Frequently Asked Questions
General Information
What is IYMC?
Mathematics is an essential for the understanding of the world, scientific achievements, and progress, and for engineering and prosperity in our society. There is no doubt that math education is crucial for students of all ages around the world. IYMC aims to establish a global competition that is accessible to all students and teachers - youths receive the unique opportunity to challenge their skills, be encouraged and rewarded, and to enjoy the fascinating world of mathematics.
What makes IYMC unique?
- Internationality: The International Youth Math Challenge is a global competition from the first round! All participants solve the same problems in every round: This enables a fair evaluation and international exchange.
- Online Submission: The competition uses the possibilities of the modern internet to give all students the opportunity to participate regardless of nation, region, school, or affiliation. Every student may participate on his own - there is no affiliation of your school or teacher to IYMC required for the registration.
- Special-Creativity Problems: The pre-final round includes three special problem types that only exists in the IYMC competition: the special-creativity-problems. These problems do not have a final answer, but the approaches and interim result give points. This problem type represents real examples of mathematical research and requires special originality and creativity - students receive the possibility to try real mathematical thinking.
- Teacher Support and Online Tool: We supply teachers and schools with further materials and support them in case of questions, requests, or wishes. Also, we have implemented an online tool to check submissions and results.
I have already participated. Should I participate again?
Yes, of course!
Are teams allowed?
Everyone has to submit their own solution papers in all rounds. However, for the qualification round, you are allowed to work on the problems with your friends and classmates together. Working together or receiving help from other people is not permitted in the pre-final and final round. You find more about rules and cheating policy here: Cheating Policy
Where do I find the problems of last year's competition?
You find them here: Training Problems
How is the International Youth Math Challenge organized?
The International Youth Math Challenge is proud to be one of the biggest independent global math competition that is not affiliated to an organization or institution. We thank all coordinators that do their best to make this competition possible for students from all around the world as well as our partners and sponsors: Partners and Sponsors
Will there be verification codes on the certificates?
Yes, all of your IYMC certificates have verification IDs. This enables others to verify the authenticity of the certificates and documents: Verification page
How is this international competition funded?
Such an international competition has several expenses, including human resources, technical infrastructure, materials, and much more: The costs are covered by sponsors and partners as well as through the participants via the pre-final registration costs: More Information
Where is the competition located?
The International Youth Math Challenge takes place online for the most parts and is accessible for students around the world - you do not need to travel somewhere to participate. The organizing team is constantly evolving, with most team members and technical infrastructure being located in Germany. There are also many other people around the world, such as the IYMC ambassadors, who do their best to make this competition a valuable experience.
Eligibility
Who can participate?
All students (high school or university) are allowed to participate. Students from all grades and all countries are invited to participate! However, there are two age categories (under 18 years and over 18 years).
Are high school students and university students allowed to participate?
Yes.
I will turn 18 after the submission deadline. To which age category do I belong?
The age criterion is determined by your age on the submission deadline of the qualification round (15. December 2024). It does not matter if you turn 18 after the submission deadline of the qualification round.
What is the difference between the age categories?
Students from both categories will receive the same problems in all rounds, however, students that are 18 years or older will have to reach more points (e.g. to qualify for the pre-final round, students that are under 18 years have to solve three problems correctly and students that are over 18 years have to solve four problems correctly).
Do I have to be a student to participate?
Yes, you have to be a student in a high school or a university to participate. If you are currently between high school and university (e.g. gap year) and plan to start university any time soon, you are also eligible to participate.
Prizes and Awards
How much is the total prize?
The two age groups are awarded separately. The prizes and awards worth a total of 700 USD: All Awards and Prizes
What is the special honour for a digital submission?
All participants that use professional computer programs (e.g. TeX) to write down their solutions receive a special honorary note on their certificates since this skill is important for the future career.
What are the national awards?
Since the International Youth Math Challenge is an international competition with participation from various countries, we honour the best participants from each participating nation: More Information
How can I receive my results and certificates?
We will send all results and certificates via email. However, you can also check your results and your certificates online: Login
Do all participants receive certificates?
Yes, we will send participation certificates (soft copy) to all participants regardless of the results.
Do I need to win to receive a certificate?
No, all participants (regardless of the results) receive certificates.
Do I receive a hard copy of my certificate?
