Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this competition open to?

This competition is open to public high school students in grades 9-12 within the five boroughs of New York City. All teams from a public school or an organization must have an adult present.

Students who have represented the NYC Math Team, or any other equivalent, in any competition, are not eligible to compete in MSEI. NYCMT members may join their coaches in the coach room and support their teams.

Can private school students participate?

MSEI is designed with a target audience of public schools. While private school students are loosely permitted, it is our intention that the private school participants fall in one of the following categories to promote the math competition space in NYC:

1.) Represent an organization that supports students without a team. 

2.) Their school does not have a math team, and they form their own team in association with their school (i.e. if the private school math team is relatively new, we will let them participate).

3.) They partner with students from other schools that don't have a team, and form a team with no association to a school or organization.

In general, even if the teams meet one of the criteria above, if a team has 3 or more students from private schools that have established math teams, they will not be permitted as we want to encourage the creation of new teams in the NYC DOE public school system. It is a case by case basis currently and we apologize for the lack of clarity for private school students. 

How many people can we bring?

Teams will consist of 6 students. Partial teams are allowed but will have an inherent disadvantage. Teams may bring up to 1 alternate member to the competition. This person must be listed on the registration form along with the remaining team members and also fill out the photo release. We will try our best to fill partial teams with alternates. If all teams are full, alternates will form their own team.

How much does it cost to register?

In line with the other competitions in New York City, this competition is completely free! Major thank you to the HSMSE Parent Teacher Association for funding this competition. We are looking for sponsors!

Who should fill out the registration form?

The registration form is due Saturday, March 28th, 2026.

If you are part of a public high school math team, please have your coach/advisor fill out the registration form. 

If you are an organization, please have an adult chaperone fill out the registration form. For school, please put your organization name.

If you are a group of students with no organization or public school backing, please have an adult chaperone fill out the form. If no adult chaperone is available, please have one representative from the team fill out the form and list themselves as coach. Where school is listed, please put N/A.

What happens after registration?

Due to limited space on the HSMSE campus, we cannot guarantee a spot to every team. An email will be sent out on March 30th, 2026 to confirm which teams are accepted. An individual google form will also be sent to all coaches of teams that are accepted so they can send it out to their students. 

What is permitted during the competition?

Students should bring a writing utensil. Scrap paper will be provided. No calculators, electronic devices, graph paper, rulers, compasses, or protractors are allowed. Students with English as a second language may use a paper dictionary.

Will students need to bring their own lunch?

Lunch will be provided for all students as well as snacks. Students are encouraged to bring their own snacks as well if they wish. Please inform us of any dietary restrictions or allergies on the registration.