Math · High school / Middle school · US

Stanford Math TournamentSMT

SMT is one of very few university-level high school team tournaments in California, so an Irvine family reaches it without a cross-country flight. The format is also unusually forgiving: the individual round lets a student choose between a general paper and two subject papers, so a less experienced competitor is not shut out. The 80-minute Power Round is a complete proof-writing exercise, which is exactly what selective math camp applications ask for, and the April date sits well clear of the crowded fall season.

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Stanford Math Tournament (SMT)
2025-26Latest season

Photo: Jean-Rene Chazottes / Pexels

  1. Registration opensDec 32025
  2. Registration deadlineFeb 182026
  3. Contest datesApr 17 – Apr 192026
  4. ResultsTBA

Verified from the official site on September 21, 2026 · www.stanfordmathtournament.org

Organizer
Stanford University Mathematics Organization (SUMO)
Eligibility
The in-person tournament is for high school students residing in the United States, in teams of five or six, with teammates from the same school or the same established mathematical organization. The online edition is open to high school students and below anywhere in the world; the team rules do not apply, students may register individually, and organizers combine solo entrants and incomplete teams.
Format
Five rounds. Power Round: 80 minutes of proof writing on a single subject (50 minutes online). Team Round: 50 minutes, 15 short-answer questions. Individual: either a 110-minute, 25-question General Test aimed at less experienced competitors, or two 50-minute Subject Tests of 10 questions each in Algebra, Calculus, Discrete, or Geometry. Guts Round: 80 minutes, eight sets of four questions, scored live.
Contest dates
April 17 – 19, 2026
Fees
In person: 30 US dollars per student plus about 2 dollars in service fees, covering a t-shirt, Friday dinner and Saturday lunch. Online, in three tiers: 25 dollars early bird through 21 February, 30 dollars regular through 24 March, 35 dollars late through 12 April.
Awards
The in-person tournament awards individual rounds and team standings; the exact tiers follow each year's announcement. The online edition gives no physical prizes and emails digital certificates to award winners within two weeks.

About the competition

SMT is run by the Stanford University Mathematics Organization (SUMO), an undergraduate group, each April on the Stanford campus for roughly 800 high school competitors, with a companion online edition. In 2026 the in-person tournament ran 17-18 April and the online edition on 19 April.

Five rounds make up the tournament. The Power Round is 80 minutes of proof writing on a single subject, asking for a complete argument and awarding partial credit. The Team Round is 50 minutes and 15 short-answer questions. The individual round offers a choice: a 110-minute, 25-question General Test, or two 50-minute Subject Tests of 10 questions each in Algebra, Calculus, Discrete and Geometry. The Guts Round is 80 minutes across eight sets of four questions, scored live. The online edition keeps the same structure with the Power Round shortened to 50 minutes.

Eligibility for the in-person tournament is stricter than at most events at this level. Students must reside in the United States, teams are five or six students, and teammates must come from the same school or the same established mathematical organization. Spots are limited and not first-come, first-served: organizers reserve seats for top teams from the previous year and for low-income and underrepresented students, then run a lottery weighted toward school teams. Applying and registering are separate steps. For 2026, applications opened 3 December 2025 and closed 18 February 2026, selections were announced 24 February, and selected teams registered by 13 March.

The online edition is far more open. It admits high school students and below from anywhere, drops the team requirement, accepts individual registration, and combines solo entrants into teams. Fees run from 25 dollars early bird to 35 dollars late. There are no physical prizes; award winners receive digital certificates within two weeks.

For Irvine families, SMT and the November Berkeley Math Tournament (BMT) are the only two university-level high school team tournaments inside California, neither requiring a cross-country flight, and they sit in different seasons so a student can do both in one year. The SMT Power Round also shares its demands with selective math camp applications, so the preparation overlaps.

