The NBT Survival Guide: What to Know Before You Book

The National Benchmark Tests have been part of South African university admissions since 2008. They measure academic readiness for tertiary study—not to replace your NSC (matric), but to complement it. Many universities use NBT scores together with school results to make admission decisions and to decide whether you may need extra academic support once you are accepted.

The tests are run by the National Benchmark Test Project, hosted at the University of Cape Town. Always treat www.nbt.ac.za and the official booking portal as the source of truth for dates, fees, and rules.

There are two separate papers. The Academic and Quantitative Literacy (AQL) test is a single three-hour multiple-choice paper taken by applicants to all programmes. It combines Academic Literacy (AL) and Quantitative Literacy (QL). The Mathematics (MAT) test is another three-hour multiple-choice paper for applicants to programmes that require mathematics. If you must write MAT, you write it on the same day as AQL—AQL in the morning and MAT in the afternoon, with a break between. You cannot write MAT on a different day or “arrive at midday” for MAT only.

Both papers span a range of difficulty (cognitive levels); easier items often appear earlier in a section. For the official description of content, see https://nbt.uct.ac.za/content/what-nbts

Whether you need AQL only or AQL and MAT depends on each university and programme. Requirements change, so use your faculty’s latest prospectus and our NBT requirements checker on this site rather than relying on informal lists.

Tests usually run from late May until the first Saturday in January for the next intake cycle. NBT research indicates that writing later in the year does not give you a higher score than writing earlier—you should write when you are ready, but you must still meet every institution’s deadline. Some faculties (for example Health Sciences) expect scores as early as June or July.

If you apply to more than one institution or faculty, plan for the earliest deadline. You only write once per attempt; all institutions you apply to can request your results from the NBT project.

Both papers are multiple-choice; answers are marked on scanned answer sheets (“bubble sheets”). The AQL is written in timed sections (often around 25 minutes each). In the paper-based test, you typically work only within the current section and cannot flip back to earlier sections. The MAT is three hours without that sectional split.

You register online (the process takes only a few minutes once you have your documents). You will need your South African ID or passport. Payment is through the Lesaka EasyPay system using the reference on your registration confirmation. For the latest fees, see the NBT website; the project has published AQL-only and AQL+MAT pricing (for example R185 / R370 for a recent cycle—always confirm the current year).

View published dates and venues here: https://nbt.ac.za/content/calendar-test-0

You can write at venues across South Africa or, where offered, through the secure online NBT. Online and paper versions are designed to be equivalent, but online writers should book earlier in the cycle in case loadshedding or connectivity forces a retest. Some faculties publish exceptions for certain programmes (for example restrictions on using online results for specific health science streams)—read your faculty’s rules carefully.

For disabilities or special accommodations, use the official special-accommodation process (including timelines and medical documentation) via the NBT disability desk and forms on www.nbt.ac.za—do not assume a venue can arrange this on the day.

The NBT is offered in English and Afrikaans. You choose one language for the whole session—you cannot write AQL in one language and MAT in another. Pick the language that matches how you will study at university.

According to the NBT project, institutions may receive scores about three weeks after you write, while your personal results are uploaded to your NBT account by the date shown on the official test schedule (often around four weeks). You log in with your ID number and the password you created at registration. You do not post results to universities yourself; they request them from the NBT project. You must tick consent during registration for results to be released to institutions.

Staff do not give results over the phone. If you cannot access your account, use the contact options on www.nbt.ac.za (e.g. nbt@uct.ac.za).

The NBT project allows you to write at most twice in a given cycle. If you rewrite MAT, you must rewrite AQL the same morning. You pay the full fee each time. Not every university will use your second score—check each faculty. If you rewrite, leave enough time between sessions for preparation and for results to reach your deadlines.

There are no official past papers; the tests are confidential. Use the official exemplar booklets on the NBT site and reputable practice that builds reading, quantitative reasoning, and no-calculator maths skills.

We are not affiliated with the NBT project, but our courses and mock-style practice are built around the same skills the tests target: academic reading, quantitative literacy, and Core Maths reasoning under time pressure. Use this guide with the official site, then dive into our lessons and question banks when you are ready to prepare systematically.