Young learners · Junior competitions
The junior competitions, in one place.
The international mathematics competitions a primary or lower-secondary student can actually enter — what each one is for, who it fits, and the order that makes sense. None of them examines beyond the school syllabus; the difference is entirely in style and ambition.
Why bother
What a junior competition is actually for.
Three honest reasons, none of which is the certificate itself.
Thinking that outlasts the contest
The junior papers stay within the school syllabus - what they train is logical reasoning, which is the foundation under mathematics, science and everyday decisions alike.
A credential with a name behind it
The Waterloo contests carry the university's own reputation in mathematics and computing; the AMC series carries the MAA's. A recognised organiser is what makes a certificate mean something.
A head start on the senior papers
Top US universities read AMC 10/12 and AIME results in applications. The junior competitions are where the habits that produce those scores begin.
The field
Eight competitions, compared honestly.
Each name links to its full page — paper, dates, awards and all.
| Competition | Grades | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| AMC 8 | ≤ 8, strong grade 4–6 welcome | The MAA's junior paper since 1985 — the standard first serious contest, and the gateway to the AMC ladder |
| Math Kangaroo | 1–12 | Lively, life-like problems for every level of ability — built to spark interest, not to filter |
| Australian AMC | 3–12 | The world's largest school-based competition, with novel problem styles and multilingual papers |
| Math League | 1–12 | Over a million entrants a year; flexible and approachable, designed to make students like mathematics |
| SASMO | 1–12 | Singapore's flagship school olympiad, grown from 155 local entrants to 20,000+ across 19 countries |
| Caribou Contests | 1–12 | The interactive online series — now discontinued, and our page explains what to sit instead |
| UKMT challenges | ≤ 12 | The UK's three-level challenge series - junior, intermediate and senior - built on careful reasoning |
| BMO | 9–12 | UKMT's hardest paper, selecting the British IMO team - and open to direct entry from China |
Hanlin operates test points for both the US and Australian AMC — seats are limited and close on the registration deadline, not the contest day.
Choosing
The order that makes sense.
Not every competition belongs in every year. A workable sequence:
Kangaroo or Math League
Low-stakes, confidence-building, and honest about where the student stands against a broad field.
Australian AMC or SASMO
A step up in rigour while staying inside the school syllabus.
AMC 8
The recognised benchmark, with the Achievement Roll as a real target for grade 6 and below.
UKMT, then the senior ladder
JMC and IMC in the UK series, and AMC 10 when the time comes.
Talk to an advisor
Eight options is seven too many. Ask.
Say the student's year group and what they are like with mathematics, and an advisor will name the one or two worth entering this year.
Competition entry and planning
Which contests, in what order - with registration through Hanlin's US and Australian AMC test points.
Competition coaching
Math Explorer covers Kangaroo, Australian AMC, Math League and SASMO in one syllabus; the AMC 8 courses take over from there.
School-synced tutoring
School mathematics kept solid alongside the competition work.
Junior past papers, free
Kangaroo, Australian AMC, SASMO and AMC 8 papers with answer keys. No charge and no enrolment.
Scan to add an advisor
Say the student's age and year group. Replies in Chinese or English.
Or call +86 21 6352 6630Junior competition enquiries
One or two contests a year, chosen well.
More than that stops being fun and starts being pressure. Tell us about the student and an advisor will pick with you.