Competitions & Challenges 2024-2025

 

You can challenge yourself in various ways to go beyond the provincial curriculum.

We have curated a range of competitions and challenges across different disciplines and research fields. These opportunities are ideal for students who wish to deepen their understanding of subjects they are passionate about, as well as for those looking to develop leadership, public speaking, and entrepreneurial skills. The areas of exploration include science, business, mathematics, engineering, etc.

                                                                                       To sign up for the contest click on this link

Mathematics and Computing Contests

• • Canadian Math Kangaroo Contest

The Canadian Math Kangaroo Contest is a nationwide multiple-choice competition designed to challenge participants and demonstrate the fun side of mathematics!

Duration: 75 minutes

For: Grades 1 to 12

Date: TBD. March or April 2025

Website: https://mathkangaroo.ca/en

This contest encourages students of all levels to engage with mathematical concepts in a playful and competitive environment.

• • Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge (COMC) 

The Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge (COMC) is Canada’s premier national mathematics competition, designed for all students with an interest in and understanding of high school mathematics. It serves as the first in a series of tests organised by the Canadian Mathematical Society to select the Canadian team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).

Duration: 2.5 hours

For: Grades 9 to 12

Date: TBD. October or November 2024

Website: https://cms.math.ca/competitions/

This competition is an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their mathematical skills on a national stage and take the first step towards international maths competitions.

• • American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) 2024-2025

The American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) consist of a series of exams and course materials aimed at developing problem-solving skills and mathematical knowledge among middle and high school students.

AMC 8

Dive into mathematics with the AMC 8, a 25-question, 40-minute competition designed to promote developing and enhancing problem-solving skills. Start your mathematical journey today and register for the AMC 8, where curiosity meets challenge!

For: Middle school students, typically in grades 6-8, though younger students may also participate.

What: A 25-question, 40-minute multiple-choice examination designed to promote the development of problem-solving skills.

When: Held annually in January.

Early Bird Registration Deadline: Oct 28, 2024

AMC 10

For: High school students in grades 10 and below, with a maximum age of under 17.5 years on the day of the competition.

What: A 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice examination focused on high school mathematics up to the 10th-grade level.

When: Held annually in November.

AMC 12

For: High school students in grades 12 and below, with a maximum age of under 19.5 years on the day of the competition.

What: A 25-question, 75-minute multiple-choice examination that covers high school mathematics up to the 12th-grade level.

When: Also held annually in November.

Early Bird Registration Deadline: Sept 30, 2024

• • Canadian Senior and Intermediate Mathematics Contests 

The Canadian Senior and Intermediate Mathematics Contests (CSMC and CIMC) provide challenging math problems for students to enjoy and enhance their problem-solving skills using a mix of short answer and full solution questions.

For: Grade 9-12

Contest Dates:  Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Registration Deadline: Tuesday, October 15, 2024

These contests provide an opportunity for students to engage with advanced mathematical concepts and gain valuable experience in competitive mathematics.

• • Canadian Computing Competition

The Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) is an online contest designed for students with a range of programming experience. It provides participants with a challenge that helps build confidence and enhances their ability to understand, design, and implement algorithms.

For: Grade 9-12

Contest dates:  Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Registration deadline: Tuesday, February 11, 2025

• • Gauss Contests

The Gauss Contests offer an exciting introduction to mathematics competitions for students in Grades 7 and 8. They offer unique and interesting problems in a multiple-choice format that encourages curiosity and nurtures an interest in the power of maths.

Contest dates:  Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Registration deadline: Thursday, April 24, 2025

• • Euclid Contest

The Euclid Contest presents a unique challenge to senior-level secondary school students using innovative problems that draw upon their accumulated knowledge in mathematics, fostering creativity and effective communication. Using a mix of short-answer and full-solution questions, including some of the most complex and challenging problems among all our contests, the Euclid Contest helps build participants’ perseverance in mathematical problem-solving.

For: Grade 11-12

Contest dates:  Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Registration deadline: Tuesday, March 4, 2025

• • Canadian Computing Competition

The Canadian Computing Competition (CCC) is an online contest aimed at students with varying levels of programming experience. Organised by the Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing (CEMC) at the University of Waterloo, the CCC offers participants the chance to test and improve their skills in algorithm design and implementation, fostering both confidence and technical proficiency.

Format: Online, algorithm-based programming competition

For: Grade 9-12

Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Registration deadline: Tuesday, February 11, 2025

This contest is ideal for students looking to develop their problem-solving skills in computing, and it serves as a stepping stone toward more advanced competitions such as the Canadian Computing Olympiad (CCO).

