15 Winter Math Competitions for Middle School Students

Winter break gives you time to explore something new. If you enjoy solving problems or want to test your understanding of math, joining a winter math competition can be a good way to use that time. It helps you see where you stand and how well you can apply what you have learned outside your regular classes.

Each competition works differently. Some focus on quick calculations, while others ask you to think through long problems or work in teams. You learn to manage time, read questions carefully, and find patterns that lead to clear answers. These skills improve your approach to math in school and prepare you for higher-level work later.

Taking part in math competitions early also helps you understand which areas of math interest you most. You can track your progress, compare different problem-solving styles, and build habits that will help in high school and beyond.

Here are 15 winter math competitions for middle school students you can explore this season!

15 Winter Math Competitions for Middle School Students

1. MATHCOUNTS Competition Series

Location: Multiple local schools, chapter venues, state and national sites

Cost: $40 per school for early bird, $45 per school for regular and $80 per student from Non-School Competitors(NSC)

Competition Dates: School Competition: January | Chapter Competition: February 1–28 | State Competition: March 1–31 | National Competition: May 10–11

Submission Deadlines: December 15

Eligibility: Must be U.S. students in grades 6–8, enrolled full-time. Students have to first compete in their School Competition. Based on the selection by coaches, selected students will proceed to the Chapter Competition. Non-school competitors (NSCs) enter at the chapter level.

The MATHCOUNTS Competition Series is a national math program for students in grades 6 to 8. You start by competing in your school’s internal round, where your coach may use the results to choose team members for the next level. The Chapter Competition includes Sprint, Target, and Team Rounds, plus an optional Countdown Round for extra challenge. If you do well, you move on to the State Competition in March, which follows the same format.

The top four students and the coach of the winning team from each state earn a free trip to the RTX MATHCOUNTS National Competition. There, you can win plaques, trophies, and scholarships. After each level, results are shared with coaches, and the top 25% of students and 40% of teams are officially recognized. Once all state events are done, the problems and solutions are posted on the MATHCOUNTS website.

2. American Mathematics Competitions

Location: U.S. and international

Cost: Registration starts at $55 for AMC 8; pricing varies by registration window.

Competition Dates: January 22–28 for AMC 8)

Submission Deadline: January 15

Eligibility: Students in grade 8 or below and under 15.5 years of age on the day of the competition. For more details, check here.

The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) is a national math contest run by the Mathematical Association of America. It is open to students in grades K to 12 and helps you practice math thinking beyond school. The AMC 8 is for middle school students and includes 25 multiple-choice questions that you complete in 40 minutes. Questions cover topics like counting, probability, proportional reasoning, estimation, geometry, spatial visualization, and reading graphs and tables. You can take the AMC 8 once a year, usually through your school or a local competition manager. If you enjoy the AMC 8, you can move on to harder contests like the AMC 10 and AMC 12 in high school. 

3. National Mathematics Bee Middle & Elementary School Division

Location: Online and in-person, Regional NQEs happen online and National Championships at Hyatt Regency Orlando, FL

Cost: Online exams cost $20 per exam

Competition Dates: National Qualifying Exam has 4 sets between September – April 7 | National Championships on May 22 and May 24

Submission Deadline: Final qualifying deadline April 17

Eligibility: Open to students in grades 8 and below who qualify through the National Qualifying Exam (NQE). Students can qualify by taking the NQE at any in-person regional event or online and must either score 50 or higher, finish in the top 50% of their division at that location, or meet or exceed the set qualifying score for that exam on the official release dates.

The National Mathematics Bee is a two-stage individual quiz competition for students up to 8th grade, featuring a qualifying exam and an in-person championship in Orlando. You start by taking the National Qualifying Exam (NQE), which includes 35 questions that test your math knowledge and computational skills beyond your grade level. There are four versions of the NQE; Red, White, Blue, and Gold, released between September and March. Each version has its own qualifying score, set on December 6, February 7, March 7, and April 7. 

If you meet the score for any version, you qualify for the next stage. The National Championships are held in person at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. You’ll compete in a buzzer-based tournament with students in your age group, from 3rd grade and younger up to 8th grade. The questions include both computational and non-computational problems matched to your level. 

4. Math Olympiad for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS)

Location: Online or on paper at participating schools and institutes worldwide

Cost: Early Bird fee is $175 for US team; Standard Fee is $200 for US team

Competition Dates: Contest 1: November 10–December 1 | Contest 2: December 8–December 29 | Contest 3: January 5–January 26 | Contest 4: February 2–February 23 | Contest 5: March 2–March 23

Submission Deadlines: March 31

Eligibility: Open to public, private, and parochial schools, home schools, educational institutes, and individuals (with restrictions). Students in grades 4-8 may participate.

