Thank you for participating in our 2026 Mathematical Competition
We are delighted to announce the results of the inaugural CIMP Entrance Examination. 420 candidates sat the paper, drawn from over 250 schools across more than 80 cities worldwide, a remarkable response for our first cycle, and one that establishes CIMP as a genuinely international assessment from the outset.
The examination, comprising a 30-question multiple-choice section and three extended written problems on curve sketching, cosmological modelling and combinatorial proof — was calibrated to the standard of Cambridge undergraduate admissions. The mean score across the cohort was 83.06 out of 200, with strong separation at the top: the top 10% scored above 130, the top 5% above 145, and the top 1% approached or exceeded 170.
To the Top 20, who have earned a place at this summer's residential programme at Lucy Cavendish College: congratulations. You join a small and distinguished community of young mathematicians, and we look forward to welcoming you to Cambridge from 2–16 August 2026.
To every candidate who sat the examination: thank you. Reaching this stage is itself an achievement, and we encourage you to use the published report and solutions as a foundation for the next chapter of your mathematical journey.
Top 20 Leaderboard
Examination Report and Model Solutions
❒ 2026 Examination Report
authored by the Clarkson Institute Academic Team, covers:
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Cohort overview, geographic representation and participation scale
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Full score distribution and performance bands
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Sectional analysis of the multiple-choice and written components
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Question-level commentary on the three written problems (curve sketching and integral identity; cosmological modelling and differential equations; combinatorics and bijective proof)
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Markers' observations on cohort strengths and areas for development
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A note on the Question 25 adjustment (full marks awarded to all candidates following a typographical error in the answer options)
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Recommendations for future candidates
❒ 2026 Examination Full Solutions
The complete solution booklet, with worked solutions to all 30 multiple-choice questions and full mark schemes for the three written problems. Alternative methods (including stars-and-bars and substitution-based approaches) are discussed where candidates demonstrated valid creative reasoning.
We encourage all candidates to study these solutions carefully. As the marking team notes in the report, "we assess solutions holistically, considering the overall quality of reasoning and method." Mathematics is learned through reflection, not just performance.
For Enquiries
If you have questions about your result, the offer process, or future applications, please reach out to us via email or WhatsApp. Result enquiries will be answered within five working days. Please include your candidate ID in the subject line.