May 2025 International Secondary Certificate and Further Studies Examination Session
- IEB
- Aug 5
- 4 min read
The Independent Examinations Board (IEB) is pleased to announce the successful completion of the May 2025 International Secondary Certificate (ISC) and Further Studies examination session.
This mid-year session provides an opportunity for candidates to write a limited number of Grade 12 or Further Studies subjects outside the main November examination sitting. It is particularly beneficial for those seeking to improve individual subject results or for those seeking to follow more flexible learning pathways.
IEB International Secondary Certificate
In total, 79 candidates sat for the May 2025 ISC examinations. This included 39 first-time registrations and 35 repeat candidates, of whom 5 were from the eSwatini Special Project. This is the cohort that began writing the ISC examinations in 2023 through an arrangement facilitated by the Ministry of Education in eSwatini. Notably, no full-time candidates were registered for this session; all were part-time or repeat candidates.
The candidates were drawn from 13 schools across three countries:
eSwatini: 6 schools - 57 candidates
Namibia: 6 schools -12 candidates
Mozambique: 1 school - 5 candidates
This reflects a marginal decline in enrolments compared to the May 2024 session, with candidate numbers dropping from 80 to 75. The eSwatini Special Project also saw a reduction, from 11 candidates in 2024 to 5 in 2025, all of whom sat their exams at the Enjabulweni Designated Examination Centre.
Examination Centres
The May 2025 examinations were conducted at six IEB-registered venues:
4 in Namibia
1 in eSwatini
1 in Mozambique
No new centres were added for this sitting.
Candidate Performance
While candidates do not complete the full ISC qualification in May, their subject-level results are tracked. Across all subjects written, the pass rate increased slightly to 93,0%, from 92,4% in 2024 and 87,5% in 2023, reflecting a continued upward trend.
Candidates from the eSwatini Special Project achieved a 50% subject pass rate, successfully meeting the requirements for half of the subjects written. Although this marks a decline from 76,3% in 2024, the IEB is engaging with stakeholders to enhance support for these learners and to navigate the complexities of implementing international programmes in non-traditional educational contexts.
As no candidates completed the full ISC qualification in this session, qualification-level metrics such as Merit and Standard Passes are not applicable.
IEB Further Studies Examinations
The IEB offers Further Studies examinations to learners from independent and public schools offering the National Senior Certificate (NSC) in South Africa, and to independent schools offering the International Secondary Certificate (ISC) outside South Africa. The Further Studies subjects are designed to extend and deepen learners’ knowledge beyond the NSC or ISC curriculum. Learners who offer these subjects often want to challenge themselves intellectually beyond the standard curriculum, to develop advanced analytical, writing, or mathematical skills.
87 schools registered to offer Further Studies in May 2025. The breakdown by sector is as follows:
· IEB NSC schools: 70 (80,46%)
· IEB ISC schools: 2 (2,30%)
· DBE NSC schools: 15 (17,24%) (10 of the 15 are public schools)
A total of 895 candidates registered for Further Studies subjects. This included 45 Grade 11 candidates and 48 repeat candidates. Most candidates (90,17%) registered for only one subject, with 8,72% registered for two subjects; eight candidates registered for three subjects, and two candidates registered for four subjects.
The growth in the number of school registrations per subject has been particularly noteworthy. Compared to May 2023 and May 2024, school registrations increased across all subjects, except for Further Studies, Finance and Mathematical Modelling, which showed a decline. The most significant growth was seen in Further Studies Physics, where the number of participating schools rose from 9 in 2024 to 23 in 2025.
The average pass rate across all 6 Further Studies subjects was 86%, compared to the 81% average pass rate in the 2024 May Further Studies examinations.
Ecctis (formerly UK ENIC) has benchmarked the Further Studies subjects and determined that they are comparable to UK A-Levels, highlighting their international competitiveness.
The ISC and Further Studies subjects are quality assured by Stellenbosch University’s Unit for International Credentialling (SU-UIC). The quality assurance conducted by the SU-UIC entailed external moderation of all the ISC question papers to ensure quality and rigour were maintained, and that these papers were fair and valid. The SU-UIC appointed external moderators who also moderated the marking of the ISC June 2025 marking.
The IEB congratulates all May 2025 ISC and Further Studies candidates on their dedication and resilience.
“We commend the perseverance and hard work of every candidate who participated in the May 2025 ISC and Further Studies examination session. Whether repeating a subject or pursuing an alternative timeline, these learners have demonstrated a commitment to growth and excellence that we are proud to support,” said Confidence Dikgole, CEO of the IEB. “We remain dedicated to providing a rigorous, internationally aligned qualification that equips students for success — wherever their next steps may lead.”
The IEB will continue to uphold the integrity and quality of the ISC qualification and the Further Studies subjects and remains committed to supporting learners on their diverse academic journeys.
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Enquiries:
Ms Confidence Dikgole
Chief Executive Officer
Independent Examinations Board