The HiMCM 2026 contest window runs November 4-17, and registration closes at 2:00 pm EST on Wednesday, November 4, 2026 – one hour before problems are released. COMAP accepts no late registrations, so September is the right month for advisors to get every step in place.
The advisor’s September checklist
1. Confirm eligibility and affiliation. A team is up to four students from the same school, institution, or approved program, plus a faculty advisor from that same school or program. Cross-school teams are permitted only when all members belong to the same approved program – tutoring and test-prep centers do not qualify. The full definitions are in our 2026 rules guide.
2. Register on COMAP’s official system only. The fee is $100 per team, non-refundable, paid by credit card on COMAP’s secure site. The screen showing your team control number is the only confirmation you will receive – record it.
3. Register teams before rosters are final. Advisors do not have to name students at registration: register the number of teams you need, then assign students to each control number any time before the contest starts. Once the problems are read, membership locks.
4. Check name spelling. Student and school names appear on certificates exactly as entered, and COMAP does not reprint certificates.
5. Start team formation now. Teams that assign roles – modeling, computation, research, writing – and run a trial task together in September consistently have smoother contest windows. See team matching for the role framework.
Dates and fees can change; always verify against COMAP’s official instructions before paying or planning.
This is an independent English-language guide to HiMCM for Greater-China students, operated by Hanlin Education. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by COMAP, the organiser of HiMCM. COMAP is the sole official authority for HiMCM rules, dates, registration and results — contest details change between editions, so always confirm on comap.org before registering or submitting. Confirmed errors are corrected within 7 working days.