Matric rewrite 2027: who can rewrite, when to apply, and what it costs

A matric re-write is not a second chance in the sentimental sense. It is a formal examination sitting with its own application window, fees and rules - and it is used by two very different groups of candidates.

Who re-writes, and why

Candidate	Purpose
Passed, but not well enough for the course they want	Improvement - chasing admission points
Failed a subject needed for the certificate	Obtaining the NSC
Passed, but wants a better mark for employment	Improvement
Did not write a subject at all	Completing the certificate requirements

The improvement route is the one people underestimate. A learner who passed with a Bachelor’s pass but fell short of the points needed for a specific programme has a defined remedy: re-write the subjects where the mark can move most.

The May/June sitting

The re-write examinations are written in May and June, and applications open after the November results are released. The window is short, it sits in the school holidays, and each province sets and publishes its own dates and fees.

That timing is the single biggest practical obstacle. A candidate who starts looking for the application form in February, after a holiday, has often already missed the window.

How to apply

1. Through your provincial education department, which publishes the application notice, the fee schedule and the centres.
2. Or through an approved part-time centre, which enrols candidates and handles the application on their behalf. Some charge tuition, others only administration - check what you are paying for.

You do not have to return to school as a full-time learner. The examination is written at a designated centre, and preparation is your responsibility.

The rules that catch people out

• Curriculum changes. A subject whose curriculum has been replaced may require you to write the new syllabus, which can mean substantially more work than a re-write suggests.
• Subject combinations. The NSC rules govern which subjects and combinations can be written in a re-write sitting.
• Repeat attempts. There is no general limit on attempts, but the conditions on which sittings you may use are specific. Confirm your own position with the province rather than relying on what worked for someone else.

Timing against university admissions

The hard question is whether an improved result arrives in time to matter. Selection decisions are typically finalised before mid-year results are published, so an improved mark can be too late for the year you were aiming at.

Two things to do:

1. Ask the institution directly. Some hold places or reconsider on a mid-year result; many do not.
2. Plan the year regardless. A candidate who improves a mark in June and applies for the following intake has lost nothing but a year, and has a stronger application. A candidate who waits for a mid-year result that arrives after selection has lost the same year and gained nothing.

Related

The matric results guide covers the results process, the re-mark and re-check window, and what to do when a result is withheld. The university application deadlines guide covers the institutional calendar, and the NSFAS status guide explains how funding responds to a changed registration.

Last reviewed 13 October 2026. Re-write windows, fees and rules are set by the Department of Basic Education and the provinces; confirm the current arrangements with your own provincial department.