Canada/USA Mathcamp is an intensive 5-week-long summer program for mathematically talented high school students, designed to expose these students to the beauty of advanced mathematical ideas and to new ways of thinking.

More than just a summer camp, Mathcamp is a vibrant community, made up of a wide variety of people who share a common love of learning and passion for mathematics. At Mathcamp, students can explore undergraduate and even graduate-level topics while building problem-solving skills that will help them in any field they choose to study.

When and Where?

In 2024, Mathcamp will take place at University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA from Sunday, June 30 to Sunday, August 4. Learn more about MC 2024.

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Who is eligible for Mathcamp?

• We invite applications from high-school and middle-school students from around the world who are passionate about mathematics. Students between ages 13 and 18 are eligible. For Mathcamp 2024, your birth date should be between August 4, 2005 and June 30, 2011.

What if I'm under 13 or over 18?

• We have made exceptions for 19-year-olds, as long as you are still in high school (or have just graduated this year) and will not turn 20 before the last day of camp (August 4, 2024). However, we are extremely reluctant to make exceptions for 12-year-olds. (In fact, this has only happened once.) In a very unusual case, we might accept a student who is a few months younger than the required age cutoff, but we would require evidence of exceptional mathematical accomplishment and personal maturity. Younger students should consider MathPath (for students ages 11–14) or CTY (all grades)

How much background do I need?

• In order to benefit from the curriculum at Mathcamp, you need to be fully comfortable with high-school algebra, geometry, trig, exponents and logarithms. We expect all students to have completed Precalculus (or the equivalent). Calculus is not required (but it's nice to have, and many of our students have already studied it). Successful applicants to Mathcamp have typically also studied math outside of their high school classes, simply as a result of following their curiosity and passion for mathematics. However, you don't need to have attended fancy enrichment programs, worked with private tutors, or had access to special traning in order to be mathematically prepared for our curriculum: many of our students got their start exploring Wikipedia, watching YouTube videos, and making use of their local library's supply of Martin Gardner and Raymond Smullyan books. In order to make progress on the Qualifying Quiz problems—and to enjoy Mathcamp's classes—you need to be ready to think creatively, be very persistent, and carefully work out a mathematical argument.

What if I graduated from high school in 2023 or before?

• We are happy to accept applications from students on a post-high school gap year, or college students who have matriculated early, only if you are age 17 or under on the first day of Mathcamp (June 30, 2024). See more information for early college applicants. Those who have already turned 18 and are a year or more out of high school are no longer eligible to be campers (but instead are eligible to become staff).

Do you accept international students?

• Yes! While most Mathcamp students come from the USA (typically 75%) and Canada (typically 5-10%), we also have a significant contingent of international students (10-15%). Home countries of recent Mathcampers have included Australia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, China, the Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, and the UK. International students are eligible for financial aid, too, just like North American students. See more information for international applicants.

Have eligibility criteria changed in light of Covid-19?

• We are now requiring all of our students and staff to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Read more about our Covid-19 planning.