PROMYS vs Mathcamp: Which Program Is Right for You?
PROMYS is one deep dive into number theory; Canada/USA Mathcamp is a choose-your-own buffet of advanced topics with unusual freedom. Pick PROMYS to learn how mathematicians grind on one idea, Mathcamp to explore the width of mathematics.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of PROMYS at Boston University and MATHCAMP Summer Mathematics Program. A blank row is a fact we do not hold — not a zero, and not a no.
| PROMYS | Mathcamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Varies — see Cost and funding | Not listed |
| Application deadline | Dates not announced — researched August 22, 2026 | Dates not announced — researched October 12, 2026 |
| Grade eligibility | Grades 10–12 | Not listed |
| Format | In person | In person |
| Location | Boston, MA, United States | United States |
| Program dates | Not listed | Not listed |
| Application destination | promys.org | Not listed |
| Organizer | PROMYS Foundation / Boston University | Mathematics Foundation of America |
PROMYS vs Mathcamp: the short answer
Both are residential math summers of five to six weeks with generous aid, and the real difference is freedom. PROMYS is one subject: number theory is the core lens for every participant, every weekday starts with the whole program in lecture, and first-years spend their days on the daily problem sets. Mathcamp has no set curriculum at all — you pick your classes with an academic advisor, and even how many you attend each day is up to you. On money they are closer than the headline prices suggest. PROMYS publishes a 2026 maximum of $8,000, scaled to income and free for domestic families under $80,000; Mathcamp's 2026 base cost was $7,500, free for US and Canadian families under $100,000, and it promises to meet 100% of need for admitted students, international students included. Mathcamp charges no application fee and asks for no transcript; PROMYS wants a transcript and a teacher recommendation alongside its problem set. Both are chosen on problem-solving you do at home: pick PROMYS if you want to go deep on one idea with a counselor reading your work every day, Mathcamp if you want to choose your own mathematics.
Program details
These are the current details stored for each program. A blank cell means the catalog does not hold that detail.
| PROMYS | Mathcamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to attend | Scaled to family income. The 2026 maximum was $0 under $80,000 of adjusted gross income, an estimated $4,000 from $80,001 to $130,000, an estimated $6,000 from $130,001 to $180,000, and $8,000 above that. | The base cost for 2026 was $7,500; after financial aid the final camp fee is between $0 and $7,500, set case by case. |
| Free below an income line | Free — including tuition, room and board — for domestic students whose families make under $80,000 adjusted gross income a year. | Free for US and Canadian families with household gross income under $100,000 and assets typical of that income. |
| International students | Aid for international students is considered case by case. | Admitted students have 100% of their financial need met, international students included. |
| Application fee | Not stated. PROMYS's student application page lists the four components and how to submit them through Submittable, and names no application fee. | None: there is no application fee. |
| Who can apply | By the first day: 14-18 years old, 9th grade (or its equivalent) completed, and not yet a full-time college student. | Ages 13 to 18. |
| The summer after senior year | Allowed, before you start college, as long as you do not turn 19 by the start of the program. | Allowed: high school seniors can come the summer after they graduate. |
| Places each summer | About 80: 60 first-years and 20 returning students. | 120: typically 65 new students and 55 returning alumni. |
| What you study | Number theory is the core lens through which all participants explore mathematics; returning students add advanced seminars and research projects. | Your choice: Mathcamp has no set curriculum nor list of requirements. |
| A weekday | Everyone gathers for the number theory lecture from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. | You decide: you can take any classes you want, and even the number you attend each day is up to you. |
| Course prerequisites | No competition record needed: asked whether everyone arrives with advanced mathematics or competition results, PROMYS answers "Absolutely not!" | Precalculus (or the equivalent) completed; calculus is not required. |
| Grades and credit | Neither: you are not enrolled at Boston University, so no course credit is awarded and no grades are assigned. | Not stated on Mathcamp's mathematics overview, which describes classes, projects and advising and says nothing about grades or academic credit. |
| Deadline, most recent published cycle | February 27, 2026, 11:59 pm EST — just before midnight in Boston — with decisions emailed by the end of April 2026. | February 23 for Mathcamp 2026, with decisions on April 17. No late applications. |
Inside PROMYS
Six weeks on Boston University's campus, living two to a room in the dorms, built around one subject. Every weekday opens with the whole program in the number theory lecture; afterwards you get the daily problem set and meet your counselor — an undergraduate mathematics major who mentors three or four students — for feedback on yesterday's work. Most of the day, and often the night, goes to the problems, alone and with other students, and the exercise is to design experiments, make conjectures and prove them. There are no grades and no credit: you get written feedback every day and a certificate at the end. Returning students move on to advanced seminars and research.
