Which Maths Competition Should Your Child Join in Singapore?
Which Maths Competition Should Your Child Join in Singapore?
Study guide//Updated 19 Jul 2026
Compare current eligibility, registration and formats for NMOS, RMO, SASMO, APMOPS, SMKC, SMC, SMO and AMC without invented difficulty or DSA rankings.
Q: Which maths competition should a child in Singapore start with? A: Start by removing competitions for which the child is ineligible or cannot access. Then compare the organiser's current paper format with the experience the child wants. There is no official universal ladder from easiest to hardest and no national DSA ranking for these competitions.
Current timing: The reviewed 2026 windows for NMOS, RMO, SASMO, APMOPS, SMKC and SMO have passed. SMC lists a global competition period from 24 August to 18 October 2026, but not one confirmed Singapore sitting for every route. AMC 10 and AMC 12 are scheduled for November 2026, with AMC 8 in January 2027.
Compare eligibility and access first
Competition
Current level or eligibility in the reviewed source
Access route
Distinguishing published feature
NMOS
Primary 5 only
School registration only; schools may select entrants
One 90-minute, 35-question written paper in 2026
RMO
Junior: Primary 4 and 5; Open: Primary 6
Participating MOE primary schools; no individual route in 2026
Two rounds with different Junior and Open Round 2 papers
SASMO
K2 to JC2
Singapore school route or private-candidate route
Different papers by level; current results are published
Only the top 50 Singapore Primary 6 entrants reached the 2026 local Invitation Round
SMKC
Primary 1 to JC2
School or private-candidate route
Multiple choice; a wrong answer loses one point and a blank answer does not
SMC
Clearest published Singapore range is Primary 1 to Secondary 4/5; K2 and JC references conflict
School route plus a linked private-candidate route
Current pack describes 31 questions in 90 minutes and level-dependent calculator rules
SMO
Junior, Senior and Open sections under current age and education rules
School registration
Two rounds; top 10% of each Round 1 section reached Round 2 in 2026
AMC
Grade and age limits apply separately for AMC 8, AMC 10 and AMC 12
Singapore students use the MAA international route
A and B versions are separate permitted sittings for eligible AMC 10/12 students
This table does not assign beginner, advanced, prestigious, low-pressure or confidence-building labels. Those descriptions are not a shared organiser standard and can hide important differences in scoring, duration, response type and access.
A shortlist by school level
This is an eligibility shortlist, not a recommended progression.
Primary 1 to 3
The current reviewed level ranges include SASMO, SMKC and SMC. Check the exact grade paper, format, mode, fee and instructions for the new cycle.
Primary 4
RMO Junior joins SASMO, SMKC and SMC. RMO requires a participating MOE primary school and did not offer individual registration in 2026.
Primary 5
Relevant current ranges include NMOS, RMO Junior, the APMOPS First Round, SASMO, SMKC and SMC.
The access routes differ. NMOS is Primary 5 only and school-registered. RMO is also school-registered. Do not promise either contest to a child until the school confirms participation and selection.
Primary 6
Relevant current ranges include RMO Open, the APMOPS First Round, SASMO, SMKC and SMC. NMOS is not a Primary 6 competition under the 2026 rules.
APMOPS's 2026 local First Round included Primary 5 and 6, but its local Invitation Round was limited to the top 50 Primary 6 participants. The old guide's medallist-based entry description was wrong.
Secondary school and JC
Compare the student's current SASMO, SMKC, SMO and AMC eligibility. SMC's public sources conflict on whether a Singapore JC paper is available, so obtain confirmation before registering a JC student.
For SMO, school level alone is not enough. The current Junior, Senior and Open rules include age and education-status conditions.
For AMC, both grade and age limits apply:
AMC 8: grade 8 or below and under 15.5 on the competition day;
AMC 10: grade 10 or below and under 17.5; and
AMC 12: grade 12 or below and under 19.5.
Singapore levels do not map perfectly to US grades. Confirm the grade mapping with the current organiser.
Use format, not a difficulty label
Two competitions can cover the same school level while testing different behaviours.
Ask:
Is the paper multiple choice, short answer, full solution or a mixture?
How long is the paper?
Does a wrong answer score differently from a blank answer?
Is a calculator permitted for this exact level?
Is there a second round, and how is it reached?
Is the current paper online or on paper?
Does the child want broad exposure, a particular response format or a school-selected event?
The old page said SMKC had no wrong-answer penalty. The current organiser says a wrong answer loses one point while a blank answer has no deduction. This makes scoring rules a real selection factor, not a detail to infer from the name of the contest.
The old page also ranked APMOPS as the hardest primary paper and placed every contest in one difficulty tier. The organisers do not publish a common difficulty scale, and papers change between cycles. Use current samples and rules instead.
