Timetable

National Senior Certificate Examinations Exam Timetable October–November 2026

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DBE NSC exams run 13 October–26 November 2026. Check paper dates, start times, durations and practicals from the Department of Basic Education.
National Senior Certificate Examinations October–November 2026 exam timetable

DBE NSC exams run 13 October–26 November 2026. Check paper dates, start times, durations and practicals from the Department of Basic Education.

South Africa · DBE · October–November 2026

13 October–26 November 2026

The National Senior Certificate Examinations timetable for October–November 2026 helps South African learners plan their final school examinations subject by subject. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) timetable lists papers from 13 October to 26 November, including computer practicals and the final practical rewrite sessions. Most morning papers begin at 09:00 and afternoon papers at 14:00, using South African Standard Time. Your own exam period depends on the subjects and language levels you take. Use the table to mark your papers, then leave time for travel, revision and rest between them. Practical assessments and Life Orientation have separate dates, so check those sections as well. Confirm your personal timetable with your school or examination centre and keep a copy with your admission information.

09:00Morning session
14:00Afternoon session
SAST · UTC+2South African time

By RevisionTown Team · Dates checked: 6 September 2026

Check your registered subjects and language levels. The start time is not your arrival deadline; follow your school or examination centre’s instructions.

37 days to go until the main timetable begins, as of 6 September 2026.

NSC October–November 2026 paper timetable

Morning and afternoon times use SAST. P1, P2 and P3 mean Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3. Language durations vary by level where a range is shown.

