Q: When was SMO 2026, and are the results out? A: Round 1 ran on 3 and 4 June. Junior and Senior Round 2 ran on 27 June, and Open Round 2 ran on 4 July. As of 19 July 2026, the official SMO results index still stops at 2025.
TL;DR
SMO is the Singapore Mathematical Olympiad organised by the Singapore Mathematical Society. The 2026 competition and registration are over. Junior and Senior invited the top 10% from Round 1 to Round 2; Open invited selected participants. The section rules say only Round 2 invitees can receive Gold, based on combined Round 1 and Round 2 marks.
Last reviewed: 19 July 2026. This page was checked sentence by sentence against SMS's current 2026 schedule, registration instructions, three section rule pages, results index, and SIMO page.
SMO 2026 current status
Item
Status on 19 July 2026
Registration
Closed on 31 March 2026
Round 1
Completed on 3 and 4 June
Junior and Senior Round 2
Completed on 27 June
Open Round 2
Completed on 4 July
Round 2 invitation lists
Published on the official schedule page
Final results
Not yet listed on the official results index, which currently stops at 2025
SMS's section rules say results will be released within three months of the competition. They do not publish an exact 2026 result date. Check the official results index instead of relying on a forecast.
These are completed 2026 dates, not a reusable prediction for 2027.
Who could enter each section
Section
2026 eligibility
Junior
Secondary 1 and 2 students born on or after 2 January 2012
Senior
Secondary 3 and 4 students born on or after 2 January 2010
Open
Full-time Secondary 1 to 4 and Junior College students
All three section rules exclude anyone who has attended a tertiary-level institution on a full-time basis. The Open rules do not publish a birth-date cutoff.
The registration form was for schools in Singapore. Overseas participation required a prior agreement between the participant's national mathematical society and SMS.
Registration route and fees
Schools registered students using the SMS template and sent the completed form through the school's Head of Department of Mathematics. The 2026 deadline was 31 March, with no late processing or walk-in registration. SMS also did not allow replacements after names were submitted.
The published local-school fee was:
S$10 per student per section for SMS institutional member schools; or
S$12 per student per section for non-member schools.
A student entered in more than one section incurred the fee for each section. These are 2026 terms and should not be assumed for a later cycle.
Round 1 and Round 2 format
Section
Round 1
Round 2 invitation
Round 2
Junior
2.5 hours; multiple-choice and short questions
Top 10% of Round 1
3 hours; full-length solutions
Senior
2.5 hours; multiple-choice and short questions
Top 10% of Round 1
4 hours; full-length solutions
Open
2.5 hours; short questions
Selected participants
4 hours; full-length solutions
All Round 1 questions carry equal weight. The public rule pages reviewed here do not state a negative-marking rule or a calculator rule. Follow the candidate instructions supplied for the actual paper rather than a third-party summary.
The official topic boundaries are deliberately broad:
Junior questions are normally within Secondary 1 and 2 mathematics, with a significant number based on the school syllabus.
Senior questions are normally within Secondary 1 to 4 mathematics, again with a significant school-syllabus component.
Open questions are normally within pre-university mathematics, with a significant school-syllabus component.
SMS does not publish the long topic checklist or AMC, AIME, or IMO difficulty equivalences that appeared in the previous version of this guide. Past papers are the safer way to judge fit.
Awards: what the section rules say
The Junior, Senior, and Open rule pages use the same individual-certificate structure:
Silver, Bronze, and Honourable Mention may be awarded from Round 1 results, using criteria that depend on that year's difficulty.
Only Round 2 invitees are considered for Gold and individual prizes.
Gold takes combined Round 1 and Round 2 results into account.
Other participants receive participation certificates.
There is a wording conflict on the official site. The 2026 schedule summary says Gold, Silver, Bronze, and Honourable Mention are based on Round 1, while all three detailed section rules reserve Gold for Round 2 invitees and combined marks. This guide follows the more specific section rules. SMS should resolve any individual case.
The schedule page separately describes ranked top-three prizes and an unranked top-10 award excluding the top three. The Senior and Open rules also describe prizes for top combined scorers. Do not turn these prize statements into a predicted certificate cutoff.
The standalone school-awards page still displays a 2024 age example and an impossible Category 2 range of "500 to 149". This guide therefore does not reproduce those category thresholds as current 2026 rules. Use the final 2026 award notice when SMS publishes it.
How SMO connects to SIMO and IMO
SMS's SIMO page establishes this route:
Junior training selection uses Junior Round 2 performance.
Senior training selection uses Senior Round 2 performance.
The national training group uses Open Round 2 performance.
A series of National Team Selection Tests in April and May selects the final six Singapore IMO contestants.
The Open rules describe its Round 2 result as a key criterion for the following year's national training team. A strong SMO result is therefore part of a selection process, not a guarantee of a training place or an IMO place.
The SIMO page says Junior training runs in July and August and Senior training runs from January to April. It does not publish the fixed team sizes that the previous version of this guide claimed.
Does SMO help with DSA?
MOE lists science, mathematics and engineering as a DSA-Sec talent category, but each school sets its own criteria and selection process. Prior experience is not universally required, and an award does not create an automatic offer.
An SMO result can be supporting evidence where a school's current application permits it. Check the target school's own talent area, evidence requirements, test or interview process, and schedule. Do not rely on a generic list of schools said to "accept" SMO medals.
The same boundary applies to DSA-JC and university applications: an achievement may be declared where relevant, but its weight is decided by the institution and programme.
Evidence-based preparation plan
The following is Eclat study guidance, not an SMS requirement.
1. Start with the correct section
Use the official age and school-stage rules first. Download one past paper for that section and sit it under the published Round 1 duration.
2. Build an error record
For every missed problem, record:
what the problem asked;
the first useful observation;
the method that worked;
whether the miss was knowledge, recognition, or execution; and
one similar problem to revisit.
3. Separate short answers from full solutions
Round 1 preparation should develop accurate short solutions and time control. Round 2 preparation should develop full written arguments. Do not assume that a numerical answer demonstrates a proof.
4. Use past papers to define the syllabus
SMS publishes sample questions and sells official solution books. Historical papers are better evidence of style than a commercial provider's topic ladder or a cross-country difficulty label.
5. Protect schoolwork and wellbeing
Choose a practice volume that leaves room for school assessments, sleep, and recovery. Increase difficulty only when the student still wants the challenge and can explain what they are learning.
FAQ
What does SMO stand for?
SMO stands for Singapore Mathematical Olympiad.
Who organises SMO?
The Singapore Mathematical Society organises it.
Are SMO 2026 results out?
Not on the official results index as of 19 July 2026. The index currently stops at 2025. SMS says results will be released within three months of the competition but gives no exact 2026 date.
Can a student register individually?
The 2026 route was school-based. Schools submitted the prescribed form through their Mathematics department. Walk-in registration was not allowed.
Is there negative marking?
The public 2026 section rules say Round 1 questions carry equal weight, but they do not publish a negative-marking rule. Use the instructions on the actual paper.
Is a calculator allowed?
The public rule pages reviewed for this audit do not specify a calculator rule. Follow the candidate instructions from SMS and the school.
Who reaches Round 2?
Junior and Senior invite the top 10% of Round 1 participants. Open uses "selected participants" and does not publish a top-10% rule.
How is Gold awarded?
The detailed section rules say only Round 2 invitees are considered for Gold, using combined Round 1 and Round 2 results.
Does an SMO medal guarantee DSA admission?
No. MOE says schools use their own selection criteria and processes. An award can be relevant evidence where the school accepts it, but there is no universal weight or guaranteed offer.
