Gauteng Grade 12 learners will begin their 2026 preparatory examinations on Tuesday, 25 August, with the provincial prelim programme continuing until Friday, 18 September 2026. The timetable covers key National Senior Certificate subjects and gives matric learners, parents and schools a clear schedule for the final major examination period before the end of year exams.
According to the Gauteng Department of Education timetable published on 25 March 2026, the examinations cover subjects including Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Accounting, Geography, History, Economics and Business Studies.
The timetable is particularly important for matric learners because it sets out the exact sequence of papers they will write over almost four weeks, allowing them to structure their final preparation around confirmed examination dates.
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Gauteng Grade 12 Prelim Exams Start on 25 August
The 2026 Gauteng Grade 12 Preparatory and NSCLO Examination Timetable runs from Tuesday, 25 August to Friday, 18 September 2026.
The examination period begins with English First Additional Language Paper 2 and Afrikaans First Additional Language Paper 2 on 25 August.
Life Sciences Paper 1 follows on 26 August, while Business Studies Paper 1 is scheduled for 27 August. Accounting learners will then write Paper 1 on 28 August and Paper 2 on 31 August.
September includes several major examination subjects, including Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy, Technical Mathematics, Geography, Economics, Physical Sciences, Technical Sciences, History, Tourism and Business Studies.
Full Gauteng Grade 12 Prelim Timetable 2026
The Gauteng Grade 12 preparatory examination timetable is as follows:
| Date | Day | Subject | Paper | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 August | Tuesday | English FAL and Afrikaans FAL | 2 | 2½ hours |
| 26 August | Wednesday | Life Sciences | 1 | 2½ hours |
| 27 August | Thursday | Business Studies | 1 | 2 hours |
| 28 August | Friday | Accounting | 1 | 2 hours |
| 31 August | Monday | Accounting | 2 | 2 hours |
| 1 September | Tuesday | Life Orientation | CAT | 2½ hours |
| 2 September | Wednesday | Geography | 1 | 3 hours |
| 3 September | Thursday | Economics | 1 | 2 hours |
| 4 September | Friday | Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Technical Mathematics | 1 | 3 hours |
| 7 September | Monday | Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Technical Mathematics | 2 | 3 hours |
| 8 September | Tuesday | History | 1 | 3 hours |
| 9 September | Wednesday | Geography | 2 | 3 hours |
| 10 September | Thursday | Tourism | Not specified | 3 hours |
| 11 September | Friday | Physical Sciences and Technical Sciences | 1 | 3 hours |
| 14 September | Monday | Physical Sciences | 2 | 3 hours |
| 14 September | Monday | Technical Sciences | 2 | 1½ hours |
| 15 September | Tuesday | Business Studies | 2 | 2 hours |
| 16 September | Wednesday | History | 2 | 3 hours |
| 17 September | Thursday | Economics | 2 | 2 hours |
| 18 September | Friday | Life Sciences | 2 | 2½ hours |
Learners should use the timetable according to the subjects for which they are registered. Subjects appearing on the same date do not necessarily mean that an individual learner will write more than one examination, as several papers are alternatives within different subject streams.
The published timetable indicates that schools close on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, several days after the final listed preparatory examination.
Mathematics and Science Papers Spread Across September
Mathematics, Mathematical Literacy and Technical Mathematics learners will write their first papers on Friday, 4 September, followed by Paper 2 on Monday, 7 September.
All three papers listed on those dates have a duration of three hours.
Science examinations take place later in the schedule. Physical Sciences and Technical Sciences Paper 1 are scheduled for Friday, 11 September, with both allocated three hours.
Paper 2 follows on Monday, 14 September. Physical Sciences Paper 2 is scheduled for three hours, while Technical Sciences Paper 2 has a duration of one and a half hours, according to the published timetable.
Accounting, Business Studies and Economics Exam Dates
Accounting is among the subjects completed early in the examination period.
Paper 1 takes place on Friday, 28 August, followed by Paper 2 on Monday, 31 August. Both examinations have a scheduled duration of two hours.
Business Studies is spread across the full examination period. Learners write Paper 1 on Thursday, 27 August and return for Paper 2 on Tuesday, 15 September.
Economics follows a similar structure, with Paper 1 scheduled for Thursday, 3 September and Paper 2 on Thursday, 17 September. Both Business Studies and Economics papers are listed as two hour examinations.
This spacing means learners should plan revision according to their individual subject combinations rather than preparing only according to the chronological order of the timetable.
