HSC Exam Equipment 2026: What Can You Bring Into the Room?
You can take approved writing equipment, water in a clear unlabelled bottle and the items permitted for your particular HSC course into the exam room. Check your kit before every paper: something allowed in one exam may be unnecessary or prohibited in another.
With the 2026 exams under way, a quick equipment check is worth doing before the next study session ends. Put the actual items on a table beside the official list. A mental check of what is probably in your schoolbag is easy to get wrong.
Start with the everyday writing kit
The NESA equipment list includes spare black pens, a ruler, highlighters, pencils of at least 2B, a sharpener and water in a clear, unlabelled bottle. The 2026 rules also allow erasers and prohibit erasable pens, correction tape, wallets and stopwatches.
Test each pen on scrap paper at home. A pen that works for a signature may skip during a long response. Choose familiar pens that feel comfortable rather than buying an entirely different type the night before an extended-writing exam.
Check that your ruler markings are readable and your pencils are ready to use. If you usually borrow a sharpener from a friend, pack your own now. Borrowing equipment during the exam is not permitted.
Check the bottle and watch separately
Remove the bottle label before leaving home. Check the cap closes securely, especially if the bottle travels beside your stationery. Filling it in advance also removes one small job from the arrival routine.
An ordinary, non-programmable watch must come off your wrist and remain visible on your desk; the 2026 rules say not to touch it during the exam. Smart watches are prohibited. A watch you use for sport may have features that need checking, so do not assume every wristwatch qualifies.
Add only the equipment listed for your course
Use the course-by-course section of NESA’s equipment page rather than a generic social-media checklist. Calculators are permitted in specified exams; Physics also lists compasses, a protractor and set squares. Dictionaries have language-specific restrictions. Online exams have separate device requirements to confirm with your school.
For example, if your next paper is Physics, compare your kit against the Physics entry, even if you have already prepared it for mathematics. Reading a different course’s requirements carefully is more useful than packing every item you own.
For a calculator, check both the exact model and its approval for the 2026 exam year with your school. NESA’s live calculator page includes an approval process for the following year, so a newly listed model needs particular care.
Do a pocket and bag check before entering
Prohibited items include phones, smart glasses, wireless earphones, unauthorised electronic devices, calculator lids, correction fluid and personal paper or notes. Keep your printed timetable outside too. Refer to the full official rules for exceptions and approved arrangements.
Turn this into a physical check: jacket pockets, trouser pockets, calculator cover and the stationery you plan to carry. A revision card tucked behind a ruler is easy to overlook. Follow the school’s directions about where belongings should be left; do not assume the exam desk is a storage area.
If you discover something questionable, tell a supervisor before using it and follow their instructions. Quietly asking about an item is a better response than deciding for yourself that it probably does not matter.
Leave yourself one less job on exam morning
Repack after each paper rather than leaving loose equipment wherever you studied last. Keep your travel plan and the official timetable with your home checklist. If you use an item during evening revision, put it straight back afterwards.
If preparation keeps being interrupted by a particular subject difficulty, North Shore Tutors’ one-to-one tutoring may help you focus that revision. You can ask about support for your course and remaining exam dates.
Guidance checked on 15 October 2026.
