Overview
The Korean Mathematical Olympiad (KMO) is South Korea's national maths olympiad. The 40th KMO runs in 2026, with a first exam in May and a second exam in November. The second exam has middle school and high school divisions. The official site also lists a final exam for the previous edition (the 39th), held on 28 and 29 March 2026.
Who can enter
The second exam has middle school and high school divisions. The notices tell applicants to read the exam guidelines for eligibility before registering, so check them on the KMO site.
Levels or stages
First exam
Held on Saturday 16 May 2026, from 10:00 to 12:30, at 14 universities nationwide. Question format is set out in the official guideline document.
Second exam
Held on Saturday 14 November 2026 in two sessions, 09:30 to 12:30 and 14:20 to 17:20, at five universities: Seoul National University, KAIST, Jeonnam National University, Pusan National University and Kyungpook National University. Candidates must arrive 30 minutes before each session.
Important dates
For 2026, first-exam registration ran online from 19 March (14:00) to 15 April (23:59), and no late registration was accepted. Admit card printing was scheduled for 7 May at 18:00 (tentative). Second-exam registration ran from 21 September to 20 October 2026.
Fees
For 2026, the first-exam fee was 70,000 won and the second-exam fee is 50,000 won.
Preparation tips
Use past papers on the KMO site, and check its copyright notice before reusing them.
How do I register?
Register online through the KMO website during the registration window; no late registration is accepted.