Canada/USA Mathcamp

What is Mathcamp?

Canada/USA Mathcamp is an intensive 5-week-long summer program for mathematically talented high school students, designed to expose these students to the beauty of advanced mathematical ideas and to new ways of thinking.

More than just a summer camp, Mathcamp is a vibrant community, made up of a wide variety of people who share a common love of learning and passion for mathematics. At Mathcamp, students can explore undergraduate and even graduate-level topics while building problem-solving skills that will help them in any field they choose to study.

What topics are covered?

DISCRETE MATHEMATICS

• Combinatorics (enumerative, algebraic, geometric)

• Generating functions and partitions

• Graph theory

• Ramsey theory

• Probability

• Finite geometries

• Polytopes and polyhedral

• Combinatorial Game Theory

ALGEBRA AND NUMBER THEORY

• Linear algebra

• Groups, rings, and fields

• Primes and factorization algorithms

• Congruences and quadratic reciprocity

• Galois theory

• Algebraic number theory

• Analytic number theory

• Fermat's Last Theorem for polynomials

• p-adic numbers

• Geometry of numbers

GEOMETRY AND TOPOLOGY

• Euclidean and non-Euclidean (hyperbolic, spherical, projective, inversive) geometries

• Geometric transformations

• Algebraic geometry

• Point-set topology

• Combinatorial topology

• Knot theory

• The Brouwer Fixed-Point Theorem

CALCULUS AND ANALYSIS

• Topics in calculus

• Fourier analysis

• Complex analysis

• Real analysis

• Dynamical systems

SET THEORY, LOGIC, AND FOUNDATIONS

• Cardinals and ordinals

• Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem

• The Banach-Tarski Paradox

• Model Theory

• Category Theory

COMPUTER SCIENCE

• Theoretical CS

• Complexity theory

• Information Theory

• Cryptography

• Algorithms

CONNECTIONS TO OTHER FIELDS

• Relativity and quantum mechanics

• Neural networks

• Mathematical biology

• Game theory

• Voting theory

• Bayesian statistics

DISCUSSIONS

• Philosophy of Mathematics

• Math Education

• How to Give a Math Talk

• College and Beyond

Who?

Canada/USA Mathcamp is an immersive summer experience for mathematically talented students ages 13–18 from all over the world.

Why come to Mathcamp?

Mathcamp is a chance to…

• Live and breathe mathematics that is fascinating, deep, difficult, fun, mysterious, abstract, interconnected (and sometimes useful).

• Gain mathematical knowledge, skills and confidence – whether for a possible career in math and science, for math competitions, or just for yourself.

• Set and pursue your own educational goals: choose your classes, do a project, learn what you want to learn.

• Study with mathematicians who are passionate about their subject, from internationally known researchers to graduate students at the start of their careers, all eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm with you.

• Make friends with students from around the world and discover how much fun it is to be around people who think math is cool.

When and Where?

In 2024, Mathcamp will take place at University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA from Sunday, June 30 to Sunday, August 4. 

Learn more about MC 2024.

For the years to come, please visit: https://mathcamp.org/about_mathcamp/

How to apply?

1. You need to pass a qualifying quiz including 6 math problems.

2. You need to turn in a personal essay.

3. You need a recommendation letter from your current math teacher.

Please visit: https://mathcamp.org/admission/ for more information.

How much does Mathcamp cost?

The base cost for Mathcamp 2024 will be $5,500 USD. After financial aid, the final camp fee will be between $0 and $5,500, determined on a case-by-case basis depending on individual family circumstances. This camp fee includes tuition, room, board, all extracurricular activities, and local transportation to and from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). There is no application fee.

Financial Aid

They award over $150,000 per year in scholarships, based on need. Mathcamp is free for US and Canadian families with household incomes under $100,000 (with typical assets), and need-based financial aid is widely available for middle-income families as well as international students, including full scholarships and travel grants. Learn more about Financial Aid.

Registration and Withdrawal

At the time of registration, they ask for a deposit of 25% of the expected camp fee (taking scholarships into account). The remaining 75% will be due on or before the first day of camp.

If a student decides to withdraw from the camp and give us sufficient notice, the camp fee deposit will be returned, less an administrative fee of $100 USD. After May 23, refunds are available only for absence due to illness. In this case, the student will be reimbursed for the time they missed, less an administrative fee of $100 USD.

Yearly Archive

Mathcamp was founded in 1993, with two students; it has since grown into an amazing community of 120 students each summer and 1500+ alumni who share a love of mathematics. Read more about our past summers of camp!

I had heard Mathcamp was awesome but it was even better than I expected.