The Onsite ZIML Math Competition
The monthly Online ZIML Competitions allow students to practice their problem solving skills in mathematics and compete during the school year. For a chance to compete during the summer, onsite ZIML Competitions are available during each Areteem/Math Zoom Residential Summer Camp. The competitions will be held on the last Sunday of each camp.
2024 Onsite ZIML Competitions
The 2024 Onsite ZIML Competitions will be held on the following dates:
- July 7th, 2024 at the Boston University in Boston, MA.
- August 4th, 2024 at the University of California, San Diego in San Diego, CA as part of the International ZIML Convention held August 3rd-4th, 2024.
See below for more information about the International ZIML Convention.
2024 International ZIML Convention
The two-day International ZIML Convention will be held on August 3rd-4th, 2024 on the University of California, San Diego campus located in San Diego, CA. Students from across the world are invited to join us for workshops on Saturday and the ZIML Competition on Sunday. In addition, top performing students on the Online ZIML Monthly Contests and other math contests during the school year will receive invitations to compete in the Masters Division Onsite exam. Compete for a cash prize!
Registration using the link below is available as either an individual or a team. Pricing is
- $150 for an individual
- $500 for a team of four students all competing in the same level (save $100 off the regular price of $600)
Registration covers all the activities listed below, including dinner on August 3rd and lunch on August 4th. You will be prompted to create a free ZIML account if you do not already have one.
The tentative schedule for the 2024 International ZIML Convention is found below (subject to change). See the bottom of the page (by clicking here) for additional information.
Saturday August 3rd, 2024
| 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Check-In and Student Poster setup. |
| 2:00pm - 3:00pm | Introduction and Overview of Math and Science Opportunities for HS and MS Students |
| 3:00pm - 4:00pm | Keynote Speech |
| 4:00pm - 5:45pm | Breakout Session for Student Oral Presentations of Posters |
| 6:00pm - 7:00pm | Dinner Social |
Sunday August 4th, 2024
| 9:00am - 10:30am | ZIML Competition Individual Rounds 1 and 2 |
| 10:45am - 11:15am | ZIML Team Round (4 students per team) |
| 11:30am - 12:30pm | Quiz Bowl on current STEM news and related issues (for student’s not competing in the Masters division) |
| 11:15am - 12:30pm | Master Round (for students invited to compete in the Masters Division) |
| 12:00pm - 1:30pm | Lunch Social |
| 1:30pm - 2:30pm | ZIML Final Four Round |
| 2:30pm - 3:30pm | Presentations for Winning Student Posters |
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm | Award Ceremony |
| 4:30pm - 5:30pm | Closing Social (light snacks provided) |
Additional Information
Click on each of the categories below for additional information. Details subject to change.
Competition at the International ZIML Convention will tentatively include 6 divisions:
- Elementary School (E) Division (open to students who have not started grade 6)
- Middle School (M) Division (open to students who have not started grade 9)
- High School (H) Division
- Junior Varsity (JV) Division (recommended for advanced students in Middle School)
- Varsity (V) Division
- Masters Division
Each Division consists of 4 sections. For the E, M, H, JV, and V Divisions these are:
- Individual Round One: 40 minutes for 20 multiple choice questions.
- Individual Round Two: 20 minutes for 5 short answer problems.
- Team Round: 20 minutes for 10 short answer problems.
- Quiz Bowl: General Knowledge Questions on current STEM News and Issues
For the Masters Division these are:
- Individual Round One: 40 minutes for 20 multiple choice questions (shared with Varsity Division).
- Individual Round Two: 20 minutes for 5 short answer problems (shared with Varsity Division).
- Team Round: 20 minutes for 10 short answer problems (shared with Varsity Division).
- Master Round: 75 minutes for 4 proof based questions.
Winners will be awarded for:
- Elementary School Division Individual and Team
- Middle School Division Individual and Team
- High School Division Individual and Team
- Junior Varsity Division Individual and Team
- Varsity Division Individual and Team
- Masters Division Individual
Scores for the E, M, H, JV, and V Divisions are calculated as follows
- Individual Scores: Individual Round One (40 points) + Individual Round Two (20 points) = 60 points total
- Team Scores: Average of Individual Scores for the team members (60 points) + Team Round (40 points) = 100 points total
The Masters Division scoring is
- Individual Round One (40 points) + Individual Round Two (20 points) + Master Round (40 points) = 100 points total
If necessary, a sudden victory tiebreak will be used to break any tie scores.
The automatic (and easiest!) way to qualify for the International ZIML Competitions Masters Division is to compete in the Monthly ZIML Contests!
Winners of a School Year Varsity Division ZIML Competition will be invited to participate in the Masters Division at the International Convention. (All award levels, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, are included.)
Students who have not competed in the ZIML Varsity Division can petition the ZIML Committee to participate in the Masters Division. The Committee is looking for dedicated and passionate math students who display academic excellence and have extensive competition experience. Please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for information on the petition process.
Participating students are expected to bring and present a poster during the convention. The topic of the poster should be related to math or its applications. Example poster titles could include:
- Geometry without Variables: An Exploration of the Mathematics in Euclid's Elements
- Quantum Chaos: How Quantum Computers would Bring an End to Computer Security as We Know It
- Google Knows Everything: Just How Big is the "Big" in Big Data?
- My Teacher Lied to Me! My Bowling Ball Fell Faster than My Feather (Physics in Real Life)
- Thinking Long Term: How a Fear of Variance Could be Costing You Millions
Posters will be displayed during the competition, and students should be prepared to answer questions about their chosen topic. Posters should satisfy the following guidelines:
- Posters will be displayed on boards during the convention. Students should print their own poster and bring it to the convention.
- Standard poster size is 24 inches wide and 36 inches tall. If requested, posters that are 48 inches wide and 36 inches tall will also be accomodated.
- The minimum font size should be 18pt, so that posters can be easily read during presentations.
- Standard Serif Fonts should be used, such as Time New Roman, Helvetica, Arial, or Courier.
- At a minimum, posters should have a clear title, introduction, and conclusion that are accessible to a general audience. (Posters can of course include technical content, but students should try to present the overall idea in an accessible way.)
We are excited to announce that cash prizes will be available in each division!
More prize details and scholarships will be announced before the competition. Any businesses, clubs, or individuals wishing to sponsor a prize should contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
