Key takeaway: The matric exam timetable for 2 to 6 November 2026 is short. There are papers on Monday 2 November and Friday 6 November. Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 November are non-examination days. Physical Sciences (Chemistry) Paper 2 is on Monday.
This is week 4 of the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams. Papers start at 09:00 in the morning or 14:00 in the afternoon.
Not every paper is yours. Ask your school which papers you are writing.
Key dates: matric papers, 2 to 6 November 2026
Monday 2 November
- 09:00: Physical Sciences (Chemistry) Paper 2 (3 hours)
- 09:00: Technical Sciences Paper 2 (1½ hours)
- 14:00: Religion Studies Paper 1 (2 hours)
Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 November
- No papers. These are non-examination days.
Friday 6 November
- 09:00: isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu and siSwati Paper 1. This covers home language, first additional language and second additional language (2 hours each)
- 14:00: Consumer Studies (3 hours)
- 14:00: Hospitality Studies (3 hours)
What is on after this week?
- Monday 9 November: non-examination day.
- Tuesday 10 November: the Paper 2 exams for isiNdebele, isiXhosa, isiZulu and siSwati at 09:00. Home language and first additional language are 2½ hours, and second additional language is 1½ hours. Electrical Technology and Nautical Science Paper 1 follow at 14:00 (3 hours each).
The last regular paper is Music Paper 2 on Wednesday 25 November. The Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology practical rewrites are on Thursday 26 November 2026.
What to do with the three rest days
- Rest first. Sleep well and eat properly.
- Look at your own timetable. Check what you write next and when.
- Do a little revision each day for the paper that is coming up. Short sessions work better than one long night.
- Do not stay up the night before a paper.
Timetables can change. If your school or the Department of Basic Education (DBE) announces a change, follow that.
Quick answers
When is Physical Sciences Paper 2 in 2026? Monday 2 November 2026 at 09:00. It covers Chemistry and is a 3-hour paper. Physics (Paper 1) was written on Friday 30 October.
Are there matric exams on 3, 4 and 5 November 2026? No. These three days are non-examination days.
When is isiZulu Paper 1 in 2026? Friday 6 November 2026 at 09:00. It is a 2-hour paper. The isiNdebele, isiXhosa and siSwati Paper 1 papers are at the same time.
What time do matric papers start? Papers start at 09:00 in the morning or 14:00 in the afternoon.
Read next
- Matric exam timetable 2026: 26 to 30 October
- Matric exam tips: your survival kit
- How to support your matric child during exams
- More matric news