What Are The National Benchmark Tests And Why Are They Important For Medicine

What are the NBTs

The NBTs were set up as an initiative by Higher Education South Africa (HESA). 9 South African universities require that learners are assessed using the NBT examinations, together with the National Senior Certificate (NSC) which is written at the end of the Matric/Garde 12 year, to determine access of learners to tertiary institutions. 10 of these tertiary establishments use the NBTs to determine what kind of academic support a student will need during their studies.

Which assessments are evaluated

When applying to study medicine, the requirement of all the medical schools is to write both the Academic and Quantitative Literacy (AQL) and the Mathematics (MAT) assessments. Both these papers are 3 hour long multiple choice examinations which need to be completed before the admission dates close.

What if I haven't written my Matric/Grade 12 exams yet

If you are applying to study medicine in South Africa in a particular year, then you have to complete the NBT assessments in the year prior to that. This would mean that you would write your examinations in your Matric/Grade 12 year.

There may be the issue that the learner might feel that they are not ready to perform the assessment because the curriculum hasn't been covered yet. The best way to avoid this is to start preparing for the NBTs at the beginning of the Matric/Grade 12 year. Discuss this with your English/Afrikaans and Mathematics teachers that you need to do these assessments for your medical school application, and they will help you prepare for these assessments.

Are previous exams available

Unfortunately, previous examination are not available for viewing or purchase, but there are example of questions that are available online.

You can click on the following links for access to these sample questions:

For AQL click here.

For MAT click here.

How to interpret your NBT results

Writing a second NBT exam

If you want to write a second NBT evaluation, then you need to register again. Just enter your log in details and follow the directions to select the date and test centre. DO NOT start a new application.

Some institutions might not accept a second result regarding NBT exams, so you just need to make sure with the medical school you're applying to if this is the case or not. You don't want to pay unnecessary fees and waste time if they aren't even going to consider looking at a new set of results.

Some institutions will accept the better results of your NBT assessments, so it might not be a bad idea to write them a second time around if you haven't achieved the proficient score, or if you feel that you could achieve better results. Just remember to make sure with the medical institution and that all the assessments are done before the medical school's closing date for applications and assessment reviews.

The Administrative Issues Relating To The NBTs

How to register for the NBT exams

You need to register online to be able to write the NBT exams. Go here and then simply follow the instructions that are given. Once you click on 'Submit', you will receive a confirmation letter saying that you have been registered together with an EasyPay barcode that you can download and then print when you are ready to do so.

You can also register using your mobile phone by visiting the NBT website. After you have entered your personal details, you'll receive your letter of registration from the NBT Project and EasyPay barcode either after entering your e-mail address and then receiving the letter which can be downloaded and printed later; or by returning here , entering your log in details and then printing the letter when you have access to a printer.

How much do the NBTs cost and how to pay

The cost that prospective medical students will liable for the 2017 admission cycle is R160 to write both exams.

If you are a registered applicant and you don't report for your scheduled assessments, then you must again register and pay in order to re-schedule a missed test. If you are ill or injured and can't make it to the assessment centre, then you should send an e-mail to nbt@uct.ac.za or call 021-650-3523. You must attach a medical certificate or a police incident report to the e-mail, and you will be allowed to write another test with no additional fees charged. 

All NBT fees must be paid by taking the registration letter from NBT Project to the nearest EasyPay Paypoint which includes ShopRite, Checkers, Spar and Pick 'n Pay stores. For your convenience, you can also go on the EasyPay website to pay and then remember print out your receipt.

Languages that the tests are assessed in

The language you write the NBTs in depends on the language of teaching or instruction of the chosen medical school. English and Afrikaans are the two languages of instruction in all the medical schools at the moment, therefore the NBTs will evaluate your skills in these languages.

If you are applying to numerous medical schools and if one requires you to write in English, and another requires you to write in Afrikaans, then you would need to write the NBTs in both English and Afrikaans.

How long are the NBTs valid for

Your NBT results are valid for 3 years from the time you have completed the assessments.

This means that you only need to sit for these examinations once and your results will be sent to all the medical schools you have applied to. If your application was not successful, then the same results can be sent to the medical school again the following year as well.

Can tests be re-marked

You may request that your tests be re-marked, and this will cost R250. You must also know that the tests are re-marked electronically, therefore the same way they were marked initially. There isn't someone that's going to physically re-mark your tests, unfortunately. The re-mark process can also take up to 4 weeks to be processed.