WAEC Timetable 2026 – WASSCE for Private Candidates, Second Series (GCE)
Quick answer: The WAEC timetable 2026 (WASSCE for Private Candidates, Second Series) runs from Friday 4 September to Wednesday 28 October 2026. Papers still to come include English Language on Saturday 17 October, Agriculture on 21 October, Civic Education on 24 October and Technical Drawing on 28 October, the last day. Morning papers start at 9:30am and afternoon papers at 2:00pm (Nigeria time, WAT).
- WAEC’s final timetable for the 2026 WASSCE for Private Candidates (Second Series) runs from 4 September to 28 October 2026.
- English Language is on Saturday 17 October: Essay and Objective in the morning, Test of Orals at 2:00pm.
- Civic Education is on Saturday 24 October, and the series ends with Technical Drawing on Wednesday 28 October.
- If a question paper shows a different duration from the timetable, follow the question paper.
Which WAEC timetable is this?
This is the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) final timetable for the WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2026 – Second Series, the exam many students still call “WAEC GCE”. It is for private (external) candidates in Nigeria. It is not the May/June WASSCE for School Candidates – that 2026 series has finished. For the 2027 school-candidate exam (proposed for 11 May – 18 June 2027) see our WAEC timetable 2027 page. Also writing NECO? The NECO GCE timetable 2026 (SSCE External) runs from 4 to 21 November 2026.
Science students take the Physics, Chemistry and Biology papers (including the Alternative to Practical Work papers); art students take Literature-in-English, Government, CRS/IRS, History and Visual Art. Every candidate takes English Language and General Mathematics.
WAEC timetable 2026: remaining papers (from 16 October)
| Date | Paper | Time (WAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct 2026 | Marketing 2 (Essay) Marketing 1 (Objective) | 9:30am – 11:30am 11:30am – 12:20pm |
| Sat 17 Oct 2026 | English Language 2 (Essay) English Language 1 (Objective) English Language 3 (Test of Orals) | 9:30am – 11:30am 11:30am – 12:30pm 2:00pm – 2:45pm |
| Tue 20 Oct 2026 | Foods and Nutrition 2 (Essay) Foods and Nutrition 1 (Objective) | 2:00pm – 3:15pm 3:15pm – 4:15pm |
| Wed 21 Oct 2026 | Agriculture 2 (Essay) Agriculture 1 (Objective) Agriculture 3 (Alternative to Practical Work) | 9:30am – 11:40am 11:40am – 12:30pm 2:00pm – 3:30pm |
| Thu 22 Oct 2026 | Visual Art 3B (Creative Design) French 2 (Essay) | 9:30am – 12:30pm 9:30am – 10:45am |
| Fri 23 Oct 2026 | French 1 (Objective)* Health Education/Health Science 2 (Essay) Health Education/Health Science 1 (Objective) | 10:45am – 11:45am 3:30pm – 5:00pm 5:00pm – 6:00pm |
| Sat 24 Oct 2026 | Civic Education 2 (Essay) Civic Education 1 (Objective) | 9:30am – 11:30am 11:30am – 12:30pm |
| Tue 27 Oct 2026 | Music 3A (Aural) | 2:00pm – 2:45pm |
| Wed 28 Oct 2026 | Technical Drawing 3 (Sketches, Building and Mechanical Drawing) Technical Drawing 2 (Essay) Technical Drawing 1 (Objective) | 9:30am – 12:15pm 2:30pm – 4:15pm 4:15pm – 5:15pm |
*French 1 (Objective) is printed under Friday 23 October in the WAEC PDF, with a start time (10:45am) that follows straight on from French 2. French candidates should confirm the date with their centre. On several rows the PDF prints “11:30pm”/”12:30pm” for morning papers; the times above show the obvious morning times (for example 9:30am – 11:30am).
