Matric exam timetable 2026: Maths, Physical Sciences and Life Sciences

Exam dates

Dates from the DBE’s 2026 NSC timetable – confirm with your school, the DBE can amend it. Source: FundiConnect – 2026 matric exam dates.

Grade 10 and 11 exams are set by schools and provinces, so they are not on this timetable – see the Grade 10 and Grade 11 topics and study time.

Countdown and study hours per paper

Study time is the total for every topic in the paper: notes and worked examples, every exam-style question at exam pace (1,2 minutes per mark) and a 10-minute quiz per topic.

• Maths P123 OctFri 23 Oct · 09:00≈ 38 h 25 min of study · 6 topics79 exam-style questions (845 marks) in the portal.
• Maths P226 OctMon 26 Oct · 09:00≈ 29 h 20 min of study · 5 topics66 exam-style questions (682 marks) in the portal.
• Physics P130 OctFri 30 Oct · 09:00≈ 39 h 20 min of study · 9 topics89 exam-style questions (898 marks) in the portal.
• Chemistry P22 NovMon 2 Nov · 09:00≈ 37 h 40 min of study · 9 topics91 exam-style questions (702 marks) in the portal.
• Life Sciences P113 NovFri 13 Nov · 09:00≈ 29 h 00 min of study · 8 topics69 exam-style questions (625 marks) in the portal.
• Life Sciences P216 NovMon 16 Nov · 09:00≈ 28 h 25 min of study · 6 topics56 exam-style questions (666 marks) in the portal.

All 6 papers together: ≈ 202 h 10 min of study.

These figures assume you start every topic from scratch. If you have already covered some topics, you need less – a tutor can help you choose what to focus on.

What to do in the last two weeks

1. Write full papers under exam conditions

   Sit a whole past paper in one go, with no notes and no phone: 150 marks in 3 hours for Mathematics and Physical Sciences, in 2½ hours for Life Sciences. That is 1,2 minutes per mark (1 minute in Life Sciences), so a 10-mark question deserves about 12 minutes – practise moving on when you go over.

2. Mark yourself with the official memo

   Mark strictly, the way an examiner would, and keep an error list. Two days later, redo every question where you lost marks without looking at the memo.

3. Spend most time where the marks are

   Trigonometry is worth roughly 50 marks out of 150 in Mathematics Paper 2, and mechanics roughly 65 in Physics. Revise the heavy topics first, but do not skip a whole question.

4. Know your formula and data sheets

   Learn exactly which formulae and constants are given in the exam and which you must remember, and what every symbol stands for, so you do not waste time searching.

5. Show every step

   Start with the formula, put in the values and give the answer with its unit – method marks add up even if the final answer is wrong. In Euclidean geometry, back each statement with a reason.

6. Plan the paper on the day

   Read the whole paper first, start with a question you are sure of, number your answers exactly as in the paper and never leave a blank – an attempt can still earn marks.

7. Check your calculator

   Use an approved non-programmable calculator with a fresh battery, and make sure it is set to degrees before any trigonometry.

8. Answer Life Sciences the way it is marked

   Use the exact biological terms, give as many points as the marks ask for, and draw graphs with a heading, labelled axes with units and an even scale. Write the essay in full sentences – tables, flow charts and diagrams earn no marks there.

9. Make the day before a light one

   Go over your summaries and error list instead of starting new work. Pack your admission letter, ID, pens, pencil, ruler and calculator, and get a full night’s sleep.

Topics in each paper