Canada/USA Mathcamp

Mathcamp at a Glance

Host

Run by the nonprofit Canada/USA Mathcamp; the location changes from year to year, and in 2026 it was Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont

Field

Mathematics: students choose their own classes in college-level and more advanced mathematics

Grades and age

Middle and high school students aged 13 to 18; for 2026, birth dates had to fall between August 2, 2007 and June 28, 2013. Exceptions are made for 19-year-olds still in high school or graduating that year. Students must have completed Precalculus or the equivalent; calculus is not required

Citizenship and residency

Open to all nationalities. Typically about 75% of students come from the US, 5% to 10% from Canada and 10% to 15% from other countries. No TOEFL is required, but students must be comfortable studying and socializing in English. International students are equally eligible for full scholarships and travel grants, and Mathcamp helps with tourist visa applications.

Cost

Base cost of $7,500 in 2026, covering tuition, room, board, all activities and transport to and from the Burlington airport; after aid, the fee ranges from $0 to $7,500. Mathcamp is free for US and Canadian families with household incomes under $100,000 and awards over $100,000 a year in need-based scholarships. There is no application fee, and admission decisions are made without regard to finances.

Dates and format

Five weeks (35 days) in residence. The 2026 session ran June 28 to August 2; dates and location for 2027 will be announced in December.

Application dates

The 2027 application and quiz are expected to be posted in January. For 2026, the application opened January 12 and closed at 11:59 pm Eastern on February 23, with decisions on April 17 and registration due May 4; late applications are not accepted.

Application materials

The Qualifying Quiz (5 to 10 problems) is the core of the application; for each problem, students submit a final write-up, their scratchwork and a list of resources used. The application also includes a description of math background, an About You section and contact details for one reference (recommendation letters have not been required since 2024). Transcripts and standardized test scores are not required.

Size and selectivity

120 students each year, typically about 65 new students and 55 returning alumni. The number of applicants and the admission rate are not published; the FAQ says only that the camp reviews many hundreds of applications, and that most admitted students give at least partially correct solutions to at least half the quiz problems.

Verified against official pages on 2026-10-06 · mathcamp.org

How to Apply to Mathcamp

• Each quiz answer must include scratchwork and a list of resources. Upload scratchwork as you go from the day the quiz is posted rather than collecting it at the end.
• The FAQ says most admitted students give at least partially correct solutions to at least half the problems. Keep working on the remaining problems after solving a few, so your application shows more of your thinking.
• Mathcamp does not accept late applications, and contest results from March or April do not affect decisions. Put the late-February deadline into your competition calendar and protect enough time for the quiz.