How do matric supplementary exams work

A supplementary examination may be granted to an unsuccessful National Senior Certificate candidate, provided they meet specific criteria. The closing date for applications to the supplementary examination is 19 January .

Conditions for entry as per the regulations governing the supplementary examination

If a candidate has not met the minimum promotion and certification requirements in the final external examination, but requires a maximum of two subjects to obtain the National Senior Certificate, he or she may register for a maximum of two subjects for the supplementary examination in the year following the final external examination. These two subjects must be subjects that the candidate sat for in the previous end-of-year examination.

If a candidate is medically unfit and, as a result, was absent from one or more external examinations, he or she may register for the supplementary examination.

If there is a death in the immediate family of a candidate, or other special reasons for the candidate’s absence, he or she may register for the supplementary examination.

A candidate who provides documentary evidence that he or she qualifies for admission to a higher education institution or for an occupation, but does not satisfy the higher education faculty requirements or the requirements for the specific occupation, as well as a candidate who is one requirement short in meeting the minimum admission requirements for Higher Certificate, Diploma and Bachelor’s degree programmes, may be allowed to register for a maximum of two subjects.

How do matric supplementary exams work

In a case where an irregularity is being investigated, provisional enrolment for supplementary examination may be granted to the candidate concerned, pending the outcome of the investigation.

A candidate who was unable to write or complete one or more of the National Senior Certificate examination question papers for reasons other than illness or injury may apply to write the supplementary examination, provided that a written report is submitted by the principal of the school to the Head of the assessment body.