TEAS Application: How to Register for the ATI TEAS Step by Step

To register for the TEAS application, go to atitesting.com/teas/register and create or log into your ATI account. Choose between ATI/PSI testing (register and pay directly through ATI at \$120) or institution-arranged testing (contact your nursing school admissions office first as fees vary). You will need a valid government-issued photo ID and your legal name must match your ATI account exactly. Book four to eight weeks before your target exam date. One free transcript is included with registration and score reports are available in your ATI account after testing.

Taking your TEAS application seriously is step one of getting into nursing school, and more people get tripped up on the registration process than you'd think.

Here's a number that should get your attention. 30% of qualified applicants get rejected from ADN, Diploma, and BSN programs despite meeting the academic requirements. Not because they weren't smart enough, but because they underestimated the process, including the part that comes before studying.

The ATI TEAS has two registration pathways, four proctoring options, specific ID rules, and a fee structure that varies depending on where you test. Get any of that wrong, and you're either paying twice or scrambling the week before your exam.

In this article, you get to learn every step of the TEAS application process, from creating your ATI account to choosing the right testing pathway, so the logistics never get in the way of your prep.

Two Ways to Register for the TEAS: ATI Testing Sites vs. Institution-Arranged Testing

Before you open a new tab and start filling out forms, stop. The single most important thing you can do before registering for the TEAS application is find out whether your target nursing school administers the exam on-campus.

ATI's registration page lists four proctoring options but they all fall into two decision buckets.

ATI-Controlled Testing

• TEAS Online proctored by ATI (remote, from home)

• TEAS In-Person at a PSI testing center

Institution-Controlled Testing

• TEAS Online proctored by the institution

• TEAS In-Person at the institution's campus

Here is how the two pathways compare:

If you are applying to one school that runs its own TEAS sessions, call admissions before booking through ATI. Institution fees sometimes run lower than the ATI direct rate and testing in a familiar environment removes one layer of exam-day stress. Registering through the wrong pathway means paying a second fee to correct it, and ATI does not offer refunds.

Not sure which schools near you offer on-campus testing? ATI does not publish a public partner institution list, so a direct call or email to each program's admissions office is the only reliable way to find out.

Step-by-Step: How to Register Through ATI Directly

Once you have confirmed that ATI-site or PSI testing is the right pathway for you, the ATI TEAS registration process itself is straightforward. Here is the full sequence.

Step 1: Go to atitesting.com/teas/register

Open your browser and go directly to atitesting.com/teas/register. This is the only official registration page. Do not use a saved link or a third-party redirect because the older URL (ending in /registration) returns a 404 error and will waste your time.

Step 2: Create or Log Into Your ATI Account

Click "Create Account" in the top right corner if you are new to ATI. You will enter your legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID, a valid email address and a password. If your nursing school prerequisites used ATI materials, you already have an account. Log in with the same credentials. Using the same account avoids duplicate records and keeps all your exam history in one place.

Step 3: Choose Your Testing Format

Once logged in, you will see four proctoring options:

• TEAS Online proctored by ATI — you test remotely from home with ATI overseeing the session

• TEAS Online proctored by an Institution — your school arranges remote proctoring

• TEAS In-Person at a PSI Testing Center — you visit a physical PSI location

• TEAS In-Person at an Institution — you test on your school's campus

Before selecting, confirm which formats your target nursing program accepts. Not all programs accept remotely proctored scores, and choosing the wrong format means registering and paying again.

Step 4: Search for Available Testing Locations

For PSI in-person testing, enter your zip code or city to browse testing centers near you. The portal updates availability in real time so what you see reflects actual open seats. For ATI-remote testing, you skip this step since you are testing from your own location.

Step 5: Select Your Date and Time

Browse the available calendar slots at your chosen center or for your remote session. Saturday mornings and early weekday slots close to nursing school application deadlines fill the fastest. If you have a firm deadline, work backwards from your program's score-receipt date and pick the earliest slot that still gives you adequate prep time. Do not leave this to the last minute.

Step 6: Review Your Registration Details

Before you pay, ATI shows you a summary of your registration. Read every field carefully. Confirm your full legal name, the testing format you selected, the date and time and the testing location. A name that does not match your ID will get you turned away at the testing center with no refund. This review screen is your last chance to catch errors before payment locks everything in.

