What to Bring on NBT Test Day (And What to Leave at Home)
When to arrive
Check-in starts strictly at 7:30 AM. You must be at the check-in desk by then. Arrive earlier if the venue is unfamiliar so you are not rushed. If you are writing both AQL and MAT, you will have a morning session, a lunch break, and an afternoon session—plan for a full day.
What to bring
- Your official South African ID book/card or passport (the name must match your registration exactly).
- Two sharpened pencils and an eraser.
- Water and a packed lunch (especially if you are writing both tests—it is a long day).
What to leave at home
Calculators, dictionaries, scrap paper, notebooks, smartwatches, and smartphones are strictly prohibited. Do not bring them into the test room. You will be given a formula sheet and blank paper for workings for the MAT test; the venue provides what you need.
During the test
Once the 3-hour session begins, bathroom breaks are not allowed. Plan accordingly—use the bathroom before check-in and moderate how much you drink right before the session starts.
A final tip: lay everything out the night before so you are not rushing in the morning. Double-check that your ID name matches your registration exactly—mismatches can cause problems at check-in. With the right items and a calm approach, you can focus entirely on the test itself.
Ready to put this into practice?
Our NBT courses are designed around the same strategies and content areas—with practice questions, exemplar-style tasks, and no-calculator drills.
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