For Year 12 students across South Australia, the SACE Stage 2 exams are the final and most important step of senior school. Whether you're targeting a high ATAR or aiming to finish with confidence, knowing exactly when each exam falls is the first step in planning your revision. This guide covers the full 2026 SACE exam timetable, which exams are electronic, and tips from our tutors to help you perform at your best.
Key Takeaways
- SACE Stage 2 exams run from Monday 2 November to Friday 13 November 2026, across two weeks (SACE Board, 2026).
- Morning exams start at 9:00 am and afternoon exams at 1:30 pm, South Australian time.
- Most exams are 130 minutes long. English Literary Studies is 100 minutes and English as an Additional Language is 160 minutes.
- Chemistry, Physics and Biology fall on three consecutive days (4–6 November).
- Many exams are electronic, including Psychology, Biology, Modern History and English Literary Studies.
SACE Exam Timetable 2026
The SACE Board of South Australia has released the official 2026 examinations timetable. The main Stage 2 exam period runs from Monday 2 November to Friday 13 November 2026. Morning sessions start at 9:00 am and afternoon sessions at 1:30 pm South Australian time (8:00 am and 12:30 pm in the Northern Territory).
Exams marked (e) are electronic exams.
Week 1: 2–6 November
| Date | Time | Exam(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 2 November | 9:00 am | Mathematical Methods |
| 1:30 pm | General Mathematics | |
| Tuesday 3 November | 9:00 am | Nutrition (e) |
| 1:30 pm | Chinese (background speakers), Chinese (continuers), French (continuers) (e), Indonesian (continuers) (e), Modern Greek (continuers), Spanish (continuers) (e) | |
| Wednesday 4 November | 9:00 am | Chemistry |
| 1:30 pm | Psychology (e) | |
| Thursday 5 November | 9:00 am | Physics |
| 1:30 pm | Accounting | |
| Friday 6 November | 9:00 am | Biology (e) |
| 1:30 pm | Essential Mathematics; Arabic (continuers) at 2:30 pm |
Week 2: 9–13 November
| Date | Time | Exam(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 9 November | 9:00 am | Modern History (e) |
| 1:30 pm | English Literary Studies (e) | |
| Tuesday 10 November | 9:00 am | Specialist Mathematics |
| 1:30 pm | Economics | |
| Wednesday 11 November | 9:00 am | German (continuers) (e), Italian (continuers) (e), Japanese (continuers) (e), Vietnamese (background speakers), Vietnamese (continuers) |
| 1:30 pm | English as an Additional Language (e) | |
| Thursday 12 November | 9:00 am | Legal Studies (e) |
| 1:30 pm | Tourism (e) | |
| Friday 13 November | 9:00 am | Music Studies |
| 1:30 pm | Geography (e) |
Language Exams Before the Main Exam Period
Several beginners and background speakers language exams are held in October, before the main exam period:
| Date | Time | Exam(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 13 October | 1:30 pm | Japanese (beginners) |
| Thursday 15 October | 9:00 am | Indonesian (beginners); Auslan (continuers) at 10:00 am |
| 1:30 pm | Spanish (beginners), nationally assessed continuers languages* | |
| Tuesday 20 October | 9:00 am | German (beginners); Latin (continuers) at 9:25 am |
| Thursday 22 October | 1:30 pm | Chinese (beginners) |
| Tuesday 27 October | 9:00 am | Korean (continuers), Modern Greek (beginners) |
| Wednesday 28 October | 2:30 pm | Indonesian (background speakers) |
| Thursday 29 October | 9:00 am | Italian (beginners), Korean (beginners) |
| 1:30 pm | French (beginners); Japanese (background speakers) and Korean (background speakers) at 2:30 pm |
Nationally assessed continuers languages: Armenian, Bengali, Bosnian, Chin Hakha, Croatian, Dutch, Filipino, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Karen, Khmer, Nepali, Persian, Polish, Portuguese, Punjabi, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Sinhala, Swedish, Tamil and Turkish.
