Nursing Schools With No TEAS Or HESI Required

Standardized entrance tests stop a lot of qualified people before they ever apply. They do not have to. A growing number of accredited programs have dropped the TEAS and HESI A2 in favor of GPA, essays, interviews, and holistic review. Here are 10 of them, plus what these exams actually measure and why some schools have moved on.

10 nursing schools that don't require TEAS or HESI

Most programs still use the TEAS or HESI A2 to gauge academic readiness. These 10 take a different route. Check each program's current requirements before you apply, since admissions policies change.

California State University, Fullerton

The School of Nursing at Cal State Fullerton offers a traditional BSN, transfer BSN, accelerated BSN, and an RN-to-BSN option.

• Admission requirements: California residency, completed high school A-G coursework, Cal State Apply application
• Program length: 2 to 4 years
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Online? No

Drexel University

Drexel's BSN programs in Philadelphia serve first-year and transfer students through a co-op model with intensive immersive placements.

• Admission requirements: Prerequisite coursework
• Program length: 2 to 5 years
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Online? No

Northern Illinois University

NIU's BSN program accepts applications without TEAS or HESI A2 scores, though it uses the HESI as a performance standard within specific courses once you are enrolled.

• Admission requirements: Minimum 2.75 GPA, prerequisite coursework, drug screen and criminal background check, official transcripts
• Program length: Five semesters
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Online? No

Oregon Health & Science University

OHSU School of Nursing offers an on-campus BS, accelerated BS, online RN-to-BS, on-campus post-AAS to BS, and an online concurrent enrollment program.

• Admission requirements: Minimum 3.0 GPA, prerequisite coursework, official transcripts
• Program length: 6 months to 5 years
• Online? Yes, RN-to-BS and concurrent enrollment

Samuel Merritt University

Samuel Merritt University, a private health sciences school in Oakland, California, runs a two-year transfer BSN that does not require TEAS or HESI A2 scores.

• Admission requirements: Recommended minimum 3.0 GPA, two letters of reference, minimum 60 transfer credits
• Program length: Two years
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Online? No

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The UNC School of Nursing offers several BSN tracks, including traditional, accelerated, assured admissions, a military pathway, the Hillman Scholars Program, and EMPOWER.

• Admission requirements: Minimum 2.8 to 3.0 GPA depending on track, 60 credit hours of prerequisite coursework
• Program length: Four to five semesters
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Online? No

University of South Florida

USF's BSN tracks skip the TEAS and HESI A2 and include a Freshman Nursing Pathway, an Accelerated Second Degree, and an Upper Division pathway.

• Admission requirements: Official transcripts, SAT or ACT scores for the freshman pathway, minimum 3.0 to 3.6 GPA depending on track
• Program length: 16 months to 4 years
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Online? No

University of Tennessee Health Science Center

UTHSC's BSN options include an accelerated second-degree BSN and a two-year transfer BSN, neither requiring entrance exam scores.

• Admission requirements: 60 transfer credits or a non-nursing bachelor's degree, minimum 3.0 GPA, two letters of recommendation, essay, interview
• Program length: 1 to 2 years
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Online? No

West Chester University

The BSN program at West Chester University in Pennsylvania admits first-time college students without standardized test scores.

• Admission requirements: At least 16 units of a standard high school curriculum, no pre-admission exam or interview
• Program length: Four years
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Online? Yes, RN-to-BSN

Lee University

Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee, runs a BSN that does not require the TEAS or HESI A2.

• Admission requirements: Official transcripts, references, 2.75 GPA, ACT or SAT scores
• Program length: Four years
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Online? No

What the TEAS and HESI exams measure

The TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) and HESI A2 (Health Education Systems, Inc.) are standardized exams that nursing and allied health programs use to gauge academic readiness. They test similar ground in different ways.

The TEAS Version 7, developed by ATI, covers reading, math, science, and English and language usage, and predicts how well you will do in a health science program. ATI recommends at least 6 weeks of prep.

The HESI A2, from Elsevier, covers similar subjects but can add components like personality type, critical thinking, or learning style depending on how the school configures it.

The short version: the TEAS is more general, the HESI A2 can be tailored to a program's specific needs.

The holistic approach to admissions

Instead of leaning on a single test score, holistic admissions evaluate you as a whole person. Schools still weigh GPA, but they also consider life experience, your personal statement, letters of recommendation, and sometimes an interview.

The goal is to find candidates with the academic ability and the personal qualities nursing demands: communication, empathy, resilience. Standardized tests do not capture those traits well, and they can disadvantage strong applicants who simply do not test well.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the TEAS measure? Readiness for nursing and allied health programs, across reading, math, science, and English and language usage. The current version, ATI TEAS 7, has 170 items (150 scored) and a 209-minute time limit, and ATI recommends at least six weeks of prep.

What does the HESI measure? Academic and critical-thinking skills that predict performance in a nursing program, across areas like math, vocabulary, and science, with optional personality or learning-style components depending on how Elsevier's exam is configured by the school.

Which is harder? Most test-takers find the science and math sections the toughest on both. Either can be challenging without preparation.

Is the TEAS required everywhere? No. Most U.S. programs use it, but some rely on the HESI, the ACT or SAT, or a holistic review. Check your school's requirements before assuming.

Can I get into a quality nursing school without these exams? Yes. Every program on this list is CCNE-accredited and admits students without TEAS or HESI A2 scores, using GPA, prerequisites, essays, interviews, or holistic review instead.

Are these test-optional programs less competitive? Not necessarily. Dropping the entrance exam does not lower the bar; many still require a 3.0 GPA, completed prerequisites, and strong essays or interviews. Always confirm current requirements before you apply, since admissions policies change.