The National Benchmark Tests (NBTs) measure academic readiness for university. Some South African universities use NBT results alongside the National Senior Certificate (NSC) for admission, while others use the results for placement or to identify the academic support a student may need.
This guide explains the NBT tests, who needs to write them, which test you may need, where you can write the NBT, how to register, what the tests cost, when to write, how results are released and what to do after receiving your results.
NATIONAL BENCHMARK TESTS (NBT): CONTENTS
- WHAT ARE THE NATIONAL BENCHMARK TESTS?
- WHY DO I NEED TO WRITE THE NBT?
- WHICH NBT TESTS ARE THERE?
- WHO NEEDS TO WRITE THE NBT?
- WHICH NBT TEST DO I NEED TO WRITE?
- WHAT DOES THE NBT TEST?
- HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE NBT?
- WHERE CAN I WRITE THE NBT?
- CAN I WRITE THE NBT ONLINE?
- HOW MUCH DOES THE NBT COST?
- WHEN SHOULD I WRITE THE NBT?
- WHAT DO I NEED ON NBT TEST DAY?
- HOW DO I GET MY NBT RESULTS?
- CAN I WRITE THE NBT MORE THAN ONCE?
- WHICH UNIVERSITIES USE THE NBT?
- RELATED UNIVERSITY ADMISSION INFORMATION
WHAT ARE THE NATIONAL BENCHMARK TESTS?
The National Benchmark Tests are assessments used to measure a student’s academic readiness for university. The NBT Project describes the tests as providing additional information about applicants’ academic and quantitative literacy and mathematics proficiency.
The NBTs can provide universities with information that is considered alongside other admission information. Depending on the institution and programme, NBT results may also be used for placement or to help determine the type of academic support a student may require.
WHY DO I NEED TO WRITE THE NBT?
You may need to write the NBT because the university or faculty to which you are applying requires NBT results as part of its admission or placement process.
The NBT is not a replacement for the National Senior Certificate. Instead, it provides additional information about a student’s academic readiness for higher education.
It is important to check the requirements for your specific university and qualification because NBT requirements are not identical across all institutions and programmes.
WHICH NBT TESTS ARE THERE?
There are two National Benchmark Tests: the Academic and Quantitative Literacy (AQL) test and the Mathematics (MAT) test.
| NBT | What it covers |
|---|---|
| AQL | Academic Literacy and Quantitative Literacy combined into one test. |
| MAT | Mathematics for programmes where mathematics is a requirement. |
The AQL test combines Academic Literacy and Quantitative Literacy into one three-hour test. The MAT test is also a three-hour test and is written on the same day as AQL when both tests are required.
WHO NEEDS TO WRITE THE NBT?
Whether you need to write the NBT depends on the university, faculty and programme to which you are applying.
The NBT Project does not decide which applicants must write a particular test. Each university and faculty determines which NBT test or tests are required and the deadline for receiving the results.
Before registering, check the admission requirements for every programme you intend to apply for. This is particularly important if you are applying to more than one university because different institutions or faculties may have different NBT requirements.
WHICH NBT TEST DO I NEED TO WRITE?
The test you need to write is determined by the requirements of the university and programme to which you are applying.
The NBT Project identifies AQL as the test covering Academic Literacy and Quantitative Literacy, while MAT is used for programmes for which mathematics is a requirement.
If your applications require both AQL and MAT, the two tests are written on the same day. You cannot write AQL on one day and MAT on another.
Do not assume that the subject requirements in your Grade 12 qualification automatically tell you which NBT you must write. Check the NBT requirements published by the university and faculty for your intended programme.
WHAT DOES THE NBT TEST?
The NBT assesses skills and knowledge relevant to readiness for university study rather than simply testing whether you can recall schoolwork.
Academic Literacy assesses academic language and reading-related skills needed to engage with university-level material.
Quantitative Literacy assesses the ability to use quantitative information and mathematical reasoning in contexts relevant to academic study and everyday situations.
Mathematics assesses mathematical knowledge and reasoning for programmes where mathematics is required.
The NBT Project provides exemplar questions so applicants can become familiar with the types of questions used in the tests.
HOW DO I REGISTER FOR THE NBT?
NBT registration is completed online through the National Benchmark Test Project.
Before registering, you should have your official identification document or passport, the NBT requirements for the institutions to which you are applying, a suitable test date and the city and test site where you want to write.
- Check which NBT test or tests your intended programme requires.
- Check the university’s deadline for receiving NBT results.
- Choose an available NBT test date that gives you enough time to receive your results.