PaperDateDay of weekTimeDuration
Computer Applications Technology P1 Practical13 October 2026Tuesday09:00 SAST3h
Hindi/Gujarati/Tamil/Telugu/Urdu HL/FAL/SAL P1; Hebrew SAL P1; German HL/FAL/SAL P113 October 2026Tuesday14:00 SAST2h
Information Technology P1 Practical14 October 2026Wednesday09:00 SAST3h
Arabic/French/Italian/Mandarin/Modern Greek/Serbian/Spanish SAL P1; Portuguese HL/FAL/SAL P114 October 2026Wednesday14:00 SAST2h
Latin SAL P114 October 2026Wednesday14:00 SAST3h
English HL P315 October 2026Thursday09:00 SAST3h
English FAL/SAL P315 October 2026Thursday09:00 SAST2h 30m
Hindi/Gujarati/Tamil/Telugu/Urdu HL/FAL/SAL P2; Hebrew SAL P2; German HL/FAL/SAL P215 October 2026Thursday14:00 SAST2h–2h 30m
Economics P116 October 2026Friday09:00 SAST2h
Mechanical Technology16 October 2026Friday09:00 SAST3h
Design P116 October 2026Friday14:00 SAST3h
isiZulu/isiXhosa/siSwati/isiNdebele HL/FAL/SAL P319 October 2026Monday09:00 SAST2h 30m–3h
Agricultural Sciences P119 October 2026Monday14:00 SAST2h 30m
Afrikaans HL/FAL/SAL P320 October 2026Tuesday09:00 SAST2h 30m–3h
History P1; Maritime Economics20 October 2026Tuesday14:00 SAST3h
Sepedi/Sesotho/Setswana/Xitsonga/Tshivenda HL/FAL/SAL P3; South African Sign Language HL P321 October 2026Wednesday09:00 SAST2h 30m–3h
Information Technology P2 Theory21 October 2026Wednesday14:00 SAST3h
Accounting P122 October 2026Thursday09:00 SAST2h
Engineering Graphics & Design P122 October 2026Thursday14:00 SAST3h
Marine Sciences P122 October 2026Thursday14:00 SAST2h 30m
Mathematics P1; Mathematical Literacy P1; Technical Mathematics P123 October 2026Friday09:00 SAST3h
Hindi/Gujarati/Tamil/Telugu/Urdu HL/FAL P3; Portuguese/German HL/FAL P323 October 2026Friday14:00 SAST2h 30m
Mathematics P2; Mathematical Literacy P2; Technical Mathematics P226 October 2026Monday09:00 SAST3h
Sport and Exercise Science26 October 2026Monday14:00 SAST3h
Sepedi/Sesotho/Setswana/Xitsonga/Tshivenda HL/FAL/SAL P1; SASL HL P127 October 2026Tuesday09:00 SAST2h
Engineering Graphics & Design P227 October 2026Tuesday14:00 SAST3h
English HL/FAL/SAL P128 October 2026Wednesday09:00 SAST2h
Accounting P228 October 2026Wednesday14:00 SAST2h
Geography P129 October 2026Thursday09:00 SAST3h
Computer Applications Technology P2 Theory29 October 2026Thursday14:00 SAST3h
Physical Sciences: Physics P1; Technical Sciences P130 October 2026Friday09:00 SAST3h
Tourism30 October 2026Friday14:00 SAST3h
Physical Sciences: Chemistry P22 November 2026Monday09:00 SAST3h
Technical Sciences P22 November 2026Monday09:00 SAST1h 30m
Religion Studies P12 November 2026Monday14:00 SAST2h
isiZulu/isiXhosa/siSwati/isiNdebele HL/FAL/SAL P16 November 2026Friday09:00 SAST2h
Consumer Studies; Hospitality Studies6 November 2026Friday14:00 SAST3h
isiZulu/isiXhosa/siSwati/isiNdebele HL/FAL/SAL P210 November 2026Tuesday09:00 SAST1h 30m–2h 30m
Electrical Technology; Nautical Science P110 November 2026Tuesday14:00 SAST3h
Afrikaans HL/FAL/SAL P111 November 2026Wednesday09:00 SAST2h
Business Studies P111 November 2026Wednesday14:00 SAST2h
Geography P212 November 2026Thursday09:00 SAST3h
Religion Studies P212 November 2026Thursday14:00 SAST2h
Life Sciences P113 November 2026Friday09:00 SAST2h 30m
Arabic/French/Italian/Mandarin/Modern Greek/Serbian/Spanish SAL P2; Latin SAL P2; Portuguese HL/FAL/SAL P2; Equine Studies13 November 2026Friday14:00 SAST2h–3h
Life Sciences P216 November 2026Monday09:00 SAST2h 30m
Dramatic Arts; Civil Technology16 November 2026Monday14:00 SAST3h
Sepedi/Sesotho/Setswana/Xitsonga/Tshivenda HL/FAL/SAL P2; SASL HL P217 November 2026Tuesday09:00 SAST1h 30m–2h 30m
Agricultural Sciences P217 November 2026Tuesday14:00 SAST2h 30m
Nautical Science P217 November 2026Tuesday14:00 SAST3h
Business Studies P218 November 2026Wednesday09:00 SAST2h
Visual Arts P118 November 2026Wednesday14:00 SAST3h
English HL/FAL/SAL P219 November 2026Thursday09:00 SAST1h 30m–2h 30m
History P219 November 2026Thursday14:00 SAST3h
Afrikaans HL/FAL/SAL P220 November 2026Friday09:00 SAST1h 30m–2h 30m
Economics P220 November 2026Friday14:00 SAST2h
Agricultural Technology23 November 2026Monday09:00 SAST3h
Music P1 Theory23 November 2026Monday14:00 SAST3h
Agricultural Management Practices24 November 2026Tuesday09:00 SAST3h
Marine Sciences P224 November 2026Tuesday09:00 SAST2h 30m
Dance Studies24 November 2026Tuesday14:00 SAST3h
Music P2 Comprehension25 November 2026Wednesday09:00 SAST1h 30m
CAT P1 Rewrite Practical; IT P1 Rewrite Practical26 November 2026Thursday09:00 SAST3h

Key things to know

  • Build your personal timetable from your registered subjects and language levels. Several subjects share a row or session; you only attend the papers for which you are registered.
  • Check practical dates separately. Performing Arts practicals run 3 August–9 October; Visual Arts and Design practicals run 14 September–13 October 2026. Your school confirms the individual appointment.
  • Prepare your admission information, identification and required stationery. Confirm calculator and drawing-equipment rules for each subject with your teacher or examination centre.
  • Use the printed duration for your exact language level. HL means Home Language, FAL First Additional Language and SAL Second Additional Language. Where a row gives a range, check the individual level in the official PDF.
  • Keep the rewrite and non-examination dates distinct from ordinary papers. Pledge signing is on 9 October; ask your school about the arrangements that apply to you.