All participation and finalist certificates, as well as awards, will be sent as a soft copy via email (to lower the expenses and to protect the environment).
Are there awards for teachers and schools?
Yes, we understand the crucial role of teachers and schools for mathematical education. Because of that, we award three school awards to honor the efforts of the teachers and the school (the awards are not connected to cash prize): Teacher Information Flyer
How does a school win one of the school award?
Schools participate automatically if a student registers with the school name. (Please make sure that all of your students write the school name correctly and the same!)
Who receives the gold, silver and bronze honours in the final round?
Participants are awarded depending on their relative total score in the final round: Gold, silver, and bronze honours are awarded in the ratios of 1:2:3. Therefore, around 16% and 34% of the participants receive a gold and silver honour, respectively. All other students receive a bronze honour.
Submission and Qualification Round
What should the submitted file include?
The submission should include the solution to at least three (if you are under 18 years old) to four (if you are over 18 years old) of the problems of the qualification round.
Do I need to register somewhere before I can submit my solution?
No, registration and submission happen at the same time.
Do I need to solve all problems of the qualification round?
No! You need to solve three problems if you are under 18 years old and four problems if you are over 18 years old. You can decide which of the problems A, B, C, D, E you would like to solve.
How can I check my submission and results?
You can use the online login: Login
Can I send you my solution via email?
No, we do not accept any submissions or solutions that we receive via email. You have to submit your solution via the official submission form: Submission
Can I edit or change my submission?
Yes, you can edit or change your solution in your login page.
When is the deadline for the qualification round?
The submission deadline is Sunday 15. December 2024 23:59 UTC+0.
When will the results of the qualification round be announced?
The results of the qualification round will be announced on Monday 23. December 2024. You will receive an information email and you can view your results online by this date: Login
What are the time zones of the deadlines?
The time zone is UTC+0 for all deadlines.
I have problems uploading my file. What should I do?
(1) Check whether your submission was already successful on this page: Login. (2) If your submission was not found, use a different browser, use a different computer or laptop, or try to compress your file. (3) If nothing works, please contact us.
Do I have to write my answers in English?
The problems should usually only require mathematical calculations and expressions. However, if you need to write sentences, please use the English language only.
Do I have to write down the steps or only the final solution?
Please write down your approach and the performed steps (such as mathematical operations).
Which file formats are allowed?
We accept PDF files and picture files. We do not accept any other formats, including Word and ZIP files.
How can I change my name and other personal information?
To change your personal information, please use the login page and click on 'Edit Details'. You cannot longer change your details after the pre-final round.
Do I have to write my answers on the problem sheet?
You can (a) write your answers on the blank space below the questions on the qualification round problem sheet. However, you can also (b) write your solutions on a separate sheet of paper or (c) type your solution on a computer. In cases (b) and (c) you do not need to write down the wording of the problems again.
Pre-Final Round
Do I need to solve all five problems to qualify for the pre-final round?
No. You need to solve at least three (if you are under 18 years old) to four (if you are over 18 years old) of the qualification round correctly.
How does the pre-final round take place?
All participants that are qualified and that are registered for the pre-final round will receive the problems via email on Thursday 16. January 2025. From that day on you have four days until Sunday 19. January 2025 to solve as many problems as possible!
Can I only participate in the qualification round and not in the pre-final round?
Of course, you can participate in the qualification round and receive your participation certificate and not register for the pre-final round. However, in this case, you would miss this opportunity.
How are the problems in the pre-final round structured?
The pre-final round consists of eight different problems that vary in difficulty, points, and topic. There are three types of problems that give you four, six, and eight points: - 3x Basic Problems: The pre-final round includes four basic problems (lowest difficulty). A correct solution to a basic problem adds four points to the total score.
- 3x Advanced Problems: The pre-final round includes four advanced problems that are more difficult. A correct solution to an advanced problem gives you six points.
- 2x special-creativity Problems: The pre-final round includes two special-creativity problems: These problems require a profound understanding of mathematics and are based on current scientific research topics. This will give you the chance to get in touch with scientific research while solving the problems.
It is possible to reach up to 46 points in total. Participants have to reach at least 22 points (junior, under 18 years) or 30 points (youth, over 18 years) to qualify for the final round. Registration Costs
Do I need to pay something to partcipate?
The IYMC competition is free to enter for all students around the world. However, all students that have qualified and want to register for the pre-final round have to cover the registration costs of 8 EUR to make this global competition possible: More Information
Do I have to pay if I was successful in the first round?
