The West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is conducted annually by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for final-year secondary school students in Nigeria and across West Africa. This article provides the full WAEC 2026 timetable for the May/June examination series.
WAEC 2026 Examination Period
The WAEC May/June 2026 WASSCE is scheduled to run from May to June 2026. The examination is conducted simultaneously in Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, and Liberia. Nigerian candidates should check with their school or the WAEC Nigeria official website at waecnigeria.org for the official timetable PDF.
Key Dates: WAEC 2026 Timetable (Nigeria)
The following schedule reflects the typical pattern for WAEC May/June examinations. The 2026 specific dates will be published by WAEC Nigeria officially:
- Week 1 (Early May): English Language (Paper 2 — Essay and Comprehension), Civic Education, Christian Religious Studies / Islamic Studies
- Week 2 (Mid May): Mathematics (Paper 1 — Objectives; Paper 2 — Essay), Economics, Biology, Government
- Week 3 (Late May): Physics, Chemistry, Literature in English, Geography, Commerce
- Week 4 (Early June): Agricultural Science, Further Mathematics, Computer Studies, Technical Drawing
- Week 5 (Mid June): Food and Nutrition, Financial Accounting, Health Education, French, Yoruba/Igbo/Hausa, Data Processing
How to Download the Official WAEC 2026 Timetable
To get the official WAEC 2026 timetable PDF:
- Visit the WAEC Nigeria official website: waecnigeria.org
- Navigate to “Examinations” then “WASSCE (School Candidates)”
- Look for the “2026 Timetable” link and click to download the PDF
- Your school’s examination officer will also post the timetable on school notice boards
WAEC 2026 Examination Rules
All candidates must arrive at the examination hall at least 30 minutes before the exam starts. You must bring your WAEC candidate scratch card, examination slip, and a valid ID to every paper. Electronic devices including mobile phones are strictly prohibited. Any form of examination malpractice can lead to cancellation of all papers.
Subjects and Papers: What to Expect
Most WAEC subjects are divided into two or three papers: Paper 1 (Objectives/Multiple Choice), Paper 2 (Essays or structured questions) and sometimes Paper 3 (Practical or Oral). Candidates must sit all required papers for each subject. The practical papers for sciences such as Biology, Chemistry and Physics are typically held within the same week as the theory papers.
Preparing for WAEC 2026
Start preparation at least six months before the examination. Use past WAEC questions — available from WAEC’s website and commercial bookstores — to understand the question pattern and popular topics. Pay special attention to English Language and Mathematics as these are compulsory and required for virtually every course and institution in Nigeria. Form a study group with classmates and review WAEC Chief Examiner Reports to know common errors candidates make each year.
How WAEC Results Are Graded
WAEC uses a letter grade system from A1 to F9. Credit passes are grades A1 to C6. The most important thing for university admission is to achieve at least five credit passes — including English Language and Mathematics — in not more than two sittings. Grades D7 and E8 are passes but not credits, while F9 is a fail.
