NSC October and November 2026

Matric Exam Timetable 2026 (NSC Oct/Nov)

National Senior Certificate written exams run from Tuesday 13 October 2026 to Thursday 26 November 2026. Morning papers start at 09:00 and afternoon papers start at 14:00. This is the Department of Basic Education timetable. IEB candidates use a different one.
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  • Starts

    Tuesday 13 October 2026

  • Ends

    Thursday 26 November 2026

  • Sessions

    09:00 and 14:00

  • Results

    Mid-January 2027

    Not yet confirmed

How to read this timetable

The dates below are the final October and November 2026 NSC timetable published by the Department of Basic Education. Confirm any later circular with your school.

  • Two sessions a day

    Morning papers start at 09:00. Afternoon papers start at 14:00. Your school tells you what time to be at the venue. The time on this page is the session start.

  • You write at a venue

    These are seated NSC exams. The venue is the one your school or exam centre gives you. The paper is not written online.

  • This grid is one sitting

    It is the Department of Basic Education October and November 2026 NSC timetable. IEB has its own timetable. March and May/June rewrite sittings are a different calendar.

IEB examination timetable · Matric rewrite sittings · Official DBE PDF

Main subject dates

These times are taken from the same grid as the weeks below. The full list, including languages and practical subjects, is in the week tables.

Mathematics

Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, and Technical Mathematics share the same session. A learner writes one of them.

  • Paper 1. Fri 23 Oct 2026, 09:00
  • Paper 2. Mon 26 Oct 2026, 09:00

English

Home Language, First Additional Language, and Second Additional Language sit together. Paper 3 is scheduled before Paper 1.

  • Paper 3. Thu 15 Oct 2026, 09:00
  • Paper 1. Wed 28 Oct 2026, 09:00
  • Paper 2. Thu 19 Nov 2026, 09:00

Physical Sciences

Paper 1 is Physics. Paper 2 is Chemistry. Technical Sciences is in the same sessions.

  • Paper 1 Physics. Fri 30 Oct 2026, 09:00
  • Paper 2 Chemistry. Mon 2 Nov 2026, 09:00

Life Sciences

Both papers are morning sessions.

  • Paper 1. Fri 13 Nov 2026, 09:00
  • Paper 2. Mon 16 Nov 2026, 09:00

Accounting

Paper 1 is a morning paper. Paper 2 is an afternoon paper.

  • Paper 1. Thu 22 Oct 2026, 09:00
  • Paper 2. Wed 28 Oct 2026, 14:00

Afrikaans

Home Language, First Additional Language, and Second Additional Language sit together. Paper 3 is first.

  • Paper 3. Tue 20 Oct 2026, 09:00
  • Paper 1. Wed 11 Nov 2026, 09:00
  • Paper 2. Fri 20 Nov 2026, 09:00

Full October and November grid

Every written session from the DBE timetable, including subjects that are not in the cards above.

Week 1: 12-16 October 2026

  • Mon 12 Oct

    09:00. Life Orientation CAT rewrite (2½hrs) - see extra sittings

    14:00. No paper

  • Tue 13 Oct

    09:00. Computer Applications Technology P1 Practical (3hrs)

    14:00. Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu HL/FAL/SAL P1; Hebrew SAL P1; German HL/FAL/SAL P1

  • Wed 14 Oct

    09:00. Information Technology P1 Practical (3hrs)

    14:00. Arabic, French, Italian, Mandarin, Modern Greek, Serbian, Spanish SAL P1; Latin SAL P1; Portuguese HL/FAL/SAL P1

  • Thu 15 Oct

    09:00. English HL P3 (3hrs); English FAL P3 (2½hrs); English SAL P3 (2½hrs)

    14:00. Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu HL/FAL/SAL P2; Hebrew SAL P2; German HL/FAL/SAL P2

  • Fri 16 Oct

    09:00. Economics P1 (2hrs); Mechanical Technology (3hrs)

    14:00. Design P1 (3hrs)

