HESI A2 Registration: How to Sign Up Through Evolve or Your School

Registering for the HESI A2 is not complicated, but it is not uniform either. How you sign up depends on where you test, which nursing program you are applying to, and whether that program handles registration itself.

Every route runs through Elsevier's Evolve platform at some point. What changes is who controls scheduling and payment: your school, or you. This guide covers both paths step by step, plus the practical details around sections, ID, payment and retakes.

Where to register: Evolve vs. your school

All HESI A2 registration touches Elsevier's Evolve in one form or another. Evolve is the portal where you create an account, sit the exam, view scores and access remediation. What differs between paths is who schedules the exam and who takes the money.

Path 1: school-administered testing

Most common, and most programs prefer it because it minimizes technical problems on exam day. The school sets the dates, manages scheduling and frequently collects payment directly.

You will still be prompted to log into an Evolve account or create one, because account credentials are what give you access to the exam, your results and remediation afterward. Some schools send a unique registration link; others direct you to a testing-center portal or a phone line. The Evolve account step is identical either way.

Path 2: remote testing via ProctorU

If you cannot test on campus, Elsevier's remote proctoring service, ProctorU, is the alternative. This path needs two accounts: Evolve and ProctorU.

Once your school or Elsevier adds the HESI Course ID to your My Evolve course list, the course appears in your account. You then schedule through ProctorU, selecting "Elsevier – HESI" as the institution.

Path 3: Prometric testing centers

Less common, and available only through some programs. You contact your prospective school for a department ID and eligibility instructions, Elsevier emails you an eligibility ID, and you then create or log into Evolve to register for results access before scheduling with Prometric.

Before doing anything on any of these paths, confirm with your program that the registration instructions you are following are current. Testing arrangements change, and school web pages lag behind.

Step-by-step registration

The steps differ by testing method but the shape is consistent: confirm requirements with your program, create an Evolve account under your legal name, schedule a date, pay, and verify your credentials before test day. The order matters more than it looks. Confirming requirements first is what prevents the two expensive mistakes here, which are sitting the wrong section package and testing at a location your target program will not accept scores from. Both are non-refundable errors.

For school-administered testing

Step 1: Confirm requirements with your program. Find out which sections your program requires, the minimum score it expects, and whether it accepts scores earned elsewhere. Some programs accept scores only from their own testing center, which changes everything downstream.

Step 2: Create your Evolve account. Register free at Evolve using your legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID. A mismatch here is one of the few things that will stop you testing on the day.

Step 3: Register for a testing date. Follow your school's process, whether that is a link sent by the program, a call to the testing center, or a portal login. Some schools require registration weeks ahead; others have rolling availability.

Step 4: Pay the exam fee. Methods vary and may include credit card, debit card, money order or cashier's check. Some programs collect at registration, some on exam day, and a few fold the fee into the application cost. Payment is generally non-refundable and non-transferable, so confirm the date before you pay.

Step 5: Save your credentials. Record your Evolve username and password, plus any course ID or access code from your school. You need them to log in on test day.

For remote testing via ProctorU

Step 1: Get your Evolve Course ID from your program. This ID connects your registration to the correct exam version for that school.

Step 2: Create your Evolve account at evolve.elsevier.com.

Step 3: Add the HESI course. In Evolve, click "My Evolve", then "Redeem an Access Code or Enter an Evolve Course ID", and enter the ID. The course then appears in your list.

Step 4: Create a ProctorU account if you do not have one.

Step 5: Schedule the exam. In ProctorU, click "Schedule New Session", select "Elsevier – HESI" as the institution, choose your exam, select "Schedule For Later Date", then pick from the available sessions.

Step 6: Run the compatibility check. In your HESI course on Evolve, open the "Compatibility Check" link in the left menu and install the Elsevier Secure Browser. Do this well before exam day, not on it.

Sections, ID, payment and retakes

The HESI A2 is modular, so you will almost certainly not sit every subtest. Your program decides which sections you take, what score it wants, and how many attempts you get. Those decisions are made locally, which is why generic advice about the HESI A2 is unreliable and why the confirmation step above matters so much.

Which sections will you take?

Note that HESI presents additional unscored pilot items beyond the scored counts above, so the number of questions on screen will be higher than the number that counts. Our guide to how long the HESI A2 takes covers what that means for timing.

Most programs require Mathematics, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary and Grammar. Biology and Anatomy and Physiology are common additions. Chemistry is required less often, and Physics least of all. Confirm your specific list rather than preparing for all eight. For what the exam actually covers, see what the HESI A2 exam is.

What ID do you need?

One valid, non-expired, government-issued photo ID: driver's license, state ID card or passport. The name must match your Evolve account exactly, or you may be turned away. For remote proctoring, ProctorU verifies identity at the start of the session, so have the ID to hand.

What does registration cost?

Elsevier does not publish a single universal price, because the fee is set by individual nursing programs rather than nationally. Schools may add proctoring or administrative charges on top of the base exam fee, and remote testing through ProctorU can carry a separate proctoring charge.

Because the number varies so widely by program, confirm it with your testing center or admissions office before registering. Our dedicated guide to HESI exam cost explains what drives the variation and what range to expect.

Retake policies

Each program sets its own rules, though most allow multiple attempts. The fee is usually the same whether it is a first attempt or a retake.

These are patterns, not rules, so check your program's policy before paying for a retake, particularly before booking at a different testing site.

If you did not pass, complete the remediation modules in your HESI account before retesting. Remediation is generated from your actual results, which makes it considerably more targeted than working through general review material again. Pair it with structured HESI A2 preparation rather than rereading.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need an Evolve account to register?

Yes. Every HESI A2 registration requires one, and it is free to create. Those credentials are what you use to register, sit the exam, and access scores and remediation afterward.

Can I register through Evolve without going through my school?

It depends on the program. Some require you to register and test at their own location. Others permit remote testing or accept scores from other institutions. Select your institution and program carefully during registration so you sit the correct exam version.

What if my program uses a unique registration link or course ID?

Use it. It connects you to the right exam version automatically, which is exactly what you want, since sitting the wrong version is a problem that is tedious to unwind.

Can I choose which sections I take?

Your program decides. Some schools register you for a preset package covering all required sections; others allow à la carte registration where individual sections are selected. Ask which applies to you.

Is the exam fee refundable?

Generally no. Testing centers treat payment as non-refundable and non-transferable, and the fee is typically the same for a retake as for a first attempt. If you must reschedule, contact the testing center as early as possible, because policies vary and early notice is the only lever you have.

How far in advance should I register?

At least one to two weeks before your target date, and more if your program requires notice. If you are testing through ProctorU, allow extra time for account setup, the compatibility check and scheduling. Leaving it until the final week before an application deadline is a common and expensive mistake.

Can I send my scores to more than one school?

Often yes, though some institutions charge a per-transcript fee and others allow score sharing free within a set window. Check with each program. Some schools retrieve scores directly from Evolve if you registered through them.

What if a school won't accept scores from another testing location?

You retest at that school's center. This is common, and it is the single most important thing to confirm before scheduling rather than after.

The bottom line

HESI A2 registration always begins in the same place: a free Evolve account. From there your school's instructions take over, whether that means scheduling and paying entirely through their systems, going through ProctorU for remote testing, or the less common Prometric route.

Before registering, ask your program three questions: which sections are required, where they want you to test, and whether they accept scores from other institutions. Those three answers determine every step that follows, and getting them wrong costs you a non-refundable fee.

Once registered, leave yourself real preparation time. The HESI A2 tests genuine academic content and programs expect competitive scores. For section-by-section work, see Testavia's HESI A2 prep.