Who should participate in CEMC contests
Each year, more than 300 000 students from over 85 countries register for CEMC contests.
Designed by teams of expert educators for Grades 5 to 12, CEMC contests are a great fit for students with a range of abilities—from learners who want to explore and develop their confidence in mathematics and computer science, to advanced students who wish to stretch their limits. Anyone who enjoys mathematics and/or computer science and wants to approach these areas differently should consider participating in a CEMC contest. All students, not just the best in their class, can derive enjoyment from or excel in a competition.
Some of our contests have awards attached to them, and educators may generate certificates of participation for all participants upon completion. More information can be found in the Awards and Recognition section of each contest’s webpage.
Selecting CEMC contests
Choose appropriate contests from our Mathematics and Computing Contests webpage. Each CEMC contest is designed so that its questions gradually increase in difficulty to encourage more learners to confidently attempt math contests, fostering a mindset for critical thinking and a love for learning.
The CEMC offers 13 Mathematics and 3 Computing contests for learners of grades 5 to 12. Educators and students have the option to choose between multiple-choice and full-solution contests based on their comfort level with contest writing. View contests, workshops and tools and resources for your grade level by clicking here.
How to order CEMC contests
If you are a student who wants to get involved, the first step is to talk to a math or computer science educator at your school. It is not possible for students to individually register for a contest — all students must participate through their school. If your own school is not participating, students can look for another local school that will allow them to join as a participant.
If your school has not participated in a CEMC contest in the past, you will need to submit a new school application to create an account to be able to place an order. Please note that only educators are permitted to request a CEMC School Account and order contests. Account creation is not automatic and can take up to three weeks to be manually reviewed. Please keep this timeline in mind when submitting your application.
If your application is approved and a CEMC School Account is created, educators can follow the steps below:
- Access the CEMC Contest Supervisor Portal using your CEMC School Number and confidential password to order contests.
- In the weeks before the contest, everything you need to supervise the contest is sent by mail, email and electronically via the Contest Supervisor Portal depending upon the mode of the contest.
- On the official contest day, participants write their contest under the supervision of an educator or school staff member.
- Except for the Gauss Contests, Canadian Team Mathematics Contest (CTMC) and the Team Up Challenge, schools send paper contests back to the CEMC via courier for marking.* Online contests are submitted automatically.
- After marking is complete, results are posted in the Contest Supervisor Portal.
- We encourage you to acknowledge and celebrate student participation! Where applicable, awards are sent to the school for top-performing students. Top-performing students may also be featured in publicly accessible, annual honour roll documents or be eligible for additional awards and accolades.
*Marking and results are handled differently for the Gauss Contests, Canadian Team Mathematics Contest and Team Up Challenge.
Why CEMC contests matter
Attempting contest problems boosts students' confidence and self-esteem, motivating them to pursue further challenges. Since CEMC contests are created at different levels of difficulty, engaging in these contests can spark an interest in mathematics and computer science, leading to a deeper understanding and appreciation of these subjects.
CEMC contests offer challenging problems that go beyond typical classroom exercises, encouraging students to think critically and creatively.
Participating in contests helps students develop problem-solving skills, which are essential for success in preparing students for future academic and real-life challenges.