American Mathematics Competitions: Singapore Guide for 2026/27
American Mathematics Competitions: Singapore Guide for 2026/27
Study guide//Updated 19 Jul 2026
Current AMC 8, AMC 10 and AMC 12 dates, eligibility and Singapore registration guidance, with the AIME and US olympiad eligibility boundaries explained.
Q: Can a student in Singapore register directly for an American Mathematics Competition? A: Not with the MAA as an individual. The MAA's international page says students outside the United States and Canada register through the International Group Leader for their country. Its current list includes Singapore, but the list is still labelled for the 2025/26 cycle. Confirm the 2026/27 route and local deadline with the listed group leader before paying or planning around a place.
Current 2026/27 dates: AMC 10 A and AMC 12 A are on 5 November 2026; AMC 10 B and AMC 12 B are on 13 November 2026; AMC 8 runs from 21 to 27 January 2027. These dates come from the MAA page reviewed on 19 July 2026.
The three entry competitions
Competition
Current MAA eligibility
Format
Current date
AMC 8
Grade 8 or below and under 15.5 years old on the competition day
25 multiple-choice questions in 40 minutes
21 to 27 January 2027
AMC 10
Grade 10 or below and under 17.5 years old on the competition day
25 multiple-choice questions in 75 minutes
A: 5 November 2026; B: 13 November 2026
AMC 12
Grade 12 or below and under 19.5 years old on the competition day
Both the grade and age limits apply. The old version of this guide said eligibility depended on grade rather than age. That was incorrect.
The MAA describes AMC 10 content as elementary algebra, basic geometry, area and volume, elementary number theory and elementary probability. It excludes trigonometry, advanced algebra and advanced geometry. AMC 12 covers the broader high-school curriculum, including trigonometry, advanced algebra and advanced geometry, but excludes calculus.
Singapore school levels do not map perfectly to US grades. A student should not infer eligibility from a local level label alone. Ask the organiser to confirm the student's grade mapping and age eligibility before registration.
A and B are separate sittings
The old page said a student could take only one AMC 10 or AMC 12 sitting in a cycle. The current MAA policy says otherwise.
An eligible student may take an A version and a B version. On one competition date, however, the student can take only one paper. For example, AMC 10 A and AMC 12 B are permitted, but AMC 10 A and AMC 12 A on the same date are not.
AMC 8 is different: a student may take it only once during the competition week.
Competition-day rules
The MAA's current policy requires in-person administration and does not permit remote proctoring. Phones, smartwatches and similar devices must be collected before the competition.
For AMC 8, permitted items include writing materials, blank scratch paper supplied by the teacher, rulers and erasers. Calculators and similar electronic devices are prohibited. The current policy groups AMC 10, AMC 12 and AIME under the same calculator-free materials section.
Follow the competition manager's current instructions. Do not rely on an old paper or a preparation provider for the final materials list, timing or discussion embargo.
Registration from Singapore
The MAA's current international page says:
international students participate through an MAA International Group Leader;
students register through the leader for the country where they reside; and
only schools registered with an MAA international partner could offer the competitions in the 2025/26 cycle.
Singapore appears in the current list under the regional group leader covering several Asian countries. However, that page had not yet been relabelled for 2026/27 when reviewed on 19 July 2026.
What to confirm before registering
whether the Singapore route is confirmed for the 2026/27 cycle;
which of AMC 8, AMC 10 A, AMC 10 B, AMC 12 A and AMC 12 B the site will administer;
the local venue and reporting time;
the student's grade and age eligibility;
the total fee and refund terms;
the registration deadline;
whether the organiser will administer AIME if the student qualifies; and
when and how results will be released.
The former page named Hwa Chong Institution, Raffles Girls' School and NUS High as hosts and promised that a public or open centre could be found. The cited MAA pages did not establish those current local arrangements, so those claims have been removed.
AIME qualification
AIME is invitation-only. The MAA determines a separate score threshold after each AMC 10 and AMC 12 form has been scored. Its policy says at least the top 2.5% of AMC 10 scorers and at least the top 5% of AMC 12 scorers are invited.
This is not a fixed target score. Paper difficulty and the resulting thresholds vary by form and year. The 2025/26 thresholds are historical evidence for that completed cycle, not forecasts for November 2026.
