These are the official Grade 12 exam guidelines for the 2026 matric exams, for 30 subjects. Every final NSC paper is set according to its subject's guideline, so it tells you exactly what to expect in the exam room.
Each guideline explains how many papers the subject has, how long each paper is, the marks for every topic and the content that will be examined. Download the guideline for your subject (most come in English and Afrikaans), then practise with the matching Grade 12 past papers and memos.
Grade 12 Exam Guidelines by Subject
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Accounting English Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline27 pages2 PDFs
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Agricultural Management Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline17 pages2 PDFs
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Agricultural Technology Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline12 pages2 PDFs
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Agricultural Sciences Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline34 pages2 PDFs
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Business Studies Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline36 pages2 PDFs
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CAT DBE Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline17 pages2 PDFs
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Civil Technology Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline10 pages2 PDFs
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Consumer Studies Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline18 pages2 PDFs
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Dance Studies Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline36 pages2 PDFs
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Design Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline26 pages2 PDFs
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Dramatic Arts Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline36 pages2 PDFs
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Economics Eng and Afri Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline34 pages2 PDFs
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EGD DBE Eng&Afri Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline10 pages2 PDFs
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Electrical Technology Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline17 pages2 PDFs
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Geography DBE Scope Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline22 pages2 PDFs
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History Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline11 pages2 PDFs
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Hospitality Studies Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline14 pages2 PDFs
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Information Technology consist of Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline12 pages2 PDFs
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Life Orientation Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline12 pages2 PDFs
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Life Sciences Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline18 pages2 PDFs
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Mathematical Literacy P1P2 Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline18 pages2 PDFs
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Mathematics Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline16 pages2 PDFs
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Mechanical Technology Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline19 pages2 PDFs
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Music Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline22 pages2 PDFs
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Physical Sciences Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline36 pages2 PDFs
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Religion Studies Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline6 pages2 PDFs
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Technical Mathematics Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline16 pages2 PDFs
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Technical Sciences Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline39 pages2 PDFs
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Tourism Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline16 pages3 PDFs
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Visual Arts Grade 12 Exam Guidelines 2026
Exam guideline22 pages2 PDFs
Practise With Grade 12 Past Papers
Once you know the format, the best preparation is writing real papers. See all Grade 12 past papers and memos.
Questions About the Grade 12 Exam Guidelines
What are the Grade 12 exam guidelines?
They are official DBE documents for each subject that explain how the final matric papers are set: how many papers there are, how long each paper is, the mark allocation per topic and the content that will be examined.
Which guidelines apply to the 2026 matric exams?
The guidelines on this page are the current ones used for the 2026 National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams. Use them together with the subject's past papers.
How should I use the exam guidelines when studying?
Check which topics carry the most marks, make sure you have covered each one, then practise with past papers from the same subject and mark them with the memo.