QCE Exam Timetable 2026 – QCAA External Assessment Dates (Queensland Year 12)
Quick answer: Queensland’s 2026 QCE external exams for General and General (Extension) subjects run from Monday 26 October to Tuesday 17 November 2026. Economics opens the timetable on 26 October, English is on Tuesday 27 October, and Agricultural Science closes it on 17 November. Every day has a morning (AM) and an afternoon (PM) session – your school confirms the exact start time.
Which timetable is this?
This is the 2026 external assessment (EA) timetable published by the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) for Year 12 students studying General and General (Extension) subjects towards the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and the ATAR. External assessment is the end-of-course exam set and marked by QCAA; it sits alongside the three internal assessments your school runs during the year.
Applied subjects and Short Courses do not have external exams. Senior External Examination (SEE) candidates follow a separate section of the QCAA timetable (some SEE language papers started on 12 October 2026).
QCE external exam timetable 2026 (26 Oct – 17 Nov)
| Date | Morning (AM) | Afternoon (PM) |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 26 Oct 2026 | Economics | Aerospace Systems; Health; Music |
| Tue 27 Oct 2026 | English; English as an Additional Language | Ancient History |
| Wed 28 Oct 2026 | Chinese; Philosophy & Reason; Physical Education | Spanish; Visual Art |
| Thu 29 Oct 2026 | Literature | Legal Studies |
| Fri 30 Oct 2026 | Chemistry Paper 1 | Chemistry Paper 2 |
| Mon 2 Nov 2026 | Biology Paper 1 | Biology Paper 2 |
| Tue 3 Nov 2026 | Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies; German; Study of Religion | Business; Music Extension |
| Wed 4 Nov 2026 | Film, Television & New Media; Chinese Extension; French Extension; German Extension | Accounting; Drama; Italian |
| Thu 5 Nov 2026 | Modern History | General Mathematics Paper 1; Specialist Mathematics Paper 1 |
| Fri 6 Nov 2026 | General Mathematics Paper 2; Specialist Mathematics Paper 2 | Design |
| Mon 9 Nov 2026 | Physics Paper 1 | Physics Paper 2 |
| Tue 10 Nov 2026 | Dance; Digital Solutions; English & Literature Extension | Psychology Paper 1 |
| Wed 11 Nov 2026 | Psychology Paper 2 | Earth & Environmental Science Paper 1; Engineering; Food & Nutrition |
| Thu 12 Nov 2026 | Earth & Environmental Science Paper 2; Geography | French; Japanese |
| Fri 13 Nov 2026 | Mathematical Methods Paper 1 | Mathematical Methods Paper 2 |
| Mon 16 Nov 2026 | Marine Science Paper 1 | Marine Science Paper 2 |
| Tue 17 Nov 2026 | Agricultural Science Paper 1 | Agricultural Science Paper 2 |
Two-paper science and maths subjects have two separate papers of 90 minutes plus 5 minutes’ planning time each, usually on the same day. Durations for other subjects are listed on the official QCAA PDF. Times are Queensland time (AEST).
Key dates at a glance
| Item | Date |
|---|---|
| First General subject exam (Economics) | Mon 26 Oct 2026 |
| English / EAL | Tue 27 Oct 2026 |
| General Maths & Specialist Maths | Thu 5 – Fri 6 Nov 2026 |
| Mathematical Methods | Fri 13 Nov 2026 |
| Last exam (Agricultural Science) | Tue 17 Nov 2026 |
What if two of my exams clash?
QCAA builds the timetable to avoid clashes. If two of your subjects are in the same session, you will sit one of them in the other session on the same day. Most students have no more than two external exams on any one day. Your school’s exams officer will confirm your personal timetable.
Frequently asked questions
When do QCE exams start in 2026?
QCAA external assessments for General subjects start on Monday 26 October 2026 with Economics in the morning and Aerospace Systems, Health and Music in the afternoon.
When is the QCE English exam 2026?
English and English as an Additional Language are in the morning session on Tuesday 27 October 2026. Literature is on Thursday 29 October.
When do QCE exams finish in 2026?
The last external exam is Agricultural Science (Papers 1 and 2) on Tuesday 17 November 2026.
When are the QCE maths exams in 2026?
General Mathematics and Specialist Mathematics Paper 1 are on the afternoon of Thursday 5 November and Paper 2 on the morning of Friday 6 November. Mathematical Methods Papers 1 and 2 are both on Friday 13 November 2026.
When are the QCE science exams in 2026?
Chemistry is on Friday 30 October, Biology on Monday 2 November, Physics on Monday 9 November, Psychology on 10–11 November, Earth & Environmental Science on 11–12 November, and Marine Science on Monday 16 November 2026.
What time do QCE exams start?
Each exam day has a morning (AM) and an afternoon (PM) session. QCAA’s timetable lists the session, not a clock time; your school will tell you the exact start time and when to arrive.
Do Applied subjects have QCAA external exams?
No. External assessment applies only to General and General (Extension) subjects. Applied subjects are assessed by your school.
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Download the official QCAA 2026 external assessment timetable (PDF)