Canadian Senior and Intermediate Mathematics Contests (CSMC and CIMC)

Grades

CIMC: Grades 9-10; CSMC: Grades 11-12 and CÉGEP students. Motivated students in lower grades may also participate.

Age

CSMC official participants must be born on or after January 1, 2007; CIMC has no age restriction for Grade 10 and below

Citizenship

Canadian schools: participants must be Canadian residents. International schools: any student may participate as an official contestant

Prerequisites

None specific, but strong foundation in high school mathematics curriculum up to the student's grade level is expected

Steps

1. School registers with CEMC (Principal or Head of Math submits application; takes up to 3 weeks for approval)
2. School receives CEMC School Number and password for Contest Supervisor Portal
3. School orders contests on portal before ordering deadline
4. Students complete Student Information Forms
5. School receives contest materials by mail/email
6. Contest is administered in-school on official contest date under supervisor
7. School returns completed contests to CEMC by courier for marking
8. Results released 4 weeks after contest date via Contest Supervisor Portal

Materials Needed

• Student Information Form (completed by each participant)
• Contest question booklet (provided by CEMC)
• Solution booklet (provided by CEMC)
• Scantron forms for answer-only questions (provided)
• Permitted calculators (as specified on contest)

Timeline

Ordering deadline: October 22, 2026 (for Nov 2026 contests). Contest dates: November 18, 2026 (North/South America) or November 19, 2026 (international). Results available 4 weeks after contest. Register for school account at least 3 weeks before ordering deadline.

Cost

$14.00 per participant + $5.00 processing fee per order + $5.00 shipping (Canada) or 15% of order total (international, minimum $10.00). No refunds offered.

What Judges Look For

• Correctness of mathematical solutions
• Completeness of reasoning and proof
• Clarity of presentation and communication
• Proper mathematical notation and formatting
• Problem-solving approach and strategy selection
• For answer-only questions (6 of 9): correct numerical/algebraic answer
• For full-solution questions (3 of 9): complete worked solutions showing all steps

Scoring

9 questions total out of 60 points maximum. 6 questions are answer-only (likely ~4 points each), 3 are full-solution questions (likely ~8 points each based on complexity). Correct answers with poor presentation do not receive full marks. Certificate of Distinction awarded to top 25% of competitors.

Common Mistakes

• Poor presentation of solutions despite correct answers
• Incomplete reasoning or missing steps in full-solution questions
• Time management—spending too long on difficult problems
• Computational errors even with correct approach
• Not showing work for problems requiring justification
• Using unauthorized calculators or aids
• Failing to properly complete Student Information Form (disqualifies official status)

Acceptance Rate

Not applicable—this is not a selective program; all registered students may participate. No 'rejection' exists, only scoring/ranking.

Applicants

2025 data: 15,153 CSMC participants; 13,039 CIMC participants (28,192 total). Contests reach 300,000+ students globally across all CEMC contests.

Winners / Selected

Award categories: Top 25% receive Certificate of Distinction; School Champion (top scorer meeting cutoff) receives medal; Top 5 official participants in Canada receive plaques + cash ($300 CIMC, $500 CSMC); Provincial/zonal/national honour rolls; Team awards for schools.

• Start preparation 6-8 weeks before contest; review past contests from previous 5+ years to understand format and difficulty progression
• Allocate 90 minutes for answer-only questions (6 questions) and 30 minutes for full-solution questions (3 questions), then review
• For answer-only questions: solve quickly but verify answers—no partial credit so accuracy is critical
• For full-solution questions: write clearly with all reasoning shown; judges value elegant, well-presented solutions
• Practice time management under exam conditions—do easier problems first to build confidence and secure points
• Focus on strengthening weak areas: geometry, combinatorics, number theory are common weak spots
• Memorize key formulas and theorems relevant to high school curriculum to save time during contest
• Learn multiple problem-solving approaches (algebraic, geometric, logical) to tackle problems from different angles
• Review past contest solutions to understand expected level of rigor and presentation style
• Work through official CEMC preparation materials and free online courseware before contest
• Join a math club or study group for peer discussion and collaborative problem-solving practice
• Attend CEMC preparation workshops if available in your region
• On contest day: read all 9 problems first to strategically plan approach; start with most comfortable problems
• Use permitted calculators wisely for verification, not as primary solving tool

How to Prepare

• Access and work through all freely available past CSMC and CIMC contests (10+ years of past contests available)
• Use CEMC's free online Math Courseware to review and reinforce curriculum concepts (high school algebra through calculus prep)
• Complete CSMC Preparation Materials: 8-module series specifically designed for CSMC (covers common problem types)
• Attend CEMC Preparation Workshops (three 60-minute sessions based on preparation modules)
• Use CEMC Problem-Set Generator to create custom randomized problem sets for targeted practice
• Read CEMC Visits Schools problem-solving workshops offered to schools
• Study solution booklets from past contests to learn presentation standards and problem-solving techniques
• Practice under timed conditions (2 hours, similar to actual contest)
• Form or join a math competition club at school for peer study
• Review common high school competition topics: inequalities, sequences, combinatorics, number theory, geometry proofs

Resources

• CEMC Past Contests: freely available past CSMC/CIMC contests and solutions at cemc.uwaterloo.ca (10+ years)
• CSMC Preparation Materials: 8-module study guide (free on CEMC website)
• Math Courseware: interactive online lessons, activities, and practice (free)
• CEMC Problem-Set Generator: create custom practice problems
• CEMC Visits Schools: in-person workshops by CEMC educators
• CSMC Preparation Workshops: three 60-minute online sessions (dates/registration on CEMC website)
• CEMC Weekly Challenges: weekly problem-solving challenges to build skills
• University of Waterloo CEMC Website: official source for all materials and information

Time Needed

Recommended 8-12 weeks of preparation (1-2 hours per week minimum) for students aiming for Certificate of Distinction (top 25%). Competitive preparation for top scores requires 3-4 months of sustained practice. First-time participants can benefit from even 4-6 weeks of targeted practice with past contests.

Top performers typically have: strong foundation in high school algebra, geometry, trigonometry, and discrete math; experience with problem-solving competitions; consistent practice with challenging problems beyond standard curriculum; clear mathematical communication skills; ability to work methodically under time pressure. Honour roll participants typically score 40+/60. School medal winners (top at their school) score 28-35+/60 depending on school strength. National top 5 typically score 50+/60. International participants represent a mix of Canadian expatriates, students at international schools, and advanced students from 85+ countries.

Strong performance in CSMC/CIMC can benefit college applications, particularly in Canada: (1) University of Waterloo Faculty of Mathematics strongly encourages participation in CSMC or Euclid Contest for scholarship consideration—performance is considered by Admissions and Scholarship Committees alongside unofficial participant scores; (2) Top performance demonstrates mathematical problem-solving ability valued by engineering and math-focused programs; (3) Honour roll placement provides concrete achievement for university applications; (4) More widely recognized by Canadian universities than U.S. competitions (AMC series); (5) Can support essays/portfolios highlighting STEM interest; (6) Less prestigious than Euclid or CIMC for U of Waterloo admissions, but still valued. For international/U.S. colleges: recognition is lower unless student also participates in Euclid or other tier-1 competitions. Not typically a primary admissions factor outside Canada, but a strong score strengthens STEM profile.

• Congressional App Challenge — Tier 3, competition
• ARML (American Regions Mathematics League) — Tier 3, competition
• AMC (American Mathematics Competitions) — Tier 3, competition
• National Science Bowl — Tier 3, competition
• Science Olympiad — Tier 3, competition