Policy on Eligibility

The aim of the British Mathematical Olympiad Subtrust is the enhancement of mathematics in schools in the United Kingdom and associated territories. (Hereinafter the abbreviation UK is used to denote the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.) To achieve this aim it

(i) organises a national competition, generally known as BMO1, which entails solving a number of problems under examination conditions. Prizes are awarded for the best entries;

(ii) selects the United Kingdom team for the annual International Mathematical Olympiad. This is achieved by first organising a second competition, generally known as BMO2 and then, possibly after some mentoring, further competitive work and residential training;

(iii) arranges a celebration of the team and a lecture.

Eligibility

(i) BMO1 and BMO2

BMO1 is an open entry competition for students in full-time secondary education. It must be taken in a registered UKMT exam centre. There is a fee, but this fee is waived for candidates who are qualified by virtue of nationality or residency to represent the UK at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) (see (ii) below) and who have achieved at least the BMO threshold mark in the SMC.

From January 2027, BMO2 is sat in person at the BMO National Final. Entry is by invitation only, based on BMO1 marks, with a separate threshold for each school year. Invitations go to students who are qualified to represent the UK at the IMO, together with a small number of the highest-scoring students at UK schools who are not. There is no fee and there are no discretionary entries. Further details are in the BMO National Final FAQs.

(ii) The UK team

The normal method of qualification to represent the UK at the IMO is that a candidate either (a) holds British citizenship, or (b) will have completed at least 3 full years of full-time secondary education in the UK at the time they leave school. The same eligibility criteria apply to the UK team for other international competitions, and the selection camps and training correspondence courses which make up the UK IMO programme.

(iii) UK citizens abroad

For British students with permanent residence in another country, BMOS notes significant advantages to IMO training activity in their resident country. When this is impossible, such students may participate in the UK IMO programme, noting (a) selection for the UK IMO team requires sitting BMO1, sitting BMO2 at the BMO National Final in London, and attendance at UK events between April and July; (b) BMOS cannot assist with international travel arrangements; (c) involvement in the IMO selection activities of more than one country in the same academic year is strictly forbidden. (See a more detailed policy on participation in multiple countries’ IMO programmes.)

(iv) Extenuating circumstances

UKMT and BMOS are mindful of the need to support young mathematicians who happen to be refugees, stateless or asylum seekers. If a candidate is in such a position, then application for UK qualified status may be made to BMOS via the UKMT.

(v) The celebration and lecture

In any academic year invitations will be sent to all schools from which pupils have been entered for BMO1 in that academic year. Requests for invitations from other schools and individuals are welcome, and will be approved at the discretion of BMOS when venue space allows.