If you are successful in the qualification round, you are free to decide whether you want to register for the pre-final round or not. You will always receive a certificate of your results in the qualification round!
How to pay the registration costs?
We will inform all successful participants of the qualification round about the registration process for the pre-final round. The registration costs have to be covered before the pre-final round starts if you want to participate in the pre-final round. The costs can be covered with any common payment method such as PayPal or credit card.
Can I pay the registration costs in my currency?
Of course, the currency will be converted automatically to EUR during the payment process.
Why are there the 'Pre-Final Registration Costs'?
The International Youth Math Challenge gives students around the world the opportunity to unleash their creativity and science skills! Such a global competition is attached to many costs which include human resources, technical infrastructure, materials, advertisement, and much more. Since IYMC is an independent and globally available competition, we are thankful for our sponsors that cover some of the expenses! In order to make this opportunity on an international level possible, we ask the participants of the pre-final round to cover the registration costs of 8 EUR. The registration costs are necessary to provide the resources for the evaluation of this year’s competition and in particular for the comprehensive pre-final round: More Information
Can I only participate in the qualification round and not in the pre-final round?
Of course, you can participate in the qualification round and receive your participation certificate and not register for the pre-final round. However, in this case, you would miss this opportunity.
Are there fee waivers or scholarships available?
This competition is arranged on a global level and a lot of effort and passion is put into making this experience possible. However, technical infrastructure, advertisement, media work, human resources for evaluations and design work, etc. are expensive. All this together adds up to a registration costs of 8 EUR to make this competition happen. We are continuously searching for additional sponsors that help us to reduce the overall costs even further. If you are not able to cover the costs under any circumstances, please contact us.
Is it possible to cover the costs for a group/class of students?
Yes, we provide a group payment page for teachers and schools to cover the pre-final registration costs for multiple participants at the same time (as a group).
Final Round
How does the final round take place?
Participants that have solved the pre-final round successfully are qualified to participate in the final round: a multiple-choice online exam with 20 questions. The exam will take place in the school of each finalist supervised by a teacher. All finalists have to select a teacher who agrees to supervise the final exam. We will send all the required information to the selected teacher. The final exam has to be taken on the Tuesday 11. February 2025 between 6-7 pm. You can also record the exam (self-recording option). In this case, no teacher is needed.
How to qualify for the final round?
To qualify for the final round, the participant must reach at least 22 points (under 18 years) or 30 (over 18 years) points out of a total of 46 points in the pre-final round.
How to collect my prize or award?
We will use international shipping to deliver all of the 1., 2., 3. prizes - there is no need to travel somewhere. The national awards will be sent digitally as a soft-copy.
What is the deadline/time period of the final round?
The final exam must be taken on Tuesday 11. February 2025 between 6-7 pm (your local time). You find all relevant deadlines here: Timetable and Deadlines
How can I access the final exam?
If the participant has successfully completed the pre-final round, it is possible to access the final exam via the final exam webpage by logging in with your profile credentials.
Can I go back if I want to change my answer?
No. The participant must give the final answer to each question within the dedicated time window for that specific question.
What should I do in the case of technical difficulties during the exam?
First and foremost: the participant must inform his/her supervisor. After taking screenshots of the encountered issue, the participant should try to reload the exam page (and log in again if necessary). After the exam, if we detect any time irregularities the student will have the option to explain any technical issues.
What should I do with the approval code at the beginning of the final exam?
The approval code is used to verify that the student is currently being supervised by his/her teacher. The student has to pass this code to the teacher so that he/she can approve the student. After successful verification, the exam will automatically progress to the next page.
How many questions does the final round have?
The final round consists of a single online exam with 20 multiple-choice questions. Finalists have 60 seconds for each question! To every question, there are four possible answers given (only one is correct). A correct answer equals one point. The awards and prizes are given to the finalists with the most points in the final round.
Who can supervise the final exam?
The person supervising your final exam must be an active teacher (i.e. not retired) at some officially recognized school or university. He must be able to prove his employment at a school and his teaching duty.
Can you refer me to some teachers that can supervise my final exam?
Unfortunately, we can not provide you with teachers that can take your final exam. Please contact the teachers of your school or teachers of other regional schools.
Does the teacher have to be from my school?
