Qualification challenge
27 January 2027
The Intermediate Mathematical Challenge is the main qualification route.
Competition
Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad
A two-hour, school-based UKMT contest where students solve six Olympiad-style mathematics problems and earn marks for rigorous written reasoning.
Last verified: 18 Aug 2026Reviewed by:BSBen Stacy
Competition
Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad
A two-hour, school-based UKMT contest where students solve six Olympiad-style mathematics problems and earn marks for rigorous written reasoning.
Last verified: 18 Aug 2026Reviewed by:BSBen Stacy
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Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad at a glance: cost, dates and eligibility
Current status
Open now
Eligibility
IMC qualifiers or discretionary entrants
Age range / Year group
Year 11 / S4 / Year 12
Location / Region
UK and overseas schools
Cost
Free or £25
Prize highlight
Medals and book prizes
Entry format
In-school written paper
Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad summary
This is a demanding UKMT follow-on contest built around six Olympiad-style mathematics problems rather than multiple-choice questions.
Students must explain their methods through complete, exact written solutions. Clear mathematical presentation matters because partial credit is available.
It best suits confident problem-solvers who enjoy proofs, unfamiliar questions and sustained independent reasoning.
What is Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad?
The Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad is one of UKMT's follow-on rounds after the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. It focuses on deeper mathematical problem-solving and complete written arguments.
Students work through six Olympiad-style problems under exam conditions. They must show why their methods are correct, simplify answers fully and use exact forms rather than decimal approximations.
Why Succeed highlights Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad
The six-problem paper tests sustained reasoning rather than rapid multiple-choice technique.
Marks reward the clarity of students' mathematical presentation, not just final answers.
Free past papers, solutions and investigations provide unusually practical preparation material.
Olympiad participants can access individual marker comments through their student portal.
Who is Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad for?
Best for
Students who enjoy unfamiliar mathematics problems, proof-style reasoning and explaining every step clearly.
Not ideal if
You prefer calculator work, multiple-choice questions or short answer-only solutions.
Is Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad worth it?
It is worthwhile for students who want a serious test of mathematical reasoning and a structured reason to practise writing proofs. The feedback, past-paper resources and formal scoring make the preparation academically useful beyond the competition itself.
The main limitation is accessibility: the difficulty is high, and participation must be coordinated through a registered school or institution. A result is most valuable when the student also reflects on the mathematical ideas and techniques developed.
How much preparation does Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad need?
Effort level
High.
Best started
Six to eight weeks before the Olympiad.
Main challenge
Turning promising ideas into complete, rigorous written solutions.
Typical preparation
Attempt a past paper under the full time limit to establish a baseline.
Review official solutions and compare their logic and presentation with your own.
Practise writing exact, fully simplified answers without calculators or measuring instruments.
Useful if
You already enjoy non-routine school mathematics problems.
What do students do on Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad?
Students complete a printed Olympiad paper at school under exam conditions. Their school scans and uploads the answer sheets for marking.
Step-by-step process
- 1
Receive an invitation through the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge or arrange a discretionary school entry.
- 2
Prepare using UKMT past papers, solutions and investigations.
- 3
Sit a two-hour paper containing six Olympiad-style problems.
- 4
Write complete solutions that justify each mathematical method.
- 5
The school scans and uploads the paper answer sheets.
- 6
Access results, certificates and marker feedback through the UKMT platform.
Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad dates and deadlines
Upcoming
Olympiad sitting
18 March 2027
The Maclaurin paper is sat at school.
Answer upload
19 March 2027
Paper answer sheets are due by 11:59pm.
| Milestone | Date | Timezone | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Qualification challenge | 27 January 2027 | Local | Upcoming | |
Olympiad sitting | 18 March 2027 | Local | Upcoming | |
Answer upload | 19 March 2027 | Local | Upcoming | Save deadline |
Eligibility and requirements
England, Wales and overseas: Year 11
Scotland: S4
Northern Ireland: Year 12
Qualifying IMC score or discretionary entry
Entry through a registered UKMT centre
Not open to direct individual entry
How much does Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad cost?
Entry cost
Free or £25 — Free via qualification; £25 for a discretionary entry.
How to enter Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad
- 1
Ask your school or institution to confirm that it is a registered UKMT centre.
- 2
Qualify through the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge or discuss discretionary entry with the school coordinator.