Week 2: 19-23 October 2026

  • Mon 19 Oct

    09:00. isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati, isiNdebele HL P3 (3hrs); FAL P3 (2½hrs); SAL P3 (2½hrs)

    14:00. Agricultural Sciences P1 (2½hrs)

  • Tue 20 Oct

    09:00. Afrikaans HL P3 (3hrs); FAL P3 (2½hrs); SAL P3 (2½hrs)

    14:00. History P1 (3hrs); Maritime Economics (3hrs)

  • Wed 21 Oct

    09:00. Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga, Tshivenda HL P3 (3hrs); FAL P3 (2½hrs); SAL P3 (2½hrs); SASL HL P3 (3hrs)

    14:00. Information Technology P2 Theory (3hrs)

  • Thu 22 Oct

    09:00. Accounting P1 (2hrs)

    14:00. Engineering Graphics and Design P1 (3hrs); Marine Sciences P1 (2½hrs)

  • Fri 23 Oct

    09:00. Mathematics P1 (3hrs); Mathematical Literacy P1 (3hrs); Technical Mathematics P1 (3hrs)

    14:00. Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu HL/FAL P3; Portuguese and German HL/FAL P3

Week 3: 26-30 October 2026

  • Mon 26 Oct

    09:00. Mathematics P2 (3hrs); Mathematical Literacy P2 (3hrs); Technical Mathematics P2 (3hrs)

    14:00. Sport and Exercise Science (3hrs)

  • Tue 27 Oct

    09:00. Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga, Tshivenda HL/FAL/SAL P1; SASL HL P1

    14:00. Engineering Graphics and Design P2 (3hrs)

  • Wed 28 Oct

    09:00. English HL P1 (2hrs); English FAL P1 (2hrs); English SAL P1 (2hrs)

    14:00. Accounting P2 (2hrs)

  • Thu 29 Oct

    09:00. Geography P1 (3hrs)

    14:00. Computer Applications Technology P2 Theory (3hrs)

  • Fri 30 Oct

    09:00. Physical Sciences P1 Physics (3hrs); Technical Sciences P1 (3hrs)

    14:00. Tourism (3hrs)

Week 4: 2-6 November 2026

  • Mon 2 Nov

    09:00. Physical Sciences P2 Chemistry (3hrs); Technical Sciences P2 (1½hrs)

    14:00. Religion Studies P1 (2hrs)

  • Tue 3 Nov

    09:00. Non-examination day

    14:00. Non-examination day

  • Wed 4 Nov

    09:00. Non-examination day

    14:00. Non-examination day

  • Thu 5 Nov

    09:00. Non-examination day

    14:00. Non-examination day

  • Fri 6 Nov

    09:00. isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati, isiNdebele HL/FAL/SAL P1

    14:00. Consumer Studies (3hrs); Hospitality Studies (3hrs)

Week 5: 9-13 November 2026

  • Mon 9 Nov

    09:00. Non-examination day

    14:00. Non-examination day

  • Tue 10 Nov

    09:00. isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati, isiNdebele HL P2 (2½hrs); FAL P2 (2½hrs); SAL P2 (1½hrs)

    14:00. Electrical Technology (3hrs); Nautical Science P1 (3hrs)

  • Wed 11 Nov

    09:00. Afrikaans HL P1 (2hrs); FAL P1 (2hrs); SAL P1 (2hrs)

    14:00. Business Studies P1 (2hrs)

  • Thu 12 Nov

    09:00. Geography P2 (3hrs)

    14:00. Religion Studies P2 (2hrs)

  • Fri 13 Nov

    09:00. Life Sciences P1 (2½hrs)

    14:00. Arabic, French, Italian, Mandarin, Modern Greek, Serbian, Spanish SAL P2; Latin SAL P2; Portuguese HL/FAL/SAL P2; Equine Studies (3hrs)

Week 6: 16-20 November 2026

  • Mon 16 Nov

    09:00. Life Sciences P2 (2½hrs)

