The IMO is one of the most challenging mathematics competitions in the world. It brings together national teams from more than 100 countries, so the level of the contest is extremely high.

The problems are very difficult and require much more than memorised techniques. They test deep mathematical understanding, creativity, precise reasoning, and strong problem-solving skills. Contestants must write complete mathematical proofs, not just final answers.

IMO problems are chosen from areas of pre-university mathematics, mainly algebra, combinatorics, geometry, and number theory. Typical problems may involve inequalities, functional equations, counting arguments, graph-like structures, Euclidean geometry, divisibility, modular arithmetic, or Diophantine equations.

University-level tools such as calculus or integration are not required. The challenge is usually to use elementary mathematical ideas in clever, original, and rigorous ways.

The competition consists of six problems over two days: three problems each day, with four and a half hours per day. Calculators and electronic devices are not allowed.

You can read more about the IMO at About→IMO.

Or check out the previous problems of the IMO at imo-official.org.

The International Mathematical Olympiad is supported by several international bodies with different responsibilities. The IMO Board is responsible for the overall direction and policies of the IMO, while the IMO Committees include specialised groups such as the Ethics Committee, which helps ensure integrity, fairness and respectful conduct across IMO activities.

The IMO Office supports the day-to-day administration and technical systems of the IMO, and the IMO Foundation helps support the long-term work of the Olympiad.

In addition to these international structures, each year’s IMO is prepared and run by a separate local organising team in the host country. This team is responsible for organising that particular edition of the Olympiad, in cooperation with the IMO’s international bodies and in accordance with the IMO Regulations. You can learn more about this year's team at Contact Us.

You can read more on the official IMO organisation page: https://www.imo-official.org/organisation/.

For most contestants, the IMO is a week-long event. At IMO 2027, participants will arrive on 19 July and depart on 26 July. During this week, they will take part in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, enjoy a variety of cultural and social activities, and compete in the two official competition days.

However, the Olympiad officially begins earlier, on 16 July 2027, when the team leaders arrive in Budapest. From that day onwards, the Jury meets to discuss and finalise the competition, coordinate organisational matters, and prepare for the examination.

The International Mathematical Olympiad is not open to the general public. Access to the competition venues is restricted to officially accredited participants and guests, including contestants, team leaders, observers, organisers, volunteers, and invited visitors.

The competition itself is not designed as a spectator event. Contestants spend two days working individually in complete silence, writing mathematical proofs, making it unsuitable for live viewing or broadcasting.

However, everyone will be able to follow the Olympiad online. Throughout the event—and even during the months leading up to it—we will share photos, videos, interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and daily highlights on our official social media channels: links.imo2027.com

The Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony will also be streamed live on our official YouTube channel.

If you are interested in the competition itself, you will be able to follow the official results live on the IMO official website. As coordinators approve contestants' scores, they are published online throughout Coordination, allowing everyone to follow the progress of the Olympiad in real time.

If your country is not currently listed, please refer to the official IMO invitation document for information about the application procedure: https://www.imo-official.org/documents/InvitationIMO.pdf.

An application must be supported by an appropriate national authority, such as the Ministry of Education, the national Mathematical Society, or the organisation responsible for administering mathematics competitions in your country. The IMO recognises only one competent authority for each country or territory.

If there is a dispute about which body should represent a country or territory, the IMO will seek guidance from the relevant Secretary of State, Minister for Education, or equivalent national authority.

The top-performing contestants at the IMO receive medals and certificates. Medals are awarded according to the contestants’ individual scores: the highest-scoring students receive gold medals, followed by silver and bronze medals.

The total number of medals is normally at most half of all contestants, and the numbers of gold, silver and bronze medals are chosen to be approximately in the ratio 1:2:3.

Contestants who do not receive a medal may still receive an Honourable Mention if they achieve a perfect score of 7 points on at least one problem.

The official prizes at the IMO are medals and certificates, not cash prizes. However, strong performances at the IMO have traditionally been recognised by third-party organisations, such as universities, which may offer scholarships and/or places in their programmes. These opportunities are not awarded by the IMO itself and depend on the policies of the organisations concerned.

The IMO competition consists of two examination days, held on two consecutive days, usually in the first half of the Olympiad week.

Each examination lasts 4½ hours, during which contestants solve three problems. Altogether, the competition consists of six problems, each worth 7 points, for a maximum possible score of 42 points.

Contestants receive the problem paper in up to three languages of their choice, as requested by their delegation in advance and approved by the Jury. At least one of these must be an official IMO language. Solutions are written in the contestant's own language so that they can later be marked by their team leaders and coordinated with the host country's coordinators.

During the examinations, contestants must work entirely on their own. No books, notes, printed materials, calculators, computers, mobile phones, or any other communication devices are permitted. Only approved writing and drawing instruments may be used. The detailed official rules, including the full list of permitted and prohibited items, will be published on this website once they have been finalised.

After each examination, there are no compulsory afternoon activities. Contestants are free to relax, meet participants from other countries, or simply enjoy some well-deserved rest before the next day.

For official contestants selected by their countries, the host organisation provides accommodation, meals and local transport during the official IMO programme.

However, this does not necessarily mean that taking part is completely cost-free for every student. Travel to and from the host country, travel insurance, visa-related costs, and any expenses outside the official programme are not covered by the host organisation. These costs are usually handled by the participating country’s national authority, mathematical society or team organisers, depending on the country.

Additional attendees, such as Observers, may also be subject to separate fees specified in the Annual Regulations.

Yes. Volunteer applications for IMO 2027 are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants must be at least 16 years old by 31 December 2026. A good command of English is an advantage, but it is not a requirement.

Possible volunteer roles include working as an examination supervisor, host or hostess, or logistics assistant. You can find more information and apply on the volunteer registration page in the News section.

Parents and other accompanying persons cannot attend the IMO automatically. However, participating countries may register Observers in addition to their official delegation, subject to the regulations and the available capacity of the host organisation.

If you are interested in attending as an Observer, you should first contact the organisation responsible for your country's IMO team. The official contact person for each participating country can be found here: https://www.imo-official.org/countries/.

Observer places are arranged by each national delegation, not by the host country, and participation is subject to the applicable observer fees and other conditions.

Please note that Observers are responsible for the associated participation costs, including the observer fee specified in the Annual Regulations.

We are open to partnership enquiries from organisations interested in supporting or contributing to IMO 2027.

If your organisation would like to become a partner, please contact the Event Director, Orsolya Karlócai, at orsolya.karlocai@imo2027.com. She will be happy to discuss possible forms of cooperation.

Problem proposals for the IMO cannot be submitted directly by individuals to the host country or the local organising team.

According to the IMO Regulations, each participating country, except the host country, may submit up to six proposed problems with solutions. These proposals must be submitted through the official secure procedure, and only the Leader of the country may submit them.

If you have a problem idea, please contact the official IMO contact, national mathematical olympiad organisation, or team Leader in your country. They can decide whether and how your proposal may be considered as part of your country’s official problem submissions.

The list of official IMO contacts for each country can be found here: https://www.imo-official.org/countries/.