Papers already written (4 September – 15 October 2026)
| Date | Paper | Time (WAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 4 Sep | Foods and Nutrition 3 and Home Management 3 (Practical) – planning sessions | 9:30am – 10:30am; 10:30am – 11:30am |
| Mon 14 – Fri 25 Sep | Arabic 3 (Oral), French 3 (Oral), Music 3B (Performance), Foods and Nutrition 3 and Home Management 3 (Practical) | Arranged by WAEC |
| Tue 22 Sep | Further Mathematics 2 (Essay); Further Mathematics 1 (Objective) | 9:30am – 12:00pm; 2:00pm – 3:30pm |
| Wed 23 Sep | Accounting 2 & 1; Government 2 & 1 | 9:30am – 1:00pm; 2:00pm – 5:00pm |
| Thu 24 Sep | Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba 2 (Essay) & 1 (Objective) | 9:30am – 12:30pm |
| Fri 25 Sep | Home Management 2 & 1 | 9:30am – 11:30am |
| Mon 28 Sep | Physical Education 2 & 1 | 2:00pm – 4:10pm |
| Tue 29 Sep | Health Education 3 (Alt. to Practical); Physical Education 3 | 9:30am – 11:15am; 2:00pm – 4:00pm |
| Wed 30 Sep | Visual Art 3A (Drawing) | 2:00pm – 5:00pm |
| Sat 3 Oct | General Mathematics 2 (Essay); General Mathematics 1 (Objective) | 9:30am – 12:00pm; 2:00pm – 3:30pm |
| Mon 5 Oct | Chemistry 2 & 1; Chemistry 3 (Alt. to Practical) | 9:30am – 12:30pm; 2:00pm – 3:30pm |
| Tue 6 Oct | Literature-in-English 2 (Prose) & 1 | 9:30am – 11:45am |
| Wed 7 Oct | Biology 2 & 1; Biology 3 (Alt. to Practical) | 9:30am – 12:00pm; 2:00pm – 4:00pm |
| Thu 8 Oct | Literature-in-English 3 (Drama & Poetry) | 2:00pm – 4:30pm |
| Fri 9 Oct | Christian Religious Studies 2 & 1; Islamic Studies 2 & 1 | 9:30am – 12:30pm |
| Sat 10 Oct | Economics 2 & 1; Visual Art 2 & 1 | 9:30am – 12:30pm; 2:00pm – 4:50pm |
| Mon 12 Oct | Music 2 & 1; Arabic 2 & 1 | 9:30am – 12:30pm; 2:00pm – 4:50pm |
| Tue 13 Oct | Nigerian History 2 & 1; Commerce 2 & 1 | 9:30am – 12:30pm; 2:00pm – 4:50pm |
| Wed 14 Oct | Geography 2 & 1; Geography 3 (Practical and Physical) | 9:30am – 12:30pm; 2:30pm – 4:20pm |
| Thu 15 Oct | Physics 2 & 1; Physics 3 (Alt. to Practical) | 9:30am – 12:15pm; 2:00pm – 4:45pm |
Important WAEC exam rules on the timetable
- If the time printed on a question paper differs from the timetable, follow the duration on the question paper.
- Candidates with special needs get one and a half times the normal time.
- Visual Art 3B question papers are given to candidates two weeks before the paper; Visual Art 3A instructions go to supervisors two weeks before.
WASSCE 2027 timetable (school candidates)
Status: Announced – proposed window; official WAEC timetable awaited. On 14 October 2026 the Federal Ministry of Education proposed a harmonised 2027 exam calendar that puts the WASSCE for School Candidates 2027 from Tuesday 11 May to Friday 18 June 2027, with results targeted for August 2027. WAEC has not yet released the paper-by-paper timetable. Details, plus the proposed JAMB and NECO 2027 dates, are on our WAEC timetable 2027 page.
Related timetables
See all Nigerian exams on our Nigeria exam timetable hub, the NECO GCE timetable 2026 and the WAEC timetable 2027. Other African exams running now: KCSE timetable 2026 (Kenya), UNEB timetable 2026 (Uganda) and NSC matric exam timetable 2026 (South Africa).
Frequently asked questions
When does the WAEC GCE 2026 (second series) end?
The WASSCE for Private Candidates 2026 Second Series ends on Wednesday 28 October 2026 with the three Technical Drawing papers.
When is the WAEC English Language paper in 2026?
English Language 2 (Essay) and 1 (Objective) are on Saturday 17 October 2026 from 9:30am to 12:30pm, and English Language 3 (Test of Orals) is the same day from 2:00pm to 2:45pm.
When was General Mathematics in the 2026 WAEC GCE?
General Mathematics 2 (Essay) and 1 (Objective) were written on Saturday 3 October 2026.
What is the WAEC timetable 2026 for science students?
Chemistry was on 5 October, Biology on 7 October and Physics on 15 October 2026. Agriculture is on Wednesday 21 October 2026.
What is the WAEC timetable 2026 for art students?
Government was on 23 September, Literature-in-English on 6 and 8 October, CRS and IRS on 9 October, Economics and Visual Art on 10 October and Nigerian History on 13 October. Civic Education is on Saturday 24 October 2026.
Has the WASSCE 2027 timetable for school candidates been released?
Not yet. The Federal Ministry of Education has proposed 11 May to 18 June 2027 for the WASSCE for School Candidates, but WAEC has not released the official paper-by-paper timetable. See our WAEC timetable 2027 page for updates.
What time do WAEC papers start?
Most morning papers start at 9:30am and afternoon papers at 2:00pm Nigeria time (WAT). Check your exact time on the official timetable and arrive early.
When is the WAEC Civic Education paper in 2026?
Civic Education 2 (Essay) is on Saturday 24 October 2026 from 9:30am to 11:30am, followed by Civic Education 1 (Objective) from 11:30am to 12:30pm.
How much extra time do special needs candidates get in WAEC?
WAEC’s timetable gives candidates with special needs one and a half times the normal time for each paper. Confirm arrangements with your centre and on waecnigeria.org.
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Download official WAEC timetable 2026 (PDF)
Datesheets.com is an independent website and is not linked to the West African Examinations Council. The schedule above is taken from WAEC Nigeria’s official final timetable for the WASSCE for Private Candidates 2026 – Second Series. WAEC can amend dates; always confirm with your centre and waecnigeria.org.