Applied Math Competitions for High School Students
EC Finder currently lists 14 applied math competitions for high school students. Of these, 9 are free to participate in and 8 offer virtual participation. Examples include ARML (American Regions Mathematics League), ASA Data Visualization Poster Competition, and Bay Area BioGENEius Challenge (Applied Math Track).
- 14
- listed
- 9
- free
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- 14
- with a listed deadline
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are applied math competitions for high school students?
- Applied Math Competitions for High School Students are curated extracurricular listings for high school students interested in applied math. Each listing includes eligibility, cost, and deadline details where known, so you can compare options and find the right fit for your college application profile.
- Are any of these competitions free?
- Yes — 9 of the 14 competitions listed here are free to participate in.
- Can I participate virtually?
- Yes — 8 of the 14 competitions listed here offer virtual or online participation.
- Are applied math competitions good for a college application?
- Yes — applied math competitions are a common way for high schoolers to show sustained interest and initiative in applied math on college applications.
14 activities found·Browse by category
ARML (American Regions Mathematics League)
Prestigious national team math competition held simultaneously at multiple host sites, spanning Team, Power, Individual, and Relay rounds.
ASA Data Visualization Poster Competition
American Statistical Association competition where students submit statistical posters, physical or digital, with regional judging feeding national judging.
Bay Area BioGENEius Challenge (Applied Math Track)
A high-level research competition. Winning projects often use bioinformatics (statistical analysis of genetic data).
Bay Area Mathematical Olympiad (BAMO)
A proof-based math competition (4-hour, 5-question exam) for students in two divisions, proctored in person at schools and math circles, run by MSRI/Berkeley Math Circle.
Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament (HMMT)
A large student-run team math tournament held twice a year with individual and team rounds.
High School Analytics & Data Visualization Competition
National competition where students analyze datasets and create visualizations to communicate insights, focusing on real-world data problems.
High School Mathematical Contest in Modeling (HiMCM)
Two-week team modeling challenge where students apply mathematics to solve open-ended real-world problems, run by COMAP.
International Invitational Math Optimization Challenge (IIMOC)
A free, virtual international team competition in which high school and college students tackle algorithmic optimization problems over a multi-week window, submitting solutions to a leaderboard for ranking — introducing techniques used in operations research and computer science.
International Mathematical Modeling Challenge (IM2C)
An international team competition in which high school students spend five consecutive days applying mathematics to analyze and solve an open-ended real-world problem and submit a written solution report; in the USA, participation is by invitation based on performance in COMAP's HiMCM/MidMCM contests.
MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge)
Intensive 14-hour team-based math modeling competition where students solve real-world problems using mathematical modeling, open to high school juniors and seniors.
Modeling the Future Challenge
Mathematical modeling competition focused on sustainability and environmental challenges, where teams analyze real-world data and present solutions.
Princeton University Mathematics Competition (PUMaC)
A student-run team mathematics competition hosted at Princeton in the fall with individual and team rounds.
SCUDEM (SIMIODE Challenge Using Differential Equations Modeling)
A team-based mathematical modeling competition in which groups of three students use differential equations to model a real-world problem in physics/engineering, chemistry/life sciences, or social sciences, culminating in a 10-minute video presentation reviewed by judges.
USA Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS)
A free, online, proof-based contest with one puzzle and four proof problems per round, run by AoPS and sponsored by the NSA, giving students a full month per round plus personalized grader feedback.
ECFinder provides links to outside extracurricular opportunities for informational purposes only. Students and families should research each program before applying. ECFinder does not operate or control the listed organizations and is not responsible for their actions or policies.