The WAEC timetable: where to find it and how to read it
Skolra is not part of WAEC. Confirm on WAEC's official site: waecnigeria.org.
In short
- WAEC has not released the 2027 WASSCE timetable yet. The Federal Government has proposed 11 May to 18 June 2027 for the school WASSCE, in a statement of 14 October 2026.
- In 2026 the WASSCE for School Candidates was written from 21 April to 19 June. Results came out on 5 August 2026.
- WAEC posts its timetables on waecnigeria.org, as a PDF in its news section. Your school also gets a copy.
- There is one timetable for all subjects. Science, art and commercial students each mark their own papers on it.
- Writing WAEC as a private candidate? See the WAEC GCE dates.
On this page
When each WAEC exam holds
| WASSCE for School Candidates | Usually April to June. In 2026: 21 April to 19 June. Results came out on 5 August 2026. For 2027, 11 May to 18 June has been proposed (see below). |
|---|---|
| WASSCE for Private Candidates (WAEC GCE) | Two series a year. For their dates, see WAEC GCE. |
These are past dates to show the pattern. They are not the dates for your exam. Always use the timetable for your own exam and year.
WAEC 2027: the proposed dates
On 14 October 2026 the Federal Ministry of Education proposed new dates for the 2027 exams. The aim is to release results by August 2027, so that admission can start in September.
| WAEC WASSCE | 11 May to 18 June 2027 (proposed). Results in August 2027. |
|---|---|
| NECO SSCE | 1 April to 14 May 2027 (proposed). Results in August 2027. |
WAEC has not confirmed these dates or released a 2027 timetable (checked 23 October 2026). If the proposal holds, WAEC and NECO papers overlap from 11 to 14 May. Watch WAEC's own website for the real timetable.
Where to get the timetable from WAEC
- Go to waecnigeria.org.
- Open the News section and look for a post with the exam name and year, such as "WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2026 – Second Series Final Timetable".
- Download the PDF attached to the post.
- Check the exam name, the year and, for private candidates, the series.
WAEC also posts timetables on its official X account. Your school, or your exam centre if you are a private candidate, can give you a printed copy.
Be careful with timetables sent around on WhatsApp or posted on blogs. WAEC has disowned fake timetables before. If a date looks odd, check it against the PDF on WAEC's own website.
WAEC timetable for science, art and commercial students
WAEC prints one timetable for all subjects. There is no separate timetable for science, art or commercial students, so mark your own papers on the full one. Everyone writes English Language and General Mathematics. WAEC groups the other subjects like this:
| Science | Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Agriculture, Further Mathematics, Physical Education, Health Education, Foods and Nutrition, Geography, Technical Drawing |
|---|---|
| Art (WAEC calls these humanities) | Nigerian History, Government, Christian Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, a Nigerian language (Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba), French, Arabic, Visual Art, Music, Literature-in-English, Home Management, Catering Craft |
| Commercial (WAEC calls these business) | Accounting, Commerce, Marketing, Economics |
| Trade | Fashion Design and Garment Making, Livestock Farming, Beauty and Cosmetology, Computer Hardware and GSM Repairs, Solar Photovoltaic Installation and Maintenance, Horticulture and Crop Production |
- Science students: most science subjects have a Paper 3, a practical or "alternative to practical". It can fall on a different day from Papers 1 and 2, so mark it on its own.
- Art students: English has a Paper 3 too, the test of orals. Literature-in-English has three papers: objective, prose, and drama and poetry. See the set texts for 2026 to 2030.
- Commercial students: Accounting's Paper 2 is "theory and practice", a long paper. Check its time.
You may also take subjects from more than one group, as long as you register 8 or 9 subjects in all.
How to read the timetable
The timetable is a table with five columns. Here is one real line from a WAEC timetable (private candidates, second series, 2026):
| Date | Saturday, 3rd October, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Paper code | PC4022 |
| Subject/Paper | General Mathematics 2 (Essay) |
| Duration | 2hrs 30mins |
| Nig. time | 9:30am – 12:00pm |
- Date. Some lines cover a range of days. These are usually orals, practicals or performance tests. The note beside them says WAEC will arrange the date and time for each one.
- Paper code. Each paper has its own code. Use it to be sure you have the right paper.
- Subject and paper number. Most subjects have Paper 1 (Objective) and Paper 2 (Essay or Theory). Science and some other subjects add Paper 3, often a practical or "Alternative to Practical Work". English has Paper 3, the Test of Orals.
- Duration. How long the paper lasts.
- Nig. time. The start and end time in Nigeria. A morning paper and an afternoon paper can fall on the same day, sometimes in the same subject.
The notes at the bottom
Read the notes at the end of the timetable. In 2026 they said:
- If the duration on the question paper is different from the one on the timetable, follow the question paper.
- Candidates with special needs get one and a half times the normal time.
- Some papers are given out early. For example, Visual Art 3B questions are given to candidates two weeks before the paper.
How to use it to plan
- Highlight only your own subjects, including every paper number.
- Write the date, time and paper code of each one in a list you can see every day.
- Mark days with two papers, and days that start early.
- Count back from each paper and plan your revision for that subject.
- Check WAEC's website again a week before you start, in case a paper is moved.
Common problems
- Two timetables show different dates. Trust only the one on waecnigeria.org.
- You missed the Paper 1 time because it was after Paper 2. On many days the objective paper comes right after the essay paper. Read each line.
- Your oral or practical date is not shown. WAEC arranges those dates itself. Ask your school or centre.
- You are writing on computer this year. Some schools now write WAEC objective papers on computer. See what changes with WAEC CBT.
- You are also writing NECO. Put both timetables side by side and mark any day with papers from both. See the NECO timetable guide.
Related guides
- WAEC GCE 2027The two series, registration, the computer exam and results.
- WAEC literature texts 2026–2030The 9 books and 12 poems on WAEC's list, with their authors.
- WAEC CBT (CB-WASSCE)What changes when you write WAEC on computer, and how to practise.
- WAEC past questions and answersOver 13,000 WAEC (WASSCE) questions in 23 subjects, 1988–2024.
- NECO timetable 2027The proposed 2027 dates, the 2026 dates, and how to read the timetable.
- WAEC and NECO CBT practiceTimed WAEC and NECO past questions with answers, in the app.
- JAMB past questions and answersOver 9,000 questions in 25 UTME subjects, each with an explanation.