The WAEC GCE timetable 2026 puts General Mathematics on Saturday, 3 October, with English Language following on Saturday, 17 October, as the second series of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination for private candidates moves into its heaviest stretch. The exam opened with practical planning sessions on 4 September and runs until Wednesday, 28 October, according to the final timetable the West African Examinations Council published in August.
If you registered for this series, most of your core papers are still ahead of you. Chemistry, Biology and Physics all fall in the first half of October, and every one of them carries an afternoon practical-alternative paper, so plan your day around both sessions rather than the morning paper alone. You can download the full document from the council’s official timetable page.
Every WAEC GCE 2026 paper still left on the timetable
The dates below cover the papers written from today, 29 September, to the final day of the exam. Where a subject has more than one paper on the same day, the times for each paper are in the note beside it.
- Health Education 3 and Physical Education 3Health Education 3 at 9:30am to 11:15am; Physical Education 3 at 2:00pm to 4:00pm
- Visual Art 3A (Drawing)2:00pm to 5:00pm
- General Mathematics 2 and 1Paper 2 (Essay) 9:30am to 12:00pm; Paper 1 (Objective) 2:00pm to 3:30pm
- Chemistry 2, 1 and 3Essay 9:30am to 11:30am; Objective 11:30am to 12:30pm; Alternative to Practical 2:00pm to 3:30pm
- Literature-in-English 2 and 1Prose 9:30am to 10:45am; Objective 10:45am to 11:45am
- Biology 2, 1 and 3Essay 9:30am to 11:10am; Objective 11:10am to 12:00pm; Alternative to Practical 2:00pm to 4:00pm
- Literature-in-English 3 (Drama and Poetry)2:00pm to 4:30pm
- Christian Religious Studies and Islamic StudiesBoth start at 9:30am
- Economics; Visual Art 2 and 1Economics 9:30am to 12:30pm; Visual Art 2:00pm to 4:50pm
- Music 2 and 1; Arabic 2 and 1Music in the morning; Arabic from 2:00pm
- Nigerian History; CommerceNigerian History 9:30am to 12:30pm; Commerce 2:00pm to 4:50pm
- Geography 2, 1 and 3Essay and Objective 9:30am to 12:30pm; Paper 3 2:30pm to 4:20pm
- Physics 2, 1 and 3Essay 9:30am to 11:00am; Objective 11:00am to 12:15pm; Alternative to Practical 2:00pm to 4:45pm
- Marketing 2 and 19:30am to 12:20pm
- English Language 2, 1 and 3Essay 9:30am to 11:30am; Objective 11:30am to 12:30pm; Test of Orals 2:00pm to 2:45pm
- Foods and Nutrition 2 and 12:00pm to 4:15pm
- Agriculture 2, 1 and 3Essay and Objective 9:30am to 12:30pm; Alternative to Practical 2:00pm to 3:30pm
- Visual Art 3B; French 2Both start at 9:30am
- French 1; Health Education 2 and 1French 1 10:45am to 11:45am; Health Education 3:30pm to 6:00pm
- Civic Education 2 and 19:30am to 12:30pm
- Music 3A (Aural)2:00pm to 2:45pm
- Technical Drawing 3, 2 and 1Last day of the exam; Paper 3 from 9:30am, Papers 2 and 1 from 2:30pm
From the WAEC final timetable for WASSCE for Private Candidates, 2026 Second Series. Times are as printed on the timetable.
Saturday papers need a different plan from weekday ones
Four of the biggest papers in this series fall on Saturdays, namely General Mathematics, Economics, English Language and Civic Education. That suits many private candidates who work or run a business during the week, but it also means you should sort out your route before the weekend. Visit your centre on a weekday before the paper if you haven't written there yet, and leave early enough to be seated before the 9:30am start.
General Mathematics is split across the day. Paper 2, the essay paper, runs for two and a half hours in the morning, while the objective paper doesn't start until 2:00pm. Don't leave the centre area assuming you're done after the morning session, because missing the afternoon paper could cost you the subject.
Science candidates face their longest days between October 5 and 15
Chemistry on 5 October, Biology on 7 October and Physics on 15 October each follow the same pattern, with an essay paper and an objective paper in the morning and the Alternative to Practical Work paper in the afternoon. Physics is the longest of the three, because its Paper 3 alone runs for two hours and 45 minutes, finishing at 4:45pm. Pack water and something light to eat, and check the centre's rules on what you can bring in.
English Language on 17 October also has an afternoon component. The Test of Orals starts at 2:00pm and lasts 45 minutes, so you'll need to stay around after the morning essay and objective papers.
What WAEC says to do when the question paper disagrees with the timetable
Among the notes at the bottom of the timetable is a rule on timing that you should know before you sit down, because it tells you to follow the question paper whenever the time allowed on it is different from what the timetable shows.
Where the duration indicated on the Question Paper differs from that on the Timetable, the one on the question paper should be followed.
The notes also say candidates with special needs should get one and a half times the time allowed for other candidates, so if that applies to you, make sure your centre knows before the paper starts. Visual Art candidates should also note that instructions for Paper 3A and the question paper for Paper 3B are given out two weeks ahead of the exam, which means the 3B paper for 22 October should reach candidates about two weeks before that date.
Your next moves before General Mathematics on Saturday
Print or screenshot your photocard and the timetable, and mark every date that applies to your own subject combination rather than working from memory. If you also wrote NECO this year, you can check your 2026 NECO SSCE result now and see whether you still need a credit in any subject from this sitting. Candidates hoping to use their results for admission should also keep an eye on the latest JAMB CAPS admission deadlines, since the GCE ends in late October.
The safest approach is to treat the WAEC timetable as the only schedule that counts. Unofficial copies shared on WhatsApp are sometimes edited or out of date, so when in doubt, go back to the version on the council's own website.
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