- 3
The coordinator purchases a discretionary entry when qualification does not apply.
- 4
The school downloads and prints the question paper and answer sheets.
- 5
Sit the paper at school under exam conditions.
- 6
The coordinator scans and uploads the completed answer sheets.
Save this competition in Succeed, keep the deadline visible, and track your progress before you submit.
Start your entry checklistSubmission requirements
Students submit their work through school-managed paper answer sheets rather than a personal online entry.
Six full written solutions
Mathematical reasons for each method
Exact, fully simplified answers
No decimal approximations
No calculators or measuring instruments
No squared paper
Do not submit rough work
Scanned uploads under 14MB per file
Prizes and recognition
Gold medal
The top 20 scorers receive a gold medal and book prize.
Silver medal
The next 30 scorers receive a silver medal and book prize.
Bronze medal
The next 50 scorers receive a bronze medal and book prize.
Certificate of Distinction
Awarded to the top-scoring 25%.
Certificate of Merit
Awarded to the next 40% of scorers.
Other certificates
Qualification or Participation certificates depend on the entry route.
What this may help with
Demonstrating high-level mathematical problem-solving and written reasoning.
What it does not guarantee
University admission or progression to another competition.
Judging criteria
- 10 marks — Each of the six questions
- Partial marks — Clarity of mathematical presentation
- Full reasoning — Methods must be justified
- Accuracy — Answers should be exact and simplified
- Presentation — Incomplete solutions may lose marks
No separate percentage weighting is published beyond 10 marks per question.
How to stand out
- State the key mathematical idea before beginning detailed algebra or calculation.
- Justify every important step instead of relying on an unexplained correct answer.
- Use diagrams or notation only when they make the argument clearer.
- Check that final answers are exact, fully simplified and free from decimal approximations.
- Leave time to reread each solution for missing cases or unsupported claims.
- Compare practice solutions with official mark-worthy approaches, not only final answers.
Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad FAQs
Students have two hours to solve six Olympiad-style mathematics problems. Complete written reasoning is expected for every solution.
It is for Year 11 students in England, Wales and overseas schools, S4 students in Scotland and Year 12 students in Northern Ireland. Entry is through qualification or a discretionary school entry.
No. A registered UKMT centre must manage the entry; individual students, parents and private tutors cannot place entries.
No. Calculators, measuring instruments and squared paper are forbidden, although blank paper may be used for rough working.
Each of the six problems is worth 10 marks. Partial marks may be awarded for clear mathematical presentation.
The competition is normally taken at school under strict exam conditions. An alternative venue requires advance approval when equivalent arrangements apply to public examinations.
Yes, Olympiads are available to UK and overseas schools. Schools more than two hours ahead of the UK follow adjusted sitting arrangements.
Olympiad participants can access marker comments through their student portal using credentials provided by the school.
Alternatives to Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad
Compare these mathematics competitions if you want a different age range, team format or competition setting.
Alternatives to Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiad
Purple Comet! Math Meet
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Best for
Students who solve mathematics problems well in teams.
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
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Explain a challenging scientific idea through video
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15 Sept 2026
Free
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Best for
Students who enjoy explaining mathematics or science visually.
In-person university-hosted mathematics tournament
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20 Sept 2026
$80
Up to 20
Best for
Experienced competitors seeking an in-person mathematics tournament.
Save this competition in Succeed to compare it with other essay prizes, deadlines and entry formats in one place.
Compare with other competitionsContent reviewed by
Ben Stacy
Co-founder, Succeed | Former secondary teacher and educational leader
Ben works at the intersection of education, technology and school adoption, with expertise in how secondary schools evaluate data-driven tools and how education technology is used in practice.
Sources and verification
Source types reviewed
- Competition Handbook - Order T&Cs
- Competition Handbook - Access Arrangements
- Competition Handbook - FAQs
- Competition Handbook - Quick-Step Guide
- Competition Handbook - UKMT Competitions
- Register your school - UKMT
- Cayley, Hamilton and Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiads Awards - UKMT
- Competition Calendar 2026-27 - UKMT
- Cayley, Hamilton and Maclaurin Mathematical Olympiads - UKMT
Succeed uses official provider information where available, but keeps this public page focused on comparison and planning inside Succeed.
What we verified (on 18 Aug 2026)
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Awards structure reviewed
School process confirmed
How Succeed uses this information
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