Matric Rewrite and the Supplementary Exam in South Africa
By Muntasir • Published Sep 18, 2026 • Updated Sep 27, 2026 • Africa Admissions & Exams
If you failed one or more matric subjects, or want better marks for further study or work, the Department of Basic Education lets you rewrite subjects for free through the Second Chance Programme and the supplementary exam.
🎓 Open to anyone who wants to improve NSC subject marks, not only candidates who failed
Registration, tutoring, and study guides through the programme cost nothing
Support includes face-to-face classes, online lessons, and TV and radio broadcasts
⏱️ Register through your school or the DBE before the announced deadline each cycle
Who can rewrite matric subjects
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) runs a free route back into the National Senior Certificate (NSC) system for anyone who wants a better result. This covers candidates who failed one or more subjects, candidates who missed the original exam for a valid reason, and candidates who passed matric but need higher marks to meet a university APS requirement or a job's minimum grade.
The Second Chance Programme
The Second Chance Matric Programme is the DBE's support system for candidates preparing to rewrite subjects. Registration is free, and so is the tutoring support that comes with it. The programme provides study guides for every NSC subject, face-to-face classes at venues around the country, online lessons, and dedicated television and radio broadcasts that walk through past exam content. The DBE has repeatedly confirmed that no candidate should pay a private provider for what the government already offers free.
How many subjects you can rewrite
You do not need to rewrite your entire NSC. Candidates typically rewrite only the subjects that pulled down their overall result or that block a specific university requirement, and the programme allows several subjects per candidate in a single rewrite sitting. Focus your registration on subjects where a higher mark actually changes your admission or funding outcome, rather than rewriting subjects you already passed comfortably.
How to register
Confirm the rewrite window announced by the DBE for that year; sittings are generally held mid-year, separate from the main October to November NSC exam.
Register through your current school if you are still enrolled, or as an independent candidate through your nearest district education office.
Collect your registration confirmation and keep it together with your original statement of results.
Attend the free classes, use the DBE study guides, and follow the broadcast schedule in the lead-up to your rewrite date.
After the rewrite
Umalusi quality-assures the rewrite exams the same way it does the main NSC sitting, and your new subject marks replace the old ones on your official record once results are released. Take your updated statement of results to any university, TVET college, or NSFAS office where your original marks affected an application or funding decision.