No.
Does the teacher have to be a mathematics/science teacher?
No.
There are multiple finalists in my school. Can we have the same teacher?
Absolutely yes. If there are multiple students that participate in the final round in your school, it is important that the same teacher takes the final exam for all students at the same time! Please contact your teacher and inform him/her about the other participants.
My teacher rejected as a supervisor. What should I do?
Please ask another teacher, who can prove to hold the exam as an independent authority. The rejected teacher can also register again with other documents (e.g. in case some information or documents were missing).
What help/tools are allowed for the final round?
You can bring a blank paper and a pencil for notes during the exam. No other tools are allowed. The computer/laptop/phone must only be used to open the final exam website.
What if two participants have the same number of points in the final round?
In this case, the results of the pre-final round and of the qualification round will be used to determine the final winner based on the total points. If the tie remains, both participants will receive the same award and split the cash prize. However, this has never happened before.
When will the final winners be announced?
The results of the final round and IYMC will be announced on Monday 17. February 2025.
I had technical issues. Can I do the exam again or continue later?
No. You have to make sure that there is a steady internet connection during the exam and that your browser is up-to-date. You are responsible for any recording or filming mistakes. It is not possible to pause, continue or re-take the exam once you have started.
Can my teacher supervise me online (via Zoom, etc.)?
No. A teacher must supervise the exam in person. It is not allowed that the teacher supervises you via an online call (for example, Zoom or Skype). If you do not have a teacher available, please use the Covid-19 exception and record your exam.
What should the photo show that my teacher has to take?
The picture of the teacher should show the exam conditions/environment. That means the student taking the exam / in front of the device and the device screen.
I want to record my exam. Does a teacher need to register for me?
No. If you choose to record the exam, you do not need a teacher. Thus, no teacher needs to register or add you as a student.
Who can film my exam?
The person filming must not be a participant of IYMC. It should be a family or household member. You can also film the exam yourself without the help of another person.
Can I film the exam myself (without another person)?
Yes, it is allowed to use a camera stand or tripod to film the exam. In this case, please enter your name in the 'Full Name' field and 'NA' in the 'Relationship' field during the exam process.
How can I upload the video of my recorded exam?
After you are done with your exam, you will see a window 'Final Exam Video Upload' at the bottom of the participant login page. There you can upload a link to your video. (You have to upload the video to a cloud or storage site; for example Google Drive, Dropbox, and others).
What is the deadline for the video upload?
Please upload the link to the video as soon as you are done with the exam. The last possible day is Thursday 13. February 2025.
My camera/phone cannot film for so long. What should I do?
It is allowed to have short cuts (under 5 seconds) within the video, e.g. to stop and restart the video, so that you have multiple shorter videos. You can cut the videos together into a single long video, OR you can send us a link to a folder with all the videos. Also, you can proceed to the next question even before 60 seconds are over.
Does my teacher need a stamp on the teacher form (even during lockdown)?
If your teacher cannot get a stamp on the teacher form (which is required) due to the current lockdown, there are multiple possibilities. If he/she has already supervised exams during IYMC 2019 or our partner competition IAAC 2019/2020, your teacher can submit the 2020 form without a stamp and attach a form from previous editions which has a stamp. If not, your teacher can write 'Not Possible Due To Lockdown' in the stamp field. However, we will request the missing stamp later (in case you score very high results or we detect any other suspicious activities). Please note that it is not allowed for your teacher to supervise you online (e.g. Zoom or Skype).
What should the recorded video show?
The video has to clearly show (a) yourself in front of the computer/laptop/phone and (b) the exam content on the screen. For example, you can open the exam website on your desk and sit in front of it. Another person films you doing the exam from behind in a distance of 1-2 metre. The video shows you (from behind) doing the exam and the screen with you selecting the answers. Of course, it is also possible to film you from the side or any other angle (as long as you and the content on the screen are visible). Your face can be visible in the video, but this is not a requirement.
Must the video recording have sound?
Yes, the video must include the surrounding sound.
Can I skip questions and complete the exam under 20 minutes?
Yes, you can answer/skip a question also under 60 seconds.
Can I bring a blank paper and pen during the exam?
Yes, you can bring a blank paper and a pencil for notes during the exam.
Does my family/household member need to register to film the exam?
No, if you choose the recording option, you only need to write down the name of the person. The person filming does not need to register somewhere.
