Results · awards & cut-offs
Awards & cut-off scores
Every entrant earns a certificate. National awards are given by percentile, so the bar adjusts to each level and year. Here’s how the awards work — and the actual cut-off scores from recent competitions.
Prize award
How awards work
Recognition at every level of achievement
National awards are set by percentile, so they reflect performance against students at the same level. (Thresholds widen slightly for Level E.)
Prize
The very top performers nationally at each level.
High Distinction
Outstanding results (top 5% for Level E).
Distinction
A strong, well-above-average paper (top 25% for E).
Credit
Solid achievement above the median (top 60% for E).
Proficiency
For reaching a set score (around 32 marks).
Peter O’Halloran Award
For a flawless paper — full marks.
Every student who sits the AMC receives a certificate of participation. EPQ scholarships for senior award-winners →
Cut-off scores
2025 national award cut-offs
The score needed for each award, by level and grade, from the 2025 competition. Use it as a guide to the kind of result each award represents.
Cut-off scores from earlier years
Results · FAQ
Questions about results & awards
Does every student get an award?
Every entrant receives a certificate of participation. Credit, Distinction, High Distinction and Prize awards are then given by national percentile.
How are cut-off scores decided?
Awards are set by percentile within each level, so the cut-off score for, say, a Distinction can vary year to year and grade to grade. The tables above show recent cut-offs.
Why are Level E thresholds different?
The most senior level (Grade 12) uses slightly wider bands — top 5% for High Distinction, 25% for Distinction and 60% for Credit.
What is the Peter O’Halloran Award?
It recognises a perfect score — full marks on the paper. It’s the rarest individual recognition in the competition.
Is there a scholarship?
Yes — senior award-winners (Years 10–12) can receive an ASDAN EPQ scholarship. See the EPQ scholarship →