CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
AJMO 2026
Format
Registration Deadline (NZ Time)
Eligible Years
In-person online
1 September 2026 at 11:00:00 pm
NZ Years 6-9
Northshore Auckland / Central Auckland / Christchurch
Competition Date (NZ Time)
17:00-18:30, Thurs 10 Sep 2026
Location
Auckland / Christchurch
Competition Gallery
Course Information
Optional preparation courses or resources for this round (if available)
Submission and Confirmation
Please check your email address carefully before submitting the registration form.
Once you submit the form, you will receive a confirmation email automatically.
All other important communications (including the Exam Instructions, Results and Certificates, etc) will be sent to the email address you submitted to us. Please check your email inbox and junk mail / spam folder regularly!
What Happens Next?
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Registration Received
We will send you a confirmation email
We may review your registration if required
Eligibility Review
You will receive the Exam Instructions closer to the date
Exam Instructions
Participate and do your best!
Competition Day
Competition Overview
Australian Junior Mathematics Olympiad (AJMO)
The Australian Junior Mathematics Olympiad (AJMO) is a new competition introduced by the Australian Maths Trust (AMT) for younger students who are interested in challenging mathematics and Olympiad-style problem solving but are not yet ready for the Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad (AIMO).
AJMO is designed to provide an accessible introduction to the style of thinking that characterises mathematical Olympiads. Rather than expecting students to recognise a familiar method immediately, its problems encourage them to explore, experiment and spend time developing an approach.
Students may need to write lists, draw diagrams, test examples, identify patterns or try several different ideas before reaching a solution. The emphasis is therefore not on rapid calculation, but on mathematical reasoning, creativity, persistence and problem-solving strategy.
The competition consists of ten problems, each requiring a three-digit integer response, and is completed online. For New Zealand participants through PINNACLE, AJMO is delivered as an in-person, supervised online competition.
AJMO gives students an opportunity to:
experience Olympiad-style mathematics in an accessible format;
spend meaningful time on challenging mathematical problems;
develop persistence when a solution is not immediately obvious;
strengthen logical and creative mathematical reasoning;
learn to experiment with different approaches;
practise recognising patterns and mathematical structures;
improve systematic problem-solving skills;
gain experience beyond routine classroom mathematics;
prepare for more advanced mathematical competitions; and
demonstrate potential for further mathematical enrichment and challenge.
A distinctive feature of AJMO is that students are not expected to immediately know how to solve every problem. The competition deliberately rewards exploration and sustained thinking rather than speed alone.
AJMO is particularly suitable for students who:
enjoy challenging mathematics;
perform strongly in school mathematics;
like puzzles and non-routine problems;
are interested in Olympiad-style mathematics;
enjoy experimenting with different solution methods;
are comfortable spending several minutes exploring one problem;
have performed strongly in competitions such as the Australian Mathematics Competition;
participate in mathematics extension or enrichment activities;
want a greater challenge than a conventional multiple-choice competition; or
are interested in progressing towards competitions such as AIMO in the future.
AJMO is specifically intended for younger and less experienced students who are not yet ready for AIMO.
However, AMT notes that younger students who are already capable of tackling AIMO-level mathematics may still enter AIMO instead. AJMO should therefore be selected according to mathematical readiness rather than age alone.
Preparation for AJMO should focus on exploration and problem-solving habits, rather than memorising a large collection of formulas.
AMT specifically encourages students to:
use pen and paper;
write lists;
draw pictures and diagrams;
jot down ideas;
try examples;
experiment with different approaches; and
spend time thinking when the solution is not immediately clear.
Students should also practise:
official AJMO sample problems;
challenging later questions from age-appropriate mathematics competitions;
counting problems;
factors and multiples;
geometry and measurement;
simple algebra and linear equations;
patterns and sequences;
working systematically through possible cases;
checking whether an answer satisfies all conditions;
looking for smaller or simpler versions of a difficult problem;
identifying patterns from several examples;
working backwards;
drawing diagrams to represent relationships; and
completing longer problem-solving sessions without giving up quickly.
AMT's Problemo resources can also be useful for developing general mathematical problem-solving skills.
The most important preparation is psychological as well as mathematical. Students should become comfortable with the fact that:
not knowing how to begin immediately is a normal part of Olympiad problem solving.
A productive approach is to experiment, record observations and gradually discover structure in the problem rather than waiting for a complete solution method to appear at once.
AJMO is an individual Olympiad-style mathematics competition.
The official format consists of:
10 problems;
90 minutes working time;
online delivery;
integer-answer responses;
one answer for each problem between 000 and 999; and
no written solutions required for submission.
Students should still use pen and paper extensively during the competition to develop their solutions.
For New Zealand participants through PINNACLE, the competition is delivered as an:
in-person sitting;
supervised online competition; and
individual assessment.
Unlike AIMO, AJMO does not require students to submit full written proofs or extended mathematical solutions. The final submitted response to each problem is a single integer.
AMT has indicated that the detailed scoring system for the inaugural competition will be confirmed separately.
AMT has published the following award framework for AJMO:
High Distinction — approximately the top 10%;
Distinction — approximately the next 15%;
Credit — approximately the next 25%; and
Participation — all remaining students.
Prizes may also be awarded to high-performing students.
Award cut-off scores are not fixed. They may vary from year to year depending on:
the difficulty of the competition; and
the overall performance of participants.
As AJMO is a new competition, AMT has stated that the detailed scoring system will be confirmed separately.
AJMO is designed as an introductory Olympiad-style competition and provides a natural stepping stone towards more advanced mathematical problem solving.
Students who develop strongly through AJMO may later consider the:
Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad (AIMO)
AIMO is a substantially more demanding competition that includes longer and more complex problems, including questions requiring written mathematical solutions and proofs.
AJMO participation does not automatically qualify a student for AIMO. Students should move to AIMO when their mathematical readiness makes it the more appropriate level of challenge.
AMT also states that AJMO may be used to identify students who are suitable for further enrichment and challenge.
This makes AJMO useful both as a competition in its own right and as an opportunity for talented younger mathematicians to demonstrate potential for more advanced mathematics.
Preparation for AJMO should focus on exploration and problem-solving habits, rather than memorising a large collection of formulas.
AMT specifically encourages students to:
use pen and paper;
write lists;
draw pictures and diagrams;
jot down ideas;
try examples;
experiment with different approaches; and
spend time thinking when the solution is not immediately clear.
Students should also practise:
official AJMO sample problems;
challenging later questions from age-appropriate mathematics competitions;
counting problems;
factors and multiples;
geometry and measurement;
simple algebra and linear equations;
patterns and sequences;
working systematically through possible cases;
checking whether an answer satisfies all conditions;
looking for smaller or simpler versions of a difficult problem;
identifying patterns from several examples;
working backwards;
drawing diagrams to represent relationships; and
completing longer problem-solving sessions without giving up quickly.
AMT's Problemo resources can also be useful for developing general mathematical problem-solving skills.
The most important preparation is psychological as well as mathematical. Students should become comfortable with the fact that:
not knowing how to begin immediately is a normal part of Olympiad problem solving.
A productive approach is to experiment, record observations and gradually discover structure in the problem rather than waiting for a complete solution method to appear at once.
Resources & Downloads
Access all available competition information, preparation materials, past papers and official documents.