To enter the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) in the China region for 2026, register before 28 September 2026 and sit the paper on Sunday 11 October 2026. There are six levels covering Grades 1–12, the paper is offered in English and Chinese, and entries are administered by ASDAN (阿思丹). This 2026 guide explains how entry actually works, who fits which level, and what to confirm on the official channels.
The two dates that decide everything: 28 September and 11 October
Almost every question a parent has about entering boils down to two fixed points on the calendar. The registration deadline is 28 September 2026 — the last day a student can be entered into the China-region sitting. The exam itself is Sunday 11 October 2026, a single nationwide date rather than a window you choose. Missing the first date means there is no second chance for that round; the competition runs once a year. So the practical advice is simple: treat the late-September deadline as the real planning anchor, and work backwards from it.
It is worth being precise here, because the Australian AMC's home schedule in Australia differs from the China region. In Australia the competition is sat in August across five divisions; the China region runs in October with six levels, and is administered by ASDAN (阿思丹) rather than by schools enrolling directly with the Australian Maths Trust. If you have read an Australian source mentioning an August date or five divisions, that is the home schedule — the dates and levels on this page are the ones that apply to students sitting in China. For the bigger-picture overview of the competition, our explainer on what the Australian AMC is covers its history, levels and awards first.
| Item | Detail (2026 China region) |
| Exam date | Sunday 11 October 2026 (single nationwide date) |
| Registration deadline | 28 September 2026 |
| Levels | Six — Pre-A (Gr 1–2, new for 2026), A (3–5), B (6–7), C (8–9), D (10–11), E (Gr 12) |
| Languages | English & Chinese |
| Administered by | ASDAN (阿思丹) for the China and Asia region |
| Set by | Australian Maths Trust (AMT), Australia's largest school maths competition |
| Entry fee & portal steps | Set by ASDAN — confirm on the official site (以官方为准) |
Choosing the right level: six bands across Grades 1–12
A new feature for 2026 is that the competition now reaches all the way down to the youngest students. The China region offers six levels, and crucially they are keyed to school grade, not to how advanced a student feels — you enter the level that matches the grade the child is in. The headline change is the addition of Pre-A for Grades 1–2, brand new for 2026, which opens the door to primary-school children who previously had no level to sit.
Getting the level right matters because awards are decided by national percentile against your own grade band, not against the whole field. A Grade 6 student is ranked among other Grade 6–7 entrants in Level B, never against Grade 12 students. That is why entering the correct grade-matched level — rather than "trying a harder one" — is the fair and intended way in. The diagram below maps each level to its grades so a family can find theirs at a glance.
How entry works: a clear five-step sequence
Entering is a short, linear process, and it helps to see it as a sequence rather than a single event. In broad strokes a family confirms the right level, registers through the ASDAN channel before the 28 September deadline, prepares in the weeks before, sits the paper on 11 October, and receives results and certificates afterwards. Each step has its own small decision, but none of them is complicated once the dates are clear.
A point of honesty on the details: the exact entry fee, the specific registration portal, and the precise step-by-step screens are set and operated by ASDAN, and they can change from year to year. Rather than print a figure that might be out of date, we point you to confirm those specifics on the official channel — for how the China-region administration is structured and where to register, see our companion piece on how ASDAN runs the Australian AMC in China. The flow below shows the shape of the journey; the fee and portal screens are the parts to verify officially.
What the paper and the awards look like
It helps to know what 11 October actually holds before you register. Every level sits the same kind of paper: 30 questions — 25 multiple-choice plus 5 integer-answer — worth 135 marks, lasting 45 to 75 minutes depending on level, with the younger levels given the shorter sittings. One detail genuinely shapes strategy: there is no penalty for a wrong answer, so a blank and an incorrect answer score the same, and an informed guess can only help. The paper is available in both English and Chinese, so a bilingual student is not disadvantaged by language.
On the recognition side, the AMC is deliberately encouraging. Results are reported as a national percentile within your grade band, and the award tiers run Prize, High Distinction, Distinction, Credit and Proficiency. Importantly, every entrant receives a certificate — participation itself is acknowledged — and a perfect score of 135/135 makes a student eligible for the O'Halloran Award. A strong result is a real, verifiable achievement and a useful signal of mathematical interest; it is not, and we do not claim it to be, a guarantee of admission to any school or programme.
| Award tier | What it recognises (by national percentile, within grade band) |
| Prize | The top tier of performance nationally |
| High Distinction | A high band of results across the country |
| Distinction | A strong, above-typical result |
| Credit | A solid result above the broad middle |
| Proficiency | Recognises completion at a competent standard |
| Certificate of participation | Every entrant receives one |
| O'Halloran Award | For a perfect 135/135 paper |
| Exact percentile cut-offs | Set by AMT each year — confirm on the official site (以官方为准) |
Keeping three look-alike "AMC" contests straight before you register
Because the letters "AMC" are shared by more than one maths competition — and sit beside another called the AMO — it is genuinely easy to register for the wrong contest, or to apply another contest's dates to this one. The dates and levels on this page belong to the Australian AMC only, administered in China by ASDAN. If a deadline or schedule you have seen elsewhere does not match 28 September and 11 October, double-check which competition it refers to.
| Competition | Run by | What it is (in brief) |
| Australian AMC (this site) | Australian Maths Trust (AMT); ASDAN (阿思丹) in China/Asia | October sitting in China, six levels Grades 1–12, 30 questions / 135 marks |
| American AMC | MAA, USA | A different contest with its own dates and pathway (e.g. to AIME) — not this one |
| AMO | SIMCC, Singapore | A separate competition with its own schedule and medal scheme |
A quick test: if a page mentions the MAA, AIME or SIMCC, it is not the Australian AMC, and the 28 September / 11 October dates here do not apply to it. When in doubt about which contest you are entering, confirm on the official source for that specific competition before you pay. Once your level and dates are settled, a sensible next move is to plan the run-up — our final-weeks revision plan lays out a calm schedule for the period before 11 October.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2026 Australian AMC in China, and when must I register?
The exam is Sunday 11 October 2026, and registration closes 28 September 2026. Enter through the ASDAN channel before the deadline.
What grades can take part, and what is new for 2026?
Six levels cover Grades 1–12. New for 2026 is Pre-A for Grades 1–2, so primary students can now enter alongside older grades.
How much does it cost and where do I sign up?
The entry fee and registration portal are set and operated by ASDAN and can change — confirm the current fee and steps on the official site (以官方为准).
Is the Australian AMC the same as the American AMC or the AMO?
No. The Australian AMC is run by the AMT (ASDAN in China). The American AMC (MAA) and the AMO (SIMCC) are different competitions.
This is the editorial desk for the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) China region. The competition is set by the Australian Maths Trust (AMT) and administered in China and Asia by ASDAN (阿思丹); this content desk is operated by Hanlin Education for students in China. Dates, fees, levels and rules are set by the AMT and ASDAN and can change each year — always confirm current details on the official channels (amt.edu.au and the ASDAN China-region channels). Confirmed errors are corrected within 7 working days.