Accessible paper order
18 February 2027
Braille or large-print papers
Competition
Pink Kangaroo
Pink Kangaroo is a UKMT follow-on challenge that tests mathematical thinking through increasingly difficult problems.
Last verified: 18 Aug 2026Reviewed by:SSSean Stevens
Competition
Pink Kangaroo
Pink Kangaroo is a UKMT follow-on challenge that tests mathematical thinking through increasingly difficult problems.
Last verified: 18 Aug 2026Reviewed by:SSSean Stevens
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Pink Kangaroo challenge at a glance: cost, dates and eligibility
Current status
Upcoming
Eligibility
Invitation or discretionary school entry
Age range / Year group
Years 10-11 or national equivalents
Location / Region
UK schools
Cost
£4; qualifiers free
Prize highlight
Gold, Silver and Bronze certificates
Entry format
Paper multiple choice
Pink Kangaroo challenge summary
Pink Kangaroo is a UKMT follow-on mathematics challenge focused on careful reasoning and problem-solving.
Students tackle questions that become progressively harder, so success depends on choosing problems strategically rather than trying to finish everything.
It suits confident young mathematicians who enjoy unfamiliar problems and can stay accurate under time pressure.
What is Pink Kangaroo?
Pink Kangaroo is one of UKMT's follow-on rounds to the Intermediate Maths Challenge. It tests mathematical thinking through 25 multiple-choice problems arranged in approximate order of difficulty.
Students complete the paper at school under exam conditions, using written reasoning and rough work without a calculator. The challenge rewards careful problem selection: participants are explicitly told not to expect to finish every question.
Why Succeed highlights Pink Kangaroo challenge
The progressively harder questions reward strategy as well as mathematical knowledge.
There is no penalty for wrong answers, allowing students to attempt ambitious problems without losing marks.
Official past papers and solutions provide a strong, relevant preparation resource.
Tiered certificates recognize the top 60%, while every other participant receives a participation or qualification certificate.
Who is Pink Kangaroo challenge for?
Best for
Students who enjoy non-routine mathematics problems and can make calm, strategic choices under time pressure.
Not ideal if
You need an independently entered or take-home competition, or rely on a calculator for challenging problems.
Is Pink Kangaroo challenge worth it?
Pink Kangaroo is worthwhile for students who want a focused test of mathematical reasoning beyond routine classroom exercises. Past papers also make it possible to prepare with material that closely matches the real challenge.
The main limitation is access: entry is restricted to UK schools and must be handled by a registered centre. It is also a short, high-pressure assessment, so it provides less scope to demonstrate extended proof or research than an Olympiad or project competition.
How much preparation does Pink Kangaroo challenge need?
Effort level
Moderate.
Best started
Begin using past papers four to six weeks before 18 March 2027.
Main challenge
Deciding which questions deserve limited time.
Typical preparation
Complete one past paper under timed conditions to establish your starting point.
Review every missed question and identify whether the issue was knowledge, reasoning or time management.
Practise leaving an unproductive problem and returning later.
Use official solutions to compare methods, not just final answers.
Useful if
You enjoy mathematical puzzles and reasoning without a calculator.
What do students do on Pink Kangaroo challenge?
You work through a paper of increasingly difficult mathematics problems, marking one answer from five options for each question you attempt.
Step-by-step process
- 1
Receive an automatic qualifying place or enter through a discretionary school purchase.
- 2
Sit the challenge at school under exam conditions.
- 3
Use rough working to solve and select answers without a calculator.
- 4
Mark no more than one option on the answer sheet for each question.
- 5
Your school scans and uploads the answer sheet for marking.
- 6
Access results and certificates through the school's Competition Profile.
Pink Kangaroo challenge dates and deadlines
Reference date
Competition date
18 March 2027
Single official sitting
Answer-sheet upload
19 March 2027
By 11:59pm for school coordinators
| Milestone | Date | Timezone | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Accessible paper order | 18 February 2027 | Local | Reference date | |
Competition date | 18 March 2027 | Local | Reference date | |
Answer-sheet upload | 19 March 2027 | Local | Reference date |
Eligibility and requirements
Students must attend a UK school.
England and Wales: Years 10-11.
Scotland: S3-S4.
Northern Ireland: Years 11-12.
