- The KNAT is a 91-question, 165-minute admission exam built by Kaplan and given directly by individual nursing programs.
- Four timed sections: Reading (22 Q/45 min), Math (28 Q/45 min), Writing (21 Q/45 min), Science (20 Q/30 min).
- Fees are set by each school and documented from $25 to $70; cutoffs range from 62% to 65% at published programs.
- Only the Science section tests nursing-adjacent content - physiology systems, electrolytes, and homeostasis.
What Is A KNAT, Exactly?
KNAT stands for the Kaplan Nursing School Admission Test. It's an admission exam that nursing programs use to screen applicants before they're accepted into a nursing degree track. Unlike a national licensing exam that's administered through a single testing network, the KNAT is developed by Kaplan but delivered directly by each individual nursing program - usually inside the school's own assessment and testing center rather than at a commercial test site. That distinction matters: the exact rules you'll follow for registration, retakes, and passing scores depend on which school is giving you the test, not on a single national standard.
If you've landed here wondering "what is a KNAT," the short answer is that it's a gatekeeping exam. Programs use it to gauge whether an applicant has the academic foundation - reading comprehension, math fluency, writing mechanics, and basic physiology knowledge - to succeed in nursing coursework before they ever set foot in a clinical rotation. For a deeper breakdown of the terminology itself, see our companion piece on KNAT meaning and our plain-language explainer on what does KNAT stand for.
Who Uses The KNAT And Why
Because the KNAT is administered directly by individual nursing programs rather than through a centralized network, "who uses it" really means "which nursing schools have chosen it as their admission screening tool." Programs adopt the KNAT to get a fast, standardized snapshot of an applicant's academic readiness without waiting weeks for transcript review or interview scheduling. Since results are returned immediately after testing, admissions committees can move quickly through application cycles.
There are no formal prerequisites to sit for the KNAT beyond whatever the nursing program itself requires for its application - meaning eligibility is entirely program-specific. Some schools go further and restrict testing to applicants who are already in their final semester of prerequisite coursework, so the exam functions as a late-stage checkpoint rather than an early screening tool. Anyone weighing whether to apply should read our detailed KNAT requirements guide before assuming a single set of rules applies everywhere.
Key Takeaway
Always confirm eligibility and testing windows directly with the nursing program you're applying to - the KNAT has no universal prerequisite policy across schools.
Format, Timing, And Question Style
The KNAT is a 91-question, online multiple-choice exam split into four separately timed sections, for a total testing time of 165 minutes:
- Reading: 22 questions in 45 minutes
- Math: 28 questions in 45 minutes
- Writing: 21 questions in 45 minutes
- Science: 20 questions in 30 minutes
Each section has its own clock, so you can't borrow time from Reading to finish Math - once a section's timer ends, you move on. The test includes a built-in on-screen calculator, and proctors typically supply scratch paper and pencils. Candidates are generally not permitted to bring their own calculator, so it's worth practicing with an on-screen calculator interface ahead of test day rather than relying on a personal device you're used to.
Because the sections are timed independently and the question counts are fixed, pacing matters more on the KNAT than on untimed assessments. Math, for example, gives you roughly 1.6 minutes per question across 28 items - tight enough that slow, careful arithmetic on every single problem isn't a viable strategy. For a full breakdown of how demanding this pacing actually is compared to other admission exams, see How Hard Is the KNAT Exam?.
The Four KNAT Domains
The KNAT's content is organized into four domains, each weighted differently in terms of overall question share: Reading (24%), Math (31%), Writing (23%), and Science (22%). Math carries the most weight both in question count and percentage, making it the section most worth over-preparing rather than under-preparing.
Domain 1: Reading (24%)
Tests comprehension and interpretation skills needed to process dense academic and clinical text under time pressure.
- 22 questions in 45 minutes
- Focus on extracting main ideas and supporting details quickly
Domain 2: Math (31%)
The largest section on the exam at 28 of 91 questions, covering unit conversions, basic and advanced operations, ratios, percentages, and word problems presented as equations or applied scenarios.
- 28 questions in 45 minutes
- Heavy emphasis on applied word problems, not just raw calculation
Domain 3: Writing (23%)
Assesses grammar, sentence structure, and mechanics rather than nursing-specific vocabulary.
- 21 questions in 45 minutes
- Rewards familiarity with standard written English conventions
Domain 4: Science (22%)
The only section tied to nursing knowledge specifically. It's physiology-focused, covering the cardiovascular, renal, hematological, gastrointestinal, respiratory, immune, sensory, and neurological systems, plus electrolytes and homeostasis.
- 20 questions in 30 minutes - the shortest, most time-pressured section
- Requires system-by-system physiology review, not general science trivia
Notice that three of the four domains - Reading, Math, and Writing - test general academic readiness rather than anything nursing-specific. Science is the exception, and it's the section most candidates underestimate because it demands actual physiology recall rather than test-taking strategy alone. For a domain-by-domain study plan, our KNAT Exam Domains 2026 guide goes deeper into each content area.
