Key takeaway: No matric papers on Monday 9 November — it's a non-examination day. Business Studies Paper 1 is on Wednesday 11 November, and Life Sciences Paper 1 is on Friday 13 November. Both are widely written subjects.
This is week 5 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 — this list covers the whole country, and some subjects are only written by a few learners.
Remember: Always check schedule for changes.
Key dates: matric papers, 9 to 13 November 2026
Monday 9 November
- No papers. Non-examination day.
Tuesday 10 November
- 09:00: isiZulu, isiXhosa, siSwati and isiNdebele Paper 2 — Home Language (2½ hours), First Additional Language (2½ hours), Second Additional Language (1½ hours)
- 14:00: Electrical Technology (3 hours)
- 14:00: Nautical Science Paper 1 (3 hours)
Wednesday 11 November
- 09:00: Afrikaans Paper 1 — Home Language, First Additional Language, Second Additional Language (2 hours each)
- 14:00: Business Studies Paper 1 (2 hours)
Thursday 12 November
- 09:00: Geography Paper 2 — rural and urban settlements, economic geography of SA, and map work (3 hours)
- 14:00: Religion Studies Paper 2 (2 hours)
Friday 13 November
- 09:00: Life Sciences Paper 1 (2½ hours)
- 14:00: Second Additional Language Paper 2 for Arabic, French, Italian, Mandarin, Modern Greek, Serbian, Spanish and Latin (2 hours); Portuguese Home Language Paper 2 (2½ hours) and First/Second Additional Language Paper 2 (2 hours); Equine Studies (3 hours)
What is on after this week?
- Monday 16 November: Life Sciences Paper 2 (2½ hours), Dramatic Arts (3 hours) and Civil Technology (3 hours).
- The last regular paper is expected to be Music Paper 2 on Wednesday 25 November, with Computer Applications Technology and Information Technology practical rewrites on Thursday 26 November 2026 — we'll confirm this closer to the date.
Using the rest day
- Monday 9 November is a free day in the schedule, not a holiday — use it to revise for Tuesday's or Wednesday's papers rather than switching off completely.
- Do a little each day for the paper that's coming up. Short sessions beat one long cram.
- Don't 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 over this page.
Quick answers
- Are there matric exams on 9 November 2026? No. It's a non-examination day on the national NSC timetable.
- When is Business Studies Paper 1 in 2026? Wednesday 11 November 2026 at 14:00. It's a 2-hour paper.
- When is Life Sciences Paper 1 in 2026? Friday 13 November 2026 at 09:00. It's a 2½-hour paper.
- Applying for university, a college or NSFAS while exams are still on? You can start preparing documents now — see our funding guide below. Don't pay anyone to "help" you apply; applying to NSFAS and public institutions is free.