COMC

Overview

The Canadian Open Mathematics Challenge (COMC) is Canada's premier national mathematics competition, run by the Canadian Mathematical Society (CMS). It is open to any high school student with a grasp of high-school-level mathematics, and it is the main route to being invited to the Canadian Mathematical Olympiad (CMO) or Junior CMO.

Who can apply

Any high-school student with sufficient mathematical background can take part through their school. Independent students who are not registered through a school can write the COMC at a university-hosted Open Writing Centre. Results are grouped by grade for prizes and for advancement consideration.

Exam pattern

The COMC is a 2.5-hour, paper-based, invigilated exam with a mix of final-answer and full-solution questions.

Important dates

The 2026 COMC is scheduled for Thursday, 29 October 2026 for competitors in North and South American time zones, and Friday, 30 October 2026 for competitors in other time zones.

Fees

For 2026, schools in Canada could order the exam for CAD$35 per student with courier delivery, or CAD$30 per student with PDF delivery. Independent students registering through a university Open Writing Centre pay a fee set by that centre, which varies.

After the exam

The CMS invites roughly the top 75 to 100 scorers in the COMC Competitive division to the Canadian Mathematical Olympiad (or Junior CMO for younger qualifiers) the following March. COMC results are also used by some universities in scholarship consideration.

Preparation tips

• Practise a mix of quick final-answer questions and longer full-solution problems, since COMC uses both formats.

• Review past COMC papers, published by the CMS, to get a feel for the question style and difficulty range.

• Aim for the Competitive division result band if your goal is a CMO invitation.

FAQs