Registration, Fees, And Retake Rules
Because each nursing program administers its own KNAT, registration mechanics and fees vary by school. Documented exam fees include $25 at Clayton State University, $50 at both the University of Southern Mississippi and Jackson College, and $70 at Delgado Community College. There's no single national fee - you'll need to check with the specific program you're applying to. Our KNAT Certification Cost breakdown compares these figures side by side.
| Institution | Documented Fee |
|---|---|
| Clayton State University | $25 |
| University of Southern Mississippi | $50 |
| Jackson College | $50 |
| Delgado Community College | $70 |
Attempt limits, waiting periods, and score validity are also set at the program level. Common published policies allow one or two attempts per application period, require a minimum 30-day wait between retests, and treat scores as valid anywhere from six months to three years. If your first attempt doesn't meet a program's cutoff, that 30-day window is a realistic amount of time to target your weakest domain rather than restudying everything from scratch. Testing calendars and deadlines also vary by school - see KNAT Exam Dates 2026 for how to plan around specific windows.
Key Takeaway
Confirm your program's exact fee, attempt limit, and score validity period before registering - these details differ from school to school and directly affect your retake strategy.
How Scoring And Cutoffs Work
The KNAT returns results immediately after testing, reported as a percentage score for each of the four sections plus a cumulative overall score. There is no single universal passing score - each nursing program sets its own admission cutoff. Published examples include a 62% cutoff for the AAS-N program at Jackson College and a 65% cutoff at MSU Billings City College. That's a meaningful difference, and it underscores why you should know your target program's specific benchmark rather than assuming a generic "70% is passing" rule that doesn't apply to this exam.
Because scoring is immediate and section-by-section, you'll know right away which domain, if any, needs the most work before a retake. For the mechanics of how cumulative scores are calculated and what counts as competitive versus borderline, read KNAT Passing Score 2026. If you're trying to gauge how many candidates typically clear their program's cutoff on a first attempt, our KNAT Pass Rate 2026 article walks through what the available data actually shows.
Preparing For The KNAT Without Wasting Time
Given that Math carries the largest share of questions (28 of 91) and the widest topic range - unit conversions, basic and advanced operations, ratios, percentages, and word problems - it deserves the largest block of your study time. Science, despite being the shortest section, needs dedicated physiology review since it's the one domain that isn't just "general academic readiness."
Math Foundations
- Drill unit conversions and percentage/ratio word problems
- Practice with an on-screen calculator interface, since personal calculators aren't allowed
Reading And Writing
- Time yourself at roughly 2 minutes per Reading question to match the 22-in-45 pace
- Review grammar and sentence-structure rules tested in the Writing section
Science Systems Review
- Work through cardiovascular, renal, hematological, gastrointestinal, respiratory, immune, sensory, and neurological systems one at a time
- Memorize electrolyte and homeostasis basics - this is the one domain tied to actual nursing content
Full Timed Simulation
- Take a full 165-minute, four-section practice run to build stamina against the independent section clocks
- Identify your weakest section score and spend remaining days there
Spaced review across these four weeks works better than cramming precisely because the KNAT's sections are independently timed - you need separate pacing habits for Math, Reading, Writing, and Science rather than one generic test-taking rhythm. For a more exhaustive walkthrough of question types and practice strategy, see our full KNAT Study Guide 2026. You can also build timed-section stamina using realistic practice questions on our practice test platform, which mirrors the KNAT's four-section structure.
What Happens After The KNAT
Passing the KNAT at or above your program's cutoff is typically one piece of a larger admission packet that may include transcripts, prerequisite coursework, and interviews. It's not a professional certification you carry into the workforce the way a licensing credential is - it's strictly an admission screening tool. If you're evaluating whether investing time and the exam fee is worthwhile relative to your overall nursing school timeline, our ROI analysis and salary guide put the exam in context alongside the broader nursing career path. You can also start practicing directly on the KNAT practice test homepage to see where your baseline score stands today.
Frequently Asked Questions
The question content and four-section format (Reading, Math, Writing, Science) come from Kaplan, but each nursing program administers the test itself, sets its own fee, passing cutoff, attempt limits, and score validity period.
The KNAT has 91 total questions across four separately timed sections, for a combined testing time of 165 minutes: Reading (22 questions/45 minutes), Math (28 questions/45 minutes), Writing (21 questions/45 minutes), and Science (20 questions/30 minutes).
Generally no. The exam includes a built-in on-screen calculator, and candidates are typically not permitted to use their own calculator. Proctor-supplied scratch paper and pencils are usually allowed.
There is no single national passing score. Each program sets its own cutoff - for example, 62% at Jackson College's AAS-N program and 65% at MSU Billings City College - so you need to check your specific program's benchmark.
Fees are set by the administering nursing program. Documented amounts include $25 at Clayton State University, $50 at the University of Southern Mississippi and Jackson College, and $70 at Delgado Community College.