IM²C
International Mathematical Modeling Challenge
A team modelling challenge with national rounds worldwide feeding an international judging round.
Run by Consortium for Mathematics and Its Applications, with international partners
Key facts
- Eligible grades
-
Secondary school students, or below, enrolled in the same school
IM2C uses the term 'secondary or below' rather than numbered grades.Source, checked 2026-09-02
- Recommended preparation
-
A strong result in COMAP's HiMCM or MidMCM
Why: In the United States entry is by invitation only, extended to teams that excelled in COMAP's autumn contests.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.IM2C publishes no age limits.
- Individual or team
- Team · A team may consist of up to four students enrolled in the same school, with a faculty advisor from that school. The advisor is responsible for all required steps before, during and after the contest.
- Where it runs
- Online · International
- Entry cost
- FreeNot stated on the IM2C pages checked. National organisers may charge; COMAP's feeder contests have their own fees.
- Registration deadline
- Set locally, not published as a single national date Set by each country or region's organiser within the international window. 2027 dates not published. In the US the binding dates are those of COMAP's autumn HiMCM and MidMCM, since IM2C invitation flows from them.
- Competition dates
- The contest window runs from mid-February through late April. 2027 dates not yet published. For reference, in 2026 all papers were due by 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday 27 April 2026, and the Australian round ran 3 February to 31 March 2026.
- Difficulty
- CompetitiveSerious preparation over a season. Advancing past the first round separates prepared students from unprepared ones.
- Prizes
- Outstanding and meritorious designations, plus national awardsRecognition designations rather than cash; any national prizes are set by the national organiser.
What IM²C is
The International Mathematical Modeling Challenge gives teams of four an open-ended real-world problem and several consecutive days to produce a modelling report. National organisers run their own rounds and forward their best papers to international judging. It is free, it runs in dozens of countries, and its longer window makes it a gentler introduction to modelling than the fourteen-hour formats.
How the competition works
Teams choose five consecutive days within the contest window to download the problem, work together and prepare a solution document. Advisors submit the papers. A signed Parental/Guardian Authorization form is required for every student. Solutions are recognised as Outstanding, Meritorious, Honorable Mention or Successful Participant, with international judging in June and July.
Eligibility notes
Run separately in each participating country, with eligibility set nationally. Teams need a teacher advisor.
Is IM²C right for you?
- Experience needed
- Algebra and statistics. The longer window makes it more forgiving than the fourteen-hour formats.
- Time commitment
- Several consecutive days during the round, plus practice beforehand.
- What you actually do
- You research a real problem, build a model, test it, and write a formal report as a team.
A good fit if
- You want modelling experience without a single-day sprint
- You are outside the United States and want an international modelling route
Probably not for you if
- Students who want a timed exam format
Common mistakes
- Treating a multi-day window as unlimited time. Teams routinely start writing on the final day and submit an unfinished report.
- Skipping the literature. The longer window is meant for research, and papers that show none stand out badly.
How to register
- Outside the United States, contact your country or region representative listed on immchallenge.org; selection processes differ by country.
- In the United States, IM2C is by invitation only. Enter COMAP's autumn HiMCM or MidMCM first; COMAP invites teams that excel there.
- Assemble a team of up to four students from the same school with a faculty advisor.
- Choose five consecutive days within the contest window, download the problem, and have the advisor submit the paper with signed parental authorisation forms.
What skills you need
- Mathematical modelling
- Research
- Technical writing
- Team collaboration over several days
Recommended resources
-
IM²C official site
National organiser directory, rules, past problems and winning papers.
Past problems and materials
Only materials the organiser or an authorised archive publishes openly are listed here.
- Past problems and outstanding papers
Published free by the organisers.
Frequently asked questions
How is this different from the M3 Challenge?
IM²C runs internationally with national rounds and gives teams several consecutive days rather than fourteen hours. M3 is United States and United Kingdom only, awards large scholarships, and is a single-day sprint.
Reviews, tips and resources from other students
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Something out of date?
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