2027 AIME Changes Explained: Pearson Testing, Fixed AMC Cutoffs and a New USA(J)MO Route

2027 AIME Changes Explained: Pearson Testing, Fixed AMC Cutoffs and a New USA(J)MO Route

The Mathematical Association of America announced a major change to the AMC-to-Olympiad pathway on 26 August 2026. From 2027, the American Invitational Mathematics Examination will move to Pearson testing centers in the United States and Canada, use a computer-based two-part format and charge an $85 registration fee. The way students qualify for AIME is also changing, as is the way AIME results lead to USAJMO and USAMO.

This is not a routine date update. It affects who may take AIME, where they take it, how they should manage the three-hour exam and how much weight their AIME performance carries in the next stage of the pathway.

Families following AMC 10 or AMC 12 into AIME should review the new rules now. The changes are particularly important for students younger than 13, students who need to travel to a Pearson center, and students aiming for USAJMO or USAMO.

The biggest change is not simply where students take AIME. It is how qualification, exam-day strategy and the route to USA(J)MO now fit together.

This guide was checked on 28 August 2026 against the MAA announcement, AIME FAQ and 2026–27 registration schedule. Rules can still be refined, so students should check the latest official policies before making travel or registration decisions.

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2027 AIME changes at a glance

The changes should be read as one connected system. A fixed AMC threshold makes the first qualification step more predictable, but the new age restriction may block some high-performing younger students. Meanwhile, removing AMC scores from the USA(J)MO calculation makes AIME performance more consequential for students who continue beyond it.

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AIME moves to Pearson testing centers

The 2027 AIME will be available on Friday 5 February and Saturday 6 February 2027. Qualifying students in the United States and Canada will receive an invitation at the email address recorded in the MAA competition portal. The invitation will direct them to Pearson, where they can choose an available appointment and testing center.

The MAA says there are more than 200 Pearson Professional Centers across the United States and Canada. That should give many families a reasonable choice of location, but “more than 200 centers” does not mean every student will have one nearby. Travel distance may become a genuine part of the decision.

There are several practical consequences:

• Students should make sure the email address in their MAA competition record is current.
• Families should examine Pearson locations promptly after receiving an invitation.
• AIME must be taken within the 5–6 February window.
• There are no alternate dates or make-up administrations.
• A qualified student may take AIME only once during the window.
• Scheduling conflicts, travel and accommodation may need to be considered earlier than before.

MAA has said that financial support will be available for students who need help with the fee or significant travel. Details are expected to be provided to qualifying students.

👉 Parent planning point: Do not wait until qualification results arrive to consider whether travel on 5 or 6 February would be possible. You cannot book the AIME appointment before being invited, but you can identify likely logistical problems in advance.

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The exam still has 15 questions, but the strategy changes

AIME remains a 15-question examination in which every answer is an integer from 000 to 999. The mathematical level remains well above AMC 10 and AMC 12. What changes is how the three hours are divided.

Part 1

• 8 questions
• 90 minutes
• answers entered electronically

Part 2

• 7 questions
• 90 minutes
• Part 1 can no longer be reopened

There will be a short break between the two parts. The MAA also states that a student who leaves the exam room during a part will not be permitted to continue working on that part.

This creates a real time-management boundary. Under a continuous paper format, a student could move through all 15 questions, return to an earlier idea and change how the three hours were allocated. In 2027, unfinished work in the first eight questions cannot be recovered after Part 2 begins.

Preparation should therefore include more than solving past papers under a three-hour timer. Students should practise:

• an eight-question 90-minute block followed by a seven-question block
• deciding when to stop pursuing one difficult problem
• checking electronic answer entry before submitting a part
• completing scratch work clearly enough to review within the same section
• recovering mentally after the break instead of continuing to think about Part 1

The no-return rule does not necessarily mean students should rush the first eight questions. It means their review strategy must fit inside the first 90 minutes.

What students may bring

Students will not be allowed to bring personal materials into the exam room. The MAA specifically says that rulers and compasses are not permitted. Pearson will provide laminated graph-paper booklets and fine-tip pens, with additional booklets available on request.

Students who are accustomed to drawing geometry diagrams with their own tools should practise producing useful sketches without them. The mathematics has not become a computer-skills contest, but comfort with the supplied writing format and electronic answer entry will reduce avoidable distraction.

