For hundreds of thousands of young people across the United Kingdom, the journey into competitive mathematics begins with a single question on a multiple-choice sheet — and ends, for the most determined, at the pinnacle of the British Mathematical Olympiad. This guide walks you through every step of that journey, from the first Junior Mathematical Challenge to representing Britain on the international stage.
The UKMT competition journey begins in classrooms across the nation — over 700,000 students participate each year
Step 1: The Junior Mathematical Challenge (JMC)
The Junior Mathematical Challenge is where most students first encounter UKMT competitions. Designed for students in Year 8 and below (England and Wales), S2 or below (Scotland), and Year 9 or below (Northern Ireland), the JMC is a 60-minute, 25-question multiple-choice challenge that encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency.
The JMC: accessible to beginners, yet challenging enough for experienced young mathematicians
The problems are arranged in approximate order of difficulty, with the harder questions towards the end. Importantly, students are not expected to finish the whole paper — the challenge is designed to stretch every participant, regardless of ability level. Calculators and measuring instruments are forbidden; only a B or HB pencil and blank paper for rough working are permitted.
Next date: Wednesday, 5th May 2027
Follow-On Rounds for Junior Students
High-scoring students in the JMC may be invited to the Junior Kangaroo or the Junior Mathematical Olympiad (JMO), which feature more open-ended, proof-based questions that develop mathematical writing skills.
From classroom to competition: students begin their mathematical journey at school
Step 2: The Intermediate Mathematical Challenge (IMC)
As students progress, they move on to the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge — one of the UK's largest mathematics competitions, attracting hundreds of thousands of entries from students in Year 11 and below (England and Wales), S4 or below (Scotland), and Year 12 or below (Northern Ireland).
The IMC: a stepping stone to Olympiad-level mathematics for thousands of students each year
Like the JMC, the IMC is a 60-minute, 25-question multiple-choice challenge. However, the problems demand deeper mathematical insight and more creative problem-solving strategies. The IMC is particularly significant because it serves as the gateway to the National Mathematics Summer School — invitations are sent to students in the top 1.5% of results.
Next date: Wednesday, 27th January 2027
Intermediate Follow-On Rounds: The Olympiad Pathway
The IMC feeds into a rich set of follow-on rounds, each named after a legendary mathematician:
Grey Kangaroo and Pink Kangaroo — Multiple-choice follow-ons with increasing difficulty
Cayley Mathematical Olympiad — The first step into written olympiad-style mathematics
Hamilton Mathematical Olympiad — A more challenging olympiad for experienced problem-solvers
Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad — The highest intermediate level, bridging the gap to senior olympiads
Step 3: The Senior Mathematical Challenge (SMC)
The Senior Mathematical Challenge is UKMT's flagship competition for older students — those in Year 13 and below (England and Wales), S6 or below (Scotland), and Year 14 or below (Northern Ireland). It is a 90-minute challenge with 22 multiple-choice questions plus three new-format questions.
The SMC: UKMT's flagship competition, taken by tens of thousands of students annually
🆕 New for 2026: A Format Change
UKMT is trialling an exciting change to the SMC format in 2026. The last three questions will shift from multiple-choice to a 000–999 answer format, where students must calculate and enter three-digit answers. This change brings the SMC closer to international olympiad formats and rewards deeper mathematical understanding over guesswork.
Next date: Wednesday, 7th October 2026
Step 4: The British Mathematical Olympiad (BMO)
The British Mathematical Olympiad represents the highest level of school mathematics competition in the United Kingdom. It is a fully written, proof-based examination that tests deep mathematical creativity and rigour.
British Mathematical Olympiad: where the UK's most talented young mathematicians are identified
BMO Round 1
Top performers in the SMC are invited to BMO Round 1, typically held in November. Students must solve a small number of challenging problems with complete written solutions — partial answers earn partial marks, and the emphasis is on clear, rigorous mathematical argument.
Next date: Wednesday, 18th November 2026
BMO Round 2
The very best performers from BMO Round 1 advance to BMO Round 2, usually held in January. This round features even more demanding problems and serves as the final selection stage for the UK International Mathematical Olympiad team.
Next date: Wednesday, 20th January 2027
BMO Round 2: the final selection stage for the UK's International Mathematical Olympiad team
Encouraging Girls in Mathematics
UKMT runs dedicated competitions to encourage female participation in mathematics at the highest levels:
The Mathematical Olympiad for Girls (MOG) — Established for many years, the MOG provides a platform for talented female mathematicians to compete at olympiad level.
The Mathematical Competition for Girls — New for 2025, this competition expands opportunities for girls in mathematics and runs alongside the MOG.
The MOG and the new Mathematical Competition for Girls: inspiring the next generation of women in mathematics
Both competitions take place on 22nd September 2026. At the National Mathematics Summer School, half of the invited students are girls, reflecting UKMT's strong commitment to gender balance in mathematical enrichment.
The Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo
Not every talented mathematician follows the BMO path. The Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo offers an alternative follow-on from the SMC, featuring challenging multiple-choice questions that reward creative thinking without requiring full written proofs. It is an excellent competition for students who enjoy problem-solving but may not wish to commit to the full olympiad track.
Next date: Wednesday, 18th November 2026
The Senior Kangaroo: a challenging alternative pathway for creative mathematical thinkers
How to Prepare: Tips for Students and Teachers
UKMT provides extensive resources to help students prepare for their competitions:
Past Papers — Available for download from the UKMT website, these are the single most valuable preparation resource. They contain high-quality problems from previous years designed to encourage mathematical thinking.
Video Solutions — Walkthroughs of past paper solutions to help students understand problem-solving strategies.
Dr Frost Maths Partnership — UKMT has partnered with Dr Frost Maths to help teachers integrate past papers and problems into classroom teaching.
UKMT Books — Published by the Trust and available on Amazon, these books provide structured practice for competition-style problems.
UKMT publications: a decade of curated competition problems and solutions
Key Advice for Competitors
Do not expect to finish the paper. The challenges are deliberately designed so that the hardest questions stretch even the best students.
Work in approximate order. Questions are arranged by difficulty — tackle the easier ones first.
Use rough paper. Blank paper for working is allowed; use it to sketch diagrams and test ideas.
No calculators! These competitions test mathematical thinking, not computation speed.
Practice with past papers. Familiarity with the style and format of questions is one of the best preparation strategies.
The Complete 2026–27 Competition Calendar at a Glance
Plan your mathematical year: the full UKMT competition calendar runs from September to June
| Date | Competition | Level |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Sep 2026 | Mathematical Olympiad for Girls / Mathematical Competition for Girls | Senior |
| 7 Oct 2026 | Senior Mathematical Challenge | Senior |
| 18 Nov 2026 | Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo / BMO Round 1 | Senior |
| 20 Jan 2027 | British Mathematical Olympiad Round 2 | Senior |
| 27 Jan 2027 | Intermediate Mathematical Challenge | Intermediate |
| 18 Mar 2027 | Grey/Pink Kangaroo, Cayley/Hamilton/Maclaurin Olympiads | Intermediate |
| 5 May 2027 | Junior Mathematical Challenge | Junior |
| 15 Jun 2027 | Junior Kangaroo / Junior Mathematical Olympiad | Junior |
Registering Your School
All students must be entered into UKMT challenges via a registered UKMT centre. Schools in the UK, Crown Dependencies, and British International Schools can register through the UKMT website. Once registered, schools can purchase entry packs — priced at £16 per pack of 10 posted papers, or £15 per pack of 10 for download-and-print.
Ready to begin your mathematical journey?
Visit www.ukmt.org.uk/competitions to register and find past papers.