How to prepare

  • In-person spots are not first-come, first-served. Organizers reserve seats for top teams from the previous year and for low-income and underrepresented students, then assign the rest by lottery weighted toward school teams. Applying as a school or an established program beats assembling an ad hoc team.
  • Applying and registering are separate steps a month apart. Apply by 18 February, selected teams are announced 24 February, and those teams must complete registration and payment by 13 March or forfeit the spot. Put both dates on the calendar.
  • Test both individual formats on past papers first. The General Test is 110 minutes and 25 questions, safer for all-rounders. The two Subject Tests are 50 minutes and 10 questions each, better for a student clearly stronger in one or two areas.
  • The Power Round is 80 minutes of proof on a single theme and is usually where teams separate. Rehearse the whole team process at least once: split the work at the start, cross-check in the middle, and leave time to consolidate the write-up.
  • The online edition, at 25 to 35 dollars per student, is a low-cost entry point with no nationality requirement and no team requirement. A student new to university-level team competition can do the online edition first and apply in person the following year.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Stanford Math Tournament (SMT) in 2027, and is registration open?

As of September 2026 the organizers have not announced 2027 dates or opened applications. The recent pattern is an in-person tournament in mid-to-late April on the Stanford campus with the online edition the following day, applications opening in early December and closing in mid-February. For 2026: applications opened 3 December 2025 and closed 18 February 2026, the tournament ran 17-18 April, and the online edition was 19 April. Start watching the official site in November.

How far is SMT for a family in Irvine?

No cross-country flight is needed. Stanford is in the Bay Area, about six hours by car from Orange County, or a short flight to San Francisco or San Jose plus ground transport, usually with one night of lodging. Compared with the Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament (HMMT) and the Princeton University Mathematics Competition (PUMaC), both of which require an East Coast trip, SMT and the Berkeley Math Tournament (BMT) are the two cheapest university-level team events for Southern California families.

Does an SMT team have to come from one school, and can international students enter?

The in-person tournament requires students to reside in the United States, in teams of five or six, with teammates from the same school or the same established mathematical organization, so an ad hoc team is not eligible. International students and anyone who does not meet those conditions should enter the online edition, which is open to high school students and below worldwide, drops the team requirement, and accepts individual registration.

Should an Irvine student take the General or Subject Tests?

It depends on the student's profile. The General Test is 110 minutes and 25 questions, and the organizers describe it as aimed at less experienced competitors, which makes it the safer choice for all-rounders. The Subject Tests are two 50-minute papers of 10 questions each in Algebra, Calculus, Discrete and Geometry, and place better for a student clearly stronger in one or two of those. Test both on past papers before deciding.

What is the SMT Power Round?

The Power Round is an 80-minute team proof exam, shortened to 50 minutes online, built around one theme in increasing difficulty. It asks for a complete written argument rather than an answer and awards partial credit, while the other four rounds are scored on answers alone. Its value reaches past the tournament: the application problems for the Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC), the Ross Mathematics Program and PROMYS are the same kind of proof writing, so preparing for this round prepares a camp application.

Does applying to SMT guarantee an Irvine student a spot?

No. Capacity is limited. Organizers first reserve seats for strong teams from the previous year and for low-income and underrepresented students, then assign the remainder by lottery, prioritizing school teams. Two separate actions follow: apply by mid-February, see the selection announcement in late February, and only then complete registration and payment by mid-March.

Can an Irvine student do both SMT and BMT?

Yes, and the dates do not conflict. The Berkeley Math Tournament (BMT) is in mid-November and SMT is the following April, one in the fall season and one in the spring. A common plan is to take the first team-round feedback at BMT, spend the winter on proof writing and subject papers, then measure the improvement at SMT. The formats are similar enough, both with a Power Round and a Guts Round, that preparation carries over.

Train for it with EDUBUSMath Competition Track: Elite Math Track · AMC Accelerator · AIME PathwayThis math competition path for Irvine students runs from grade 3 to high school — Elite Math Track, AMC Accelerator, AIME Pathway — in small in-person EDUBUS classes.Learn More →

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