The 2026 SASMO Math Competition was held in March–April. Now is the best window to review lessons learned and plan for the 2027 season. With approximately 9 months until the next exam, how can you allocate time scientifically and avoid ineffective drilling? This article strictly follows the competition format and timelines published on the SASMO Math Competition official website (https://www.sasmo.sg), breaking down a practical three-stage preparation pathway for you.
The entire article focuses on 'how to study' rather than 'what to study'. All stage divisions, task settings, and time recommendations are based on officially confirmed information: 6 grade groups, 25 questions (Paper A: 15 questions + Paper B: 10 questions), covering students in Grades 2–10, with Mathematics as the sole subject.
I. Preparation Timeline
The SASMO Math Competition follows an annual fixed cycle: the exam is held in March–April each year, with the international final scheduled for the summer (specific dates to be announced on the official website). Based on this rhythm and aligned with the school academic calendar, we recommend dividing preparation into three logically distinct, progressively targeted stages:
- Foundation Stage (September–November): Focus on knowledge mapping and understanding the question-type structure. SASMO does not test out-of-syllabus content but emphasises flexible thinking and cross-topic integrated application. At this stage, anchor your revision to the grade-level core content within the official recommended scope, systematically reviewing high-frequency modules such as number theory fundamentals, logical reasoning, geometric models, and combinatorial counting. Familiarise yourself with the question language and difficulty gradient through past Paper A (15 questions).
- Intensive Stage (December–March): Focus on strategic breakthrough and timed practice for the 10 questions in Paper B. Paper B questions place greater emphasis on modelling ability and multi-step deduction, requiring you to complete the full cycle of 'reading → abstracting → transforming → verifying' within a limited time. It is recommended to complete one full 25-question mock exam (Paper A + Paper B) per week under strict timing, while simultaneously maintaining an error log that categorises mistakes into four types: 'knowledge gaps', 'misreading errors', 'calculation errors', and 'strategy deficiencies' – addressing each accordingly.
- Final Sprint Stage (4–6 weeks before the exam): Return to the essence of past papers and strengthen exam readiness. At this point, do not introduce new question types. Instead, redo past papers from the last 3 years, focusing on analysing the logic behind key step choices in the official solutions. Simultaneously, conduct full-length mock exams (90 minutes) to practice time allocation (e.g., keep Paper A within 35 minutes, reserve 55 minutes for Paper B). Previous award winners have generally reported that polishing 'problem-solving intuition' and 'anti-interference ability' during the sprint stage directly determines scoring efficiency on the last 5 questions of Paper B.
Key conclusion: SASMO preparation is not a linear process of accumulating problem volume, but a closed loop of 'cognition → training → optimisation'. The foundation stage addresses 'whether you can understand', the intensive stage addresses 'whether you can solve', and the sprint stage addresses 'whether you can stay consistent'. The three stages cannot be skipped or reversed.
II. Target Participants and Group Matching
The SASMO Math Competition is explicitly open to students in Grades 2–10, with 9 groups: Primary 3, Primary 4, Primary 5, Primary 6, Secondary 1, Secondary 2, Secondary 3, Senior Year 1, and Senior Year 2. Group division strictly corresponds to the student's current grade level, and cross-group registration is not permitted. This means that the starting point and objectives of preparation must be highly personalised:
| Grade Group | Preparation Focus |
|---|---|
| Primary 3 – Primary 6 | Strengthen number sense development and real-life modelling; emphasise graphical observation, pattern induction, and construction of simple logical chains; aim for a Paper A accuracy rate above 80%. |
| Secondary 1 – Secondary 3 | Emphasise algebraic abstraction and geometric transformation skills; focus on equation thinking, proportional models, and symmetry analysis; the intermediate difficulty questions in Paper B (Questions 6–8) are the critical range for award contention. |
| Senior Year 1 – Senior Year 2 | Focus on higher-order thinking integration, such as combined applications of functions and sequences, nested probability and counting principles, and constructive techniques for existence proofs; the final questions in Paper B (Questions 9–10) require a stable ability to produce a complete problem-solving framework. |
In summary: lower grades emphasise 'accuracy', middle grades emphasise 'stability', and upper grades emphasise 'depth'. The same set of past papers has fundamentally different assessment intentions and scoring weights across different groups – direct comparisons of scores or question counts are not meaningful.
III. Registration Channels and Timelines
Registration for the SASMO Math Competition in the China region uses three parallel channels, all organised through schools or institutions, with no individual walk-in registration:
- School Group Registration: Only available at SASMO authorised test centre schools, where the school's academic office or mathematics department submits the list of participants centrally.
- Authorised Organisation Proxy Registration: External institutions certified by the Singapore Education Alliance / SIMCC may organise registration on behalf of students, with a transparent and verifiable process.
- Individual Direct Registration: Registration and submission can be completed online through the SASMO Math Competition official website (https://www.sasmo.sg) or the 'Eureka Competition Registration' mini-program.
Registration for the 2026 season closed before March 2026; registration for the 2027 season is expected to open in September 2026, with specific dates to be confirmed by official website announcements. It is recommended to monitor official updates regularly to avoid missing the school-organised registration window.
IV. Strategies for Using Past Papers
Past papers are the most authoritative preparation resource for the SASMO Math Competition. Their value lies not only in question-type repetition but also in reflecting the examiners' consistent definition of 'mathematical literacy' – in the 2025 and 2024 papers, logical reasoning questions consistently accounted for 32%–36% of the total, and geometry modelling questions featured 'grid paper + folding' combination variations for three consecutive years, confirming the high stability of core test points.
Stage-by-Stage Usage:
- Foundation Stage: Carefully read all questions from the last 3 years of Paper A, annotating each question with the knowledge points assessed and the thinking tools required, forming a personal 'test-point mapping table'.
- Intensive Stage: Complete timed Paper B sets, focusing on analysing the design intent behind 'key logical jumps' in the official solutions (e.g., why enumeration was chosen here rather than formula derivation).
- Sprint Stage: Redo past papers with the answers covered, then compare with the official solutions, recording your performance on two dimensions: 'alignment of thinking' and 'completeness of steps'.
Key conclusion: Past papers are not meant to be 'drilled' – they are meant to be 'deconstructed'. Each time you redo them, you should come closer to the underlying logic of the examiners' thinking.
V. Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I still participate if my school does not organise registration?
A: Yes. In addition to school group registration, you can also register through an officially authorised organisation, or complete individual registration directly via the SASMO Math Competition official website (https://www.sasmo.sg) or the 'Eureka Competition Registration' mini-program.
Q: Do I need to take a preparation course? Is self-study feasible?
A: The SASMO Math Competition emphasises independent thinking development. While professional institutions such as Hanlin International Education offer systematic course support, many past award winners have confirmed that a self-study pathway relying on past papers + error logs + regular mock exams can be equally effective – the key lies in the completeness of the learning loop and the timeliness of feedback.
Q: The 2026 season is over – is it too late to start preparing for the 2027 season now?
A: Not at all. The SASMO preparation cycle naturally aligns with the academic year rhythm: starting in September coincides with the restart of new semester knowledge, leaving ample time to complete the three-stage cycle. School team preparation cases have shown that students who systematically follow the September–April plan have significantly higher award rates than those who cram at the last minute.
Founded in 2006, the SASMO Math Competition is one of the most influential primary and secondary school mathematics competitions in Asia, attracting over 120,000 students from more than 20 countries each year. Its value lies not only in the award itself, but also in the rigorous thinking habits and problem-deconstruction skills forged throughout the process – which form the most solid foundation for future academic growth.
