CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
UKJMO 2027
Format
Registration Deadline (NZ Time)
Eligible Years
Home-based paper (scanning required)
4 June 2027 at 11:59:00 pm
NZ Years 6–8
Nationwide
Competition Date (NZ Time)
19:00-21:00, Wed 16 June 2027
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
United Kingdom Junior Mathematical Olympiad (UKJMO)
The UK Junior Mathematical Olympiad (UKJMO) is the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust’s follow-on Olympiad for high-performing students in the Junior Mathematical Challenge.
The competition moves beyond short-answer and multiple-choice mathematics. Students tackle six Olympiad-style problems and are expected to present complete, logically justified solutions. Marks reward not only a correct result, but also the clarity and completeness of the mathematical argument.
Around 1,200 students qualify through the Junior Mathematical Challenge each year. Schools may also make discretionary entries, and UKMT Olympiads are available to overseas schools. The UKJMO is therefore an excellent first experience of formal mathematical proof and Olympiad problem solving.
UKJMO gives students the opportunity to:
• develop rigorous mathematical reasoning and proof-writing;
• solve unfamiliar, multi-step problems rather than routine exercises;
• strengthen persistence, creativity and precision of thought;
• learn to communicate a complete mathematical argument clearly;
• receive partial credit for sound progress and well-explained ideas;
• benchmark themselves in a prestigious UKMT follow-on competition; and
• build a strong foundation for later Olympiad-style mathematics.
The competition values depth over speed: one carefully completed solution can be more valuable than several incomplete attempts.
UKJMO is best suited to mathematically confident students who:
• perform strongly in the Junior Mathematical Challenge or have equivalent problem-solving experience;
• enjoy challenging, non-routine mathematics;
• are ready to explain why a method works, not just state an answer;
• can work independently for an extended period; and
• want an introduction to proof-based Olympiad mathematics.
Entry is normally by invitation following a qualifying JMC score, although schools may also purchase discretionary entries. For overseas students, schools should check the current UKMT handbook for the applicable year-group or age-equivalence rule.
Effective preparation for UKJMO should combine challenging problem solving with clear proof-writing. Students should become comfortable exploring unfamiliar questions, identifying useful structure and presenting a complete mathematical argument.
Recommended preparation includes:
working through official UKMT Junior Mathematical Olympiad past papers;
attempting problems independently before reading the published solutions;
studying official solutions and video explanations to compare different approaches;
practising number theory, algebra, geometry, combinatorics and logical problem solving;
writing full solutions that explain why each step is valid;
checking that all possible cases have been considered and conclusions are fully justified;
presenting exact, fully simplified answers rather than decimal approximations;
drawing clear diagrams and labelling them accurately when solving geometry problems;
completing timed two-hour practice papers without a calculator; and
reviewing marked work to improve clarity, precision and mathematical communication.
During preparation, students should focus on completing a smaller number of solutions carefully rather than rushing through every problem. If a full solution is not immediately available, recording useful observations, proving intermediate results and explaining partial progress can still develop the skills rewarded by Olympiad marking.
The best resources are the official UKMT past papers, solutions and investigations. Regular exposure to these problems helps students recognise common strategies while learning to adapt them creatively to new situations.
Time allowed: 2 hours.
Paper structure: 6 Olympiad-style questions, each worth up to 10 marks, for a maximum score of 60. From 2025, the former Section A has been removed.
Students should provide fully simplified, exact answers and full written solutions with mathematical reasons. Partial marks may be awarded according to the quality and clarity of the presentation. Calculators are not permitted.
The competition is administered through schools. Overseas candidates may be required to sit at an adjusted local date or time, and schools submit answer sheets for marking in accordance with UKMT instructions.
UKJMO is marked out of 60, with each of the six questions worth up to 10 marks. Partial marks are available when a solution demonstrates valid progress and clear mathematical reasoning.
The top-scoring 25% of participants receive a Certificate of Distinction, and the next 40% receive a Certificate of Merit. Other students receive a qualification or participation certificate according to their entry route.
The top 40 scorers receive a gold medal, the next 60 a silver medal and the next 100 a bronze medal. Medal recipients also receive a book prize. Award thresholds vary each year; for 2026 the official thresholds were Merit 19+, Distinction 31+, Bronze 35+, Silver 42+ and Gold 51+.
UKJMO is a follow-on round to the Junior Mathematical Challenge. Each year, roughly 1,000–1,200 of the highest-scoring JMC participants qualify for the Olympiad, while schools can also use discretionary entry for suitable students.
Strong participation helps students progress from challenge-style questions to formal proof and prepares them for more advanced Olympiad training and competitions in later school years. It is particularly valuable preparation for intermediate and senior proof-based mathematics.
UKJMO results do not by themselves create an automatic pathway to a national team or another competition; later opportunities have their own age, qualification and selection requirements.
Effective preparation for UKJMO should combine challenging problem solving with clear proof-writing. Students should become comfortable exploring unfamiliar questions, identifying useful structure and presenting a complete mathematical argument.
Recommended preparation includes:
working through official UKMT Junior Mathematical Olympiad past papers;
attempting problems independently before reading the published solutions;
studying official solutions and video explanations to compare different approaches;
practising number theory, algebra, geometry, combinatorics and logical problem solving;
writing full solutions that explain why each step is valid;
checking that all possible cases have been considered and conclusions are fully justified;
presenting exact, fully simplified answers rather than decimal approximations;
drawing clear diagrams and labelling them accurately when solving geometry problems;
completing timed two-hour practice papers without a calculator; and
reviewing marked work to improve clarity, precision and mathematical communication.
During preparation, students should focus on completing a smaller number of solutions carefully rather than rushing through every problem. If a full solution is not immediately available, recording useful observations, proving intermediate results and explaining partial progress can still develop the skills rewarded by Olympiad marking.
The best resources are the official UKMT past papers, solutions and investigations. Regular exposure to these problems helps students recognise common strategies while learning to adapt them creatively to new situations.
Resources & Downloads
Access all available competition information, preparation materials, past papers and official documents.