Life Orientation and practical dates

The September Life Orientation assessment has already taken place. The October rewrite and individual arts practical appointments are separate from the main written timetable.

PaperDateDay of weekTimeDuration
Life Orientation Common Assessment Task1 September 2026Tuesday09:00 SAST2h 30m
Life Orientation Common Assessment Task — rewrite12 October 2026Monday09:00 SAST2h 30m
  • Performing Arts practical window: 3 August–9 October 2026.
  • Visual Arts and Design practical window: 14 September–13 October 2026.
  • Pledge signing: 9 October 2026.
  • Non-examination days: 3, 4, 5 and 9 November 2026.

National Senior Certificate 2026 FAQs

When are the National Senior Certificate Examinations in October–November 2026?

The main DBE timetable runs from Tuesday 13 October to Thursday 26 November 2026. Your first and last exam depend on your subjects. Life Orientation and arts practicals have additional dates.

What time do NSC papers start?

Morning papers generally start at 09:00 and afternoon papers at 14:00 South African Standard Time (SAST, UTC+2). Check the row for your paper and arrive according to your examination centre’s instructions.

When are Mathematics Paper 1 and Paper 2?

Mathematics Paper 1 is on Friday 23 October 2026 at 09:00. Paper 2 is on Monday 26 October at 09:00. Each lasts three hours. Mathematical Literacy and Technical Mathematics follow the same dates and durations.

When are Physical Sciences Physics and Chemistry?

Physics Paper 1 is on Friday 30 October at 09:00. Chemistry Paper 2 is on Monday 2 November at 09:00. Each Physical Sciences paper lasts three hours.

When are the English papers?

English Paper 3 is on 15 October, Paper 1 on 28 October and Paper 2 on 19 November, all starting at 09:00. Duration depends on the paper and language level.

How long are English HL, FAL and SAL papers?

Paper 1 lasts two hours at all three levels. Paper 2 lasts two hours 30 minutes for HL and FAL, and one hour 30 minutes for SAL. Paper 3 lasts three hours for HL and two hours 30 minutes for FAL and SAL.

When are Life Sciences papers?

Life Sciences Paper 1 is on Friday 13 November and Paper 2 on Monday 16 November, both at 09:00. Each lasts two hours 30 minutes.

What do HL, FAL and SAL mean?

HL means Home Language, FAL means First Additional Language and SAL means Second Additional Language. Match the level on your registration to the timetable because durations can differ.

Which days have no examinations?

The DBE timetable marks 3, 4, 5 and 9 November 2026 as non-examination days. Use these breaks to revise for your next registered papers.

When are the CAT and IT practical examinations?

Computer Applications Technology Paper 1 Practical is on 13 October at 09:00. Information Technology Paper 1 Practical is on 14 October at 09:00. Both last three hours. Their listed rewrite practicals are on 26 November at 09:00.

When is Life Orientation CAT and its rewrite?

Life Orientation Common Assessment Task is on 1 September 2026 at 09:00. The rewrite is on 12 October at 09:00. The official timetable gives two hours 30 minutes for each.

What should I bring, and can I use a calculator?

Prepare your admission information, identification and the stationery required by your school or centre. Calculator permissions depend on the subject and paper instructions. Confirm the allowed model and equipment with your teacher before exam day; do not assume every paper permits a calculator.

When are NSC results released?

The source timetable does not give an exact result-release date. Check the DBE examinations page and your school for the official announcement.

Official DBE timetable

Check the latest DBE notices and your school’s individual arrangements before each examination.

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