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Parent guide to the NBT
The National Benchmark Tests, without the confusion: what your child may need to write, when to book, what it costs, and how universities use the results.
If your child is applying to university in South Africa, you may come across another acronym alongside applications, results and admission requirements: NBT.
The National Benchmark Tests are used by some South African universities to get additional information about whether an applicant is academically ready for university. They do not replace matric results. Universities may use them alongside the National Senior Certificate (NSC) for admission or to decide whether a student would benefit from additional academic support.
Not every university or programme has the same NBT requirements or deadlines. First confirm whether your child needs to write, which test they need, and by when.
Does my child need to write the NBT?
Possibly. Each university and faculty decides whether an NBT is required, which NBT must be written, how the result will be used, and the deadline by which the university needs the result. The NBT Project itself does not decide these requirements.
What to do
Start with the courses your child is considering. For each course or programme, check the university's current admissions requirements.
Do not assume that because one university requires an NBT, another one will too. Do not only check by university either: requirements can differ between faculties and programmes at the same institution.
What are the two NBTs?
There are two tests: AQL and MAT.
AQL: Academic and Quantitative Literacy
The AQL combines Academic Literacy and Quantitative Literacy into one multiple-choice test. It looks at skills such as:
- Understanding academic texts
- Interpreting information
- Evaluating arguments and evidence
- Working with graphs, tables and quantitative information
- Solving problems using information presented in different forms
It is designed to measure readiness for the kinds of thinking students will encounter at university.
MAT: Mathematics
The MAT test assesses mathematical knowledge and reasoning relevant to university study. It is generally required for programmes where Mathematics is an admission requirement.
A student cannot book the MAT test on its own. Where MAT is required, it is written together with the AQL.
When should my child write?
This is the part parents should put on the calendar early. NBT test dates run throughout the application cycle, but your child's deadline is determined by the university or programme they are applying to.
The NBT advises applicants to allow approximately four weeks to receive their results.
For the 2027 intake, the NBT Project has published a current national test-date calendar. Test dates and venues can change, so always check the official schedule rather than relying on a date saved months earlier.
Do not work backwards from the final university deadline and choose the last possible test date. Find the earliest NBT deadline across every application and leave some margin.
How do they book, and what does it cost?
Registration is done online through the official National Benchmark Test website.
Before registering, your child should have:
- Their South African ID, or passport if they are not a South African citizen
- An idea of where they want to write
- The NBT requirements for the universities and programmes they are considering
- Their preferred test date
- Enough time for results to be available before university deadlines
The NBT website currently lists AQL only at R195 and AQL + MAT at R390. Fees can change between admission cycles, so confirm the current amount before paying. Payment is made using the method specified by the NBT Project during registration.
One practical point worth knowing: if a student books a test, does not attend and needs to book again, they may have to pay again.
How long does the test take?
The AQL is approximately three hours. If your child also needs MAT, that is another approximately three-hour test, written on the same day. The NBT does not allow a student to write AQL on one day and MAT on another.
If both are required, prepare for a long test day.
Can they study for the NBT?
Yes — but probably not in the way they would study for a school exam. The NBT is intended to assess academic readiness and the ability to apply knowledge and reasoning, rather than simply recall a syllabus.
The official NBT Project provides example questions for both AQL and MAT so students can understand the format and types of questions they may encounter. The NBT Project states that it does not endorse commercial preparation courses and does not release past test papers.
The sensible preparation
- Work through the official exemplar questions
- Understand the format before test day
- Practise reading questions carefully
- Revise relevant mathematics if writing MAT
- Get enough sleep
- Arrive prepared rather than cramming at the last minute
What happens to the results?
Students can access their results through their NBT account. Results are generally uploaded approximately four weeks after writing.
Universities to which the student has applied can receive results directly from the NBT Project, so applicants generally do not need to send their results themselves.
NBT results are generally valid for three years from the year in which the test was written, although individual institutions may have their own rules.
Does a low NBT score mean they will not get into university?
Not necessarily. Universities use NBT results differently. Depending on the institution and programme, an NBT result may be used:
- As part of an admissions decision
- Together with matric results
- To help place a student in an appropriate programme
- To identify whether additional academic support may be useful
- For placement into extended, augmented, foundation or other curriculum routes
That is why it is more useful to ask “How does this university use the NBT?” than simply “What is a good NBT score?”
The parent checklist
- Make a list of the universities and programmes your child may apply to.
- Check the NBT requirement for each programme, not just each university.
- Confirm whether they need AQL only or AQL + MAT.
- Note the earliest university deadline for receiving NBT results.
- Choose a test date with enough time for results to be processed.
- Register through the official NBT website and pay the test fee.
- Save the booking confirmation and login details.
- Work through the official exemplar questions.
- Check the test venue and instructions shortly before test day.
- Check the NBT account when results are released.
- Keep checking the university application — writing the NBT is only one part of admissions.
One thing parents often miss
The NBT is an application task, not something to deal with after matric results arrive.
If your child is taking a gap year and intends to apply to university for the following year, university applications and NBTs may need attention during the gap year. There may no longer be a school reminding them about deadlines.
That makes it worth putting the NBT on your family's post-school timeline early — even if your child has not completely decided what they want to study yet.
Useful official links
Information was checked against the official National Benchmark Test Project website in August 2026. Test dates, fees and individual university requirements can change, so always confirm the latest information with the NBT Project and the university your child is applying to.
Put this on the calendar