Enter through a qualifying IMC score or discretionary school purchase.
Students may sit only one follow-on round.
How much does Pink Kangaroo challenge cost?
Discretionary entry
£4 — Automatic qualifiers participate free.
How to enter Pink Kangaroo challenge
- 1
Confirm that the school is a registered UKMT centre.
- 2
Check whether the student qualified automatically through their IMC score.
- 3
For non-qualifiers, purchase a discretionary entry through the school's Competition Profile.
- 4
Enter each student's name and correct year-group code.
- 5
Download and print the question paper and answer sheet when available.
- 6
Run the challenge under school exam conditions.
- 7
Scan and upload completed answer sheets through the Competition Profile.
Submission requirements
The school administers the paper and submits scanned answer sheets for marking.
Paper format only
B or HB non-propelling pencil
One answer per question: A, B, C, D or E
Blank paper allowed for rough working
No calculators or measuring instruments
School exam conditions
Clear scan with QR codes and corner markers visible
Prizes and recognition
Gold Kangaroo
A certificate for the top-scoring 10% of participants.
Silver Kangaroo
A certificate for the next 20% of participants.
Bronze Kangaroo
A certificate for the next 30% of participants.
Other participants
A participation or qualification certificate, depending on entry route.
What this may help with
Demonstrating sustained interest in mathematical problem-solving.
What it does not guarantee
University admission or progression to another UKMT round.
Judging criteria
- Questions 1-15 — Five marks for each correct answer
- Questions 16-25 — Six marks for each correct answer
- Incorrect answers — No marks deducted
- Blank answers — Zero marks
- Maximum score — 135 marks
No qualitative judging criteria apply; certificates are awarded by total-score bands.
How to stand out
- Practise with official Pink Kangaroo papers under the full time limit.
- Secure the early questions before spending time on the hardest problems.
- Write enough rough work to catch arithmetic and logic errors.
- Move on when a problem stalls, then return with remaining time.
- Use solutions to learn alternative approaches rather than memorising answers.
- Check that each attempted question has exactly one marked option.
Pink Kangaroo challenge FAQs
It is a UKMT follow-on mathematics challenge with 25 multiple-choice problems. Questions are arranged in approximate order of difficulty.
It is for UK-school students in Years 10-11 in England and Wales, S3-S4 in Scotland, or Years 11-12 in Northern Ireland. Entry is by IMC qualification or discretionary school purchase.
No. Entry is handled by a registered UKMT centre, normally the student's school.
No. Calculators and measuring instruments are forbidden, but blank paper may be used for rough working.
No. Incorrect answers and blank answers receive zero marks, with no negative marking.
No. UKMT says students should not expect to complete the entire paper and should decide carefully which questions to tackle.
UKMT honors school-approved arrangements such as extra time for Kangaroos. Braille, large-print and permitted colored-paper arrangements are also described in the handbook.
Official past papers, solutions and investigations are the most relevant resources. Timed practice should be followed by a careful review of methods and question selection.
Alternatives to Pink Kangaroo challenge
Compare these mathematics and problem-solving competitions if you want a different format, age range or style of challenge.
Alternatives to Pink Kangaroo challenge
Purple Comet! Math Meet
Open now
Online mathematics and problem-solving competition
Mathematics
15 Apr 2027
Free
11-19
Best for
Students aged 11-19 seeking an online challenge
Breakthrough Junior Challenge
Open now
Online science video challenge including mathematics
Mathematics
15 Sept 2026
Free
13-18
Best for
Students who enjoy explaining scientific ideas
In-person mathematics tournament in Cambridge
Mathematics
20 Sept 2026
$80
Up to 20
Best for
Students wanting an in-person maths 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
Sean Stevens
Co-founder, Succeed | Founder, Immerse Education (2012–2026)
Sean works at the intersection of academic enrichment, programme quality and university preparation, with expertise in evaluating pre-university experiences for ambitious secondary school students.
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
- Grey and Pink Kangaroo Awards - UKMT
- Register your school - UKMT
- Competition Calendar 2026-27 - UKMT
- Grey and Pink Kangaroos - 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)
Competition date checked
Eligibility reviewed
Entry cost verified
Format confirmed
Scoring rules checked
Certificate bands reviewed
Access guidance checked
How Succeed uses this information
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