Matric 2026: How many days left until NSC exams start?

There are officially just four days left until the start of the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams, which commence on Tuesday 13 October.

THE FULL MATRIC EXAM TIMELINE

The 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams run over a month, officially beginning on Tuesday 13 October and ending on 26 November. This spans a total of seven weeks of papers and the “finish line” is around 48 days away. The Department of Basic Education released the official timetable in February so learners had enough time to plan.

There are some exams, such as Life Orientation, Computer Applications Technology (CAT), Performing Arts and Visual Arts and Design that take place outside this period.

The morning NSC papers start at 09:00 and afternoon papers at 14:00. So, learners will need to be at their desk before the official start. The timetable also has certain gaps. Such as 3, 4 and 5 November which gives learners time to study for the upcoming papers. 4 November is election day in South Africa and officially a public holiday.

Voting stations often use schools as a base so the gap helps ease navigating elections and matric exams.

A LAST MINUTE CHECKLIST FOR MATRICS

• You need to ensure you are carrying: Your ID, admission letter, calculator (if necessary) and any other stationery you will need.
• Check the date and time of all your papers and study accordingly.
• Eat well and hydrate. Drinks lots of water and eat sufficiently to avoid a lack of energy when writing.

Take a look at where to find past papers online and why students need to sign a pledge ahead of the exams.