The Math Olympiad for Elementary and Middle Schools (MOEMS) is an international program that promotes creative problem-solving and mathematical reasoning among students. The competition is divided into two levels, Elementary Division (grades 4-6) and Middle School Division (grades 6-8), allowing students to compete in age-appropriate groups. Each team can include up to 35 students. Throughout the year, MOEMS conducts five monthly contests between November and March, each featuring five non-routine problems designed to build mathematical intuition and flexibility. You’ll gain access to detailed solutions and the complete set of problems from the previous two years.

5. Mathleague.org Middle School Contests

Location: Various in-person venues, online proctored sessions, and on-demand platforms

Cost: Up to $30 per student for qualifying rounds

Competition Dates: Qualifying round is from October - March, State Championship is in March and National Championship is on April 11

Submission Deadlines: 

Eligibility: Open to middle school students worldwide. Each student may participate in only one contest per release number. Students from states with State Championships must compete in their state’s designated event to qualify for Nationals.

The Mathleague.org Middle School Contests are a series of math problem-solving competitions held throughout the academic year for students in grades 6–8. The program offers flexible participation modes- in-person, live online via Zoom, or on-demand, allowing students from diverse regions to compete at their convenience while maintaining fairness through proctored or verified environments. Each contest features a new problem set release, beginning in October and running monthly through March, culminating in State Championships and an invitation-only National Championship in April. States confirmed to host official State Championships include Arizona, Northern California, Southern California, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, New Jersey, Nevada, Texas, and CNMI.

6. Rocket City Math League (RCML)

Location: Administered online or on paper at registered schools

Cost: Free

Competition Dates: Interschool Round: November 13–December 3 | Individual Round 1: January 14–28 | Individual Round 2: February 11–25 | Individual Round 3: March 11–25

Submission Deadlines: Interschool Answer Sheet: December 9 | Individual Round Scores: March 31

Eligibility: Open to middle and high school students worldwide. Schools must register through an official teacher or administrator. Homeschool students may also participate following RCML’s homeschool policy.

The Rocket City Math League (RCML) is a year-long, student-run, international mathematics competition designed for middle and high school students. Sponsored by Mu Alpha Theta, the National High School and Two-Year College Mathematics Honor Society and supported by Chi Alpha Mu for middle schools, RCML promotes advanced problem-solving and mathematical creativity across multiple skill levels. The competition features four rounds, one Interschool Round and three Individual Rounds in the spring. The Interschool Round encourages collaborative problem-solving, while the Individual Rounds challenge students independently across levels from Pre-Algebra through Calculus. Top-performing students and schools receive trophies and recognition, with results and solutions released after each round. 

7. Caribou Mathematics Competition

Location: Online - International, including U.S. participants)

Cost: Free for some contests; others require a small participation fee

Competition Dates: Six times a year- October, November, January, February, April, and May

Submission Deadlines: Vary by round

Eligibility: Open to students from Kindergarten through Grade 12, with separate divisions for each level

The Caribou Mathematics Competition is an online contest open to students around the world, including the United States. You can take part in any of the six rounds held during the school year. Each round includes puzzle-style questions that test your logic, creativity, and number skills. The contest does not focus on memorizing formulas but on solving problems in new ways. You can join no matter your skill level, with divisions for students from early elementary through high school. If you do well, you can earn certificates and cash prizes. You also get access to practice contests, video solutions, and math games that help you improve your skills all year. 

8. OSSM Middle School Math Contest

Location: Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics (OSSM), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Cost: Free

Competition Dates: Round One: January– February | Round Two (Small Schools): March | Round Two (Large Schools): March

Submission Deadlines: Round One registration closes before January 20

Eligibility: Open to all Oklahoma students in grades 6–8, including home-schooled students.

The OSSM Middle School Mathematics Contest is a free annual competition for Oklahoma students in grades 6 to 8. In Round One, you take a 25-question test based on Oklahoma middle school math standards. You have 40 minutes to finish, and calculators are not allowed. This round is given locally, often at your school, and helps you practice solving problems that go beyond regular classroom math. If you qualify, you move on to Round Two at the OSSM campus for the state finals. There, you compete with other top students from across Oklahoma. Certificates and awards are given to the highest-scoring students by grade and gender.

9. MCTM Qualifying Content

Location: Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri

Cost: $10 per student

Competition Date: Saturday, February 21

Submission Deadlines: February 15

Eligibility: Open to elementary and middle school students. Students may register through mathleague.org after completing the school’s membership form.

The MCTM Qualifying Elementary and Middle School Contest is a yearly math competition held at Truman State University. It is open to elementary and middle school students and gives you a chance to solve math problems in a structured, in-person setting. The contest is part of the Missouri Council of Teachers of Mathematics events and helps you practice and show your math skills. If you do well, you may qualify for the state-level contest. Sample contests are available on mathleague.org to help you prepare.

10. The Hardest Math Problem Contest

Location: Online, accessible to students across the United States

Cost: Free

Competition Dates: Challenge 1 Registration: September 15 – December | Challenge 2 Opens: January 19 – March 2 | Winners Announced: May 6

Submission Deadlines: Challenge 1:  December 7 | Challenge 2: March 2

Eligibility: Open to middle school students in grades 6–8. 5th graders may participate at a higher grade level.

