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Eligibility: 10th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: No
Cost: Around $10 - $15 per student (varies by school/state)
When: mid-February
Location: Usually held at participating schools or local testing centers across the U.S. and internationally.
The AMC 10 and AMC 12 are 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice math exams that help high school students develop problem-solving skills. Top scorers can qualify for harder invitational competitions that may lead to national or international contests. The AMC 10 covers math up to 10th grade, while the AMC 12 covers the full high school curriculum (except calculus).
Eligibility: Kindergarten - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: Yes
Cost: Around $8 to $15 per contest per student (depending on the organizer). Some sites list the annual fee as about $40 - $60 for all contests
When:
- Contest 1: October
-Contest 2: November
-Contest 3: December
-Contest 4: January
-Contest 5: March
-Contest 6: May
Location: online
The Caribou Mathematics Competition is an international online contest held six times a year, featuring 50-minute math puzzles and problem-solving activities. It offers divisions for elementary through high school students, with grades 9–10 and 11–12 competing in separate categories. Students who complete all six contests can compete for the Caribou Cup, with rankings based on their top five scores.
3. American Regions Mathematics League (ARML)
Eligibility: 9th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: Yes
Cost: $200 - $400 per team (15 students + coaches)
When: Third Saturday in June
Location: University of Iowa, Penn State University, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, University of Alabama in Huntsville
The American Regions Mathematics League (ARML) is a national high school math competition held at four U.S. university campuses, where teams of 15 students compete in both individual and group rounds. Problems cover algebra, geometry, number theory, combinatorics, probability, and inequalities—calculus isn’t required but can be helpful. Teams register online and must bring two coaches to the event.
4. Trig-Star
Eligibility: 9th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: Yes
Cost: Free
When: State and local contests happen in January-February, National level contest usually in March
Location: Starts at local high schools (Level 1), then winners compete at the state level, and finally the national competition location varies yearly.
Trig-Star is a national math competition for high school students that highlights practical uses of trigonometry and raises awareness of land surveying as a profession. It begins with local school competitions (Level 1), with top students advancing to state and national levels (Level 2). Participants also become eligible to apply for a $5,000 scholarship if they pursue a surveying degree.
5. TEAMS
Eligibility: 7th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: No
Cost: Around $50 - $100 per team (2-4 students)
When: Usually occurs during the February to March timeframe, State competitions generally in February, nationals in March
Location: Begins with state-level competitions at participating schools; winners advance to a national competition.
TEAMS is a national STEM competition where middle and high school students work in teams to solve real-world engineering challenges. The event includes a multiple-choice test, an essay, and a design-and-build task. Participants can advance from state to national levels, gaining valuable experience that stands out on college applications.
6. SCUDEM
Eligibility: 9th graders - College undergraduates
Cash Prizes: No
Cost: Free or Minimal fee
When: one-week period in April or May
Location: Regional host sites for presentations
SCUDEM (SIMIODE Challenge Using Differential Equation Modeling) is a week-long, team-based math competition where students solve a real-world problem using differential equations. Teams of three high school or undergraduate students create a solution, write an executive summary, and give a 10-minute presentation. They present their work at a regional host site to a panel of judges at the end of the week.
7. MathWorks Math Modeling (M3) Challenge
Eligibility: 11th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: Yes
Cost: Free
When: Online challenge runs over a week in mid-February, Finals and awards ceremony in April
Location: Entirely online except for the final round, which is held in-person in New York City
The M3 Challenge is a national online math modeling contest where high school teams work together to solve real-world problems under time constraints. Teams of three to five students, guided by a teacher-coach, tackle practical issues using math, with extra credit for exceptional coding. Finalists present their solutions in New York City and may earn internships and significant cash prizes.
Eligibility: 11th graders and below (only open to students who identify as female)
Cash Prizes: Yes
Cost: Free
When: April
Location: Held annually at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) in Cambridge, MA
The Math Prize for Girls is an annual competition at MIT featuring 20 challenging, non-calculus math problems to be solved in 2.5 hours. Applicants must have taken the AMC 10 or AMC 12 and complete an online application. The top 35 performers are invited to the proof-based Math Prize Olympiad in November.
9. MathCON
Eligibility: 4th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: No
Cost: Around $10 - $20 per student (*Often paid by schools)
When: May
Location: often held at various host sites or online depending on the year
MathCON is a national nonprofit that hosts an annual math competition for students in grades 4–12, open to public, private, charter, and homeschooled students. Since 2008, it has helped 200,000 participants strengthen their math skills. Students should ask their math teachers about registration and preparation, as schools handle sign-ups for individuals or teams.
10. Mu Alpha Theta Mathematical Minutes Video Contest
Eligibility: 9th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: Yes
Cost: $10 - $25 per year (membership fee)
When: Deadline around March-April
Location: online
The Mathematical Minutes Video Contest invites Mu Alpha Theta members to create fun, informative 2-5 minute videos on math topics up to calculus, aimed at high school students. The contest is divided into categories by math level—THETA (up to Algebra 2/Geometry), ALPHA (Precalculus), and MU (Calculus)—allowing students to compete across multiple years. Each school submits one video, and eight finalists share a $3,000 prize based on video quality.
11. Johns Hopkins Math Tournament (JHMT)
Eligibility: 6th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: No
Cost: Around $20 - $40 per student (varies by grade and team size)
When: late November
Location: Held at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD
The JMHT is an annual math competition for middle and high school students near Baltimore, featuring challenging topics like proofs, algebra, number theory, geometry, calculus, probability, and combinatorics. Students compete individually in a two-hour test and in teams through two 45-minute proof rounds. Unique for including calculus, the JMHT offers winners prestigious awards and networking opportunities with Johns Hopkins professors to enhance college applications.
12. Harvard/MIT Mathematics Tournament (HMMT)
Eligibility: 9th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: No
Cost: Around $50 - $70
When: November, February
Location: November: at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA + February: at MIT in Cambridge, MA
The HMMT is a highly competitive math tournament held annually in November and February, open to students worldwide in grades 9–12. Participants compete individually or in teams, solving challenging timed problem sets. Many top math olympiad scorers take part, making it a prestigious event in the math competition community.
Eligibility: 7th graders - 12th graders
Cash Prizes: No
Cost: Free
When: March
Location: online
The Purple Comet Math Meet is a free international team math competition for middle and high school students, offering a flexible ten-day window to complete the contest. Middle school teams solve 20 problems in 60 minutes, while high school teams tackle 30 problems in 90 minutes. Though the specific math topics aren’t detailed, past problems are available online, making it a great opportunity for collaborative problem-solving and global math networking.
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