HOW-TO

How to Get Your Matric Statement of Results

Need proof of your marks before your certificate arrives? The Statement of Results is the official document to collect — here is how and where.

Step by step

1. Know which document you needThe Statement of Results lists your subject marks and is issued first, often on results day. The certificate is the permanent qualification and comes later. For most immediate applications, the statement is what you need.
2. Confirm the release timingFor the current year's candidates, statements are generally available from the day results are released, usually in mid-January. The exact date changes yearly, so confirm it with your school or on the official DBE site.
3. Bring your ID to your schoolGo to the school or exam centre where you wrote and bring your South African ID to verify your identity. This is the quickest route for current-year candidates to collect the printed statement.
4. Request a copy if you wrote earlierIf you wrote in a previous year or need an additional copy, visit a DBE or Provincial Education Department office. Have your ID and, if possible, your exam number and the year you wrote.
5. Check every detailVerify your name, ID number, subjects, and marks on the statement. Report any errors to your school or the DBE promptly, as corrections can take time and may affect applications.
6. Make certified copiesHave a few certified copies made so you can submit them to universities, colleges, and bursary funders without risking the original. Keep the original filed safely.
7. Use it, then follow up on your certificateSubmit the statement for your applications now. If you need the permanent certificate later, or it never arrives, see our guide on how to get or re-issue your matric certificate.

The document that gets you moving

In the weeks after matric results are released, the Statement of Results does the heavy lifting. It is the official document listing your subjects and marks, and it exists precisely so that you are not left waiting for your full certificate before you can apply to study, chase a bursary, or start a job. Where the certificate is the permanent record that arrives later, the statement is the fast-moving proof you can hold within days of results being announced.

Knowing the difference between the two saves a lot of confusion. You almost always need the statement first.

Getting it as a current-year candidate

If you have just written matric, the process is refreshingly simple. From the day results are released — generally in mid-January, though the date shifts each year — you collect the printed statement from the school or exam centre where you wrote. Bring your South African ID so staff can verify your identity. That is usually the whole task.

Before you leave the counter, read the statement carefully. Check the spelling of your name, your ID number, every subject, and every mark. Errors are uncommon but not impossible, and catching one on the spot is far easier than untangling it after you have submitted applications. Our guide on how to check your matric results helps you confirm your marks online in parallel.

Getting it if you wrote in a previous year

People often need a statement long after school — for a promotion, a new course, or a bursary they only just heard about. If you wrote in an earlier year or simply need another copy, you request the statement from a Department of Basic Education (DBE) office or your Provincial Education Department rather than a school.

• Bring your South African ID.
• Where possible, bring your examination number and the year you wrote.
• Be ready for a possible fee on older records — confirm it at the office.

A Statement of Results can often be issued far faster than a replacement certificate, which is exactly why a DBE office will suggest it when you are up against a deadline.

Using it well

Once you have the statement, protect it. Have a few certified copies made and submit those to universities, colleges, and funders, keeping the original safely filed. This one habit means you rarely risk your only copy in a courier bag or an application drop-box.

What comes after

The statement carries you through applications, but you will eventually want the permanent certificate on file too. If it has not arrived, or you later lose it, our guide on how to get or re-issue your matric certificate covers the process, fee, and timing. And if the statement revealed a subject that fell short of a course you want, it is worth reading how to apply for a matric rewrite before you settle for a second-choice plan.

The Statement of Results is a small, plain-looking document that opens big doors. Collect it through the official channels, guard it with certified copies, and it will do its job.

Once you have your statement, treat it as the anchor of an application file you will open again and again over the coming months. Alongside the certified copies, keep a clear scan on your phone and in your email, so you can respond to an unexpected request without racing back to a photocopy shop. Label everything with the year you wrote and store it with your ID, proof of residence, and any bursary paperwork, so that a single folder — physical or digital — holds everything an institution might ask for. This small bit of admin pays off precisely when you are busiest, in the January rush of applications and registrations, when the learners who move fastest are simply the ones who already have their documents in one place and ready to send.

CluedUp is an independent guide and is not affiliated with any government agency. Fees, links and steps can change — always confirm on the official portal before you act. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.