The most useful HSC maths packing advice is specific: bring a working NESA-approved calculator, spare black pens and the permitted general stationery; remove the calculator lid; and leave phones, smartwatches, paper and correction fluid out of the exam room.
This teacher checklist was verified against NESA's HSC exam equipment list on 3 August 2026. Rules can change, so teachers should link students to the live NESA page and the current HSC Rules and Procedures guide rather than relying on an old screenshot.
HSC Maths Packing Checklist
NESA's current general equipment advice lists:
- black pens, recommended, with spare pens
- a ruler
- highlighters
- pencils of at least 2B
- a sharpener
- water in a clear, unlabelled bottle
For Mathematics Standard 1, Standard 2, Advanced, Extension 1 and Extension 2, NESA's course-specific equipment table lists a NESA-approved calculator.
A practical teacher handout can therefore say:
Put in the clear equipment pouch
- two or more working black pens
- ruler
- highlighter
- at least two 2B pencils
- sharpener
- the exact approved calculator used in practice, without its lid
Check separately
- clear, unlabelled water bottle
- personalised timetable and arrival instructions from the school
- any approved examination provisions, managed through the school's process
The timetable and arrival details are operational checks, not items NESA's equipment list says may sit on the desk. Students should follow instructions from the presiding officer about where personal material is stored.
The Calculator Check
“Scientific calculator” is not a sufficient check. The exact make and model must be on NESA's current approved list. Use the official link from the equipment page or the NESA-approved calculator guide.
One week before the exam, ask students to:
- read the exact model name printed on the calculator
- compare it with NESA's live list
- test the display, keys and battery or power operation
- remove stored notes, stickers and the calculator lid
- use that calculator in a timed paper
NESA states that equipment can be inspected, students cannot borrow equipment during the exam, and appeals under misadventure for equipment failure will not be upheld. A spare calculator should be treated carefully: it must also be an approved model, and students should confirm local arrangements with the school rather than assume any item will be admitted.
Do not encourage a late model change merely because a newer calculator is available. Familiar key sequences are part of exam fluency.
Faculty Action: Run a Desk-Ready Practice
During the next timed paper, have students set up only the items permitted for the HSC maths exam. Use HSC questions by topic for the mathematical practice, then finish with a 60-second check: calculator model, lid removed, spare pens and prohibited devices absent.
What Must Stay Out of the Exam Room
NESA's current equipment page says students must not bring:
- mobile phones, under any circumstance
- programmable watches, including smartwatches
- other communication and electronic devices, subject to the page's stated exceptions for permitted equipment in relevant exams
- wireless earphones or headphones
- paper or printed or written material
- print dictionaries, except where permitted for language exams
- calculator lids
- correction fluid
For a maths exam, do not let a formula card, revision note, loose working paper or calculator instruction sheet remain in the equipment pouch. Students can ask the presiding officer for working paper.
A non-programmable watch may be worn to the venue, but NESA says it must be removed and placed in clear view on the desk once the student sits down. A smartwatch is not permitted.
Do Students Bring the Reference Sheet?
Do not tell students to print and carry a reference sheet into the room. NESA prohibits paper and printed or written material brought by students. Use the applicable official reference sheet during preparation so students know its layout, but follow exam instructions for materials supplied in the examination.
The HSC maths reference-sheet guide explains how to locate the correct official version for the cohort. A familiar reference sheet supports revision; it is not permission to bring a personal copy.
What About Compasses, Protractors and Set Squares?
NESA's 2026 course-specific table lists a NESA-approved calculator for the five mathematics examinations. It does not list compasses, a protractor or set squares as additional mathematics-specific equipment. A ruler remains part of the general equipment list.
Teachers should not transfer the equipment list from another subject. Physics and Earth and Environmental Science, for example, have their own entries. Always read the row for the exact examination.
A Two-Stage Classroom Routine
One week before
- send the live NESA equipment link
- have students verify their exact calculator model
- run a full timed section with exam-day equipment only
- direct questions about provisions or health needs to the correct school contact
- remind students that they cannot borrow equipment during the exam
The last school day before
- repeat the prohibited-item check
- remove calculator lids
- replace weak stationery and test calculators
- confirm each student can access their personalised timetable and school arrival instructions
- avoid introducing new calculator shortcuts
This routine is more reliable than telling students to “bring normal maths equipment”.
A Copyable Message for Students
For your HSC maths exam, bring spare black pens, a ruler, highlighters, at least 2B pencils, a sharpener, a clear unlabelled water bottle and your working NESA-approved calculator. Remove the calculator lid. You cannot borrow equipment in the exam. Do not bring a phone, smartwatch, notes, paper, correction fluid or wireless earphones into the exam room. Check the live NESA equipment page and follow the school's arrival instructions.
Before sending it, confirm it still matches the live NESA page and add only school-approved operational details.
Final Teacher Check
- Is the link the current NESA equipment page?
- Have students checked exact calculator models rather than brands?
- Has the class practised without calculator lids or personal reference sheets?
- Do students know they cannot borrow equipment?
- Have questions about provisions been referred through the school process?
- Are local arrival instructions clearly separated from NESA's permitted-equipment rules?
Exam equipment is a small variable teachers can remove before the day. Build the check into timed practice, then return attention to the mathematics.