21st OBMEP 2026: first phase takes place on Tuesday (9)
A Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad for Public Schools (OBMEP) is holding the first phase of the scientific competition, mobilizing students from all Brazilian states. Promoted by IMPA (Institute of Pure and Applied Mathematics), this year’s initiative brings together more than 18.3 million students from 58,238 schools in 99.93% of the country’s municipalities.
The number of participating cities is a record once again. With the entry of Boa Esperança do Norte (MT), the The 21st edition of OBMEP will reach 5,567 municipalities across the country – one more than in 2025.
“The OBMEP reaches its 21st edition consolidated as one of the most important educational initiatives in the country. The presence of the Olympiad in practically every Brazilian municipality demonstrates the strength of this project and its ability to awaken talents and expand opportunities for millions of students,” says Marcelo Viana, IMPA’s director-general.
OBMEP is aimed at students from the 6th year of elementary school to the 3rd year of secondary school from public and private schools. In this first phase, the tests will be administered and corrected by the schools themselves, in accordance with the regulations. Participants will have 2.5 hours to solve 20 objective questions, designed according to three levels: Level 1 (6th and 7th grade), Level 2 (8th and 9th grade) and Level 3 (High School).
The list of successful candidates for the second stage will be published on August 3 on the Olympiad’s website. The final stage of the scientific competition will be held on October 17 at the venues previously informed by OBMEP. A total of 52,199 public schools and 6,039 private institutions are registered.
Awards and grants
This year, OBMEP will hand out 8,450 national medals – 650 gold, 1,950 silver and 5,850 bronze – as well as 51,000 honorable mention certificates. To further encourage student participation, the competition will also reward the best state performances with at least 20,500 medals.
Students who win national medals will be invited to take part in the PIC (Junior Scientific Initiation Program), which offers in-depth classes in mathematics. Medal winners from public schools participating in the PIC receive a monthly grant of R$300 from the CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development).
“Good luck to all the students taking part in the first phase of the OBMEP this Tuesday. The test is a great opportunity to get closer to mathematics and is the first step towards the other OBMEP experiences,” said Jorge Vitório Pereira, IMPA’s Deputy Director and Olympiad Manager.
Access to university
Over two decades, OBMEP has also become an important gateway to higher education. IMPA Tech, IMPA’s free undergraduate program, reserves 80% of its places for medal winners in scientific olympiads.
Other higher education institutions, such as USP (University of São Paulo), Unicamp (State University of Campinas) and Unesp (São Paulo State University), also adopt selection processes aimed at students who stand out in academic competitions.
Created by IMPA in 2005, the OBMEP is promoted with funds from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) and the Ministry of Education (MEC). Every year, the Olympiad helps to stimulate the study of mathematics, identify young talents and promote social inclusion through the dissemination of knowledge, as well as supporting the improvement of the quality of basic education in Brazil.