SOF IMO (International Mathematics Olympiad), run by the Science Olympiad Foundation, is a multiple-choice exam open to Grades 1-12, testing applied number sense, reasoning and grade-appropriate mathematics. It runs in two stages — Level 1, open to all registered students, and Level 2, for a smaller set of qualifiers based on Level 1 performance and class rank.

What the Syllabus Actually Covers

The syllabus broadly follows the school curriculum for each grade, but questions are framed to require applied reasoning rather than direct formula recall — a students who can solve a problem "the school way" isn't automatically ready for the way IMO frames the same concept.

Level 1 vs Level 2

Level 1Level 2
EligibilityAll registered studentsQualifiers from Level 1
DifficultyGrade-appropriate, appliedNoticeably higher, more olympiad-style
PurposeBroad screeningGenuine competitive olympiad round

How the Format Changes Across Grades

Younger grades (1-4) lean on number sense, patterns and logic; middle grades (5-8) add more structured arithmetic and early geometry; older grades (9-12) include algebra and more advanced applied reasoning — the format stays multiple-choice throughout, but the underlying content matures with the syllabus.

A Realistic Preparation Approach

Since Level 1 is broadly accessible, the highest-leverage preparation is simply strong command of the current grade's maths syllabus, applied flexibly — Level 2 is where dedicated olympiad-style practice starts to matter significantly more.