14 registering for your national benchmark tests it is compulsory to write the nbts if you: apply for admission to an undergraduate programme of study (whatever your previous studies), and live in south africa, attend secondary school in south africa, or if you apply for admission to the faculty of health sciences (wherever you may reside) we expect you to write the nbts, in english, as early as possible in 2015, preferably in the june/july period. writing the nbts later will mean that we receive your results later, and that we are only able to make decisions on your application later. in any event, you must write the nbts before the final nsc examinations, i.e. by 11 october if you fail to do so, we are unable to consider you for an early conditional offer. in addition, we are unable to consider you for admission in 2016 if you write the nbts in january 2016, or after the release of the nsc results. in summary, our advice to you is to: register to write the nbts as early as possible but on or before 11 october 2015 at the latest ensure that you show up to write the nbts on the date for which you registered rewrite nbts if you feel you did not do yourself justice at the first attempt please note (1) that nbts can be written outside sa; and (2) that your application may be denied if you do not write by 11 october 2015 unless you have applied for and obtained permission to write at a later date. writing the nbts in a remote venue, or outside of south africa remote sessions are run when someone is unable to write at an institution that generally facilitates the national benchmark test sessions. usually, these are for test writers in another country or in an area too remote to be able to make a trip of a reasonable distance to the nearest testing centre. should you wish to request a remote venue, please contact the nbt project at the details shown below. provision for candidates with disabilities provision is made for test writers with disabilities. we have successfully accommodated writers who are blind, visually, hearing or mobility/physically impaired, have a learning disability, or have a chronic illness that requires special accommodations. time concessions, readers, scribes, and braille versions of the tests have been made available. how to register for nbts 1. you may register online or by telephone. 2. register online at after reading the general information and the faqs, select the register to write tab and follow all instructions. note that you will need your sa identity number or passport number in order to register. 3. if you encounter problems during the registration process, call or send an to uct.ac.za for assistance. the nbt project is staffed from 08:00 to 16:00 weekdays and from 07:30 to 11:30 on national test days. if you do not have access to the internet, call to register. the nbt project is staffed from 08:00 to 16:00 weekdays and from 07:00 to 10:00 on national test days. the tests begin at 08h00 at many venues throughout south africa. the academic and quantitative literacy test is written in the morning session and the mathematics (mat) test in the afternoon. if both tests are written, you will probably complete them at about 16h00. they must also be written at the same sitting. testing dates and venues are available on the nbt web site at alternatively please call the number shown below. may i write the nbts more than once? you may attempt the nbts twice. but: you will have to register for each attempt; you will have to pay the nbt test fee each time you do so; you will receive one unique registration number for all nbt attempts; if you write a second time and you are doing all three tests, you must rewrite all three tests; we will use your best nbt results for each of al, ql and mat. what must you take to the tests? your allocated uct applicant number, if you have received one your identity book or passport lunch (not all centres are close to shops) hb pencil and eraser bus/train/taxi fare for returning home please note that you will not be allowed to use calculators in any of the tests. venues for the tests for admission to uct in 2016 please check & confirm venues on the website at ac.za. the testing venues will be clearly sign posted on the days the tests are written. the nbt project reserves the right to change the venue as circumstances require. how do you get your test results? about four weeks after writing, you may access your results on the nbt website. log on using your unique nbt reference number or your south african id number. your scores will also be sent to uct for use in processing your application. nbt contact information website: or tel: