CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
UKSMC 2026
Format
Registration Deadline (NZ Time)
Eligible Years
Online paper-based
1 October 2026 at 11:00:00 pm
NZ Years 11-13
Remote Paper-Based
Competition Date (NZ Time)
17:00-18:30 Thurs 8 Oct 2026
Location
NZ Nationwide
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
UKMT Senior Mathematical Challenge (UKSMC)
The UKMT Senior Mathematical Challenge (SMC) is a first-round individual mathematics competition designed to make students think deeply and creatively. It is aimed at students in Year 13 or below, and is suitable for senior secondary students who enjoy non-routine problem solving.
For 2026, the official competition date is Wednesday 7 October 2026. The challenge lasts 90 minutes and includes 22 multiple-choice questions plus three final questions answered in 000-999 format.
SMC rewards clear mathematical thinking rather than speed alone. Students practise interpreting unfamiliar problems, choosing efficient strategies, and working carefully under timed conditions.
It is also a strong stepping stone for students aiming for higher-level UKMT pathways such as the Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo and the British Mathematical Olympiad Round 1.
SMC is best suited to confident mathematics students in NZ Year 11-13, especially those who enjoy algebra, geometry, number theory, combinatorics and logic.
Advanced younger students may also benefit if they are ready for senior secondary problem-solving questions and a 90-minute challenge format.
Students should prepare by working through past SMC papers under timed conditions and reviewing the official solutions carefully. Focus on developing flexible problem-solving strategies across algebra, geometry, number theory, combinatorics and logic rather than memorising formulas. Practise working accurately without a calculator, managing the 90-minute time limit, and deciding when to move on from a difficult question.
Competition date: Wednesday 7 October 2026.
Time limit: 90 minutes.
Format: paper-based individual challenge.
Question style: 22 multiple-choice questions and three 000-999 answer questions.
Calculators, measuring instruments and squared paper are not allowed; blank paper for rough working is allowed.
UKMT awards certificates based on performance, including Gold, Silver and Bronze levels. Award thresholds may vary by year.
High-scoring students may qualify for follow-on senior competitions, including the Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo or the British Mathematical Olympiad Round 1.
SMC is the entry point for UKMT senior individual competitions. Strong performances can lead to invitation-only follow-on rounds such as the Andrew Jobbings Senior Kangaroo and the British Mathematical Olympiad Round 1.
Students can prepare by practising past SMC papers, reviewing solutions carefully, and building fluency with non-routine problem-solving strategies.
Students should prepare by working through past SMC papers under timed conditions and reviewing the official solutions carefully. Focus on developing flexible problem-solving strategies across algebra, geometry, number theory, combinatorics and logic rather than memorising formulas. Practise working accurately without a calculator, managing the 90-minute time limit, and deciding when to move on from a difficult question.