I have no teacher to supervise the exam. What should I do?
Please use the recording option in this case. To do this, please start the exam during the exam period (see information flyer or email) and select the recording option when the approval screen appears. You then have to specify a person filming the exam (you can also film yourself). You find more information in the final round flyer and in the information video (see announcement email or your login page).
Can I do the exam on my phone?
Yes, it is allowed to do the exam on your phone.
Teachers and Schools
I am a teacher. Can I use the IYMC competition in class?
Yes, teachers and schools are invited to share this opportunity with their students and to make talented students in particular benefit from IYMC. You can use all problems, posters, and materials. The registration form for teachers is available here: Registration
How can I check the results of my students?
We have implemented an online tool to check the submissions and results: Login
Are there awards for teachers and schools?
Yes, we understand the crucial role of teachers and schools for mathematical education. Because of that, we award three school awards to honor the efforts of the teachers and the school (the awards are not connected to cash prize): Teacher Information Flyer
Will there be certificates for teachers?
All teachers that supervised the final round exam with students will receive a verification/certificate about their commitment (which includes the list of supervised participants).
Where can I register as teacher?
The registration page for teachers is available here: Teacher Registration
Can I cover the registration costs for a group of students?
Yes, we provide a group payment page for teachers and schools to cover the pre-final registration costs for multiple participants at the same time (as a group). Group payments can be made here.
IYMC Ambassadors
What are IYMC Ambassadors?
Since IYMC is an international contest with participants distributed all around the world, it is crucial to have official IYMC Ambassadors in several schools, cities, and nations. IYMC Ambassadors are being honored with a certificate: You represent your school/city and you can also manage an IYMC student group, promote IYMC in your country, and ensure that your country has vital IYMC activity! Being an IYMC Ambassadors is not only good for your CV and career experiences, but it gives you the unique opportunity to prove your skills as coordinator and to encourage students to get engaged with IYMC.
Do I need to be a IYMC winner to become IYMC Ambassador?
No. All motivated youths, students and mentors can become IYMC Ambassadors.
What are the requirements to become IYMC Ambassador?
You have to be at least 14 years old, be interested in mathematics and be willing to spend time to encourage students to participate in IYMC.
How to apply to become IYMC Ambassador?
You can apply via this page: Application Form
Do I need to translate my transcript to English?
No, please submit your original transcript if no English version is available. However, please submit an English transcript if available.
Is there a deadline for the ambassador application?
Yes, we accept applications about two weeks before the deadline of the qualification round, i.e. the ambassador application deadline is 1. December 2024.
Are ambassador allowed to participate in the competition?
Yes.
Are there awards for ambassadors?
Special awards are given each year to the most active ambassadors to honour their excellent and responsible performance. This includes awards for encouraging many participants as well as for coordinating many activities. However, your main purpose of becoming an ambassador should always be to inspire youths! You find more information here: Awards and Prizes
Can I create an IYMC social media page?
In general, we do not recommend to create a local IYMC social media page as information published on the official IYMC social media page are relevant to all participants and a separate page might be misleading for some students. However, feel free to create social media groups etc. to encourage and coordinate your local IYMC group (for example, a group for your school, district, city).
What are the responsibilities, benefits, and activities of ambassadors?
You have a variety of responsibilities such as to encourage students and youths to participate in IYMC and to inform schools, local institutes, etc. about IYMC. You also have the power to operate in the name of IYMC, to establish a strong and vital IYMC group in your region, and to inspire other youths for mathematics! All official IYMC ambassadors additionally receive a personal ambassador page to manage their activities. However, the unique opportunities are just a few of many reasons to become official IYMC ambassador: There are more benefits such as high-class career experiences and the official IYMC ambassador certificate. You find a list of possible IYMC ambassador activities here: Ambassador Activity Flyer
What is the requirement for receiving an ambassador certificate?
A certificate will be issued to active ambassadors only. You qualify as an "active ambassador" if you have at least one pre-final round participant associated with your ambassador profile. Please inform participants to select your name during the submission process or forward your personal ambassador submission link.
Where/How can I get my ambassador certificate?
You find a link to your ambassador certificate in your ambassador account. Please note that a certificate will be issued to active ambassadors only (i.e., at least one pre-final round participant associated with your ambassador profile) after the pre-final round announcement (Monday 27. January 2025).