 

Science Contests

• • PhysicsBowl

The PhysicsBowl is an annual competition designed for high school students and schools, challenging participants with questions based on high school-level physics. Organised by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), the contest tests students’ understanding of key physics concepts and their problem-solving abilities.

For: High school students

Content: Multiple-choice questions from high school physics curriculum

Format: 40 questions, 45 minutes

Date: between March 19 and April 4, 2025 (exact date to be confirmed)

This competition is an excellent opportunity for students to showcase their physics knowledge and compete against peers on a national and international level.

• • Canadian Association of Physicists (CAP) High School Exam

The CAP High School Exam is a prestigious physics competition for high school students in Canada. The exam is based on the internationally recognized International Baccalaureate (IB) Physics Higher Core Curriculum, focusing on select key areas of physics.

Content:  Mechanics

               Optics

               Electricity and Magnetism

For: High school students with a strong foundation in physics

Format: Multiple-choice and written response questions

Date: April 2025 (exact date to be confirmed)

The CAP Exam provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge of physics at a high level, with the top performers often being recognized nationally.

• • Canadian Young Physicists’ Tournament (CaYPT) 

The Canadian Young Physicists’ Tournament (CaYPT) is a team-based competition designed for secondary school students to showcase their problem-solving skills and ability to communicate scientific solutions. The tournament involves solving complex scientific problems, presenting solutions, and defending them in scientific discussions known as Physics Matches (PM).

Format: Teams solve assigned scientific problems

             Presentation of solutions

             Defence of solutions in Physics Matches

For: Secondary school students

Awards: Outstanding teams are recognized, and top students are selected to represent Canada at the International Young Physicists’ Tournament (IYPT)

The CaYPT provides students with a platform to demonstrate their physics expertise and develop skills in teamwork, presentation, and scientific debate.

• • British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) 

The British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) is a charitable organization that hosts a series of competitions designed to challenge and develop students’ understanding of physics and astronomy. The BPhO organizes ten competitions across two main strands: the British Physics Olympiad (BPhO) and the British Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad (BAAO).

BPhO Competitions:

Junior Physics Challenge: For Year 10 students

Intermediate Physics Challenge: For Year 11 students

Senior Physics Challenge: For Year 12 students

Physics Challenge: For Year 13 students

BPhO Round 1: For Year 13 students

BPhO Round 2: For Year 13 students

Experimental Project: For Year 10/11 and Year 12/13 students

BAAO Competitions:

BAAO Junior Astro Challenge: For Year 10 & 11 students

Astro Challenge: For Year 13 students

BAAO Astrophysics Olympiad: For Year 13 students

These competitions provide students with opportunities to engage deeply with physics and astronomy, develop problem-solving skills, and compete on a national level.

Website: https://www.bpho.org.uk/

• • Canadian Chemistry Contest (CCC) 

The Canadian Chemistry Contest (CCC) is a competition that runs in conjunction with the Canadian Chemistry Olympiad (CCO). It provides an opportunity for high school students to demonstrate their chemistry knowledge and problem-solving skills.

Format:  Part A: 60 minutes

              Part B: 90 minutes

              Part C: 90 minutes (part of CCO)

For: Grades 9 to 12

Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025

The CCC is designed to test students’ understanding of chemistry concepts and their ability to apply them in various scenarios. High-performing students in the CCC may advance to the CCO and potentially represent Canada in international competitions.

• • Canadian Biology Olympiad (CBO)

The Canadian Biology Olympiad (CBO) is a national competition that selects four talented secondary school students to represent Canada at the International Biology Olympiad (IBO). The selection process involves two rounds:

Skills Portfolio: Submission of a portfolio to assess laboratory skills.

University of Toronto National Biology Competition: A theoretical exam to evaluate understanding of biological concepts.

Length of the Contest:

Part A: 60 minutes

Part B: 90 minutes

Part C: 90 minutes (part of CCO)

For: Grades 9 to 12

Date: April 2025

The CBO provides an excellent platform for students to showcase their skills in biology and compete for a chance to represent Canada on the international stage.

• • Waterloo Chemistry High School Exams

Avogadro Exam Contest

The Avogadro Exam Contest is designed for Grade 11 high school students in their first high school chemistry course. Topics include structure of matter, bonding, reactions, solutions, and gases. The test includes a few probing and demanding questions on some of the main topics of high school chemistry.

Exam date: Thursday, May 15, 2025. Registrations open in mid-February 2025.

Chem 13 News Exam Contest

The Chem 13 News Exam Contest is designed for Grade 12 high school chemistry students in their second high school chemistry course. Topics include organic chemistry, equilibria, kinetics, oxidation-reduction, bonding, structure, reactions, solutions, and gases.

Exam date: Thursday, May 8, 2025. Registration opens in mid-February 2025.