Current status by competition
NMOS
The 2026 contest was for Primary 5 students registered through their schools. It used one 90-minute paper with 35 questions and a S$25 fee inclusive of GST. The 14 July contest date has passed.
RMO
RMO 2026 separated Junior for Primary 4 and 5 from Open for Primary 6. Round 1 was school-based and online; invited students sat different Round 2 papers at Raffles Institution. Registration was through participating MOE primary schools.
SASMO
The 2026 Singapore school and private-candidate dates have passed, and overall final results are published. The dedicated 2026 page allowed online or paper delivery for schools and specified paper delivery for private candidates. Do not carry those modes or fees into a later cycle without checking the new page.
APMOPS
The 2026 Singapore First Round and Invitation Round have passed. Primary 5 and 6 used separate local First Round schedules. Only the top 50 Singapore Primary 6 participants were invited to the local Invitation Round.
SMKC
The 2026 school and private sittings have passed and results are published. The current page states a one-point wrong-answer deduction, no blank-answer deduction and no calculators or electronic devices.
SMC
SIMCC lists 24 August to 18 October 2026 as a global competition period. The reviewed public sources do not give one Singapore sitting date, fee or deadline for every route. Its current information pack describes 31 questions in 90 minutes. Calculator permission varies by level.
SMO
The 2026 rounds have passed. The current rules used Junior, Senior and Open sections, with the top 10% from each Round 1 section invited to Round 2. Entries were submitted through schools.
AMC
The MAA lists AMC 10 A and AMC 12 A on 5 November 2026, AMC 10 B and AMC 12 B on 13 November 2026, and AMC 8 from 21 to 27 January 2027.
Singapore students use the MAA international programme. The current international list still carries a 2025/26 label, so confirm the 2026/27 Singapore route, venue, fee and deadline before planning around a place.
DSA value cannot be ranked nationally
MOE includes Mathematics and Computational Thinking among DSA-Sec talent areas. Each participating school publishes its own criteria, selection process and number of places. MOE also says a student does not need prior participation in the talent area unless the school requires it.
There is therefore no evidence-based national table in which:
NMOS and RMO always have high DSA value;
APMOPS is the strongest primary credential;
RMO carries extra weight for RI or RGS;
SMO is the main JC DSA signal;
a recent result has a standard one-to-two-year life; or
AMC is more useful for US university admission than for local applications.
A result can be relevant evidence when it matches a school's published criteria. It does not guarantee shortlisting, an offer or a particular evaluation weight. Record the exact organiser, year, level, result and contribution without inflating what it proves.
A practical selection process
List only competitions for which the child satisfies the current level, age and status rules.
Confirm whether the school must register or an individual route exists.
Check whether the current cycle is open, completed or not yet published.
Compare official samples and response formats.
Confirm the date, duration, delivery mode, calculator rule, scoring, fee and refund terms.
Compare the workload with existing school, health and family commitments.
Decide what the child wants to learn from the attempt.
Treat the result as evidence about that attempt, not as a promised medal or admission outcome.
The former page prescribed one or two competitions per year and a fixed ladder from SASMO or SMKC through NMOS, RMO, APMOPS and SMO. No current organiser or MOE source establishes that sequence. A child can select one suitable event, try a different format later or decide not to compete.
Questions to ask before paying
Is this the organiser's current Singapore registration page?
Which grade or section will the child enter?
Is the venue and mode confirmed?
What is included in the fee?
What happens if the school does not select the child or the child withdraws?
Are samples and instructions current for this cycle?
How are results, certificates and corrections handled?
Is a provider promising a medal, DSA outcome or admissions advantage that the organiser does not promise?
Paid coaching is not established as a registration requirement for the competitions compared here. Whether it is useful depends on the child's identified needs, available school support, cost and workload.
Which is the easiest maths competition in Singapore?
There is no official universal ranking. Compare the current paper, duration, scoring and sample with the child's experience rather than assuming SASMO or SMKC is easiest.
Does SMKC penalise wrong answers?
Yes. Its current page says a wrong answer loses one point while an unanswered question has no deduction.
Can a Primary 5 student enter APMOPS?
The 2026 Singapore First Round included Primary 5 and 6. The local Invitation Round was limited to the top 50 Primary 6 participants.
Can a Primary 6 student enter NMOS?
Not under the 2026 NMOS rules, which were limited to Primary 5.
Which competition helps DSA the most?
MOE does not publish a competition ranking or fixed weight. Use the target school's current talent criteria and selection process.
How many competitions should a child enter in one year?
No official source sets a universal number. Choose a workload that fits the child and the purpose of participating.
Is AMC mainly valuable for US university applications?
The current MAA and MOE sources do not establish a universal admissions value. Treat an AMC result as an accurately reported competition result, not as a guaranteed international benchmark or admissions advantage.
Last reviewed: 19 July 2026. Recheck every organiser for the next cycle's eligibility, registration, format, fee and status.
