Raffles Mathematical Olympiad (RMO) — Parent & Student Guide

Download printable cheat-sheet (CC-BY 4.0)

15 Jul 2025, 00:00 Z

TL;DR
RMO = RIPMWC 2.0. Started in 1996, re-branded in 2024, it tests Primary 4-6 pupils across two rounds (MCQ prelim → written final) with strict no-calculator rules. Only the top 2 % or top 40 from each category reach Round 2; High Distinction sits at the same 2 % cut. Registration is school-based (≈ S$12/pupil) and usually runs for 3-4 weeks from late January or early February — check each year's circular for exact dates. Round 1 papers arrive ≥ 5 working days before the contest, and Round 2 is always held at Raffles Institution. Treat the Junior Category as a safe sandbox for IP Direct School Admission (DSA) portfolios; treat the Open Category as a rehearsal for RI, HCI or NUS High pre-selection tests.

1 What is RMO?

Then (1996-2023)	Now (2024-)
RIPMWC — Raffles Institution Primary Mathematics World Contest	RMO — Raffles Mathematical Olympiad
Focus on friendly overseas exchange (pre-COVID)	Full Singapore MOE primary-school reach
Papers mailed overseas; physical finals in RI hall	Round 1 in schools → top 2 % invited back to RI

The rebranding kept the original aims: “to promote interest in Mathematics and develop students' problem-solving abilities through a friendly contest.” RMO Prospectus 2025

2 Eligibility & Categories

Category	Year Levels	Round 2 format
Junior	Primary 4-5	15 short-answer questions
Open	Primary 6	7 short-answer + 4 long-response

Both papers are 60 minutes and no calculators are permitted.

3 Contest Timeline (typical year)

Stage	Window	Notes
Registration	Late Jan ⇢ Late Feb (varies by ±1 week)	Schools submit names via RI portal; fee S$12/pupil
Round 1	Late March (Term 1 Wk 10)	20 MCQs, sat in own school halls
Round 2 invitation	2 weeks after marking	Top 2 % or top 40 in each category
Round 2	Mid-May (Term 2 Wk 8)	Held at Raffles Institution
Results ceremony	Late June	Certificates + school trophies

Round 1 packets reach schools ≥ 5 working days before the test, sealed and numbered for integrity.

4 Awards & Cut-offs

Band	Approx. percentile	Certificate colour
High Distinction	≈ top 2 %	Gold
Distinction	next 13 %	Silver
Merit	next 15 %	Bronze

School team trophies (Gold / Silver / Bronze) are computed from the best three Round 2 scores per school.

5 Why RMO matters for IP aspirants

DSA edge — HD certificates regularly appear in RI & HCI selection portfolios.
Early Olympiad mindset — geometry tricks and parity puzzles steer pupils toward RI's Year 1 Maths Talent Programme.
No-calculator discipline — mirrors the no-CAS policy in A-Math and H2 Math written papers.
Tuition signal — an HD or Distinction flags readiness for IP proof-heavy topics (e.g. binomial identities, modular arithmetic).

6 Preparation blueprint (8 weeks)

Week	Focus drill	Mini-task
1-2	Times-table snap to 12x12	Finish 200 mixed products (\le) 5 min
3-4	Geometry angles & parity	Solve 30 RIPMWC-style angle-chase Qs
5-6	Factors & remainders	Prove: if (a-b) divides (a^n-b^n)
7	Mock Round 1 (20 MCQ)	Mark & error-log in 60 min
8	Mock Round 2 (category-specific)	Hand-write full solutions under 60 min

Parents: use past RIPMWC booklets (1996-2023) — still 90 % syllabus-aligned.

7 Key logistics answers

Who registers? Only a school teacher-in-charge can submit entries — parents cannot “walk-in”.
Can homeschoolers join? Only via a registered MOE primary school.
Special needs? Attach a school endorsement letter; RI provides extra time / enlarged scripts case-by-case.
Dress code for Round 2? School uniform, mask optional since MOH 2023 easing.

8 References

9 Call-to-action

Parents — lock a 60-min RMO crash-clinic by late February to iron MCQ careless slips.
Pupils — print last year's Round 1 paper, strip to T-shirt, set a 60 min timer, and try beating 18/20 tonight.

Last updated 15 Jul 2025 — dates and fees subject to the yearly RI circular.