ATI TEAS exam-day guide
ATI TEAS · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID
Bring the original (not a photo or copy) of a current passport, driver's license, or other state/federal photo ID. The name on the ID must match the name on your ATI registration exactly - if you registered under a nickname or a name that has since changed, resolve it before test day. Confirm the exact list of accepted ID forms with ATI or your testing site in advance.
Registration confirmation and ATI login credentials
Know the ATI username and password you used to register; for remotely proctored exams you will need to log in. Whether a printed confirmation is required at a brick-and-mortar testing center varies - check the instructions in your appointment email.
Test center address, parking, and route
Do a map check the night before and identify parking or transit options. Plan to arrive well ahead of your appointment time; testing centers commonly ask candidates to arrive early for check-in, but the exact window is site-specific - confirm with the provider.
Remote-proctoring equipment (only if testing online)
If you are taking the TEAS remotely, verify your computer, webcam, microphone, and internet connection meet ATI's system requirements and run any required system check the day before. Confirm with the provider which equipment and browser are supported.
A cleared, private testing space (remote only)
The room should be quiet, well lit, and free of notes, books, extra screens, and other people. Proctors typically require a room scan and a desk that is clear except for permitted items.
No personal calculator
The TEAS provides an on-screen calculator for the math section, and personal calculators are generally not permitted. Confirm the current calculator policy with ATI before test day rather than assuming.
Scratch paper and writing utensil
Testing centers generally supply scratch material, and remote sessions have specific rules about what you may use and how it must be shown and destroyed afterward. Ask the provider what is allowed for your delivery format.
Leave prohibited items behind
Phones, smartwatches, fitness trackers, earbuds, notes, textbooks, and bags are not allowed in the testing room. Most centers provide a locker or storage area, but keep valuables at home or in the car.
A light snack and water for afterward
Store these outside the testing room (locker or car). The exam is long, and eating between sections or immediately after is easier if you have planned for it.
Confirm your program's score requirements
Each nursing or health program sets its own minimum scores, sometimes with a minimum in each of the four content areas rather than only a composite. Look up your target program's requirement before test day so you know what score report you need to send.
Sleep, hydration, and a normal breakfast
There is no advantage to cramming the morning of the exam. Protect sleep in the final nights and eat something you normally tolerate well.
Know how and when scores are delivered
Score release timing and whether you receive a printed report at the center or must retrieve results through your ATI account depends on the delivery format. Confirm with the provider so you are not waiting on something that will not arrive.
Plan the day
Stop learning new content. Take at most one full-length timed practice test early in this window, then spend the rest of the time reviewing the specific topics you missed. Build a one-page summary sheet of formulas, conversions, and grammar/punctuation rules you keep getting wrong, and reread only that.
Do the logistics: confirm your appointment date, time, and location in your ATI account, verify your ID name matches your registration, and check system requirements if you are testing remotely. Resolve any discrepancy now, not on test morning.
Shift your sleep schedule so you are naturally alert at your appointment time. If your test is at 8 a.m., stop studying late at night now rather than the night before.
Do a light review of your summary sheet and the reading/math strategies you plan to use, then stop. No new practice tests - a late low score only adds anxiety.
Lay out your ID, appointment details, and any permitted items by the door. Confirm your route and parking, set two alarms, and tell someone your test time so you have a backup wake-up.
Eat a normal dinner, avoid heavy caffeine or alcohol, and go to bed at your usual time. If you cannot sleep, rest quietly - lying down still helps more than an extra hour of review.
Eat a normal breakfast, drink enough water, and leave earlier than you think you need to. Aim to arrive with buffer for traffic and check-in; confirm your site's recommended arrival window in advance.
Do not cram. If you must look at something, read only your one-page summary sheet for a few minutes, then put it away. Arrive calm rather than overloaded.
Use the tutorial and any untimed instructions to settle in, confirm the on-screen calculator works, and take a few slow breaths before the first section begins.
Answer every question. If a question stalls you, pick your best answer, flag it if the interface allows, and move on - lingering on one item costs you easy points later in the section.
For reading and English items, read the question stem before the passage so you know what to look for. For math, write out the given information and estimate the answer before computing so you can catch errors.
Watch the clock at roughly the halfway point of each section rather than every few minutes. If you are behind, speed up on questions you find easy and spend less time on ones you would likely miss anyway.
Note how you felt about each section while it is fresh, then rest. Confirm how your official scores reach your program and whether you need to send them separately.
Rules to check
Bring valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID. The name must match your registration exactly; a mismatch can result in being turned away without a refund, so fix discrepancies before test day. Confirm accepted ID forms with the provider.
Do not bring phones, smartwatches, earbuds, notes, books, or any unauthorized electronic device into the testing room. Possession of a prohibited item during the exam can void your score, even if you did not use it.
Use only the on-screen calculator the exam provides. Personal calculators, phone calculators, and calculator watches are not permitted - verify the current policy with ATI before test day.
Follow all proctor instructions, including room scans, ID checks, and any request to show or dispose of scratch material. Do not communicate with anyone other than the proctor during the exam.
Break policy varies by delivery format and site. If you need to leave the room, raise your hand and wait for the proctor; be aware that unscheduled breaks may not stop the section timer. Confirm the break policy with the provider before you begin.
There is no penalty for guessing on the TEAS - wrong answers do not subtract points. Never leave a question blank; eliminate options and choose the best remaining answer.
Your score report shows results for each of the four content areas plus a composite score. Minimum requirements are set by the individual program, not by ATI, so check your target program's cutoffs, including whether it requires a minimum in every section.
Retake policies - how many attempts are allowed and how long you must wait between them - are set by the institution or program you are applying to. Confirm the policy that applies to you rather than relying on general information.