NBT AQL

The published fee schedule lists two options: 'AQL only R195' and 'AQL & MAT R390'. The AQL covers Academic and Quantitative Literacy; the MAT is a separate mathematics test. Which combination you need depends on the programme you are applying to, so check that programme's requirements before booking.

The NBT cost listing on the project website gives AQL only at R195, AQL and MAT together at R390, and a re-mark at R250. These are South African rand amounts as published on the site; confirm the current figure when you book, since fees can change between cycles.

Item count and time allowance are not stated on the NBT pages retrieved for this profile, so no reliable figure can be given here. Before test day, check the 'What is in the NBTs?' and 'Sample questions' pages on nbt.ac.za, which describe test content and give example items.

The project publishes 'Performance levels' guidance rather than a simple pass/fail line, and no passing score is stated on the pages retrieved. Treat the result as a benchmark that helps a university decide on placement or support, not as a hurdle you clear or fail.

The site lists a re-mark option at R250, which is a review of how your script was marked rather than a fresh sitting. Rewrite and retake rules are not stated on the retrieved pages, so check the FAQ and 'How to book a test' sections of nbt.ac.za for the current policy.

Booking is handled through the project website: use 'How to book a test', then check 'Test dates' and 'Test venues'. The site also provides a 'Register as a Remote Writer' route for candidates who cannot reach a test venue, and a 'Learners with disabilities' page for accommodations.

Start with one full timed set in each domain so you can see which is weaker. Most candidates find Academic Literacy improves slowly and Quantitative Literacy improves quickly with targeted drills, so begin daily passage work early and use short, frequent sessions on percentages, ratios and graph reading.

Three recur: running out of time on long reading passages, answering from general knowledge instead of from what the passage actually says, and careless unit errors in quantitative items - mixing up percentage change with percentage of, or ignoring the units in a rate. Practise eliminating options and re-reading the question stem.

The NBT site presents the tests under 'Placement testing' for institutions and discusses the relationship between the NBTs and the NSC for educators. That points to a placement and diagnostic role alongside your school results, but confirm exactly how your chosen university uses the score before you rely on it.