Mathematics competitions are aimed primarily at advanced students in middle and high school. The contests are designed to promote problem-solving and analytics skills. Although generally held in-person at local schools, there are certain online contests as well as exams that accept kids who are not enrolled in the school. In addition, there are many opportunities for younger students in elementary school.
- Contest opportunities for both individuals and teams
- Local, regional, national and international competitions
- Practice problems available from prior year contests
The following list of math competitions is based on information available at the time this post was published. For the most up to date information, please visit the website of each contest provider.
Middle School
High School
Invitational and Olympiad
Live, In-Person Contests
ABOUT
MAA American Mathematics Competitions strengthen the capabilities of middle and high school problem-solvers. MAA helps educators identify talent and foster a love of mathematics through friendly competition.
BENEFITS FOR STUDENTS
- Develop problem-solving and analytical skills
- Gain an advantage in the college application process
- Prepare for a variety of STEM – science, technology, engineering, and math – career paths
- Practice common core curriculum in a fun environment
FAQs
- Middle and high school students enrolled in a school registered for AMC are eligible
- 14 school-based competitions held annually
- Three tests: AMC 8 (for 8th graders), AMC 10 (for 10th graders), and AMC 12 (for 12th graders)
- Students who achieve top scores in AMC 10 & AMC 12 earn invitation to American Invitational Mathematics Exam
- Competition has grown to over 300,000 student participants
- Review the AMC Top Resources
PRACTICE
It is recommended that students study problems and solutions from prior year tests, which can be ordered from AMC Publications.
Encourage kids to have fun competing in math contests! Share this post.
High School
Team Based Contests
In Person, Onsite Tournament
Student Organized
ABOUT
HMMT, founded in 1998, is one of the largest undergraduate-run math competitions in the world and hosts two annual tournaments. The contest engages a diverse community of students to encourage an interest in math.
FAQs
- Tournaments held in November and February. Students may attend one. Most students compete in teams. Each tournament features individual tests, a team round, and a guts round
- Additional opportunities to engage in educational events and social activities
- Individual Tests include 10 problems, ranging from mid-AMC to upper-AIME in difficulty
- The Team Round is a one hour, 10 problem test that requires proofs
- The Guts Round is an 80 minute, 36 question event
- An unofficial online tournament is held for teams and individuals who are unable to participate in the onsite contest
PRACTICE
Check out prior year problems and results.
High School
Live, In-Person Contests
International Competition
ABOUT
International Mathematical Olympiad is the annual World Championship Mathematics Competition for high school students held in a different country each year.
FAQs
- Students from over 100 countries participate each year
- Participants must be younger than 20 years on the day of the second contest paper
- IMO is supported by non-profit International Mathematical Olympiad Foundation, which is affiliated with UNESCO
- Review the official FAQs regarding participation
PRACTICE
Check out sample IMO problems and prior year problem sets, which are available for download in various languages.
Undergraduate College
U.S. and Canada
Individual and Team-Based
Live, In-Person Contests
ABOUT
The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition founded in 1938, is is a leading university-level mathematics exam.
FAQs
- Annual competition held the first weekend of December. Registration opens in September.
- While the tournament is team-based, participants work independently on problems.
- The contest consists of two 3-hour sessions during which students work on six mathematical problems.
PRACTICE
Check out prior year problems and results.
Middle School
Live, In-Person Contests
4 Levels of Competition
ABOUT
MathCounts Competition Series preparation begins in the fall and competitions are held during winter and spring.
FAQs
- Four levels of competition: school, chapter, state and national
- Four Rounds per level: sprint, target, team and countdown round
- Students enrolled in grades 6-8 are eligible
- Review the official rules and procedures
PRACTICE
Check out prior year competition tests.
Middle School
High School
Remote
ABOUT
The USA Mathematical Talent Search is a free mathematics competition open to all US middle and high school students.
FAQs
- Students have one month to work out their solutions
- Written justifications required for each problem
- Honor system requires students complete work on their own
- If permitted, participants’ names are provided to colleges, universities and employers for recruitment purposes
- Participants must be citizens or residents of the United States
PRACTICE
Check out prior year problems.
