| Contest Name | Grades | Prizes | Fee | Registration Deadline | Description |
| World Math Day | Age 5-18 | Medals and certificates. | Free | Math Day begins March 3, 2009, 6AM EST and lasts 48 hours. Free practice games on the site before that date. | The students play against each other in mental arithmetic games in real time. Each game lasts for 60 seconds; students can play as many games as they wish. Questions are leveled for different ages and abilities. |
The American Statistical Association
Poster Competition | Kindergarten-3rd, 4th-6th, 7th-9th, 10th-12th | $50, $100, $200 (and graphing calculators for 4th-12th grade winners) | Free | Due date April 1 each year | One or more students create a poster displaying two or more related graphics that summarize a set of data/examine the data from different points of view/ answer specific questions about the data. Many helps available on website. |
| Davidson Young Scholars | Ages 5-16 | Students and their parents are given free services for educational advocacy, social and emotional development, talent development and peer connections. Grants available for for Young Scholars for academic materials, tutorials, and other educational needs | Free | 15th of every month | This free program offers a set of services designed to nurture the intellectual development of profoundly intelligent young people. |
| North South Foundation Math Bee | K-2nd, 3rd-5th, 6th-8th, 9th-10th | Certificates and trophies | $25 | Depends on your state; generally March/April | For Indian-Americans only. Has regional and national levels |
| Columbus State University's Problem of the Week | All | Names of those with correct answers immediately posted on website, and entered in drawing to win a Problem of the Week Contest T-shirt (one awarded for each level each week). | Free | New problems will be placed on the contest pages each Monday | Weekly online problems at four levels: Elementary Brain Teaser, Middle School Madness Algebra in Action and Problem of the Week. Enter your answers online. |
| World of Escher | All | From online Escher store | Free | 12/31/09 | Create 8 1/2 x 11" symmetry art work using tesselations, after the pattern of M.C. Escher. |
| Math wiz | All | $25/monthly winner, $50/annual high score | Free | Runs monthly January-December | Points awarded for correct answers to three categories of questions: elementary, middle and senior. Bonus points for submitting new contest problems. |
| Noetic Learning Math Contest - Homeschool Division | Grades 2-5 | Achievement awards & recognition on website for 10 best scores in each grade. | $8/student | registration 10/18/09, test date 10/26 - 10/30/09 | 20 multiple choice problems taken at home and submitted online. There is a similar test (free) for public and private school students to take at their schools. |
| Math Kangaroo | 2nd-12th | All participants receive T-shirts, pen keychains, and stuffed kangaroos; High scorers receive books, $25/$50/$100 Best Buy gift cards and $500 college grants | $20 | Test 3/18/2010 Registration starts middle of September | 75-minute, multiple-choice test at individual grade levels. Testing done at schools/homeschools in March and mailed back in. |
| Online Math Leagues | 2nd-12th | Medals for all individual entrants. Names and scores posted on website. | $39 per year (includes three contests) | Tests in Nov., late Jan./early Feb., and March | Three math contests per year for each grade level. Fifteen challenging multiple-choice questions. 30-minute closed book quiz. Teams may compete. Can be taken online or by hand.
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| Talent Search Programs hosted by Johns Hopkins, Duke, Northwestern, and University of Denver | 2nd through 9th (or more narrow ranges) with high scores on standardized testing (typically top 5%) | Above-level ACT/SAT testing experience to gain more accurate information about a gifted student's abilities. Award ceremonies, assistance coordinating educational planning, newsletters, specialized enrichment programs for gifted youth. | $56-$78 including test fee; financial aid available | Vary (some are quite limited, such as fall of the 7th grade year) | In addition to testing, many educational enrichment programs available for preK-12th graders: challenging weekend, after-school, and summer classes, independent study and online courses, college guides, and more. |
| ABACUS International Math Challenge | 3rd and 4th graders (ages 9-10), 5th and 6th graders (ages 11-12),
7th and 8th graders (ages 13-14) | High scorers' names posted on website. | Free | New problems posted monthly. Final deadline April 30, 2010 | Eight problems a month in each age group. Answers must explain their reasoning. Incorrect solutions will then receive hints from a teacher, giving students multiple chances to succeed. |
| American Math Challenge | Ages 9-14
| Trophies, medals, certificates, visit by Scott Flansburg, Guiness World Record Holder, to your school.
| Free
| Registration by 11/7/09; online practice 11/2 - 11/8; online challenge 11/9 - 11/16
| Online math game you play against others in real time.
