Hosted by COMAP leadership, the MCM/ICM info session centered on what advisors need to know heading into the 2026 contests, from problem selection and team preparation to supporting students once work is underway. Rather than prescribing a single “right” way to advise, the discussion highlighted shared themes across successful team experiences and offered concrete guidance for helping students navigate the challenges of the contest.

If you missed the live event or just want to revisit key takeaways, you can watch the full recording below, view the presentation slides, and explore answers to some of the most frequently asked questions from the session.

Watch the Recording

Click here to watch the video on our YouTube channel.

Presentation Materials

Download the slides from the session: MCM/ICM Information Session Slides (PDF)

Additional Resources

Articles:

• 2025 MCM Papers and Judges' Commentary
• 2025 ICM Papers and Judges' Commentary
• MCM/ICM Articles and Resources

Related Blogs:

• Why MCM/ICM is the Perfect Way to Test Your Skills
• How a First-Time Team Had Their Most Meaningful Four Days of College During MCM/ICM
• How the University of Florida Built a Thriving Math Modeling Program
• How MCM/ICM Fuels a Passion for Lifelong Learning
• What If MCM/ICM Teams Designed the World?
• UMAP Journal with Results and Commentary from the 2025 ICM

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the questions that came up during and after the session.

How do I register for the contest?
Visit this page for registration instructions.

How many teams can an institution sponsor?
The MCM and ICM contests allow unlimited teams per institution, with no limit per department.

How many teams can an advisor sponsor?
An advisor may sponsor an unlimited number of teams.

Can a student with an associate’s degree participate?
Yes, as long as the student is currently enrolled in a four-year institution. Students who already hold a bachelor’s degree or higher are not eligible.

Is the registration fee $100 per team or $100 per institution?
The registration fee is $100 per team.

Where and when do we find the contest problems?
The problems will be posted on the MCM website and released precisely at 4:50 PM ET on the day of the contest. Mirror sites will be available in multiple regions:

• https://www.comapmath.com/MCMICM/index.html (Asia)
• https://www.comap-math.org/mcm/index.html (North America)
• https://www.mathportals.org/mcm/index.html (North America)
• https://www.immchallenge.org/mcm/index.html (North America)

If you cannot access any of the sites, there may be a problem with your local Internet connection. Contact your local Internet service provider to resolve the issue.

Where do we submit our team’s electronic solution?
Each team must submit a single PDF using COMAP’s online submission form. Any team member or the advisor may submit the file.

Who are the judges?
Judges include mathematicians, mathematics educators, and professionals in fields closely related to mathematics.

Is there a website with solutions from previous years?
Yes. Previous solutions are available at comap.org/mathmodels.

Can teams use AI tools?
Yes. Teams must be transparent about all uses of AI tools, including embedded or assistive AI, and follow COMAP’s AI usage guidelines.

Is there an official Word or LaTeX template for the 25-page proposal?
Yes. COMAP provides official Microsoft Word and LaTeX summary sheet templates for download.

Who should we contact with questions?
Questions should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Who can act as an advisor?
Any faculty member, staff member, or student at the institution may serve as an advisor. The advisor will act as the main point of contact for the team and does not have to be from the mathematics department. We encourage faculty members to serve as team advisors; however, one team member or another student at the school may act as the advisor.

What do the award designations mean?

• Disqualified - The team's report was found to be in violation of the contest rules.
• Unsuccessful Participant - The team's report did not adequately respond to the requirements of the contest problem.
• Successful Participant - The report responded to the requirements of the contest problem and communicated those results to the judges.
• Honorable Mention - The team's report contained elements that were judged to contain good progress in modeling and problem solving.
• Meritorious - The team's report was judged to be excellent in many aspects of modeling and problem solving. The report showed elements of modeling, problem solving, and communication that are exemplary for the scope of the contest.
• Finalist - The designation Finalist recognizes those reports that reached the final round of judging. Reports reaching the final round of judging constitute at most two percent of all reports.
• Outstanding Winner - The team's report was judged to be at the highest level relative to the contest submissions in terms of modeling, solving the contest problem, and communicating the solution. These reports are generally published and used as examples of outstanding student work.

Can teams request a paper to be rejudged?
No. Contest submissions are not rejudged. All contest papers go through a rigorous judging process and COMAP stands behind the designation awarded to your paper. Teams are encouraged to review outstanding papers and judges’ commentary once results are released.

Can students from different schools be on the same team?
No. All team members must be enrolled at the same institution at the time of the contest.

Can high school students participate in MCM/ICM?
Yes. High school students are eligible to participate.

Can graduate students participate in MCM/ICM?
No. Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher are not eligible.

Must the paper summary fit on a single summary sheet?
Yes. The summary must fit on one page using a readable 12-point font.

Can teams choose any problem (A, B, C, D, E, or F)?
Yes. Teams may choose from any of the six available contest problems.

Does the order of student names matter?
No. The order of student names has no impact on judging or participation.

Do students need to be math majors to compete?
No. Students from any field of study may participate.