International Math Competition Guide

The math competition a million students take.

Q: What is Math League?

Math League is a mathematics competition for students in grades 4 through 12, first held in 1977 and founded by Steven R. Conrad and Daniel Flegler. It is one of North America's most widely taken school math contests, with more than a million students participating each year worldwide.

Q: Which grades can take part?

Contests are organized by grade band for grades 4 to 12. In the China region students may enter from grade 3. A student may attempt a higher grade band than their own, but not a lower one than their current grade.

Q: How does the China-region path work?

There are three stages: a regional preliminary in English with a vocabulary sheet, a regional semifinal that is open-book and adds a short audio explanation plus a phone interview, and the U.S. finals together with the Math League International Summer Tournament.

Q: Is Math League the same as the AMC?

No. Math League and the AMC, run by the Mathematical Association of America, are separate competitions with different formats and organizers. Math League uses grade-banded papers across grades 4 to 12.

An independent guide to Math League — contest formats, grade levels, past papers, and how students in China work through the China-region rounds toward the U.S. finals.

Explore the competition How to take part

1M+

students / year

1977

first contest

4–12

grade levels

HS contests / year

Independent guide · not affiliated with the official Math League (mathleague.com).

01 / What you’ll find here

A clear, no-spin map of the whole competition.

Math League has run grade-banded math contests across North America since 1977. This guide pulls the format, the China-region pathway, preparation, and results into one place — written in plain English for international-school and overseas-bound families. Whether your child is sitting their first elementary paper or working toward the high-school series, the aim is the same: accurate information, no marketing spin, and a realistic picture of what the contest actually asks for.

Competition Format

How the contests work by grade band — from 30-question elementary papers to the six-contest high-school series.

See the format →

Preparation

Past papers, the official English–Chinese vocabulary list, and a study roadmap organized by grade level.

Prep resources →

Winners & Honor Roll

How scoring works, what a strong result looks like, and the path to the U.S. finals.

How scoring works →

News & Updates

Registration windows, key dates, and season announcements as they are confirmed.

Latest updates →

02 / Competition at a glance

Three grade bands, one ladder.

Students take the paper matched to their grade. In China, students may enter from grade 3 and can attempt a higher grade band, but never a lower one than their current grade.

Grades 4–5Elementary

Questions30 multiple-choice

Time30 minutes

FocusArithmetic

Number sense, fractions, and the core problem-solving habits the later bands build on.

Grades 6–8Middle

Questions35 multiple-choice

Time30 minutes

FocusPre-algebra

Advanced arithmetic plus the first real geometry and algebra ideas, at a faster pace.

Grades 9–12High school

Format6 contests / year

Each6 short-answer

FocusAlgebra–precalc

A series of six short papers spanning algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and other pre-calculus topics.

03 / The China-region pathway

From the preliminary to the U.S. finals.

For students in China, Math League runs in three stages. Each stage has a distinct format — and the second one is unusual for a math contest, so it is worth knowing early. Exact registration windows shift from season to season, so we list confirmed dates on the News page rather than print a figure that might change.

Stage one

Regional Preliminary

Taken in English, with an English–Chinese vocabulary sheet provided. No dictionaries and no calculators — questions are grade-banded and emphasize understanding over speed tricks.

中国区初赛 · 全英文命题

Stage two

Regional Semifinal

An open-book round: students download the problems from the official site, submit their answers, upload a short audio explanation, and book a brief phone interview.

中国区复赛 · 开卷 + 音频 + 电话面试

Stage three

U.S. Finals & Summer Tournament

Qualifying students advance to the finals in the United States, alongside the Math League International Summer Tournament — a study-and-travel program around the competition.

美国决赛 + 国际夏季锦标赛研学

04 / Why trust this guide

Independent, accurate, and up front about it.

We keep this guide accurate and clearly separate from the official competition. Read more about this guide →

1
We’re a guide, not the organizer. This site is an independent resource for international students. It is not affiliated with the official Math League (mathleague.com), and we say so on every relevant page.
2
Facts come from official sources. Formats, grade bands, and the China-region structure are drawn from Math League’s own published information and kept current as the season is confirmed.
3
No invented results. We don’t publish fabricated winners, fake deadlines, or placeholder names. Where a date or figure isn’t confirmed yet, we say it’s pending rather than guess.
4
Written for families here. Everything is in plain English, with the Chinese terms that matter, so parents and students can plan a realistic path.

“The preliminary isn’t about speed tricks — it rewards students who actually understand the material.”

On preparing well, not just fast

05 / Frequently asked

Questions families ask first.

What is Math League?

Math League is a long-running mathematics competition for students in grades 4 through 12, first held in 1977 and founded by Steven R. Conrad and Daniel Flegler. It is one of North America’s most widely taken school math contests, with more than a million students participating each year worldwide.

Which grades can take part?

Contests are organized by grade band for grades 4–12. In the China region, students may enter from grade 3. A student can choose to attempt a higher grade band than their own, but not a lower one than their current grade.

Is the competition in English?

Yes. In the China region the preliminary is set entirely in English, and an English–Chinese vocabulary sheet is provided during the contest. Dictionaries and calculators are not allowed, so the focus stays on mathematical reasoning rather than translation or computation tools.

How does the China-region path work?

There are three stages: a regional preliminary (English, vocabulary sheet provided), a regional semifinal that is open-book and adds a short audio explanation plus a brief phone interview, and finally the U.S. finals together with the Math League International Summer Tournament. Because the semifinal includes an audio explanation and a short interview, it helps if students can talk through their reasoning, not just write down a final answer.

Is Math League the same as the AMC?

No. Math League (mathleague.com) and the AMC, run by the Mathematical Association of America, are separate competitions with different formats and organizers. Math League uses grade-banded papers across grades 4–12; this guide only covers Math League.

How should my child prepare?

Work through past papers at the right grade band, learn the English–Chinese math vocabulary, and build steady problem-solving habits rather than memorizing tricks. Our Resources section organizes practice materials and a study roadmap by grade. Consistency tends to matter more than cramming — a steady habit of timed practice, reviewed carefully afterwards, usually beats last-minute drilling.

06 / From the guide

Latest notes & guides.

Plain-English explainers on the format, the grade bands, and how to prepare — newest first.

News

All news & guides →

Have a question about taking part?

Questions about eligibility, registration windows, grade bands, or the China-region rounds? We reply in plain language — no hard sell.

Get in touch →