What Is MOEMS?
Math Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools
About the Competition
A Math Olympiad Students Take Worldwide
MOEMS is one of the most widely recognized elementary and middle school math competitions, with over 120,000 students participating across 39 countries. Rather than testing fast calculation, it's designed to build creative, out-of-the-box problem-solving skills.
By learning multiple problem-solving strategies and practicing when to apply each one, students build mathematical flexibility, creativity, and ingenuity.
Competition Format
5 Contests, 30 Minutes Each
5
Contests
Held roughly once a month from November through March.
5 / 30
Problems · Minutes
Each contest is a single paper test with 5 problems to solve in 30 minutes.
35
Max Team Size
Schools may enter a team of up to 35 students.
Test-Day Rules
How Test Day Works
- All students take every test on the same day, at the same time, in the same place — the exact schedule is set by the school's Olympiad coordinator.
- A missed test cannot be made up later, and there is no partial refund for a missed contest.
- Tests are administered after school, in a quiet setting.
- Students work alone and receive only the question sheet, a pencil, and one sheet of scrap paper — calculators, rulers, graph paper, and other aids are not permitted.
- Parents may attend, but may not interact with their child in any way until the contest has concluded.
- Problems that introduce more advanced concepts include all the definitions students need — no outside knowledge is assumed.
Scoring
Student Score & Team Score
- One point for each correct answer.
- Student Score (0–25): once all 5 contests are complete, each student's score is the total number of problems answered correctly across the whole season.
- Team Score (0–250): the sum of a school's ten highest student scores after the fifth contest.
Awards
What Students Earn
- All students receive a certificate of participation.
- The highest individual scorer at each school receives a medal.
- Roughly the top 50% of participating students receive an award patch.
- The top 10% of scores receive a silver pin; the top 2% receive a gold pin.
- A perfect score of 25 earns the George Lenchner Medallion.
Try It Yourself
Try Sample Problems
These are official, free sample contests provided directly by MOEMS — the same format as the real thing.
How to Prepare
One Hour a Week Is Enough
Students who register typically only need about one hour of practice each week. The following study materials are provided along the way:
- 50 problems with detailed solutions from the previous two years
- A weekly "Problem of the Week"
- Supplemental practice problems purchased from MOEMS
- The reference book "What Every Young Mathlete Should Know"
Prepare for MOEMS with Daniel Math Academy
From problem-solving strategies to contest-day readiness, we help students prepare for MOEMS at their own level.