The matric timetable 2026 published by the Department of Basic Education puts the first written National Senior Certificate papers on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. Before that, all candidates write the Life Orientation common assessment task on Tuesday, 1 September. Most learners finish their last paper on Friday, 20 November, with the final scheduled papers on Thursday, 26 November. Morning sessions start at 09:00 and afternoon sessions at 14:00.
Before the main timetable starts
| Assessment | Dates |
|---|---|
| Performing Arts practicals | 3 August to 9 October 2026 |
| Life Orientation common assessment task | Tuesday, 1 September 2026 at 09:00 |
| Visual Arts and Design practicals | 14 September to 13 October 2026 |
| Pledge signing | Friday, 9 October 2026 |
| First written papers | Tuesday, 13 October 2026 |
If you take Performing Arts or Visual Arts and Design, your examination season has already begun. The Life Orientation task is a full 2½ hour assessment written by every candidate, and the rewrite opportunity for it falls on Monday, 12 October.
Major subject dates
| Subject and paper | Date | Session |
|---|---|---|
| English HL, FAL and SAL P3 | Thursday, 15 October | 09:00 |
| Economics P1 | Friday, 16 October | 09:00 |
| History P1 | Tuesday, 20 October | 14:00 |
| Accounting P1 | Thursday, 22 October | 09:00 |
| Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Technical Mathematics P1 | Friday, 23 October | 09:00 |
| Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Technical Mathematics P2 | Monday, 26 October | 09:00 |
| English HL, FAL and SAL P1 | Wednesday, 28 October | 09:00 |
| Accounting P2 | Wednesday, 28 October | 14:00 |
| Geography P1 | Thursday, 29 October | 09:00 |
| Physical Sciences P1 | Friday, 30 October | 09:00 |
| Physical Sciences P2 | Monday, 2 November | 09:00 |
| Afrikaans HL, FAL and SAL P1 | Wednesday, 11 November | 09:00 |
| Business Studies P1 | Wednesday, 11 November | 14:00 |
| Geography P2 | Thursday, 12 November | 09:00 |
| Life Sciences P1 | Friday, 13 November | 09:00 |
| Life Sciences P2 | Monday, 16 November | 09:00 |
| Business Studies P2 | Wednesday, 18 November | 09:00 |
| English HL, FAL and SAL P2 | Thursday, 19 November | 09:00 |
| History P2 | Thursday, 19 November | 14:00 |
| Afrikaans HL, FAL and SAL P2 | Friday, 20 November | 09:00 |
| Economics P2 | Friday, 20 November | 14:00 |
Two gaps are worth planning around. Mathematics Paper 1 on Friday, 23 October is followed by Paper 2 on Monday, 26 October, leaving only a weekend between them. Physical Sciences has the same pattern, with Paper 1 on Friday, 30 October and Paper 2 on Monday, 2 November.
The isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati and isiNdebele Paper 1 falls on Friday, 6 November, with Paper 2 on Tuesday, 10 November. Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga and Tshivenda Paper 1 is on Tuesday, 27 October, with Paper 2 on Tuesday, 17 November. Paper 3 for both language groups is written in the week of 19 October.
Non-examination days
The timetable builds in five days with no papers scheduled: Monday, 12 October, then Tuesday, 3 November through Thursday, 5 November, and Monday, 9 November.
Treat these as revision days rather than free days. The November cluster sits directly before a heavy run of language, Business Studies, Geography and Life Sciences papers.
The last week
Music Paper 2 on Wednesday, 25 November is the final subject paper on the national timetable. Thursday, 26 November carries the Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology Paper 1 rewrite practicals.
For the large majority of candidates, the season ends on Friday, 20 November. Marking begins immediately afterwards.
Independent schools may write on different dates
The timetable above is the Department of Basic Education schedule for public schools and for candidates registered with the department.
Independent assessment bodies publish their own versions. The South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute timetable for November 2026, issued in May 2026, differs in the opening week, including its own practical windows in late September and additional papers scheduled on 14 October. The Independent Examinations Board also runs a separate timetable for its client schools.
Some widely circulated summaries state that the 2026 exams run from 17 October to 17 November. That does not match the departmental document. Work from the timetable your own school or assessment body issued, and check it against the official version.
If something goes wrong on the day
Report a missed paper to your school immediately, on the same day where possible. Provincial education departments handle these cases, and the usual remedy is writing that subject in the following May and June session, which in 2026 ran from 11 May to 26 June. Confirm the process with your school, as the decision rests with the provincial department.
Disruptions do happen. Schools have closed at short notice for reasons ranging from safety incidents to severe weather warnings affecting school closures, and the department manages examination continuity separately from ordinary school closures.
Print the timetable or save it to your phone. Connectivity is not guaranteed on an exam morning.
Frequently asked questions
When do matric exams start in 2026?
Written papers begin on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. Life Orientation is written earlier, on 1 September.
When do the 2026 matric exams end?
The final scheduled papers are on Thursday, 26 November. Most candidates finish on Friday, 20 November.
What time do papers start?
Morning papers at 09:00 and afternoon papers at 14:00.
When is Maths Paper 1?
Friday, 23 October 2026 at 09:00, with Paper 2 on Monday, 26 October.
Do I have to register to write?
Yes. The department requires registration before 15 March of the year in which a candidate sits the final examination, covering every subject to be written.
Are the dates the same for private schools?
Not necessarily. Independent assessment bodies publish their own timetables.
What to watch
Watch for any amendment notice from the Department of Basic Education, since timetables have been adjusted in past years to accommodate national events. The department also briefs Parliament on examination readiness in September, which is when marker numbers and marking centre details are usually confirmed. The results release date for the Class of 2026 is announced separately, typically for mid-January. Learners planning ahead should already be working out how to calculate your APS score for university admission, and tracking the funding window, because NSFAS applications run on their own deadlines that do not wait for results.
