Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test

Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests
Event information
Location	Hogwarts Castle
Date(s)	May-June, annually
Participant(s)	Seventh Year students (examinees)
Description	Final examination

Terry Boot: "You can do a Protean Charm?"

Hermione Granger: "Yes."

Terry Boot: "But that's... that's N.E.W.T. standard, that is."

Hermione Granger: "Oh. Oh... well... yes, I suppose it is...."

— Hermione's ability to perform N.E.W.T.-level magic

A Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test (often abbreviated N.E.W.T.) is a subject-specific exam that seventh year witches and wizards at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry take to help them pursue certain careers after their graduation, so passing these exams is critical. For instance, the Ministry of Magic only accepts Auror applicants with at least five N.E.W.T.s with top grades of either 'Outstanding' or 'Exceeds Expectations'.

Overview

A N.E.W.T. Potions class in 1996, where only twelve students were able to advance from the previous year

At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, pupils have to complete the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams before selecting the subjects they want to continue for N.E.W.T. level, which is the highest merit that they can achieve. They pick the subjects at the start of their sixth year, providing they achieved the O.W.L. grades that the teachers want them to have, and providing there is sufficient demand in the case of specialised subjects (such as Alchemy).

They study for their N.E.W.T.s in the sixth and seventh year, before sitting an exam for each subject at the end of the seventh and final year. The exams themselves are incredibly difficult as stated in the name "nastily exhausting". It can be assumed that the studying involved in this exam is just as vigorous or even more so then the O.W.L. exams.

It is vital they achieve a high grade, as many professions will require them. Pupils do not have to sit their N.E.W.T.s if they don't want to, as not all careers in the wizarding world require N.E.W.T.s.

Advancement

"I do not accept students into N.E.W.T. classes unless they have achieved 'Exceeds Expectations' or higher at Ordinary Wizarding Level."

— Professor McGonagall on the increased difficulty in N.E.W.T.

A student must have previously achieved an O.W.L. in the subject in order to move on to N.E.W.T.-level classes. More specialised subjects (such as Alchemy) are available with sufficient demand. Most Hogwarts Professors will accept an 'Exceeds Expectations' on the student's O.W.L.s for those classes in order to allow them to advance to N.E.W.T.-level. However, some professors like Severus Snape, would only let students with an 'Outstanding' in their O.W.L. pass through to his Potions N.E.W.T. class, although he did accept students with 'Exceeds Expectations' into his N.E.W.T.-level DADA class during the 1996–1997 school year.

It is unknown what the limit is for how many subjects the pupil may sit at N.E.W.T. level. Hermione Granger was granted seven, while Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley picked five.

Difficulty of magic

Harry Potter's stag Patronus fends off hundreds of Dementors, extremely advanced magic

In 1993 and 1994, the difficulty of N.E.W.T.-level magic was mentioned by both Remus Lupin and Hermione Granger. Harry Potter’s ability to conjure a corporeal Patronus (something that is beyond N.E.W.T.-level) in his third year, and Hermione's ability to perform the Protean Charm in her fifth, is magic that is complicated enough that the average wizard is not expected to have to perform it until their N.E.W.T exams.

This makes Harry's ability to produce a Patronus Charm at the age of thirteen and Hermione's ability to cast the Protean Charm at the age of sixteen (and brew the Polyjuice Potion in her second year) exceptional, because they were able to perform magic that is not generally tested until the end of seventh year at Hogwarts.

Nonverbal spells, which are introduced in sixth year, are expected to be used by the students for the rest of their classes from thereon. Due to the strong willpower required to perform such a feat, many students seem to struggle with this portion (at least initially).

N.E.W.T. scores

"They ask for a minimum of five N.E.W.T.s, and nothing under 'Exceeds Expectations' grade, I see."

— Grading for N.E.W.T.s is the same for O.W.L.s

If a student fails a N.E.W.T. it is unknown if the student is allowed to retake it, if they wish to. If retaking it is an option, they are either presumably held back in the subject that they failed or just given a second chance at the exam itself. The grading system for N.E.W.T.s is the same for O.W.L.s.

Passing Grades Outstanding [O] Exceeds Expectations [E] Acceptable [A]

Fail Grades Poor [P] (may possibly repeat) Dreadful [D] Troll [T] (fail with distinction)

N.E.W.T. students

Achievers of N.E.W.T.s

Subject	Known Students Who Achieved N.E.W.T	Notes
Healers	Dilys Derwent, Lancelot, Augustus Pye, Hippocrates Smethwyck, Helbert Spleen, Miriam Strout, Hannah Abbott,	Requirements to become a Healer include N.E.W.T.s of at least grade E in the subjects of Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Herbology, and Defence Against the Dark Arts, making it likely the Healers to the left achieved the grades needed.
Aurors	Alastor Moody, Frank Longbottom, Alice Longbottom, John Dawlish (earned top grade), Kingsley Shacklebolt, Nymphadora Tonks, Rufus Scrimgeour, Gawain Robards, Proudfoot, Savage, Williamson	To be an Auror, applicants needed at least five high-level N.E.W.T grades, though an exception was made for at least Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Neville Longbottom.