ABOUT
Perennial Math offers mathematics competitions for students in grades 3 – 12. There are three contest formats, including online, live and in-person, and live virtual.
FAQs
- Four monthly tests each season. Each tests has six multi-step questions.
- The competition is open to school teams, clubs, and home school organizations
- Review the Perennial Math FAQs for more information
PRACTICE
Prior year tests can be requested online.
Encourage kids to have fun competing in math contests! Share this post.
Elementary School
Middle School
Compete Independently
In-Person and Remote
ABOUT
Noetic Learning Math Contest is a semi-annual contest for students in grades 2 – 8. The contest promotes problem-solving skills and encourages an interest in math.
FAQs
- Students solve 20 problems independently
- 45 minute contest
- Students enrolled in schools registered for the contest are eligible
- Participants must be citizens or residents of the United States
PRACTICE
Participants may order prior year tests with problems and solutions to use as practice.
ABOUT
Purple Comet Math Meet is a free annual team mathematics competition for middle and high school students.
FAQs
- Competition is free and administered online
- Over 1,200 students from more than 60 countries compete
- The middle school contest consists of 20 problems to be completed in one hour
- The high school contest consists of 30 problems to be completed in 90 minutes
- Competitive and non-competitive teams with each team made up of 1-6 students
- Review the Purple FAQs for more information
TESTS
Check out prior year competition tests.
Elementary School
Middle School
Remote
ABOUT
Mathematical Olympiads for elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS), established in 1979, is designed to teach multiple strategies for out-of-the-box problem solving and to foster creativity and ingenuity.
FAQs
- 120,00 participating students worldwide
- Five contests held during the season which runs from November to March
- Each contest includes five questions
- Available for students in elementary and middle school
- Each team may have up to 35 students
- Administered in both paper and online formats
- Review the MOEMS FAQs for more information.
PRACTICE
Check out sample contests.
ABOUT
MathCON is a mathematics platform offering competitions and educational resources aimed at enhancing mathematics education. MathCON tests are grade-level specific and offered to students in grades 4-12.
FAQs
- Test is comprised of 32 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 45 minutes
- Individual and team-based competition
- Students enrolled in grades 6-8 are eligible
- Review the MathCON FAQs for more information
PRACTICE
Check out weekly practice tests.
Elementary School
Middle School
High School
In-Person and Online
ABOUT
Math League is one of the largest networks of local and state math competitions worldwide. More than 400 contests are offered annually for students in elementary, middle and high school.
FAQs
- More than 300,000 students participate in Math League contests each year
- Contests are held multiple times throughout the school year and culminate in a National/International Championship
- A variety of programs are offered for students in grades 3-12
- Classes, workshops and tutoring is also available
PRACTICE
Check out Math League online classes to prepare for contests.
Grades 1-12
In-Person and Online Contests
ABOUT
Math Kangaroo USA, a nonprofit organization, organizes annual international mathematics competitions for students in grades 1-12.
FAQs
- Competitions are held in the classroom or online
- Multiple choice question format with 24 questions for grades 1-4 and 30 questions for grades 5-12
- Most questions are word format
- Top awards include medals, prizes and college grants
- Review the Math Kangaroo FAQs for more information
TESTS
Check out Math Kangaroo’s prior exams, practice questions, and other resources.
Math Modeling Contest
High School
Free, Remote Contest
ABOUT
MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge, known as the M3 Challenge, is a free online contest designed for high school students.
FAQs
- No registration or participation fees
- U.S. high school juniors and seniors, and sixth form students in England and Wales are eligible
- Home school students are eligible
- Scholarships are awarded annually
PRACTICE
Check out the MathWorks archive of prior year problems.
Middle School
In-Person Contests
4 University-Based Locations
ABOUT
American Regions Mathematics League is an international mathematics competition held at University campus locations in the U.S.
FAQs
- More than 300 teams and over 2,000 students participate
- The Power Contest provides a challenging group problem solving in the fall and spring each year
- Review the ARML FAQs for more information
TESTS
Check out prior year competition tests.
Leave A Comment