An international student who takes AMC 10 or AMC 12 through the international programme can qualify for AIME. The MAA says AIME is normally taken at the same competition location, with a change-of-venue process if necessary. Confirm that the Singapore organiser can support the next stage before registration.
AIME is not the same as eligibility for the US olympiads
The AMC and AIME form part of the United States team-selection pathway, but that does not make every international participant eligible for every later stage.
The current MAA policy says only students attending an accredited school or homeschool full-time in the United States or Canada are eligible for USAMO and USAJMO. It also imposes United States citizenship or permanent-residency conditions for later US team-selection programmes.
For a student based at a Singapore school, AMC and AIME can still be worthwhile mathematical challenges. They should not be presented as an available route to the US IMO team unless the student separately satisfies the MAA's current eligibility rules.
What an AMC result does and does not prove
An AMC score records performance on one competition paper. It does not by itself establish:
a global percentile unless the MAA publishes the relevant statistic for that form;
admission to a school or university;
recognition by MOE;
a place in DSA;
readiness for every olympiad format; or
eligibility for USAMO, USAJMO or the US IMO team.
MOE's DSA framework is organised by each school's published talent areas and selection criteria. MOE does not publish a universal rule assigning AMC certificates a particular weight. If a school permits relevant achievements or supporting documents, follow that school's current instructions and describe the result accurately.
Choosing the appropriate paper
Eligibility is only the first check. A younger eligible student is not automatically best served by entering the highest paper available.
Use the official topic descriptions and a recent paper to answer three questions:
Does the student understand the prerequisite mathematics without relying on untaught shortcuts?
Can the student work safely and independently for the full official duration?
Is the purpose learning and appropriate challenge, rather than an admission guarantee or a comparison with peers?
The MAA does not prescribe a Singapore preparation timeline, a minimum number of past papers or a score that every candidate should target. The old guide's ten-to-fifteen-paper rule, fixed monthly calendar and 90-point trigger were editorial claims and have been removed.
A bounded preparation process
1. Start with the official scope
Compare the relevant MAA topic description with the student's current knowledge. For AMC 10, do not assume AMC 12 topics such as trigonometry are required.
2. Use a diagnostic paper carefully
Use a recent authorised paper under the correct time limit. Record which errors came from missing knowledge, misreading, reasoning, arithmetic or time management. One score is not a stable forecast.
3. Repair specific gaps
Choose work that addresses the recorded gap. Examples include proportional reasoning for AMC 8, elementary number theory for AMC 10, or trigonometry for AMC 12. Avoid adding advanced topics merely because they sound olympiad-like.
4. Practise current rules
Use the current calculator and materials policy. If the official administration will be digital, confirm the exact arrangements with the competition manager rather than simulating an assumed platform.
5. Review without outcome promises
Evaluate whether the student is learning to explain and transfer methods, not only whether a target score appeared in practice. No preparation volume guarantees an AIME invitation, DSA outcome or university admission.
Frequently asked questions
When are AMC 10 and AMC 12 in 2026?
The A papers are on 5 November 2026 and the B papers are on 13 November 2026.
When is AMC 8 in the 2026/27 cycle?
The official window is 21 to 27 January 2027. A student may sit AMC 8 only once during that window.
Can a student take both the A and B versions?
Yes, if eligible and registered for both. The student may take only one AMC 10 or AMC 12 paper on each competition date.
Can a Singapore student qualify for AIME?
The MAA says an international AMC 10 or AMC 12 participant can qualify for AIME. Qualification depends on the threshold set after that form is scored.
Can a Singapore student qualify for USAMO or USAJMO?
Not solely by taking AMC and AIME in Singapore. The current MAA policy restricts USAMO and USAJMO eligibility to students attending an accredited school or homeschool full-time in the United States or Canada.
Is AMC officially recognised for DSA?
MOE does not publish a universal AMC recognition or weighting rule. Check the selected school's current DSA talent area, criteria and document requirements.
Does AMC use negative marking?
Check the current competition instructions for the cycle and paper. Historical AMC 10 and AMC 12 papers awarded credit for blanks, but this page does not turn a past scoring rule into a guaranteed 2026/27 rule before the current instructions are published.
