NBT stands for National Benchmark Test. It is a standardised assessment that some South African universities require as part of their application. Many students hear the term during the application process and don't know what it is, whether it applies to them, or when it needs to happen.

If you need to write the NBTs and don't, your application may be incomplete — or rejected outright.

What the NBTs actually test

There are two tests:

AQL — Academic and Quantitative Literacy. This is a three-hour multiple-choice test. It assesses how well you can engage with academic text and use numerical information to solve real-world problems. It is not a subject test — it tests general academic readiness.

MAT — Mathematics. Also three-hour, multiple-choice. It tests mathematical concepts including algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. You only write this one if the programme you are applying for requires Mathematics.

If you write both, they happen on the same day — AQL in the morning, MAT in the afternoon. You cannot split them across different dates.

There is no pass or fail. Your result places you in one of three performance categories: Proficient, Intermediate, or Basic. Universities use these results differently — some use them for admission decisions, others to determine whether you need academic support or placement in an extended programme.

Which universities require them

Requirements differ by institution and, within institutions, by faculty and programme. Here is what the current picture looks like for major universities:

UCT requires NBTs for all undergraduate applicants. Results are a key part of the selection process across all faculties, particularly for Medicine, Commerce, Law, and Engineering.

Wits requires NBTs for Health Sciences and Science applicants. Health Sciences applicants must write in person — online results are not accepted. Deadlines vary by programme, with some faculties requiring results as early as August.

Stellenbosch University requires NBTs for most undergraduate programmes. The AQL is generally required across the board; the MAT is required for mathematically intensive programmes. Law applicants must submit results by 31 July.

University of the Free State (UFS) requires NBTs and only accepts NBT results — no alternative admission tests are considered. Health Sciences applicants have an earlier internal deadline.

University of Pretoria (UP) has conditional requirements — NBTs may be required for certain programmes or where academic performance needs further evaluation. Not a blanket requirement for all applicants.

University of Johannesburg (UJ), Rhodes, and others use NBTs selectively — by faculty or programme, or for placement purposes rather than admission decisions.

UNISA, DUT, NMU, and many other universities either do not require NBTs at all, or use them only for placement purposes in specific cases. If your target institutions are in this group, check their prospectus directly.

The safest approach: check the undergraduate prospectus for the specific university and programme you are applying to. Requirements can change year to year.

Which programmes are most likely to require them

Regardless of institution, certain types of programmes consistently require the NBTs:

Health Sciences (Medicine, Dentistry, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy) almost always require both AQL and MAT. Engineering and Science degrees typically require both. Commerce and Law programmes at UCT, Wits, and Stellenbosch generally require AQL at minimum, with MAT for numerate degrees. Extended or foundation programmes often use NBT results for placement even where mainstream programmes don't require them for admission.

If your chosen programme is in any of these areas, assume you need to write the NBTs until you have confirmed otherwise.

When to write them

Registration opens on 1 April each year at nbt.ac.za. Tests run from approximately mid-May through to early October, with sessions available most weekends — both online and in-person.

You only need to write once, even if you are applying to multiple universities. All institutions you apply to can access your results directly.

Write as early in the year as possible. Some university faculties have internal NBT deadlines that fall well before the general application closing date — as early as July or August. If you wait until October, your results may arrive too late for certain programmes.

A practical target: write between May and July in your Grade 12 year.

What happens if you don't write

If a programme requires NBTs and you have not submitted results, your application will typically be considered incomplete. Some universities will not process it further. Others may hold it provisionally, but you risk missing the window if deadlines pass.

NBT results are valid for three years, so if you have written previously, check whether your results are still within that period.

If you missed the window for this year's intake, factor this into your planning for the following year — and write early.

Before you move on, make sure you know:

• Whether the specific programmes you are applying to require NBTs

• Which tests you need — AQL only, or AQL and MAT

• Whether your institution requires in-person tests (Wits Health Sciences, for example, does not accept online results)

• The internal NBT deadline for your faculty — not just the general application closing date

• Your registration window: nbt.ac.za opens in April