Background and Aim
The International Math Challenge (IMC) is a prominent Thailand-based global mathematics competition for school-age students of all grades, attracting thousands of participants from 115 countries through its online and onsite global rounds.
The first Math Challenge was organized in 2012 as an inter-school competition among international schools in Bangkok with the participation of 144 students from 10 schools. Gradually the number of participants increased, and in 2014 Math Challenge went beyond the Thailand borders and started hosting international participants.
In 2020, aiming to encourage students to study and excel in math and critical thinking, IMC team decided to conduct an online version of International Math Challenge to boost the motivation of both teachers and students who have been bored, lost goal-oriented character and stimulus for study under this difficult global pandemic times, when most of the Olympiads and competitions are forced to be cancelled or postponed until unknown time. Now IMC has reached 115 countries. In 2023, IMC received more than 13,000 registrations, and 9,600 students competed in the online round.
Each participating school may organize their students in each category i.e. grades 1-2, grades 3-4, grades 5-6, grades 7-8 and grades 9-10, and grades 11-12. This is an individual competition in which students can receive prizes for their personal achievement. The competition will be conducted in five languages, namely English, Thai, Chinese, Russian and Spanish, where students are expected to solve 30 multiple choice questions in 70 minutes. For the kids’ category (grade 1 and 2) 25 questions and 60 minutes. This event is hoped to motivate students to see math in a different light, have their interest stimulated in the subject and think how they can apply math in their future studies and daily life.
Online IMC Registered Countries 2024
What Type of Questions Should Students Expect?
IMC questions are crafted to push students to integrate various mathematical skills while utilizing their creativity, logical reasoning, and critical thinking. The problems encourage students to think beyond conventional methods, find hidden and efficient solutions, and manage their time effectively, all of which are essential for developing strong problem-solving abilities.
Each level of the competition, from Category Kids to Category 5, features problems tailored to the students’ age group and knowledge level. The questions are designed to be both challenging and enjoyable, often incorporating puzzles and riddles that stimulate students’ curiosity and ingenuity. Participants can expect problems that require translating real-life scenarios into mathematical models, multi-step challenges that demand critical thinking, puzzles that involve logical deduction, pattern recognition, and sequence identification, among other topics listed on the website.
For Category Kids (Grade 1 and Grade 2), considering the literacy level of young students, the questions are designed without text instructions and include only images. This ensures that the challenges are accessible and engaging for early learners, focusing on visual problem-solving and intuitive understanding.
How to Join?
- Register via register.mathchallenge.in.th
- Pay the registration fee of 29 USD for international participants, 750 THB for participants from Thailand, per participant
- Deadline for submission of completed forms is October 31st , 2025.
Exam terms and conditions
Who can participate?
The competition will be conducted in five languages: English, Thai, Spanish, Russian and Chinese. Full online and is open to all students from any type of school all around the world.
Category |
Thai system |
US/Canada system |
British system |
Russian/ Central Asia/ Romanian system |
Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category kids | Prathom 1 | Grade 1 | Year 2 | Grade 1 | 6 years |
| Prathom 2 | Grade 2 | Year 3 | Grade 2 | 7 years | |
| Category 1 | Prathom 3 | Grade 3 | Year 4 | Grade 3 | 8 years |
| Prathom 4 | Grade 4 | Year 5 | Grade 4 | 9 years | |
| Category 2 | Prathom 5 | Grade 5 | Year 6 | Grade 5 | 10 years |
| Prathom 6 | Grade 6 | Year 7 | Grade 6 | 11 years | |
| Category 3 | Matthayom 1 | Grade 7 | Year 8 | Grade 7 | 12 years |
| Matthayom 2 | Grade 8 | Year 9 | Grade 8 | 13 years | |
| Category 4 | Matthayom 3 | Grade 9 | Year 10 | Grade 9 | 14 years |
| Matthayom 4 | Grade 10 | Year 11 | Grade 10 | 15 years | |
| Category 5 | Matthayom 5 | Grade 11 | Year 12 | Grade 11 | 16 years |
| Matthayom 6 | Grade 12 | Year 13 | Grade 12 | 17 years |
Topics
How to register and take the exam?
2025 UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS
Paragon International University from Cambodia offers:
- The top 1-5: 100% scholarship discount on four-year tuition fees.
- The top 6-15: 75% scholarship discount on tuition fees for four years.
- The top 16-30: 50% scholarship discount on four-year tuition fees.
- The top 31-50: 25% scholarship discount on four-year tuition fees.
Vistula University from Poland offers:
- The top 1-3: 100% scholarship discount on tuition fees for the first year.
- The top 4-10: 50% scholarship discount on tuition fees for the first year.
- The top 11-25: 20% scholarship discount on tuition fees for the first year.
- The top 26-50: 10% scholarship discount on tuition fees for the first year
Suleyman Demirel University from Kazakhstan offers:
- The top 1 winner will get a 100% discount on tuition fees for four years.
- The top 2-4 winners will get a 50% discount on tuition fees for four years.
- The top 5-14 winners will get a 30% discount on tuition fees for four years.
- The top 15-34 winners will get a 20% discount on tuition fees for four years.
Ala-Too University from Kyrgyzstan offers:
For the 2025-2026 Academic Year, if an applicant gets the following degree in the Online IMC 2024 November competition, the Partner offers to give the following Ala Too International University Scholarship as a discount from their first-year tuition fee.
Top 1: %100 full scholarship discount on tuition fees for the first year.
Top 2-4: %50 scholarship discount on tuition fees for the first year.
Top 5-14: %20 scholarship discount on tuition fees for the first year.
Top 15-34: %10 scholarship discount on tuition fees for the first year.
Woosong University offers Admissions Scholarships to any English-taught Bachelor programs to the ones who get the following positions:
1st place – 70% scholarship
From 2nd – 3rd – 50% scholarship
From 4th – 5th – 40% scholarship
Students should be in Category 5 (Grades 11-12)
The admissions scholarship is valid for the first semester
Woosong University Admissions Scholarships will be reflected in the first semester’s invoice
During the admission period, the students must bring proof of scholarship-bearing
The scholarships cannot be transferred to other persons
The admissions scholarship awardees must meet the minimum admissions
requirements when registering
The admission scholarships are only valid for English-taught Bachelor programs.
Online IMC FAQs
Supporting Organizers