    14:00. Dramatic Arts (3hrs); Civil Technology (3hrs)

  • Tue 17 Nov

    09:00. Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga, Tshivenda HL P2 (2½hrs); FAL P2 (2½hrs); SAL P2 (1½hrs); SASL HL P2 (2½hrs)

    14:00. Agricultural Sciences P2 (2½hrs); Nautical Science P2 (3hrs)

  • Wed 18 Nov

    09:00. Business Studies P2 (2hrs)

    14:00. Visual Arts P1 (3hrs)

  • Thu 19 Nov

    09:00. English HL P2 (2½hrs); English FAL P2 (2½hrs); English SAL P2 (1½hrs)

    14:00. History P2 (3hrs)

  • Fri 20 Nov

    09:00. Afrikaans HL P2 (2½hrs); FAL P2 (2½hrs); SAL P2 (1½hrs)

    14:00. Economics P2 (2hrs)

Week 7: 23-27 November 2026

  • Mon 23 Nov

    09:00. Agricultural Technology (3hrs)

    14:00. Music P1 Theory (3hrs)

  • Tue 24 Nov

    09:00. Agricultural Management Practices (3hrs); Marine Sciences P2 (2½hrs)

    14:00. Dance Studies (3hrs)

  • Wed 25 Nov

    09:00. Music P2 Comprehension (1½hrs)

    14:00. No paper

  • Thu 26 Nov

    09:00. CAT P1 rewrite practical (3hrs); IT P1 rewrite practical (3hrs)

    14:00. No paper

  • Fri 27 Nov

    09:00. No papers scheduled

    14:00. No papers scheduled

Days with no written exam

  • Tue 3 Nov 2026

    Built-in mid-season gap

  • Wed 4 Nov 2026

    Built-in mid-season gap

  • Thu 5 Nov 2026

    Built-in mid-season gap

  • Mon 9 Nov 2026

    Non-examination day

Before the written papers

  • Tue 1 Sep 2026

    09:00 - Life Orientation CAT (2½hrs)

  • Fri 9 Oct 2026

    Pledge signing

  • Mon 12 Oct 2026

    09:00 - Life Orientation CAT rewrite (2½hrs)

  • Performing Arts practical

    3 August 2026 to 9 October 2026

  • Visual Arts and Design practical

    14 September 2026 to 13 October 2026

Questions about the 2026 timetable

What time do the 2026 matric exams start?
On this Department of Basic Education timetable, morning papers start at 09:00 and afternoon papers start at 14:00. Your school sets the time you need to arrive at the venue.
Is this the IEB matric timetable?
No. This is the DBE National Senior Certificate timetable for October and November 2026. Learners at IEB schools follow the IEB timetable, published by the IEB.
When is Mathematics?
Mathematics Paper 1, Mathematical Literacy Paper 1, and Technical Mathematics Paper 1 are on Fri 23 Oct 2026, 09:00. Paper 2 for those subjects is on Mon 26 Oct 2026, 09:00. They share a session, so a learner writes one subject, not all three.
Why is English Paper 3 before Paper 1?
On this timetable English Paper 3 is on Thu 15 Oct 2026, 09:00 and English Paper 1 is on Wed 28 Oct 2026, 09:00. The papers do not run in number order. Check each paper on the grid rather than assuming Paper 1 is first.
Which days have no exam?
The timetable marks these as non-examination days: Tue 3 Nov 2026, Wed 4 Nov 2026, Thu 5 Nov 2026, Mon 9 Nov 2026. A Friday after the last paper, 27 November 2026, has no papers scheduled.
When are the 2026 NSC results?
NSC results are usually released in mid-January. The 2027 date is not yet confirmed by DBE.
Can a tutor move an exam date?
No. The date and the venue come from the department and your school. A tutor can practise that subject before the paper on this timetable. We do not register you for the exam.

Source: DBE October/November 2026 NSC Examinations Timetable (final, February 2026). Official PDF · DBE exam timetable page · APS calculator · Matric results

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