VerifiedShort of a Matric Certificate? The Department Runs a Free Programme for You.
Every year thousands of candidates finish Grade 12 one or two subjects short.
The Department of Basic Education runs a programme built specifically for them, and it costs nothing. Far fewer people use it than qualify, mostly because they assume it is a private course they have to pay for.
This guide covers who qualifies, which subjects are supported, how to register, and the February deadline that shuts the door for a year.
What Is the Second Chance Matric Programme?
It is not a school. There is no register and no class you enrol in.
It is a support programme wrapped around the national examinations, for candidates who have not yet met the requirements of the National Senior Certificate or the extended Senior Certificate.
The Department supplies the study material, the broadcasts and the revision resources. You still register for the examination yourself, through your provincial education department.
Remember this:
Using the material and registering for the exam are two separate actions. Only one of them has a deadline that can shut you out.
Who Qualifies for the Second Chance Programme?
The Department names two groups.
1. Senior Certificate Candidates
Candidates registered to write the Senior Certificate examinations in June. This is the adult route.
2. NSC Part-Time Candidates
Anyone who attempted the NSC from 2008 onwards and will write again in the May/June or November sitting.
That 2008 cut-off is not arbitrary. It is the year the NSC replaced the old curriculum.
So if you last sat examinations before 2008, you are routed to the Senior Certificate instead. If you wrote in 2009 or later, you stay an NSC candidate and repeat subjects you already registered for.
Which Subjects Does It Cover?
Resources are published subject by subject, and the list stops at eleven:
- Accounting
- Agricultural Science
- Business Studies
- Economics
- English First Additional Language
- Geography
- History
- Mathematics
- Mathematical Literacy
- Physical Sciences
- Life Sciences
Each has its own resource page with past papers, exemplars and revision booklets.
If your failed subject is not on that list, the targeted material will not help you directly. Work from the official past papers and the NSC Information Booklet instead, which the Department also publishes free.
How Do You Register?
There are two routes, and which one you use depends on your candidate type.
Option A: Online (Senior Certificate Only)
Official portal:
www.eservices.gov.za
Option B: In Person (Everyone Else)
- An education district office
- A Community Education and Training college
- One of the programme’s support centres
Note:
The Department’s page sets out online steps for Senior Certificate candidates only. NSC repeaters must deal with a district office directly.
When Is the Registration Deadline?
Deadlines are set by each province, so confirm yours. The Western Cape publishes these dates for the mid-year sitting:
- Online, Senior Certificate only — 1 October 2026 to 5 February 2027
- Manual, NSC and SC — 2 November 2026 to 5 February 2027
The notice says plainly that no late applications are accepted. There is no appeal window afterwards. You wait a year.
Two Rules That Catch Repeat Candidates
- You may only re-register for subjects you were already registered for
- Each subject needs a valid School-Based Assessment mark on record
Want a brand-new subject? The mid-year sitting is closed to you, and you write in November.
Where Do the Classes Happen?
Mostly on television, radio and online. That is how the Department reaches candidates in every province at once.
- Woza Matrics catch-up broadcasts on DBEtv
- Radio lessons covering the main subjects
- Interactive telematic sessions into participating schools, with a learner guide
- Video tutorials and the Vodacom e-Learning channel
Printed and digital material carries most of the weight: Mind the Gap study guides, FET revision booklets, self-study guides, the Siyavula Mathematics and Physical Sciences textbooks, and Z-Cards, which are condensed subject summaries.
No data at home? Vodacom internet access centres are listed on the programme’s pages.
Second Chance Matric Programme FAQs
Does the programme cost anything?
No.
The guides, broadcasts, past papers and revision material are free. Provincial examination services such as remarking are charged separately.
How many subjects may I rewrite?
Those you were previously registered for, each with a valid school-based assessment mark. New subjects go to the November sitting.
I last wrote matric in 2005. Can I use it?
Yes, but as a Senior Certificate candidate, because the NSC only started in 2008. You may register online through eServices.
Is there still a February supplementary exam?
No.
The old February and March supplementary sitting has been phased out. The May/June examination now serves that purpose.
Where will I write the examination?
You name a school in your district on the form, and the provincial department confirms the venue. You do not pick it yourself.
Register First, Then Start Studying
- Confirm your candidate type: NSC repeater or Senior Certificate
- Register with your province before 5 February
- Download the Mind the Gap guide for each subject
- Email SecondChance@dbe.gov.za or call 063 696 7246 if you get stuck
If you would rather lift marks you already passed with, the rules on upgrading matric results apply instead. Weighing a rewrite against moving on? See registering for a rewrite and courses you can start without matric.