The project

The Brazilian Public School Mathematical Olympiad (OBMEP) is the largest scientific competition in Brazil, probably the world, and reaches 18.5 million students across the country (99.9% of municipalities). Held by IMPA, the OBMEP
was created in 2005 by the federal government to encourage the study of mathematics and
identify talents in the area.

Teenagers from the 6th year of elementary school to the 3rd year of secondary school grow with the competition and achieve dreams, such as going to university. A study by UFMG shows that schools involved in OBMEP offer the equivalent of 1.5 more years of math to their students. Another study by Harvard University shows that the effect of being awarded a prize at the Olympiad benefits not only the winner, but also their classmates.

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The students

Leonardo Giboski Segheto

"This medal was very important because it enabled me to join IMPA Tech. I was a PIC student, where I made friends and had the chance to make very interesting exchanges. It was an experience that helped me a lot. "

Leonardo Giboski Segheto

Santa Catarina medalist and IMPA Tech student

Emilly Arcanjo

"I only got to know the world of the Olympics in high school. It's unbelievable. I'm very happy to honor the efforts of my parents and my teachers, who made me believe I had the ability and always supported me. "

Emilly Arcanjo

Medalist from Bahia

Gabriel Abreu

"The competition is very worthwhile, it's a unique experience and not just for the trip to the National Awards Ceremony, but because it opens up many opportunities such as the scientific initiation scholarships that are given to medal winners."

Gabriel Abreu

Medalist from Tocantins, in an interview with Folha de S.Paulo

Isabela Ruthner

"OBMEP is my favorite because it was my first Olympiad and it's because of it that many doors have opened. The Olympiad is a stepping stone to greater achievements ; it's an opportunity to realize that it's possible to take longer steps. "

Isabela Ruthner

Medalist from Ceará

How it works

Divided into two phases, OBMEP rewards students with 8450 national gold, silver, bronze and honorable mention medals. In order to democratize access to the contents of the Olympiad, since 2017 private schools have taken part in the competition with separate awards from public schools. Funding for the Olympiad comes from the Ministries of Education (MEC) and Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI). OBMEP registration is done exclusively by educational institutions every year. The first stage takes place in schools, based on the material sent by the OBMEP coordinators. The second stage takes place at IMPA’s application centers.

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Academic programs

OBMEP medalists are invited to take part in the Jr. Scientific Initiation Program (PIC), which offers advanced mathematics classes in face-to-face or remote centers throughout the country. Participants from public schools receive a grant of R$300 from the CNPq. When they get to university, medal winners can sign up for the Scientific Initiation and Master’s Program (PICME). The scholarships of R$700 (undergraduate) and R$2,100 (master’s) guarantee an income that helps keep students in higher education. OBMEP also establishes partnerships with private organizations that provide scholarships for medal winners during their undergraduate studies.

The Olympiad also offers the OBMEP Portal free of charge, with video lessons, handouts, activities and tests. The Mathematics and Physics content follows the BNCC (National Common Curriculum Base) and helps thousands of students and teachers.

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OBMEP Junior Olympics

In order to stimulate interest in mathematics from the earliest years of schooling and to promote the development of logical and mathematical reasoning, IMPA created the Olimpíada Mirim-OBMEP in 2022. Aimed at students in the 2nd to 5th grades of elementary school, the competition has two phases held in schools. Open to public and private institutions, Mirim had 4.4 million participants in its 3rd edition and has been growing every year.

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