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The American Statistical Association
Project Competition | 4th-6th, 7th-9th, 10th-12th | $50, $100, $200 and graphing calculators. | Free | Due date April 1 each year | One or more students create a statistical project answering a research question using statistical techniques and present the work in a written report. Many helps available on website. |
| The National Financial Literacy Challenge | Ages 13 and up | Top 25th percentile of the scores will be recognized by the U.S. Treasury Department and may be eligible for scholarship funds. | Free | December 12 | online test conducted by the U.S. Treasury Department to determine and recognize high levels of financial literacy among America’s high school students. |
| U.F. SIFE Financial Literacy Challenge | Middle school and high school | $300 - $1,000 scholarships | Free | November | Timed online multiple-choice quiz. Other quizzes available each month on a variety of topics, such as movies or Bible knowledge. |
| MATHCOUNTS | 6th - 8th grades | Top two individuals at each local meet move on to state/ national finals. Top state teams win free trip to nationals and compete for trophies and scholarships. | Materials are FREE. Annual competition is $20. | Participation- no deadline. Competition- registration deadline postmarked 12/31/09 | Extensive free materials sent to participants for coaching to strengthen students' analytical skills. Teams may also participate at meets. |
| Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Young Scholars Program | 7th grade and up | Individualized scholarships and support to pursue educational opportunities | Free | First Monday in May of 7th grade year | Approximately 70 high-achieving youth with financial need each year receive scholarships to help them develop their talents and abilities. |
| Casio's Problem of the Month Education Contest | Middle School, High School, College | Digital cameras, watches, calculators and/or t-shirts and range in value from $10 to $350 | Free | Monthly | Month problems posted online. Email in answers. Monthly winners for each level will be randomly selected. |
| Rocket City Math League | Middle school and high school (Pre-Algebra and up) | Trophies, plaques, and other prizes such as TI-89's and an Apple iPod | Free | Registration opens 9/14/09; Inter-School Test Nov.30-Dec.11, Round 1 Jan. 18-29, Round 2 Feb. 15-16, Round 3 Mar. 15-26
| Three 45-minute tests for each of four divisions, each consisting of 12 questions. Individual and team awards (but homeschoolers may not join together to form a team). |
| Intel International Science and Engineering Fair | 9th-12th | $50,000 scholarship grand prize; $500-$3,000 each for 18 category winners; additional $2.5 million awarded in scholarships, internships, scientific field trips, and laboratory equipment provided by 70 organizations | Free | National contest May 9-15, 2010. Local qualifying fairs have varied dates. | Mathematics categories and science categories are available. Find a local affiliated fair here
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| Davidson Fellows Scholarship | Under age 18; no minimum age | $10,000, $25,000, $50,000, and scholarships | Free | March | Scholarships for extraordinary young people who have completed a significant piece of work in Mathematics, Science, Literature, Music, Technology, Philosophy and Outside the Box. |
| Wisconsin Mathematics, Engineering and Science Talent Search | All (high school level problems) | Invitation to Honors Day at University of Wisconsin, Madison with luncheon, lectures, and awards. Eligibility for $6,000/yr Van Vleck Scholarship at the University of Wisconsin. | Free | First set will be available in October. | Five sets of unusual, challenging, and enjoyable problems each school year. Mail in full solutions to as many as you can solve. |
| Pomona College Mathematical Talent Search | All (high school level problems) | Invitation to Honors Day at Pomona College, CA with luncheon, lectures, and some simple prizes. | Free | First set will be available in October. | Five sets of unusual, challenging, and enjoyable problems each school year. Mail in full solutions to as many as you can solve. Enter as individual or team. |
| USA Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS) | High school (and advanced younger students) | Certificates, books, software, subscriptions, scholarships to Mathcamp, qualification to take the AIME.
| Free | Due 10/13/09, 11/23/09, 1/11/10, 3/8/10 | Four rounds of five problems each, to be mailed in a month after posted on website. Carefully written justifications are required for each problem.
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| American Mathematics Contest 8 (AMC 8) | 6th-8th (or advanced 4th & 5th); age 14.5 or younger | Certificates and recognition.
High scoring students may participate in the AMC 10.
| $44 per school/ group
| Test date 11/17/09
discount registration by 10/19/09
late registration by 11/10/09 | Materials mailed for group to take 25 question, 40 minute multiple choice test |
| American Mathematics Contest 10 (AMC 10) | 10th and below; age 17.5 or younger | Certificates and recognition.
Students scoring in top 1% may participate in the AIME.
| $40 per group + $14 per 10 tests | Test date 2/9/10 and 2/24/10
discount registration by 12/18/09
late registration by 2/19/10 | Materials mailed for group to take 25 question, 75 minute multiple choice test |
| American Mathematics Contest 12 (AMC 12) | 12th and below; age 19.5 or younger | Certificates and recognition.
Students scoring in top 5% may participate in the AIME. | $40 per group + $16 per 10 tests | Test date 2/9/10 and 2/24/10
discount registration by 12/18/09
late registration by 2/19/10 | Materials mailed for group to take 25 question, 75 minute multiple choice test on non-calculus concepts |
American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME)
| High scorers of AMC 10/12 or USAMTS (see above) | Top scoring students are invited to take the USAMO to qualify for the US Mathematics Olympiad team for international competition. | Free | High scorers on AMC 10/12 are automatically registered. Test date March16 or March 31/2010 | 15 question, 3 hour examination |
| Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement Exams | High school (in in Spring 2010) | $2,000 – $5,000 scholarship. Two winners from each state. | Free | No application; College Board automatically determines winners. | Must have earned a 5 on at least two math or science AP Exams during the 2008-09 school year. Students with fives on the most math/science APs win. |
| Siemens Competition | High school students | $1,000-$100,000 scholarships for regional and national winners. | Free | Deadline 10/1/09 5PM | The leading science and mathematics research-based competition for high school students in the United States. Enter as individuals or teams (up to 3 students). See also the Siemens Foundation website. |
| Mandelbrot Competition | Under age 20 | Award ribbons, other prizes (eg. t-shirts). This is a highly respected contest so the recognition for a high score is valuable. | $32 for four students; $8 for each additional four | Registration 7/21/09 - 9/30/09,
late registration deadline 10/31/09
contest dates 11/2-11/8/09, 11/30-12/6/09, 1/4-1/10/10, 2/1-2/7/10, 3/1-3/7/10
| Five rounds of 40 minute, 7 question tests on non-calculus topics. Homeschooled students can participate if 4 or more sign up together. |
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