Inside Mathcamp
Five weeks in a college dorm, and in 2026 it was Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont; the 2027 site has not been announced. The academic program is a menu: with an academic advisor you design your own program of study from classes that last anywhere from a few days to five weeks, plus problem-solving sessions, projects and colloquia, and you decide how many classes to attend. Evenings and weekends have no classes; everything on the activity board is optional. About half of the campers are returning alumni, who come back without reapplying.
Choose PROMYS if…
- You want to go deep on one subject. PROMYS puts every participant through number theory, with a lecture every weekday and a counselor reading your problem sets daily.
- You are a domestic student from a family earning under $80,000. PROMYS is free for you, tuition, room and board included — and so is Mathcamp, so apply to both.
Choose Mathcamp if…
- You want to choose your own mathematics. Mathcamp has no set curriculum; you build your schedule with an advisor and can change your mind as you go.
- You are 13, or you have no transcript to send. Mathcamp takes students from age 13 and asks for no transcript or test scores; PROMYS starts at 14 with 9th grade completed and wants a transcript.
Applying next cycle: what to do now
| PROMYS | Mathcamp | |
|---|---|---|
| Next program dates | PROMYS 2027 runs June 27 – August 7, 2027; the application deadline is the end of February 2027. | Not yet: Mathcamp 2026 ran June 28 to August 2, 2026, and the dates and location for 2027 will be announced in December. |
Applying to PROMYS
- Four components by the deadline: solutions to a challenging problem set, a letter of recommendation, your high school transcript, and an application form with short answers.
- No AI: the use of AI tools or other internet answers is strictly prohibited, and PROMYS may interview applicants about their solutions.
Applying to Mathcamp
- For each Qualifying Quiz problem you submit three parts: the written-up final solution, your scratchwork, and the list of resources you used.
- No transcripts and no standardized test scores; you report your mathematical experience instead.
- Most admitted students gave at least partially correct solutions to at least half the quiz problems.
What this comparison cannot tell you
- Neither program publishes an acceptance rate. PROMYS says only that admission is competitive and that the rate varies from year to year.
- Both price scales describe 2026. PROMYS labels two of its bands as estimates, and both programs decide each award from the family's own circumstances.
- This page does not compare the mathematics itself. The problem sets and the quiz are published by the programs, and working a few problems is the best test of fit.
PROMYS at Boston University
A six-week summer program at Boston University for strongly motivated high school students to explore the creative world of mathematics in depth.
MATHCAMP Summer Mathematics Program
An immersive summer experience for mathematically talented students ages 13-18 from all over the world.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, PROMYS or Mathcamp?
PROMYS: Varies — see Cost and funding. Confirm each figure on the program's official page before budgeting.
Can I apply to both PROMYS and Mathcamp?
The application destinations are evaluated independently. PROMYS: promys.org. Review each provider's current instructions before assuming either application is open or compatible with the other.
Which is better for college applications, PROMYS or Mathcamp?
We do not rank enrichment programs by admissions value. Use the comparison to assess whether each program's documented constraints fit your situation, and check the details that decide it for you on each program's official page.
What grades can apply to PROMYS and Mathcamp?
PROMYS: Grades 10–12. Eligibility can change between cycles, so confirm it on each program's official page before applying.
Related comparisons
PROMYS appears in 2 of 56 comparison pages. Mathcamp appears in 2 of 56 comparison pages.
How we count
Our comparison list has 56 pairs covering 91 catalog programs. Those numbers count this list only. They are not a ranking or the size of the full catalog.
We don't rank programs or name one of them the best.
When we don't list a cost, it is unknown, not free. Check the official page.
Catalog-wide numbers, and what each was counted out of, are on Statistics.