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Fixed AMC qualification scores replace percentage cutoffs

Beginning with the 2027 AIME, the basic score thresholds are:

• AMC 10: 100 or above
• AMC 12: 85 or above

Students must also meet the other AIME eligibility requirements. These fixed numbers replace the familiar system in which AIME qualification thresholds were set after results according to performance percentages.

For families, the main benefit is clarity. A student taking AMC 10 or AMC 12 knows the published score target in advance rather than waiting for a threshold announcement after the competition.

However, a fixed cutoff should not become a promise or a preparation ceiling.

❌ Weak interpretation: “A score of exactly 100 or 85 is all that matters.”
✔ Better interpretation: “These are the entry thresholds for AIME, while deeper AMC preparation also supports the much harder work required once AIME begins.”

The AMC 10 and AMC 12 thresholds should not be compared as though the exams have identical content. AMC 12 covers a broader high-school curriculum, while AMC 10 excludes some advanced topics. Students should continue to choose the exam that matches their grade, age and mathematical preparation rather than choosing only by the lower-looking number.

For more background on the two starting points, see the CompeteMap AMC 10 guide and AMC 12 guide.

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The new minimum age of 13 affects exceptional younger students

Only students aged 13 or older will be eligible to take AIME in 2027. The MAA states that a student younger than 13 cannot participate even if their AMC 10 or AMC 12 score meets the new fixed threshold. At present, no alternative AIME arrangement has been offered for these students.

This is likely to be the most disappointing part of the change for a small group of very advanced younger mathematicians. Their AMC result remains an achievement, but it cannot lead to the 2027 AIME and therefore cannot continue into that year's USAJMO route.

Parents should be careful about the message they attach to this rule. It is an administrative eligibility boundary, not an assessment of whether a younger student is “good enough.” A student under 13 can still use AMC preparation and participation to:

• develop non-routine problem-solving skills
• learn from a timed national competition
• identify topics to study more deeply
• build confidence before a future eligible cycle
• enjoy mathematics without making one year's progression the only goal

For students earlier in the pathway, the AMC 8 page and CompeteMap AMC 8 guide provide a more age-appropriate planning reference.

A younger student's inability to sit the 2027 AIME is a rule outcome, not a mathematical verdict.

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AIME will cost $85, plus applicable taxes

Qualified students who choose to take AIME will pay $85 plus applicable taxes when registering through Pearson. This is the AIME participant fee; it should not be confused with the separate AMC registration fees and license bundles paid by competition managers or hosting organisations.

The full cost for a family may be higher if the nearest Pearson center requires significant travel. On the other hand, the MAA says financial assistance will be available so that the fee or necessary travel does not prevent participation. Qualifying students should read their invitation carefully for assistance instructions.

Families do not need to decide today whether they will pay the AIME fee. They do need to understand that qualification now leads to a separate registration and scheduling step rather than an automatic locally arranged sitting.

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USAJMO and USAMO qualification will rely primarily on AIME

The second major pathway change comes after AIME.

In recent years, students commonly qualified for the national olympiads through an index combining AMC and AIME performance. For example, the MAA's published 2025 formulas were:

• USAJMO Index = AMC 10 score + 10 × AIME score
• USAMO Index = AMC 12 score + 10 × AIME score

That meant an AMC score remained part of the calculation even after the student reached AIME.

For 2027, the MAA says selection for USAJMO and USAMO will be primarily based on AIME scores, and AMC scores will no longer be a factor in qualification. The organisation expects to invite more than 400 students across the two olympiads.

This changes the role of each examination:

For an olympiad-focused student, a very high AMC score will no longer compensate within the qualification formula for a weaker AIME result. AMC preparation still matters because it builds the foundation and opens the door, but performance on the day of AIME becomes more directly important.

The word primarily matters. The MAA reserves the right to consider additional factors for international-team selection purposes, and families should not invent a guaranteed AIME cutoff before the complete criteria are confirmed. “AMC no longer counts in the qualification formula” is supported by the MAA; “AIME is the only factor in every selection decision” would be too broad.

Students invited onward can review the current USA Junior Mathematical Olympiad page and USA Mathematical Olympiad page on CompeteMap.

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International students need local confirmation

The Pearson-center announcement applies to the United States and Canada. The MAA explicitly says that participants in AMC International should follow the policies of the International Group Leader for their country or region.

International families should therefore avoid assuming that every domestic detail transfers automatically. In particular, they should confirm:

• whether and where AIME will be offered in their country or region
• how qualification invitations will be communicated
• whether the local administration follows the same scheduling process
• what fees, identification requirements or test-day rules apply locally
• how the 13-year minimum and fixed AMC thresholds will be implemented

Do not independently book travel to a United States or Canadian Pearson center unless the relevant International Group Leader or MAA confirms that this is the correct route for the student.

