MCM/ICM (Mathematical Contest in Modeling / Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling) is a mathematical modeling contest run by COMAP, a non-profit organization focused on mathematics education. It is open to high school students and college undergraduates. Teams of up to three students choose one of six open-ended problems and submit a written solution as a single PDF.
Problems:
| Contest | Problem | Topic |
|---|---|---|
| MCM | A | Continuous |
| MCM | B | Discrete |
| MCM | C | Data insights |
| ICM | D | Operations research / network science |
| ICM | E | Sustainability |
| ICM | F | Policy |
Each team chooses one problem and submits a solution to that problem only.
2027 contest timeline (EST):
| Step | Date and time |
|---|---|
| Registration closes | 3:00 p.m., Thursday, January 28 |
| Problems released | 5:00 p.m., Thursday, January 28 |
| Contest ends | 8:00 p.m., Monday, February 1 |
| Solution PDF due | 9:00 p.m., Monday, February 1 |
The solution is limited to 25 pages, including the summary, references, appendices and code. If AI is used, the separately appended Report on Use of AI is required and is excluded from that 25-page limit. Team members cannot be added or changed once the contest opens.
Registration:
An advisor registers each team and pays a $100 non-refundable fee per team. The advisor can be any faculty member, staff member, or student at the team's institution. An advisor can register more than one team.
Results and awards:
Papers are designated Successful Participant, Honorable Mention, Meritorious, Finalist, or Outstanding Winner. Papers with rule or procedure violations or problem solution issues may be designated Disqualified or Unsuccessful. The current 2027 instructions give May 8, 2027 for results; the general overview retains older annual award wording.
According to the COMAP contest site, the 2027 International COMAP Scholarship Award will go to the top six MCM/ICM teams from any participating country or region: $9,000 split among the team members (at most $3,000 per member) and $1,000 to the school represented.
Application check, November 4, 2026: The 2027 instructions and registration page confirm the team fee and registration date. Work must stop at 8 p.m. EST; the extra hour to 9 p.m. EST is for submission, not additional solution work. The instructions link the PDF upload form, which currently reports that its deadline has passed and the form is unavailable. This form notice does not establish that the announced 2027 contest is closed. The required upload uses the team control number, advisor ID and chosen problem.