Others

Wizard(s)	Notes
Albus Dumbledore	Were said to have earned top grades, likely in at least Transfiguration, since they both taught the subject.
Minerva McGonagall
Severus Snape	Likely achieved a high grade in Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts, since he later taught the subjects.
Barty Crouch Jnr	Achieved twelve O.W.L.s and likely achieved N.E.W.T.s too.
Percy Weasley	Graduated with perfect N.E.W.T grades.
Tom Riddle	Was said to have achieved top grades in every exam that he took.
Hermione Granger	Returned to take her N.E.W.T.s, despite not attending her seventh year at Hogwarts at the time she should have. She probably continued with the subjects she picked at the start of her sixth year; Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes and Potions.
Bill Weasley	Likely achieved high N.E.W.T. grades, probably in at least Charms and Care of Magical Creatures given their careers. In Bill's case: Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions and Transfiguration as well.
Charlie Weasley
Lily Potter	Likely achieved high grades, given that they were good students.
James Potter
Remus Lupin
Arthur Weasley	Probably in at least Muggle Studies.
Dolores Umbridge	The majority of jobs at the Ministry will want N.E.W.T. grades.
Ministry of Magic
Hogwarts professors	Have likely achieved N.E.W.T.s in at least in their own subject. An exception may be Neville Longbottom, who left Hogwarts to be an Auror and later became Herbology professor.

Known leavers

It's the choice of every student whether they want to take their N.E.W.T.s or not, and not everyone will pass. There are many jobs who will accept applicants who only have O.W.L. grades, but it helps to have N.E.W.T.s. and many high profile jobs will prefer them. Every student tries to return for the final two years.

However, Fred and George Weasley, for example, did not bother taking the N.E.W.T.s and left Hogwarts to set up a joke shop. However, it should be noted that the immediate cause of their departure was to mainly to evade the much-despised Professor Umbridge, and not because they simply decided not to achieve them.

Wizard(s)	Notes
Harry Potter	Was qualified to take: Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, and Transfiguration at N.E.W.T.-level. He decided not to return to school for the seventh year and went to work for the Ministry as an Auror. He became the Head of the Auror Office in 2007. In 2019 was promoted to Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Ron Weasley	Picked the same subjects as Harry, but decided not return to school for seventh year too. He went to work at the Ministry as an Auror and later went to work at the joke shop with his brother George.
Neville Longbottom	Picked at least three subjects; Charms, Herbology, and Defence Against the Dark Arts, but he left before the end of his seventh year. He went to work for the Ministry as an Auror, then returned to Hogwarts as a professor of Herbology.
Fred Weasley †	Mentioned above, left during the rule of Dolores Umbridge, before exams and started their own joke shop.
George Weasley
Zygmunt Budge	Left at the age of fourteen to pursue private studies in potion-making.
Cedric Diggory †	Murdered by Peter Pettigrew on Lord Voldemort's orders in his sixth year before he had a chance to take N.E.W.T.s at the end his seventh year.
Rubeus Hagrid	Expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, wrongly accused of opening the Chamber of Secrets that resulted in the death of a girl.

Behind the scenes

• The N.E.W.T. is comparable to the Muggle A-Levels given at a similar stage of education in most of the UK and Commonwealth, the leaving certificate given in Ireland, the Advanced Placement exams given in the United States, the Australian Certificate of Education (overriding State certificates in 2014) given in Australia, or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme given worldwide.
• Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger skipped the 1997–1998 school year, which would have been their final year, due to the reign of Lord Voldemort and their search for his Horcruxes. Presumably, Muggle-born students also missed their schooling that year. After the defeat of Voldemort, Hermione completed her education and took her N.E.W.T.s, while Harry became an Auror and Ron initially became an Auror and then left to help his brother George at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Those who participated in the Battle of Hogwarts were given exemptions from usual Auror qualifications by Kingsley Shacklebolt due to their duelling experience.
• Doing well on N.E.W.T.s is normally imperative to earning a position at the Ministry of Magic, except under special circumstances (see above).
• N.E.W.T.s are the highest level of examinations given at Hogwarts. It is unknown what system other wizarding schools such as Beauxbatons or Durmstrang use.
• It is assumed that the name, N.E.W.T., is a play on words (like the O.W.L.s), because owls and newts are both animals. It may also be a reference to the Magizoologist Newt Scamander.
• It is possible that Katie Bell did not take her N.E.W.T.s as she was hospitalised for most of her seventh year. If this is the case, then this would explain as to why Katie attended Hogwarts in both parts of the Deathly Hallows film.

See also

• Ordinary Wizarding Level (O.W.L.)
• Wizards' Ordinary Magic and Basic Aptitude Test (W.O.M.B.A.T.)

Appearances

• Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (First mentioned)
• Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (film) (Mentioned only)
• Pottermore (Mentioned only)
• Wizarding World (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (Mentioned only)
• Harry Potter: Wizards Unite (Mentioned only)