The 2023 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams have commenced, with details about the timetable, pass levels, and date of results now available.
2023 NSC Exams officially kick off: Here’s everything you must know
More than 717 000 matriculants began their final examinations at 6 898 centres on Monday.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga briefed the media on Sunday, highlighting that these figures reflect a decrease of 34 626 candidates compared to 2022.
The number of part-time learners has risen from 168 631 in 2022 to 181 143 in 2023. A total of 207 question papers will be administered by 72 500 invigilators and 52 500 markers.
Umalusi, the body responsible for quality assurance, has approved all the question papers for the October/November 2023 examinations.
Security measures have also been enhanced across all nine provinces to prevent paper leaks, with audits conducted by the State Security Agency.
2023 matric exams timetable and results release date
The 2023 matric results will be announced on 19 January 2024 at 11:00.
The period for remark or recheck applications will be from 19 January to 2 February 2024, with only online applications accepted.
The full 2023 NSC Exams timetable has been released. Check it out below.
WEEK 1
Date | Session 1 (09:00) | Session 2 (14:00) |
---|---|---|
Monday 30/10 | English HL P1 (2hrs), English FAL P1 (2hrs), English SAL P1 (2hrs), Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu HL P1 (2hrs), Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu FAL P1 (2hrs), Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu SAL P1 (2hrs), Hebrew SAL P1 (2hrs) | German HL, SAL P1 (2hrs) |
Tuesday 31/10 | Economics P1 (2hrs) | Arabic, French, Italian, Mandarin, Modern Greek, Serbian, Spanish SAL P1 (2hrs), Latin SAL P1 (3hrs), Portuguese HL, FAL, SAL P1 (2hrs) |
Wednesday 01/11 | Afrikaans HL P1 (2hrs), Afrikaans FAL P1 (2hrs), Afrikaans SAL P1 (2hrs) | Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu HL P2 (2½hrs), Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu FAL P2 (2hrs), Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu SAL P2 (2hrs), Hebrew SAL P2 (2hrs), German HL P2 (2½hrs), SAL P2 (2hrs) |
Thursday 02/11 | History P1 (3hrs) | Engineering Graphics and Design P1 (3hrs) |
Friday 03/11 | Mathematics P1 (3hrs), Mathematical Literacy P1 (3hrs), Technical Mathematics P1 (3hrs) | Arabic, French, Italian, Mandarin, Modern Greek, Serbian, Spanish SAL P2 (2hrs), Latin SAL P2 (1½hrs), Portuguese HL P2 (2½hrs), FAL, SAL P2 (2hrs), Equine Studies (3hrs) |
WEEK 2
Date | Session 1 (09:00) | Session 2 (14:00) |
---|---|---|
Monday 06/11 | Mathematics P2 (3hrs), Mathematical Literacy P2 (3hrs), Technical Mathematics P2 (3hrs) | Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil, Telegu, Urdu HL P3 (2½hrs), FAL P3 (2½hrs), Portuguese, German HL P3 (2½hrs), Portuguese FAL P3 (2½hrs) |
Tuesday 07/11 | isiZulu, isiXhosa, Siswati, isiNdebele HL P1 (2hrs), FAL P1 (2hrs), SAL P1 (2hrs) | South African Sign Language HL P1 (2hrs), Economics P2 (2hrs) |
Wednesday 08/11 | History P2 (3hrs) | Information Technology P2 (Theory) (3hrs) |
Thursday 09/11 | Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga, Tshivenda HL P1 (2hrs), FAL P1 (2hrs), SAL P1 (2hrs) | Computer Applications Tech P2 (Theory) (3hrs) |
