Overview
The Kangaroo contest, also called Math Kangaroo or Kangourou Sans Frontieres, is a multiple-choice mathematics contest for school students, run in many countries by national organisers. It was created in 1990 on the model of an Australian national contest, and the first French edition was on 15 May 1991. The French organiser reports that 7 million students in more than 100 countries took part in March 2026. The format below is the French one for 2027, and other countries' formats and rules differ.
Who can take part
In France, the contest is open to pupils from CE2 (the fourth year of primary school) and to all students in lower and upper secondary school or at higher level. Schools join through a Kangaroo contact person chosen by the school. There are six distinct papers: E (CE2 to CM2), B (the first two years of secondary school, 6eme and 5eme), C (the next two years, 4eme and 3eme), P (vocational stream), J (general and technical stream without the maths specialism) and S (specialist maths stream, preparatory classes and students). Results are ranked in 17 levels.
Exam pattern
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Format | Multiple choice, five answers per question, one correct |
| Time | 50 minutes |
| Questions | 24, of increasing difficulty (16 for CE2) |
| Calculator | Not allowed; rough paper and geometry tools are allowed |
The test is individual and supervised by a teacher.
Important dates
The 2027 contest is on Thursday 18 March 2027, between 8 am and 12 noon Paris time. Other countries set their own date and registration deadline.
How to take part
Register through your country's national Kangaroo organiser, often through your school. In France, the contest is offered to schools that buy the Malices du Kangourou booklet, and direct registration is arranged with the organiser. Fees, languages and results differ by country.
Preparation tips
Practise past Kangaroo papers for your level; the French organiser publishes papers and solutions for past years.
Work on logic and puzzle-style problems, not only calculation.
Note
These rules are the French organiser's. Confirm question counts, times, fees and dates with your national organiser.