Top Tips on How to Prepare for the National Benchmark Tests
Preparing for Your National Benchmark Test (NBT)
Once you’ve registered for the NBT, it’s important to prepare properly so you feel confident and ready on test day. Here’s what you need to know:
Preparation Resources
To help you get ready, the NBT Project provides two downloadable booklets—one for each test:
📘 AQL (Academic and Quantitative Literacy)
📗 MAT (Mathematics)
These booklets include sample questions to help you understand the format and types of questions you’ll encounter in the tests.
⚠️ Note: There are no past NBT papers available to the public. These booklets are the only official preparation material provided.
🔗 You can download them from the official NBT website.
What to Expect on Test Day
Make sure you know your test venue ahead of time. A full list of venues is available on the NBT website.
⏰ Check-in Details
Check-in starts: 07:30
Doors close: 08:30 (No late entry will be allowed)
What to Bring on the Day
To be allowed into the test venue, you must bring:
✅ Identification
South African ID or
Foreign passport, or
Birth certificate with a police affidavit and a recent photo (if no ID/passport is available)
✅ Stationery
Pencils and an eraser (Pens are not allowed)
✅ Food and water
Bring a light lunch and water if you’re writing both the AQL and MAT tests, as the test day can be long
Test Structure and Timing
📝 Morning Session – AQL Test
Duration: 3 hours and 25 minutes
Format: Multiple choice
Sections: 7 timed sections
Written by all NBT candidates
➕ Afternoon Session – MAT Test
Duration: 3 hours
Format: Multiple choice
Written only by students applying for programmes that require Mathematics
Once your test sessions are completed, and time is up, you are free to go home.
🧠 Tip: Make sure to get a good night’s sleep before test day, arrive early, and stay calm—you’ve got this!
Let me know if you’d like a printable checklist version or a student WhatsApp reminder message format!