What is AMC?
The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) is a long-running examination organized by the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) since 1950. The AMC exams are divided into AMC 8, AMC 10, and AMC 12, each tailored to different age groups. Today, more than 300,000 students in all 50 states and over 30 countries participate in the AMC.
About AMC 10
The AMC 10 exam consists of 25 multiple-choice questions and takes 75 minutes to complete. It is designed by the Mathematical Association based on high school math problems from the secondary school curriculum. The primary purpose of the exam is to give participants the opportunity to familiarize themselves with in-depth forms of mathematics in the general education curriculum, including many problems related to the practical applications of mathematics.
Who can take the AMC 10?
The AMC works with a dedicated group of participants, each of whom is vital to the success of our math community!
Students: Students in 10th grade or younger under 17.5 years of age with a passion for problem-solving are eligible to take the AMC 10. Their curiosity, passion, and problem-solving abilities shape the future of mathematics.
Competition administrators: Educators and mathematics teachers play a crucial role in developing students' mathematical abilities and ensuring the smooth operation of the AMC.
Parents: Their support and encouragement are essential for a child's growth.
Key Points of the New 2026 AMC 10/12 Policies and AIME Reforms
According to the latest notice from the China Organizing Committee:
Change 1: Mandatory In-Person Exams
Online exams are not permitted for any students. All candidates must take the AMC 10/12 exams in person at designated test centers.
Change 2: Potential Use of a Dedicated Exam Version for the China Region
A dedicated version of the exam may be used for the China region (distinct from the international version).
Change 3: Major Changes Ahead for AIME (Reform plan pending final official confirmation)
The AIME will undergo significant adjustments modeled after the USA(J)MO format:
① Exams will be held at centralized testing sites; students may not necessarily take the AIME at the same location where they took the AMC 10/12.
② The AIME exam papers for the China region and the US region will be relatively independent.
③ The interval between AIME I and AIME II will be reduced to one day (February 5 and February 6), down from the previous gap of approximately one week.
④ The total exam duration is 3 hours, split into two 1.5-hour sessions on the same day with a break in between; the first 8 questions are to be completed in the first 1.5 hours, and the remaining 7 questions in the second 1.5 hours.
⑤ Starting in 2027, a minimum age requirement of 13 will be introduced for the AIME.
Important Update to the AMC Competitions in the United States
Score lines for all AMC 10/12 awards in 2025 have been released.
AIME I Exam Date: February 2, 2026, 13:00-16:00
AIME II Exam Date: February 6, 2026, 13:00-16:00
Note: Domestic candidates may only register for the AIME II exam (AIME I is not open to international candidates).
2025 AMC 10/12 Award Changes
This year's AMC 10/12 award structure has undergone changes. Please take note!
1. New Awards
▸ New Top 10% Honor Roll (Top 10% globally)
▸ New Top 25% Honor Roll (Top 25% globally)
2. Existing Awards Remain Unchanged (Top 1%, Top 5%, AIME-cut, Lower Grade Achievement Awards, etc., remain unchanged)
Perfect Score
▸ Honor Roll of Distinction
▸ Distinction
▸ Achievement Roll
▸ AIME Qualification Certificate
2026 AMC 10 Exam Date and Location
USA Region (US Time)
| AMC 10 A | AMC 10 B | |
| Early Bird Registration Deadline | September 30, 2026 | September 30, 2026 |
| Regular Registration Deadline | October 15, 2026 | October 15, 2026 |
| Extend Registration Deadline | October 28, 2026 | October 28, 2026 |
| Exam Time | November 5, 2026 | November 13, 2026 |
China Region
AMC 10 A
Registration Deadline: October 26, 2026
Exam Time: November 5, 2026, 17:00–18:15
AMC 10 B
Registration Deadline: November 3, 2026
Exam Time: November 13, 2026, 17:00–18:15
*Note: [Explanation of Difficulty for Papers A and B] AMC 10 Papers A and B are distinct exams but share the same level of difficulty and scope. Students may choose to take either Paper A or Paper B, or both; the highest individual score achieved between the two papers will be used for awards, rankings, and AIME qualification.