Source: SACE Board examinations timetable 2026. Some language exams include additional reading time, and your school will receive day-by-day instructions at the start of Term 4. If two of your exams are scheduled at the same time, your school will confirm special arrangements with the SACE Board.
What's Different in 2026?
If you're comparing with last year's timetable, several major subjects have moved:
- The exam period starts and ends a day earlier. It runs from 2 to 13 November, compared with 3 to 14 November in 2025.
- Chemistry has moved almost a week earlier, from 10 November in 2025 to 4 November in 2026.
- Mathematical Methods and General Mathematics are now in separate sessions. Methods is in the morning and General Mathematics in the afternoon of Monday 2 November.
- Essential Mathematics moves later, from 4 November to 6 November.
- Modern History and English Literary Studies are both on Monday 9 November, compared with 7 and 11 November in 2025.
- Specialist Mathematics moves from 11 November to 10 November.
Worth knowing: Science students have a demanding run in 2026. Chemistry (Wednesday 4 November), Physics (Thursday 5 November) and Biology (Friday 6 November) are on three consecutive days. If you're taking two or three sciences, finish your full-length practice papers for each one before the exam period starts, and use the evenings between them for light review rather than new content.
Key Dates After Your Exams
- Mid-December 2026: SACE results and ATARs are released. Check the SACE Board and SATAC websites for the exact date and time.
Want to see how South Australian schools performed last year? Read our analysis of the top SACE ATAR performers in 2025.
Essential Tips for SACE Exam Success
We asked our tutors, who have an average ATAR of 99.00, for the most effective strategies for SACE exam preparation. Here's what they said:
- Prioritise based on your exam dates: Put every exam on a calendar and work backwards from each date, giving the most time to your earliest exams and hardest subjects.
- Understand the exam structure: Know the question types, mark allocations and performance standards for each subject.
- Practise electronic exams on a device: If your exam is electronic, practise typing extended responses under timed conditions so the format feels familiar.
- Mix up your study methods: Don't just reread notes. Teach concepts to someone else, complete practice questions and use flashcards.
- Look after your wellbeing: Sleep, nutrition and short breaks are essential for staying focused and avoiding burnout.
- Ask for help early: If a topic isn't clicking, speak with your teacher or work with a tutor.
💡 Subject guides from our tutors: SACE Chemistry, SACE Biology, SACE English Literary Studies and SACE English.
Maximising the Benefits of Past Papers
Practising with past SACE exams is one of the best ways to prepare. Here's how to make the most of them:
- Use real conditions: Sit past exams with the correct time limit, no distractions and all required materials.
- Check against marking schemes: Use the SACE Board's marking guidelines and subject assessment reports to see how responses are scored.
- Look for patterns: Repeated question types and topic areas can guide your revision priorities.
- Target your weak spots: Keep a log of mistakes and revisit those concepts until you're confident.
- Replicate the format: Practise extended responses in the structure and style SACE examiners expect.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do SACE exams start in 2026?
The main SACE Stage 2 exam period starts on Monday 2 November 2026 with Mathematical Methods and General Mathematics, and finishes on Friday 13 November 2026 with Music Studies and Geography. Some language exams are held earlier, from 13 October.
What time do SACE exams start?
Morning exams start at 9:00 am and afternoon exams at 1:30 pm, South Australian time. In the Northern Territory, that's 8:00 am and 12:30 pm.
How long are SACE exams?
Most SACE Stage 2 exams are 130 minutes. English Literary Studies is 100 minutes and English as an Additional Language is 160 minutes.
Which SACE exams are electronic in 2026?
Electronic exams in 2026 include Nutrition, Psychology, Biology, Modern History, English Literary Studies, English as an Additional Language, Legal Studies, Tourism, Geography, and French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese and Spanish (continuers).
When are 2026 SACE results and ATARs released?
SACE results and ATARs are released in mid-December 2026. Check the SACE Board and SATAC websites for the exact date.
Need Help Preparing for Your SACE Exams?
Personalised support can make a real difference to your exam results. Our SACE tutors offer one-on-one support in Adelaide and online, covering content revision, past paper practice and exam technique.
