Compete

Math

AIME

American Invitational Mathematics Examination

Fifteen problems, three hours, integer answers only. Invitation required.

Run by Mathematical Association of America

Official website How to prepare Reviews and tips

Key facts

Eligible grades
Grade 12 and below, via AMC qualification
You reach AIME only by qualifying on the AMC 10 or AMC 12, so the AMC's own grade and age limits apply first.
Source, checked 2026-09-01
Recommended preparation
A qualifying score on AMC 10 or AMC 12
Why: Access is set by the AMC score threshold rather than year of study: 100 or above on AMC 10, or 85 or above on AMC 12. Preparation therefore means working to that threshold on the AMC itself.
Based on the published qualification route.
The organiser publishes this as part of how you qualify or enter, so it is a real condition rather than our suggestion.
Eligible ages
Not confirmed. This organiser may set eligibility by grade rather than age. We do not convert one into the other.
The MAA does not publish a separate age limit for AIME. The relevant limits are those of the AMC you qualified through: under 17.5 on AMC 10 day, under 19.5 on AMC 12 day.
Individual or team
Individual
Where it runs
In person · United States, Canada
Entry cost
$85 registration fee to participate in AIMENew for 2027 and a significant change: AIME previously carried no separate student fee. The MAA states financial assistance is available to any student who needs it, with details provided to those who qualify.
Registration deadline
Set locally, not published as a single national date There is no application deadline. Qualification comes from your AMC score, after which you must schedule a slot at a Pearson centre within the 5 to 6 February 2027 window.
Competition dates
A single competition window of 5 to 6 February 2027. The former AIME I and AIME II two-date structure has been replaced. There are no alternate dates and no make-up administrations; the MAA states no exceptions will be made.
Difficulty
Highly competitiveNational-level field. Expect months of structured work, and usually a coach or a strong team.
Prizes
Selection to USAJMO or USAMONo cash prize. For 2027, qualification for USAMO and USAJMO is primarily based on AIME scores; AMC scores are no longer a factor.

What AIME is

The AIME is the second round of the United States mathematical olympiad pathway. You cannot enter it directly: you qualify by scoring in roughly the top 2.5% on the AMC 10 or top 5% on the AMC 12. The paper has 15 questions in three hours, every answer is an integer from 0 to 999, and there is no multiple choice and no partial credit. Your combined AMC and AIME index determines whether you are invited to the USAJMO or USAMO.

How the competition works

For 2027 the AIME moved to Pearson Professional Centers across the United States and Canada and became computer-based, proctored by professional test administrators. Qualifiers select an available time at the Pearson centre of their choice. It remains 15 questions with integer answers from 000 to 999 and no partial credit.

Eligibility notes

Invitation only. Qualification comes from your AMC 10 or AMC 12 score in the preceding November.

How to register

  1. Sit the AMC 10 or AMC 12 in November and score above the published cutoff.
  2. Wait for the MAA to release cutoffs and qualification notices, usually a few weeks after the exam.
  3. Confirm with your competition manager that they have ordered AIME materials for you. This step is missed more often than any other.
  4. If your school cannot administer the AIME, contact the MAA or a nearby registered site quickly. Seats are limited and the window is short.

Register on the official site

What skills you need

  • Advanced algebra
  • Combinatorics
  • Number theory
  • Olympiad geometry
  • Sustained concentration over three hours
  • Exact arithmetic under pressure

How to prepare

The jump from AMC to AIME is real. AMC problems reward recognition; AIME problems reward technique. You need a working toolkit of named methods, and you need to execute long computations without error, because every answer is all-or-nothing.

What to study

Algebra
Polynomial roots and symmetric functions, complex numbers and roots of unity, sequences, functional equations, inequalities.
Combinatorics
Recursion, generating functions at an introductory level, inclusion-exclusion, bijections, probability with conditioning.
Number theory
Modular arithmetic to a serious level, Chinese remainder theorem, orders and primitive roots, Diophantine equations, base representation.
Geometry
Power of a point, similar triangle configurations, trigonometric identities, coordinate and complex-number bashing, mass points.

Full preparation guide, including a week-by-week plan

Recommended resources

Past problems and materials

Only materials the organiser or an authorised archive publishes openly are listed here.

Helpful videos

Frequently asked questions

Can I enter the AIME without taking the AMC?

No. The AIME is invitation only and the invitation comes exclusively from your AMC 10 or AMC 12 score. There is no separate application route.

Should I sit AIME I or AIME II?

Your competition manager decides which administration your site offers, and you sit one of the two. You may not take both. Neither is systematically easier.

What is a good AIME score?

Any score above zero puts you in a small national group, since you already cleared the AMC cutoff to be there. Historically a score around 8 to 10 combined with a strong AMC score has been in the range that earns USAMO or USAJMO invitations, but the index cutoffs are set each year and change.

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