2026 AMC 10 Exam Locations
Exam Location: AMC 10 has fully resumed in-person testing.
In-person Exam: Students who registered via a registration center must travel to the designated exam location on their own to take the test.
Exam Results: Exam results are available 6–8 weeks after the exam.
Why is it recommended to participate in the AMC 10?
1. Boosting Applications to Top Universities:
The AMC 10 is one of the world's most prestigious mathematics competitions. Achieving a good score can significantly enhance a student's academic background, especially for students interested in pursuing science and engineering (STEM) fields. The result will be strong proof of your mathematical abilities!
Top universities such as MIT, Caltech, and Carnegie Mellon University explicitly require AMC/AIME scores in their application materials.
2. Advancement to Higher-Level Mathematics Competitions:
If your score is in the top 2.5% of the AMC 10, you will have the opportunity to advance to the American Invitational Mathematics Competition (AIME). High scores on the AMC and AIME will earn you a place in the USA(J)MO (United States Mathematical Olympiad), ultimately leading to participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad.
(Note: Chinese citizens can only compete up to the AIME and are not eligible for the USA(J)MO.) However, high scores on the AMC and AIME will help you stand out in college applications.
3. Enhancement of Overall Mathematical Literacy:
Preparing for and participating in the AMC 10 helps students deepen their understanding of mathematical concepts, cultivate problem-solving skills, and develop innovative thinking. AMC 10 problems are often more challenging than classroom learning, stimulating students' enthusiasm for exploring the world of mathematics and enhancing their overall mathematical literacy.
How to Achieve a High Score on AMC 10?
Here are four key things to focus on:
1. Understand all the concepts: These problems go beyond the scope of school curriculum, so if you're new to the AMC 10 competition, you'll need to learn various concepts from algebra, number theory, combinatorics, and geometry.
2. Be able to apply theory to challenging problems: AMC 10 problems are not as simple as classroom math, so they require creative thinking, which can only be achieved through extensive practice.
3. Solve problems accurately: You need to simulate test conditions, completing a full answer sheet within a limited time, and learn how to avoid common mistakes such as calculation errors and misreading questions.
4. Answer quickly: You need to complete 25 questions in 75 minutes, so you need to learn good time management so you can attempt most questions without getting bogged down.
AMC 10 score lines for the past Four years
| AMC10 | Honor Roll of Distinction | Certificate of Distinction | AIME cutoff | |
| 2025 | AMC10 A | 136.5 | 112.5 | 105 |
| AMC10 B | 133.5 | 105 | 99 | |
| 2024 | AMC10 A | 132 | 105 | 94.5 |
| AMC10 B | 138 | 114 | 105 | |
| 2023 | AMC10 A | 136.5 | 111 | 103.5 |
| AMC10 B | 135 | 112.5 | 105 | |
| 2022 | AMC10 A | 121.5 | 100.5 | 93 |
| AMC10 B | 114 | 100.5 | 94.5 | |
AMC 10/12 High Scorer Invitational - AIME
Students who achieve exceptionally high scores on the AMC 10/12 exams will be invited to participate in the AMC series exams, namely the AIME (American Invitational Mathematics Examination). The AIME is a challenging competition for those who excel on the AMC 10 and/or AMC 12 exams.
The AIME is a 15-question, 3-hour exam, with each answer being an integer between 0 and 999. The questions in the AIME are significantly more difficult than those in the AMC 10 and AMC 12. The criteria for invitation to the AIME vary depending on the results of the AMC 10/12 exams. For AMC 10, at least 2.5% of the top scorers will be invited. For AMC 12, at least 5% of the top scorers will be invited. The exact numbers will depend on the difficulty of each exam.
