In brief
Students in grades six through twelve across Saudi Arabia can now register for the Kaostat Mathematics Competition, organized by KAUST. The contest starts with a qualifying round in January 2027 and culminates in finals at KAUST in April 2027.
In the city of Madinah, the General Administration of Education announced on November 1, 2026 that registration is now open for the Kaostat Mathematics Competition, a contest organized by King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to help Saudi and resident students sharpen higher‑order thinking skills.
The competition is aimed at students from grades six to twelve and will feature three tracks that group them by grade level. The first track is for grades six and seven, the second for grades eight and nine, and the third for grades ten and eleven. The design reflects the organizers’ intention to tailor problems to the cognitive readiness of each age group.
Registration remains open until December 12, 2026, after which the administration will announce the locations for testing centers. Students who register in time will take a compulsory in‑person written test on January 23, 2027, which serves as the qualifying round for the event.
Successful participants will advance to the finals, which will take place from April 2 to April 4, 2027, at the KAUST campus in the city of Thuwal. The finals are expected to bring together the top performers from across the kingdom and provide a high‑profile platform for showcasing mathematical talent.
The competition welcomes all Saudi citizens and residents enrolled in public, private and international schools. The seven‑track system allows teams to compete against peers in the same educational environment while still competing nationally.
According to the general administration’s statement, the Kaostat Mathematics Competition “aims to develop critical thinking, expose students to a variety of mathematical challenges and provide a platform for talented learners to pursue further academic opportunities.”
KAUST has a history of hosting national and international competitions. By hosting the finals in April 2027, the university hopes to enrich the academic culture of Saudi Arabia’s upper secondary education system.
Students and parents have expressed enthusiasm for the new competition, noting that it will encourage academic perseverance and give students a chance to gain recognition beyond the classroom. The competition’s open format, with separate tracks, is expected to make the event accessible to a broad range of learners while maintaining competitive integrity.
The General Administration of Education’s announcement, relayed by the Saudi Press Agency, signals a renewed emphasis on mathematical excellence within the Medina region and across the kingdom. Registration for the Kaostat Mathematics Competition remains open until the end of December, and those interested can apply through the region’s official education portal.
