to maintain test security and fairness, preventing predictability while upholding psychometric integrity.[18] The transition from TEAS 6 to TEAS 7 involved a phase-out of the prior version after June 3, 2022, with institutions required to adopt the new blueprint; scores from TEAS 6 remain valid for admissions during specified grace periods set by programs, but all subsequent administrations use TEAS 7.[19][15]Purpose and Administration
Intended Use and Target Programs
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) serves as a standardized multiple-choice assessment designed to evaluate applicants' foundational academic skills in reading, mathematics, science, and English and language usage for entry into health sciences programs. Developed by Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI), it measures essential competencies required for success in rigorous curricula, helping institutions identify candidates prepared for the demands of professional training in healthcare fields.[7] Primarily targeted at nursing programs such as Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), as well as practical nursing (PN) pathways, the TEAS also supports admissions to allied health disciplines including respiratory therapy, radiologic technology, and surgical technology. Research demonstrates its statistical predictive validity for early program performance; for instance, a large-scale analysis of over 68,000 RN students across 1,089 institutions found TEAS scores significantly correlated with success in fundamentals coursework (r = 0.458, explaining 21% of variance), while similar results held for 30,000 PN students (r = 0.519). A 2025 study of more than 100,000 ADN and BSN students further confirmed TEAS as a reliable indicator of academic outcomes, with higher scores linked to reduced failure rates in initial semesters.[20][21][22] Since its introduction, the TEAS has been adopted by over 1,000 U.S. nursing schools to standardize evaluation of applicants beyond high school GPA, providing a consistent measure of readiness amid varying educational backgrounds. For allied health programs, it enables data-driven admissions by benchmarking academic strengths and weaknesses, aiding decisions on student fit for specialized training. Unlike pass/fail exams, the TEAS functions as a non-punitive tool, with institutions setting their own minimum composite score thresholds—often around 60-70% for proficient performance—to gauge program suitability rather than absolute qualification.[20][23][24]Testing Formats and Logistics
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is administered exclusively in a computer-based format, consisting of 170 questions—150 scored and 20 unscored pretest items—with a total testing time of 209 minutes across its sections.[25] This delivery method ensures standardized timing and question presentation, with no paper-based option available.[1] Test-takers have two primary administration options: in-person testing at authorized PSI testing centers or at approved institutions, or remote proctoring through ATI's online platform.[26] For remote exams, candidates must meet specific technical requirements, including a secure webcam, microphone, compatible computer (PC with Windows 10 or later, or Mac with OS X 10.11 or later), and a quiet, private testing environment free from distractions, verified via a pre-exam "dry run."[27] In-person sessions occur at PSI centers scheduled through ATI or at school testing sites, while remote proctoring uses tools like Respondus LockDown Browser and Proctorio for monitoring.[28] Registration for the TEAS is completed exclusively through the official ATI website, where candidates create an account, select their testing option, and pay the fee upfront via credit or debit card.[26] As of 2025, the standard cost for ATI- or PSI-proctored exams is $120, though institution-specific fees may vary slightly.[29] Retake policies require a minimum 14-day waiting period between attempts for ATI-proctored exams, with many schools limiting candidates to up to three attempts per calendar year to encourage preparation.[30] Candidates with documented disabilities or qualifying medical conditions may request accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), such as extended time, separate testing rooms, screen readers, or large-print formats, provided they submit documentation to ATI at least 30 days in advance via email to [email protected].[31] Approval is determined on a case-by-case basis to ensure equitable access while maintaining test integrity.[27] All test-takers must present a valid, government-issued photo ID—such as a driver's license, passport, or state ID—at check-in for both in-person and remote sessions; failure to do so results in denial of entry.[32] Personal items, including calculators, are prohibited during the exam; an on-screen four-function calculator is provided automatically for the mathematics section.[33]Test Structure
Overall Format and Timing
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) Version 7 consists of 170 questions in total, of which 150 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest items distributed across the four sections to evaluate question performance for future exams.[1] These unscored items are indistinguishable from scored ones during the test and are spread proportionally: 6 in Reading, 4 in Mathematics, 6 in Science, and 4 in English and Language Usage.[1] The exam follows a fixed linear format, presenting all questions in a predetermined sequence without adaptive elements that adjust difficulty based on responses.[33] The sections are administered in a mandatory order: Reading first, followed by Mathematics, then Science, and finally English and Language Usage, with no option to return to or review previous sections once completed or time expires.[33] Within each section, test-takers may navigate back and forth between questions and flag items for later review before submitting.[34] Time limits are strictly enforced per section, totaling 209 minutes (approximately 3.5 hours) for the entire exam, excluding check-in procedures which typically require arriving 30 minutes early.[1][33] An optional 10-minute break is permitted after completing the Mathematics section, during which test-takers should avoid accessing personal items; no other scheduled breaks are provided, though brief unscheduled pauses may be taken if needed, at the discretion of proctors.[33][34] The following table summarizes the composition and timing for each section:| Section | Total Questions | Scored Questions | Time Limit (Minutes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 45 | 39 | 55 |
| Mathematics | 38 | 34 | 57 |
| Science | 50 | 44 | 60 |
| English and Language Usage | 37 | 33 | 37 |