Geography, History and Life Sciences Dates Confirmed
Geography learners will write Paper 1 on Wednesday, 2 September and Paper 2 one week later on Wednesday, 9 September. Each examination is scheduled for three hours.
History Paper 1 takes place on Tuesday, 8 September, followed by Paper 2 on Wednesday, 16 September. Both History papers also have a three hour duration.
Life Sciences opens early in the timetable, with Paper 1 scheduled for Wednesday, 26 August. Learners then have more than three weeks before writing Paper 2 on Friday, 18 September, the final listed subject examination.
Tourism is scheduled for Thursday, 10 September, with a three hour examination.
Why the Gauteng Prelim Timetable Matters for Matric Learners
Preparatory examinations give Grade 12 learners an opportunity to write a broad examination programme before the final National Senior Certificate examinations.
The timetable allows learners to identify periods where examinations are scheduled close together and adjust their study plans accordingly.
For example, learners taking Geography, Economics and Mathematics may face examinations on 2, 3 and 4 September respectively. Mathematics Paper 2 then follows on 7 September.
Planning ahead can help learners divide revision time between subjects instead of waiting until individual examination dates approach.
Schools may also provide learners with additional examination instructions, including reporting times, permitted materials and venue arrangements. Learners should therefore follow instructions issued directly by their schools alongside the provincial timetable.
What This Means for Gauteng Residents
For Gauteng families with Grade 12 learners, the timetable provides confirmed dates around which study plans, transport and other responsibilities can be organised.
The examination period runs for almost four weeks, beginning on 25 August and ending on 18 September 2026.
Parents and guardians can use the timetable to help learners keep track of examination dates, particularly where Paper 1 and Paper 2 for the same subject are separated by several days or weeks.
Learners should also check their individual subject registration carefully. The provincial timetable includes multiple subjects on some dates because it covers different academic and technical subject combinations across Gauteng schools.
Keeping a personalised timetable containing only the subjects a learner writes can reduce confusion during the examination period.
How Learners Can Prepare Using the Timetable
With the examination dates confirmed, Grade 12 learners can organise revision according to how closely their papers are scheduled.
A practical approach is to identify subjects with consecutive or closely spaced examination dates first. The period from 2 to 11 September contains several major subjects and may require particularly careful planning for learners with multiple papers during that period.
Learners should:
- Create a personal timetable containing only their registered subjects
- Check the date, paper number and duration of every examination
- Prioritise subjects scheduled close together
- Use past examination papers under timed conditions
- Confirm examination arrangements with their school
- Allow enough travel time to arrive before the required reporting time
- Check for any official timetable amendments communicated by the school or education authorities
Learners should rely on the official timetable and instructions provided by their schools if any changes or additional examination arrangements are communicated.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do Gauteng Grade 12 prelim exams start in 2026?
The Gauteng Grade 12 preparatory examinations begin on Tuesday, 25 August 2026. English First Additional Language Paper 2 and Afrikaans First Additional Language Paper 2 are the first subjects listed on the timetable.
When do the Gauteng matric prelim exams end?
The final listed examination takes place on Friday, 18 September 2026, when learners write Life Sciences Paper 2. The timetable indicates that schools close on Wednesday, 23 September.
When are Mathematics prelim exams in Gauteng?
Mathematics Paper 1 is scheduled for Friday, 4 September 2026, while Mathematics Paper 2 takes place on Monday, 7 September 2026. Both papers are scheduled for three hours. Mathematical Literacy and Technical Mathematics are listed on the same dates.
When are Physical Sciences prelim exams?
Physical Sciences Paper 1 is scheduled for Friday, 11 September, while Paper 2 takes place on Monday, 14 September 2026. Both Physical Sciences papers have a duration of three hours.
Do all Gauteng Grade 12 learners follow this entire timetable?
The provincial timetable covers multiple Grade 12 subjects, but individual learners only write the subjects and papers for which they are registered. Learners should create a personal examination schedule and confirm all dates and examination arrangements with their schools.
What Learners Should Do Before 25 August
With the first Gauteng Grade 12 preparatory examinations scheduled for 25 August 2026, learners have a fixed timeline for organising their final weeks of preparation.
The full timetable stretches to 18 September, with major subjects distributed throughout the examination period. Learners should check every relevant paper carefully, build a personalised study plan and confirm examination instructions with their schools before the first sitting.
For Gauteng’s matric class of 2026, the preparatory examinations are an important opportunity to test subject knowledge, time management and examination readiness before the final National Senior Certificate examination period.