This distinction is especially important for UK and Ireland families who encounter AMC through an international school, enrichment provider or overseas competition center. The U.S. pathway may be academically relevant, but participation rules remain location-specific.

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2026–27 AMC and invitational dates

Registration for the 2026–27 MAA AMC cycle opens on 2 September 2026. The official calendar currently lists:

The early, regular and late AMC registration fees shown by the MAA are competition-manager registration charges. Student license bundles are purchased separately, so parents should ask their school or local host about the actual participation process and any student-facing cost.

The AMC 10, AMC 12 and AMC 8 pages on CompeteMap can help families keep the main dates and entry routes together. Always confirm final arrangements with the organiser or competition manager.

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What should students do now?

If you plan to take AMC 10 or AMC 12

• Confirm whether your school or another approved organisation will host the competition.
• Record the A date on 5 November and the B date on 13 November.
• Ask the competition manager which sitting or sittings are available.
• Treat 100 on AMC 10 or 85 on AMC 12 as the published AIME threshold, not as the limit of your preparation.
• Make sure the student email held by MAA will remain accessible after the competition.

If AIME is your main goal

• Practise the new 8-question and 7-question time blocks.
• Build a checking routine that finishes before each part is submitted.
• Practise without a ruler or compass.
• Think early about possible Pearson-center travel on 5–6 February.
• Wait for the official invitation before attempting to schedule an exam.

If USAJMO or USAMO is your goal

• Recognise that AIME consistency now matters more directly.
• Do not expect a high AMC score to remain part of the olympiad qualification formula.
• Continue developing proof skills; USAJMO and USAMO remain two-day proof-based competitions, not extensions of AIME's short-answer format.
• Monitor the MAA policies page for complete qualification criteria rather than relying on unofficial predicted cutoffs.

If the student will be younger than 13

• Check the student's exact age on the AIME date, not only their school grade.
• Be honest that the 2027 AIME is not available below the minimum age.
• Use AMC as a learning and benchmarking opportunity if participation remains appropriate.
• Plan for future cycles without accelerating preparation simply to compensate for an administrative restriction.

If the student participates internationally

• Contact the relevant International Group Leader or local AMC organiser.
• Confirm which parts of the U.S./Canada announcement apply locally.
• Do not assume that Pearson booking, fees or domestic logistics are the same in every country.

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CompeteMap's view: this is a high-priority pathway update

The 2027 announcement changes several layers at once: eligibility, venue, delivery, cost, exam strategy and progression. Updating only the AIME date would leave families with an incomplete—and potentially misleading—picture.

The practical priority is to keep six connected pages aligned: AMC 8, AMC 10, AMC 12, AIME, USAJMO and USAMO, together with the Competition Calendar. The AIME information in particular needs to reflect:

• the Pearson testing-center model
• the two-part computer format
• the minimum age of 13
• fixed qualification scores of 100 and 85
• the $85 fee and financial-assistance statement
• the once-only 5–6 February window
• the new role of AIME in USA(J)MO qualification

For families, the best response is not panic or heavier preparation. It is earlier planning. Confirm the student's age, understand the travel implications, practise the new format and wait for complete official USA(J)MO criteria before treating any predicted score as definitive.

Key Takeaways

• The 2027 AIME will be computer-based at Pearson testing centers in the United States and Canada on 5–6 February.
• The 15 questions will be divided into an 8-question 90-minute part and a 7-question 90-minute part.
• Students cannot return to Part 1 after beginning Part 2.
• Personal materials, including rulers and compasses, are not allowed in the AIME room.
• AMC 10 students qualify with 100 or above; AMC 12 students qualify with 85 or above, subject to other eligibility rules.
• Students must be at least 13 to take the 2027 AIME.
• The AIME fee is $85 plus applicable taxes, with financial assistance promised for students who need it.
• USAJMO and USAMO qualification will be primarily based on AIME; AMC scores will no longer be a qualification factor.
• International participants must follow their country or region's International Group Leader policies.
• Registration for the 2026–27 AMC cycle opens on 2 September 2026.

Sources checked

• MAA announcement: Official Testing Centers for the 2027 AIME
• MAA Invitational Competitions and AIME FAQ
• MAA AMC Registration and 2026–27 dates
• MAA Competitions Policies
• MAA 2025 USAMO and USAJMO threshold formulas