Matric rewrite options: the short answer
If you did not pass matric, or you passed but want better marks, your main matric rewrite option is the Department of Basic Education’s Second Chance Matric Programme. It provides support to learners who want to rewrite subjects, helping them meet the requirements of the National Senior Certificate (NSC) or Senior Certificate (SC) and obtain a Grade 12 matric certificate. It is government-run and free. You register through your nearest district education office, not through a private company.
What the Second Chance Matric Programme actually does
The SCMP is a matric rewrite programme that was established in 2016 for learners who would like to improve their results or eventually complete their matric qualification on a part-time basis. Support comes as face-to-face classes at locations around the country, plus online programmes and television and radio broadcasts.
You do not have to rewrite every subject. It is a national, year-round initiative that helps you rewrite up to two NSC or SC subjects in the May/June exams. You can also add a subject you never wrote before if you need it for a specific career or study path.
Even if you have registered for the programme before and still did not get the result you wanted, you can register again and again until you are satisfied. There is no age restriction, though most candidates are 21 and older.
Who can register, and for which exam sitting
The programme covers two main exam windows, and which one applies to you depends on your candidate type:
| Candidate type | Exam sitting |
|---|---|
| NSC progressed learners (wrote NSC previous year but not all six subjects) | June |
| Part-time NSC candidates (attempted NSC post-2015) | November |
| SC candidates | June only |
SC part-time candidates can only write the May/June exams and cannot register for the October/November examination. If you matriculated any year from 2008 onward and did not get the marks you needed, you generally qualify as a part-time NSC candidate.
Subjects covered
The Second Chance programme targets key gateway subjects, including Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Accounting, Business Studies, Economics, Geography, History, English First Additional Language and Agricultural Sciences. These are the subjects that most often keep learners from meeting a bachelor’s, diploma or higher certificate pass, or a specific university or TVET college requirement.
How to register
Registration works differently depending on whether you’re an NSC or SC candidate.
SC candidates can register at their nearest district office or online on e-Services at eservices.gov.za, while NSC candidates can only register at their nearest district office.
To register, take the following with you:
- A completed registration form
- A copy of your SA ID, or your passport if you are a foreign candidate
- A copy of your previous highest qualification
- Your statement of results from your most recent matric attempt
You can also register at your nearest Department of Basic Education district or circuit office, as well as at your nearest provincial education office, which includes the provincial head office.
When registration opens
Registration runs on an annual cycle tied to the January matric results release. For the most recent intake, registration for the programme opened on 1 October 2025 and closed on 6 February 2026. Expect the next cycle to follow the same pattern: opening in October, closing in early February, ahead of the May/June exam sitting. Because the exact dates shift slightly each year, check the current window on the Department of Basic Education’s website or with your district office before you assume the deadline.
Some provinces also run their own tutoring registration days on top of the national window. For example, the Western Cape opened walk-in registration for its face-to-face tutoring centres on a Saturday in August 2026, ahead of the November exam sitting, and asked candidates to bring a copy of their ID and their exam confirmation slip.
It is free: watch out for scammers
This is the point worth repeating. The Second Chance Matric Programme is provided free of charge, and eligible candidates may register to rewrite or add subjects without making any payment. The department does not endorse any private or commercial service that charges a fee to take part in the Second Chance Programme. If someone asks you to pay to “register” or to guarantee a pass, that is not the government programme.
If you’re an adult who never finished matric: the Senior Certificate route
If you are 21 or older and never completed Grade 12 at all, the route is slightly different. Adult learners who are 21 years and older with a General Education and Training Certificate (GETC), or a Grade 9 school report showing they passed Grade 9 or the old Standard 7, qualify for admission to the Senior Certificate. Registration for this exam typically runs from 1 October to early February, the same window as the SCMP.
Remarks are a different process
A rewrite is not the same as asking for your script to be checked again. The DBE also runs a separate online service for NSC candidates to request a re-mark or re-check of examination scripts, done by registering on the e-Gov portal at eservices.gov.za. Use a remark if you believe your original mark was wrong. Use the Second Chance Programme if you genuinely need to improve a result or add a subject.
Where to get help
For programme-specific queries, you can email [email protected] or WhatsApp 063 696 7246 for administration queries, or use the WozaMatrics WhatsApp line on 061 505 3023 for subject-related queries. For general enquiries, the Department of Basic Education’s national call centre is 0800 202 933.
Confirm the current registration dates, your nearest venue and any provincial tutoring schedule with your provincial education department or the Department of Basic Education directly before you make plans around a rewrite.