The Hardest Math Problem Contest is a national competition that uses story-based math problems to help you think in new ways. Each year, you solve multistep problems that mix math reasoning with creative writing. The contest is run by The Actuarial Foundation, the Institute of Competition Sciences, and the New York Life Foundation. It is designed to make math fun and show how it connects to real-life situations. If you take part, you can win prizes like a laptop, $3,000 toward a 529 college savings plan, and gift cards for your teacher. Winners are announced during a virtual celebration in May. 

11. Intermediate Math League of Eastern Massachusetts

Location: Participating middle schools in Eastern Massachusetts

Cost: Varies by school

Competition Dates: Meet 1: October | Meet 2: November | Meet 3: January | Meet 4: February | Meet 5: April 

Submission Deadlines: Varies by participating school

Eligibility: Open to middle school students in grades 6–8

The Intermediate Math League of Eastern Massachusetts (IMLEM) is an annual middle school math competition designed to challenge students in problem-solving and team-based math skills. The competition consists of five meets each year, with each meet including five individual rounds and one team round. For the individual rounds, each competitor selects three categories from Mystery, Geometry, Number Theory, Arithmetic, or Algebra. Each category has three questions, with a 10-minute time limit per round. Each question is worth 2 points, so the maximum possible individual score is 18 points. Teams consist of 10 students, who then collaborate in a team round featuring 9 problems worth 4 points each, for a maximum team score of 216 points.

12. RSM International Math Contest

Location: In-person at Russian School of Mathematics (RSM) branches or online

Cost: Early Bird: $15 | General: $25 | Online Extended Registration: $25

Competition Dates: In-person: February 3 | Online: February 8

Submission Deadlines: Early Bird: October 31 | General: December 14 | Online Extended: January 31

Eligibility: Open to U.S. students in grades 1–8

The International Math Contest (IMC) is a 75-minute online competition created by the Russian School of Mathematics. You get to solve grade-level math problems that focus on logic and problem-solving. The questions are inspired by top math programs from around the world and are designed to make you think in new ways. When you join, you receive an official score and ranking that shows how you did compared to other students. You can also earn awards for strong performance.

13. Orange Mathematics Competition (OMC) 

Location: Online

Cost: Early Bird: $10 | Standard: $15

Competition Dates: January 19

Submission Deadlines: January 5

Eligibility: Open to U.S. students in grades 3–8, primarily designed for AMC 8 participants

The Orange Mathematics Competition (OMC 8) is a virtual contest for students in grade 8 and below. It is a mock version of the AMC 8 and helps you practice solving competition-style math problems. The questions are written by volunteers who know contest math well, so you get to work on high-quality problems that test your thinking and problem-solving skills. When you join, you can learn from experienced competitors, go over tough questions, and take part in an awards ceremony. The contest gives you a chance to prepare for the AMC 8 in a structured way while enjoying math with other students.

14. Math Kangaroo

Location: Online or in-person at participating schools and test centers across the United States

Cost: $18 per student

Competition Dates: Typically in March

Submission Deadlines: December 31

Eligibility: Open to all U.S. students in grades 1–12. Middle school students (grades 6–8) can participate through in-person, online, or remote proctored formats.

The Math Kangaroo competition is an international math contest for students in grades 1 to 12. You solve problems that focus on logic and creative thinking. You can register through your school with an invitation code or sign up at a Public Center. If you prefer to work on your own, you can choose the Virtual Self-Proctored option. If you take part in an officially proctored contest, you receive an official score, a national ranking, a math-themed gift, and a participation ribbon. Results usually come out in early May, and awards are sent to centers soon after. 

15. North South Foundation Math Bee

Location: Regional contest centers across the United States, with National Finals for qualifiers

Cost: Varies by regional center

Competition Dates: Regional contests in March–April | National finals dates announced after regionals

Submission Deadlines: March - April

Eligibility: Open to U.S. students in grades 1–8

The North South Foundation Math Bee is a national contest for students in grades 1 to 8. It helps you build problem-solving skills, math flexibility, and creative thinking. The contest has two steps. First, you compete in a regional contest held in your state. If you qualify, you move on to the National Finals with other top students from across the country. At the Nationals, the top three winners receive scholarships of $1,000, $500, and $250. These can be used during your first year of college. The Math Bee also helps you get ready for tests like the PSAT, SAT, and ACT. It gives you a chance to grow your math skills and compete in a supportive setting.

One more option—The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program

The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is a program for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor to explore their academic interests and build a project they are passionate about. Our mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke, and LSE.

The program was founded by a Harvard & Oxford PhD who met as undergraduates at Harvard. The program is rigorous and fully virtual. We offer need-based financial aid for students who qualify. You can find the application in the brochure! To learn more, go to our website.

Multiple rolling deadlines for JEP cohorts across the year, you can apply using this application link! If you'd like to take a look at the upcoming cohorts + deadlines, you can refer to this page!

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

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