Step 7: Pay the Registration Fee

ATI and PSI testing both cost \$120, and institution-arranged fees vary by school — see our full TEAS test cost breakdown for what to budget. Payment is by debit or credit card at checkout. No cash, no invoices and no other payment methods are currently accepted. Once payment goes through, your registration is confirmed and non-refundable.

Step 8: Save Your Confirmation Email

ATI sends a confirmation email immediately after payment. Open it and save it somewhere accessible. It contains your appointment details, the testing center address if applicable and the ID requirements you need to meet on exam day. Do not delete it or assume you will find it again easily when you need it.

Step 9: Verify Your ID Before Exam Day

Log back into the email and cross-check that the ID you plan to bring is on ATI's accepted list. Do this the same day you register, not the night before the exam. If your driver's license is expiring soon or your name on your ATI account does not match your ID exactly, you still have time to fix it. Catching this on registration day gives you weeks to sort it out. Catching it the evening before your exam gives you nothing.

That is the complete how to register for the TEAS test sequence. Nine steps and roughly 20 to 30 minutes if you have your details ready before you start.

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What ID Do You Need to Take the TEAS?

This is the section most people skip and then panic about three days before their exam. Do not be that person.

ATI requires a valid and unexpired government-issued photo ID. According to ATI's official registration page, accepted forms include:

• U.S. State or Territory Issued Driver's License or ID Card

• U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport Card

• U.S. Military ID

• U.S. Permanent Resident Card

• U.S. Visa

• Foreign Government Issued Passport

A digital photo or screenshot of your ID on your phone does not count. It must be a physical document. If your driver's license expires before your exam date, renew it first or plan to bring your passport instead.

The Name-Match Rule

Your legal name on your ID must match the name on your ATI account registration exactly. A nickname, a missing middle name or a recent name change after marriage can all trigger a problem at check-in. If your name has changed since you created your ATI account, update the account before exam day. This is not something the testing center can resolve on your behalf.

If you are unsure whether your details match, log into your ATI account and compare both before your exam date. ATI's support team can help with name corrections if you reach out ahead of time.

When Should You Book Your TEAS? (Timing and Availability)

The honest answer is earlier than you think. ATI recommends allowing at least six weeks of preparation time before sitting the exam and booking further out gives you access to better time slots.

As a general rule, aim for four to eight weeks between your registration date and your exam date. Here is why that range matters.

Four weeks minimum gives you structured study time without cramming. It also gives you enough runway to identify weak sections early and redirect your prep before it is too late.

Eight weeks or more is worth considering if Saturday morning slots near you fill quickly, if your nursing school application deadline is firm and you need a buffer for a potential retake and if you are balancing work or family commitments alongside studying.

If You Are Using Institution-Arranged Testing

On-campus TEAS sessions are often limited to a handful of dates per semester. Contact admissions as early as possible to find out when those dates are, because you cannot book them through ATI's portal. Missing the registration window for an institution session can push your application to the next cycle.

The Retake Window

If you need to retake the TEAS after testing through ATI directly, there is a 14-day mandatory wait between attempts. For institution-administered exams, many schools require a 30-day wait, but that policy is set by the school rather than ATI. Factor this into your timeline before you book your first attempt, especially if you have a hard application deadline.

After Registration: Score Reports and Sharing With Programs

Passing the TEAS test is the goal but knowing what happens after the exam is just as important as the registration process itself.

How You Get Your Score

Your score report becomes available in your ATI account after testing. It includes your composite Adjusted Individual Total Score, a national percentile ranking and individual section scores across Reading, Mathematics, Science and English and Language Usage. For most candidates, this is available immediately or shortly after completing the exam.

Sending Scores to Nursing Programs

One free transcript is included with every ATI TEAS registration. How that transcript reaches your program depends on which testing format you used.

• For ATI-remote and PSI in-person testing, score submission varies so check ATI's transcript guide at atitesting.com/teas/transcript for the current process

• For institution-administered testing, the school often receives scores directly

• Some programs require you to submit a printed or downloaded score report yourself as part of the application

The safest move is to confirm each program's score submission process directly with their admissions office. Do not assume every program uses the same method because they do not.

