The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has released the 2023 October/November final matric exam timetable. The timetable indicates when grade 12 learners will begin the final exams of their basic schooling career.
DOWNLOAD THE 2023 FINAL MATRIC TIMETABLE HERE
The final National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination is scheduled to take place from October to December each year. Grade 12 learners around the country all participate in the examinations and write the examinations at the same time.
In 2023, learners will commence with their National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams on Monday, 30 October 2023. The NSC exams will conclude during the first week of December 2023.
The Careers Portal also has all the matric past papers you need to prepare for the matric exams.
Learners who are successful during the end-of-year exams will achieve an NSC. There are different matric level passes which determine which level tertiary education courses a learner can pursue when they complete their studies.
Here Are The Different Matric Passes
Bachelor's Pass
To secure a bachelor's pass, students must meet the following criteria:
- Obtain a minimum of 50% in five specified subjects, including Life Orientation.
- Attain above 30% in two additional subjects.
- A learner may fail one subject and still achieve a bachelor’s pass
Diploma Pass
A diploma pass requires a learner to :
- Achieve a minimum of 40% in five designated subjects, which includes Life Orientation.
- Attain at least 30% in two more subjects.
- A learner may fail one subject
Higher Certificate Pass
To obtain a higher certificate pass, the learner must
- Achieve a minimum of 40% in their Home Language.
- Achieve 40% in at least two subjects and 30% in three additional subjects.
- A learner may fail one subject
Failure
A learner who fails two or more subjects will not obtain an NSC.
It's important to note that not obtaining your NSC on your first try is not the end of the world. There are opportunities to have your exams remarked, rechecked and even rewritten.
The Second Chance Matric Programme allows retaking matric exams, either by reattempting the entire year or by focusing on the subjects that were not successfully passed. The DBE provides numerous resources to learners who register for the second chance matric programme.
