For the 2026–27 cycle, the AMC 8, AMC 10 and AMC 12 are administered in person at authorized test centers — there is no at-home online version. All papers are proctored on-site by a competition manager (a teacher or administrator at a registered school, university, math circle or learning center). If you sat the AMC from home during the online years, the practical takeaway is simple: for 2026 you need a seat at a physical, MAA-authorized center. Always confirm the current arrangements on maa.org.
What actually changed
The MAA returned the AMC to in-person administration and that model continues for 2026: exams are held at verified competition sites and proctored by an authorized competition manager. There is no online, self-proctored, at-home paper as an alternative. For students who came up during the remote years, three things follow:
- You must find a seat at an authorized center — your own school if it is a registered center, or a public center such as a university, math circle or learning center that opens registration to outside students.
- A competition manager runs the whole flow — they enroll students, proctor on the competition date, and share scores and awards afterward. You do not register directly with the MAA as an individual sitting at home.
- Seats are finite and dated — because the exam is on a fixed day at a fixed room, registering early matters far more than it did when the paper could be taken at home.
The MAA maintains a searchable list of authorized test centers so students can find a location near them. If your school is not a center, the practical next step is to locate the nearest public center that admits external candidates.
The 2026 test dates
The AMC 10 and AMC 12 run in November in two sittings — the A paper and the B paper — and you take one date per level, not both. The published 2026–27 dates are:
| Exam | 2026 date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| AMC 10A / 12A | Thursday, November 5, 2026 | The “A” sitting |
| AMC 10B / 12B | Friday, November 13, 2026 | The “B” sitting |
| AMC 8 | January (confirm exact date on maa.org) | Separate January window |
A student may sit the A and the B paper of the same level to give themselves two chances at qualification, but each is a separate registration at a center. The AMC 8 sits in its own January window — treat its date as “confirm on official,” because it is set separately from the November AMC 10/12 dates.
Why “register early” is now the real rule
When the paper could be taken at home, a late decision cost you little. In an in-person model, the binding constraint is a physical seat on a fixed day — and that has a hard deadline attached. In practice:
- Centers close registration well before the exam date, and a seat is only guaranteed once you are enrolled and the fee is settled.
- Refund windows are date-locked. Authorized centers commonly allow a fee-free withdrawal up to a cut-off (for 2026, some centers set this around October 10), after which the seat is locked and a no-show is not refundable. Confirm the exact policy with your specific center.
- China-based students have one extra step: check that your chosen center admits external candidates and clarify the language of administration and any local logistics before you pay.
None of this changes the mathematics — but it changes the calendar. Decide which level (AMC 8, 10 or 12) and which sitting (A, B, or both) you want by early autumn, then lock the seat.
What this doesn’t change: the exam itself
The format is unchanged by the in-person rule. The AMC 8 is 25 questions in 40 minutes with no calculator; the AMC 10 and 12 are 25 questions in 75 minutes. The qualification ladder is also the same — a strong AMC 10/12 result invites you to the AIME, and the AIME feeds the USA(J)MO. If you want the full ladder, start from our guide index. The in-person shift is a logistics change, not a syllabus change: your preparation plan is the same, only your registration calendar is tighter.
For context on what a serious campaign looks like, Hanlin students in the 2025–26 cycle earned 103 Distinguished Honor Roll placements on the AMC 8 (top 1%) and, on the AMC 10, produced 5 perfect scores and 379 AIME qualifications (Hanlin student data; results vary by student and are never guaranteed). The point is not the numbers — it is that those students all sat a real, proctored paper on a fixed day, which is exactly the model everyone is now on.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take the 2026 AMC online from home?
No. For 2026 the AMC 8, 10 and 12 are sat in person at authorized test centers, proctored on-site. Confirm on maa.org.
When is the 2026 AMC 10/12?
AMC 10A/12A on November 5, 2026 and AMC 10B/12B on November 13, 2026. The AMC 8 sits separately in January — confirm its date on maa.org.
How do I register if my school isn’t a test center?
Find a public authorized center (a university, math circle or learning center) that admits external students; its competition manager enrolls you. The MAA lists authorized centers.
Can I sit both the A and B papers?
Yes, you may register for both the A and B sitting of the same level for two chances to qualify — each is a separate registration at a center.
This is an independent English-language guide to the American Mathematics Competitions for China-based students, operated by Hanlin Education. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or the official site of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), which organizes the AMC. Exam formats, dates, registration and refund policies are set by the MAA and by individual authorized centers and can change — always confirm current details on maa.org and with your chosen center. Achievement figures are Hanlin student data, de-identified; results vary and are not guaranteed. Confirmed errors are corrected within 7 working days.