The 2025 matric exam dates are here! This time of the year can bring a mix of excitement and stress as you near the end of your high school journey. The final exams are the only things standing between you and the finish line.
With those matric exams just around the corner, it’s crucial to buckle down and study hard if you’re aiming for your dream college or university.
To make your matric finals journey a bit smoother, we’ve rounded up all the dates for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) and Independent Exam Board (IEB) exams.
It’s important to note that these dates may change, so keep an eye out for updates from the Department of Education or your school.
Table of Contents
2025 National Matric Exam Dates
Good news! The Department of Education has revealed the dates for the 2025 matric exams. Get ready because the exams are set to start on Tuesday, 21 October 2025, and end on Thursday, 27 November 2023.
Certain exams like Life Orientation (LO) and the practical ones for subjects like Computer Application Technology (CAT), Information Technology (IT), Performing Arts, and Visual Arts and Design will happen earlier in the year. Be sure to mark those calendars and get ready to excel!
You can view the NSC matric final exam timetable for 2025 below:
2025 Matric Exam Dates
Matric Exam Dates: Week 1
Key:
Home Language = HL
First Additional Language = FAL
Second Additional Language = SAL
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Paper 1
- Computer Applications Technology (practical)
- Hindi (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Gujarati (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Tamil (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Telegu (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Urdu (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Hebrew (SAL)
- German (HL, SAL)
Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Paper 1
- Information Technology (practical)
- Arabic (HL, FAL, SAL)
- French (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Italian (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Mandarin (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Modern Greek (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Serbian (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Spanish (SAL)
- Latin (SAL)
- Portuguese (HL, FAL, SAL)
Thursday, 23 October 2025
Paper 2
- Arabic (HL, FAL, SAL)
- French (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Italian (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Mandarin (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Modern Greek (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Serbian (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Spanish (SAL)
- Latin (SAL)
- Portuguese (HL, FAL, SAL)
Paper 3
- English (HL, FAL, SAL)
Friday, 24 October 2025
Paper 2
- Hindi (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Gujarati (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Tamil (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Telegu (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Urdu (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Hebrew (SAL)
- German (HL, SAL)
Paper 3
- Afrikaans (HL, FAL, SAL)
Matric Exam Dates: Week 3
Key:
Home Language = HL
First Additional Language = FAL
Second Additional Language = SAL
Monday, 3 November 2025
Paper 1
- Agricultural Sciences
Paper 2
- Mathematics
- Mathematical Literacy
- Technical Mathematics
Tuesday, 4 November 2025
Paper 1
- isiZulu (HL, FAL, SAL)
- isiXhosa (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Siswati (HL, FAL, SAL)
- isiNbedele (HL, FAL, SAL)
- South African Sign Language (HL)
- Maritime Economics
Paper 2
- Accounting
Wednesday, 5 November 2025
Paper 1
- Sepedi (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Sesotho (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Setswana (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Xitsonga (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Tshivenda (HL, FAL, SAL)
- South African Sign Language (HL)
- Mechanical Technology
Paper 2
- Religion Studies
Thursday, 6 November 2025
Paper 1
- Business Studies
Paper 2
- isiZulu (HL, FAL, SAL)
- isiXhosa (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Siswati (HL, FAL, SAL)
- isiNbedele (HL, FAL, SAL)
Friday, 7 November 2025
Paper 1
- Physical Sciences
- Technical Sciences
Paper 2
- History
Matric Exam Dates: Week 5
Key:
Home Language = HL
First Additional Language = FAL
Second Additional Language = SAL
Monday, 17 November 2025
Paper 1
- Dramatic Arts
Paper 2
- Life Sciences
Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Paper 2
- Geography (Rural and Urban Settlements, Economic Geography of SA and Map Work)
- Engineering Graphics and Design
Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Paper 1
- Economics
- Tourism
Thursday, 30 November 2023
Paper 1
- Sepedi (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Sesotho (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Setswana (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Xitsonga (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Tshivenda (HL, FAL, SAL)
- South African Sign Language (HL)
- Agricultural Sciences
Friday, 21 November 2025
Paper 2
- Afrikaans (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Economics
Matric Exam Dates: Week 2
Key:
Home Language = HL
First Additional Language = FAL
Second Additional Language = SAL
Monday, 27 October 2025
Paper 1
- Accounting
Paper 3
- isiZulu (HL, FAL, SAL)
- isiXhosa (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Siswati (HL, FAL, SAL)
- isiNbedele (HL, FAL, SAL)
- South African Sign Language (HL)
Tuesday, 28 October 2025
Paper 1
- Civil Technology
- Sport and Exercise Science
Paper 3
- Sepedi (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Sesotho (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Setswana (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Xitsonga (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Tshivenda (HL, FAL, SAL)
- South African Sign Language (HL)
Wednesday, 29 October 2025
Paper 1
- English (HL, FAL, SAL)
Paper 3
- Hindi (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Gujarati (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Tamil (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Telegu (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Urdu (HL, FAL, SAL)
- Hebrew (SAL)
- German (HL, SAL)
Thursday, 30 October 2025
Paper 1
- History
- Engineering Graphics and Design
Friday, 31 October 2025
Paper 1
- Mathematics
- Mathematical Literacy
- Technical Mathematics
- Agricultural Sciences
Matric Exam Dates: Week 4
Key:
Home Language = HL
First Additional Language = FAL
Second Additional Language = SAL
Monday, 10 November 2025
Paper 1
- Visual Arts
- Nautical Science
Paper 2
- Physical Sciences (Chemistry)
- Technical Sciences
Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Paper 1
- Afrikaans (HL, FAL, SAL)
Paper 2
- Business Studies
Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Paper 1
- Geography (Climate and Weather, Geomorphology and Map Work)
Paper 2
- Computer Applications Tech (Theory)
- Nautical Science
Thursday, 13 November 2025
Paper 1
- Marine Sciences
Paper 2
- Information Technology
- English (HL, FAL, SAL)
Friday, 14 November 2025
Paper 1
- Life Sciences
- Electrical Technology
Matric Exam Dates: Week 6
Monday, 24 November 2025
Paper 1
- Music Theory
- Agricultural Technology
- Design
Tuesday, 25 November 2025
- Dance
- Consumer Studies
- Hospitality Studies
Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Paper 1
- Agricultural Management Practices
Paper 2
- Marine Sciences
- Music P2 Comprehension
Thursday, 27 November 2025
Rewrite
- CAT P1 rewrite (Practical)
- IT P1 rewrite (Practical)
2025 IEB Matric Exam Dates
The IEB matric exam dates are a bit different compared to the NSC matric exam dates. Grade 12 students kicked off their final exams earlier, starting on Tuesday, 9 September 2025, and are wrapping things up on Thursday, 27 November 2025.
To get the complete lowdown on the IEB matric timetable, you can hop over to the IEB website or grab a copy at your school. If you have any questions or need more information, you can reach out to the Independent Schools Association of South Africa (ISASA) at 011 648 1331.
Start preparing for exams and life after school!
In the upcoming months, it’s time to start mapping out your path after matric. If you’re planning to pursue higher education, it’s essential to keep a close eye on your matric results and select the right tertiary institution for your goals. And if you require financial assistance, we’ve got you covered!
Are you considering applying for a student loan? Give our Fundi loan calculator a spin to check if you meet all the necessary criteria.
Best of luck to all the matrics tackling their final exams this year!
