A Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test, commonly known by its acronym N.E.W.T., is the highest level of subject-specific examination a witch or wizard can take at Hogwarts. The “appearance” of the exam is not of a single object, but a series of rigorous tests taken at the end of a student's seventh and final year. Each subject's N.E.W.T. consists of at least two parts:
These exams are famously difficult, a fact reflected in their full name, which was coined by students and later confirmed by Fred Weasley and George Weasley.
The primary purpose of N.E.W.T.s is to serve as a high-level qualification for entry into specialized magical professions. Most skilled careers in the wizarding world require a certain number of N.E.W.T.s in relevant subjects. For example, the Ministry of Magic requires a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s with top grades of 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations' for its Auror training program. Prerequisites: To be eligible to take a N.E.W.T.-level class (and the subsequent exam), a student must first achieve a sufficiently high grade in that subject's O.W.L. (Ordinary Wizarding Level) exam. The required grade is set by the professor of each subject.
Grading System: The grading for N.E.W.T.s is the same as for O.W.L.s:
N.E.W.T.s have long been the culminating academic challenge of a Hogwarts education, serving as the gateway to a professional wizarding life. The results are a significant measure of a young witch or wizard's magical ability and discipline. Several characters are noted for their exceptional N.E.W.T. performance:
The exams are overseen by elderly and experienced members of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, such as Griselda Marchbanks and Professor Tofty, who travel to Hogwarts to conduct the practical assessments.
The prospect of N.E.W.T.s heavily influences the academic lives of the main characters from their fifth year onwards. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, students attend career consultations with their Heads of House to choose the subjects they will pursue to N.E.W.T. level, highlighting the academic pressure and future-planning required. In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger begin their N.E.W.T.-level classes. The difficulty is immediately apparent, with lessons involving complex topics like non-verbal spells in Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms. Harry's unexpected entry into advanced Potions is a central plot point, as it leads him to acquire the textbook of the Half-Blood Prince. Ultimately, Harry, Ron, and Hermione abandon their seventh year at Hogwarts to hunt for Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes during the Second Wizarding War and therefore do not sit for their N.E.W.T.s with their classmates. This decision marks their final transition from students to active participants in the war.