Score Validity

ATI does not set a universal score expiration window. Programs set their own policies on how old a TEAS score can be. Some accept scores up to two years old and others up to five years. If you are planning to apply in the next cycle rather than immediately, verify the score validity window with each target program before testing.

Save your official score report the moment it appears in your ATI account. Do not rely on being able to retrieve it quickly when application deadlines are approaching.

Bottom Line

The TEAS application process does not have to be the stressful part of getting into nursing school. Once you know which pathway to use, have the right ID ready and give yourself enough time to prep and test before your program's deadline, the logistics take care of themselves.

Check with your target schools before booking, confirm your ID matches your ATI account and book at least six weeks out. Those three steps alone remove most of the friction candidates run into.

The harder part is what comes after registration, and that is where preparation determines outcomes. Testavia's TEAS prep gives you topic-based video lessons and weekly study plans built around your exam date with a 99% pass rate backing the method. Compare prep plans and pricing, then go into exam day prepared, not just registered.

FAQ

How do I apply for the TEAS test?

Go to atitesting.com/teas/register and create or log into your ATI account. From there, choose your preferred testing format, search for available locations or dates and pay the registration fee. Before you do any of that, contact your target nursing programs to ask whether they offer institution-arranged testing on-campus. Registering through the wrong pathway means paying a second fee to correct it.

How much does it cost to register for the TEAS?

ATI and PSI testing both cost \$120. Institution-arranged testing fees are set by the school and vary. Some institutions charge more and some charge less than the ATI direct rate. Always confirm the fee with your school's admissions office before registering.

What ID do I need for the TEAS?

ATI requires a valid and unexpired government-issued photo ID. Accepted forms include a U.S. driver's license or state ID, a U.S. passport or passport card, a U.S. military ID, a U.S. permanent resident card, a U.S. visa and a foreign government-issued passport. A digital copy or phone screenshot of your ID is not accepted. Your legal name on the ID must match your ATI account registration exactly.

How early should I book the TEAS?

ATI recommends at least six weeks of preparation before sitting the exam. As a practical rule, book four to eight weeks before your planned exam date. If you are targeting a Saturday morning slot near a major city, book further out because those fill the fastest. If you are using institution-arranged testing, contact admissions early since on-campus sessions are often limited to a few dates per semester.

Can I take the TEAS test online?

Yes. ATI currently offers two remote testing options. You can test online with ATI as the proctor or online with your institution as the proctor. Before booking a remote session, confirm that your target nursing programs accept remotely proctored TEAS scores. Some programs require in-person testing and will not accept scores from a remotely administered exam.

How do I send my TEAS scores to nursing schools?

One free transcript is included with every ATI TEAS registration. How that transcript reaches your program depends on your testing format. For ATI-remote and PSI in-person testing, refer to ATI's transcript guide at atitesting.com/teas/transcript for the current submission process. For institution-administered testing, the school often receives scores directly. Confirm the exact submission process with each program's admissions office because not every school handles it the same way.

What happens if I need to reschedule or cancel my TEAS exam?

Not all exam types allow rescheduling. ATI's policy varies depending on the format you selected and the timing of your request. Read ATI's rescheduling policy at help.atitesting.com before you register and pay, because once payment is processed the registration is non-refundable. Do not assume you can move your date without a penalty.

How many times can I take the TEAS?

For ATI-site testing, there is a 14-day mandatory wait between attempts. For institution-administered testing, many schools require a 30-day wait, but that policy is set by the school rather than ATI. Some programs also cap the number of attempts they will consider for admissions review. Check both ATI's policy and your target program's retake rules before registering for a second attempt.

Does my nursing school need to approve my TEAS registration before I book?

Not for ATI-site or PSI testing. You can register directly through ATI without school approval. However, confirming with your target program before booking is still a smart move. You want to verify that they accept your chosen testing format, that your exam date falls within their score-receipt window and that you are not paying the ATI direct fee when your school offers cheaper institution-arranged testing.

Can I use the same ATI account I used for nursing school coursework to register for the TEAS?

Yes. Your ATI account is universal across all ATI products and exams. If you used ATI materials for prerequisites or any nursing school assignments, log into that same account to register for the TEAS. Creating a duplicate account can cause issues with your exam history and score records. If you are unsure whether you already have an account, use the email address you used for your nursing school coursework and try the password reset option before creating a new one.