Friday 10/11 | Physical Sciences (Physics) P1 (3hrs), Technical Sciences P1 (3hrs) | Business Studies P1 (2hrs) |
WEEK 3
Date | Session 1 (09:00) | Session 2 (14:00) |
---|---|---|
Monday 13/11 | Physical Sciences (Chemistry) P2 (3hrs), Technical Sciences P2 (1½hrs) | Business Studies P2 (2hrs) |
Tuesday 14/11 | Geography (Climate and Weather, Geomorphology and Map work) P1 (3hrs) | Dramatic Arts (3hrs) |
Wednesday 15/11 | English HL P2 (2½hrs), English FAL P2 (2½hrs), English SAL P2 (1½hrs) | Engineering Graphics and Design P2 (3hrs) |
Thursday 16/11 | Accounting P1 (2hrs) | Civil Technology (3hrs), Maritime Economics (3hrs) |
Friday 17/11 | Life Sciences P1 (2½hrs) | Visual Arts (3hrs) |
WEEK 4
Date | Session 1 (09:00) | Session 2 (14:00) |
---|---|---|
Monday 20/11 | Life Sciences P2 (2½hrs) | Electrical Technology (3hrs) |
Tuesday 21/11 | Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga, Tshivenda HL P2 (2½hrs), FAL P2 (2½hrs), SAL P2 (1½hrs) | Geography (Rural and Urban Settlement, Economic Geography of SA and Map work) P2 (3hrs) |
Wednesday 22/11 | isiZulu, isiXhosa, Siswati, isiNdebele HL P2 (2½hrs), FAL P2 (2½hrs), SAL P2 (1½hrs) | South African Sign Language HL P2 (2½hrs), Religion Studies P1 (2hrs), Marine Science P1 (2½hrs) |
Thursday 23/11 | Afrikaans HL P2 (2½hrs), Afrikaans FAL P2 (2½hrs), Afrikaans SAL P2 (1½hrs) | Tourism (3hrs), Nautical Science P1 (3hrs) |
Friday 24/11 | Accounting P2 (2hrs) | Agricultural Sciences P1 (2½hrs) |
WEEK 5
Date | Session 1 (09:00) | Session 2 (14:00) |
---|---|---|
Monday 27/11 | isiZulu, isiXhosa, Siswati, isiNdebele HL P3 (3hrs), FAL P3 (2½hrs), SAL P3 (2½hrs) | Agricultural Sciences P2 (2½hrs), Nautical Science P2 (3hrs) |
Tuesday 28/11 | Sepedi, Sesotho, Setswana, Xitsonga, Tshivenda HL P3 (3hrs), FAL P3 (2½hrs), SAL P3 (2½hrs) | South African Sign Language HL P3 (3hrs), Mechanical Technology (3hrs), Sport and Exercise Science (3hrs) |
Wednesday 29/11 | English HL P3 (3hrs), English FAL P3 (2½hrs), English SAL P3 (2½hrs) | Religion Studies P2 (2hrs), Marine Science P2 (2½hrs) |
Thursday 30/11 | Consumer Studies (3hrs), Hospitality Studies (3hrs) | Design (3hrs) |
Friday 01/12 | Afrikaans HL P3 (3hrs), Afrikaans FAL P3 (2½hrs), Afrikaans SAL P3 (2½hrs) | Agricultural Management Practices (3hrs) |
WEEK 6
Date | Session 1 (09:00) | Session 2 (14:00) |
---|---|---|
Monday 04/12 | Music P1 Theory (3hrs) | Music P2 Comprehension (1½hrs) |
Tuesday 05/12 | Dance Studies (3hrs) | Agricultural Technology (3hrs) |
Wednesday 06/12 | CAT rewrite (3hrs) Practical | IT rewrite (3hrs) Practical |
Thursday 07/12 | ||
Friday 08/12 |
2023 NSC Exams pass levels explained
There are four levels of passing:
- Higher Certificate: Requires at least 40% in Home Language and three other subjects, and at least 30% in three other subjects.
- Diploma: Requires at least 40% in Home Language and three other subjects, excluding Life Orientation.
- Bachelor’s Degree: Requires at least 40% in Home Language and 50% in four other subjects, excluding Life Orientation.
- Special Needs Education (SNE) Pass: Requires 30% in the required official language and four other subjects.
Candidates who fail to achieve a Diploma or Bachelor’s pass can improve their status by registering for the NSC June 2023 exam.
Successful improvements will result in a new certificate issued by Umalusi.