QCAA External Exam Timetable 2026: Every Subject Date

Where the exam block sits in Queensland's Term 4

Queensland's Term 4 runs Tuesday 6 October to Friday 11 December 2026. Exams start three weeks into the term and finish more than three weeks before it ends, so Year 12 students are done well ahead of the younger years.

Queensland does set a statewide Year 12 finishing day, and in 2026 it is Friday 20 November, three days after the last exam. A student has to attend up to and including that day to receive a Senior Education Profile in December, per QCAA's finishing dates.

What varies is the lead-up. Each school sets its own attendance and revision arrangements before 26 October, so ask yours about study leave rather than working from a general date. The QLD term dates page has the full term structure.

The exams that sit outside the Year 12 block

The Senior External Examination is a separate program for adult learners and some eligible Year 12 students. Its subjects are assessed entirely by external exam, unlike General subjects.

QCAA gives the SEE period as Monday 12 October to Wednesday 18 November 2026, but the last SEE written paper on the timetable is Modern Greek on Tuesday 10 November. Language oral components start earlier still, from Tuesday 6 October. If you are a mainstream Year 12 student, the table above is your timetable.

Results, the ATAR and what each one covers

External assessment counts for 25% of your final result in most General subjects, and 50% in mathematics and science subjects. It is added to your three internal assessment results rather than used to scale them.

The QCAA releases final subject results and your Senior Education Profile in the Student Portal at 9:00am on Wednesday 16 December 2026, per its results access page.

QTAC releases the ATAR separately, at 9:00am on Friday 18 December 2026. You need a QTAC ATAR account to see it, which is a different login from your QCAA learning account.

How to plan around the exam period

1. Check your own subjects against the QCAA timetable, then confirm session times with your school.
2. Count the days to any date with the Date Calculator, or read the live count at the top of this page.
3. Print the QLD 2026 calendar and mark your exam days against the rest of Term 4.
4. Set up your QTAC ATAR account before 18 December so results day is not spent on registration.

Frequently asked questions

When do QCAA external exams start in 2026?

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Monday 26 October 2026, with Economics in the morning session. The exam period runs until Tuesday 17 November across 17 exam days.

How many exams will I sit in a day?

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The QCAA designs the timetable so most students sit no more than two external assessments on the same day. Where two of your subjects fall in the same session, they are usually rescheduled on the same day. Follow your personalised timetable for any other arrangements.

When do QCE results and the ATAR come out in 2026?

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QCAA releases subject results and Senior Education Profiles at 9:00am on Wednesday 16 December 2026. QTAC releases the ATAR separately at 9:00am on Friday 18 December.

Where can I download the official QCAA timetable?

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From qcaa.qld.edu.au, under senior assessment. Your personalised timetable appears in the QCAA Student Portal, which is the one to follow if your subjects clash.

Is the Senior External Examination the same as my Year 12 exams?

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No. The SEE is a separate program for adult learners and some eligible Year 12 students, with its own official timetable. General subject students sit the exams in the table above.