- Choose whether you want to write online or at a physical test venue, where the option is available.
- Select your city and test site if you are writing at a physical venue.
- Register through the NBT Project website.
- Download or print your registration confirmation.
- Pay the applicable NBT fee.
NBT registration is date and site specific. If you miss your scheduled test, you must book again and pay again to write the NBT.
WHERE CAN I WRITE THE NBT?
You can write the NBT online or at a physical test venue. The NBT Project publishes a schedule showing available test dates and physical test sites.
Physical NBT venues are available in different parts of South Africa, including venues in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape and Western Cape. The available venues and number of seats can change between test dates.
Before choosing a physical venue, check the current NBT test venues and test dates published by the NBT Project.
If you register for a physical venue, the NBT Project states that you will receive an SMS and email confirming your test venue two days before the test.
If you live in an area where there is no suitable test venue nearby, the NBT Project also provides options for remote writers.
CAN I WRITE THE NBT ONLINE?
Yes. The NBT can be written online as well as at a physical test venue.
The online NBT is normally written from home. You need a suitable desktop or laptop computer, a webcam, a supported web browser and a stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth or data. The NBT Project provides specific technical requirements and instructions for online writers.
The online and pencil-and-paper versions of the NBT are equilibrated, meaning the NBT Project states that there is no difference in the test standard between the two formats.
Online writers should also consider the possibility of internet connectivity problems, power interruptions or computer and equipment problems. The NBT Project advises applicants to choose their test date with enough time to allow for another test date if technical problems prevent them from completing the test.
If you are considering the online option, check the current NBT online test rules and instructions before registering.
HOW MUCH DOES THE NBT COST?
For the 2026 admission cycle, the NBT Project lists the following fees:
| NBT Booking | 2026 Fee |
|---|---|
| AQL only | R195 |
| AQL and MAT | R390 |
| Re-mark | R250 |
NBT fees can change between admission cycles. Check the current NBT Project information before making payment.
WHEN SHOULD I WRITE THE NBT?
You should choose an NBT test date that allows enough time for your results to reach the university before its stated deadline.
The NBT Project advises applicants to check the requirements of the institutions where they plan to apply and choose a test date that allows sufficient time for the results to be received before institutional deadlines.
NBT test dates and venues are published by the NBT Project and may change. Always check the current test schedule when planning your test.
WHAT DO I NEED ON NBT TEST DAY?
If you are writing at a physical venue, you should arrive at the test venue in time for the required check-in. The NBT Project states that applicants must be at the check-in desk by 7:30 AM on the scheduled test date.
- Official South African ID book/card or passport
- Paid NBT test fees
- Two sharpened pencils
- An eraser
- Lunch and water
Calculators, dictionaries, scrap paper, notebooks, mobile phones, tablets and smart watches are not permitted during the pencil-and-paper test.
If you are writing both AQL and MAT, the AQL session takes place in the morning and MAT in the afternoon on the same day.
HOW DO I GET MY NBT RESULTS?
NBT results are uploaded to your NBT account approximately four weeks after you write the test, by 12 noon on the date shown on the NBT Test Schedule.
Universities to which you have applied receive your results approximately three weeks after the test. You do not normally need to send the results to those institutions yourself.
You can log into your NBT account using your ID number as your username and the password you created during registration.
If your results are not available, check whether you have an outstanding payment on your NBT account. The NBT Project states that results cannot be accessed while an outstanding balance remains on the account.
CAN I WRITE THE NBT MORE THAN ONCE?
The NBT Project allows an applicant to write the NBT twice within an admission cycle, but you should first confirm with the universities and faculties to which you are applying whether they will accept a second result.
If you write MAT for a second time, you must also write AQL again that morning. You must pay the applicable fee for the second test booking.
NBT results are currently valid for three years from the year in which the tests were written, although individual institutions may have their own requirements.
WHICH UNIVERSITIES USE THE NBT?
NBT requirements differ between South African universities, faculties and programmes. There is therefore no single list of NBT requirements that applies to every university applicant.
If you are unsure whether you need to write the NBT, check the admission requirements for your intended qualification and the university’s current prospectus or admissions information.
You can also use our Universities in South Africa guide to find information about the country’s public universities before checking the specific admission requirements for your chosen programme.
RELATED UNIVERSITY ADMISSION INFORMATION
The NBT is only one part of the university application process. Students should also check the admission requirements, application dates and admission-score requirements for their intended qualification.
- Universities in South Africa
- University Admission Requirements
- APS Requirements by University
- APS Calculator
- University Application Dates
- How to Apply to University
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This university information was last updated in September 2026.
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