2025

Competition

ABOUT

The competition is about communicating through a story :

  • How can Mathematics be used in our society?
  • How can we make Mathematics more relevant to our lives?
  • How can Mathematics help us solve the most significant problems of our time?

This is an international competition, open to:

  • Undergraduate students currently enrolled in a university degree, no matter the subject of study; or,
  • School students in their final two years before university (for example, Year 11 and 12 in Australia or the USA, A-levels in the UK, upper secondary in the EU).

We want to promote the importance of Mathematics to humankind, by encouraging innovative and creative stories that talk to and engage different audiences.

How to enter the competition:

Create an original video in English (between 3 and 4 minutes long) telling a story about the use of a specific piece of Mathematics and why this is important to society. It can be any mathematical concept, from simple to advanced. And yes, Statistics is Mathematics!

How to submit your video:

  1. In order to submit your entry, you must first upload the video you have recorded onto YouTube. Your video needs to be in MP4 format and you should ensure that the video is available for viewing (set it to public or unlisted). This step is important otherwise, your work will not be viewable. Once your video is uploaded to YouTube, you will need to generate a link to share the video with us.
  2. Complete and submit the Mathstory Registration 2025 through the online submission form at our website.
  3. The deadline for submissions is Sunday November 23rd, 2025, 23:59 [Any time in the world].

Notes:

  1. The competition is open to ALL undergraduates currently studying a bachelor’s degree, or ALL secondary school students in their final two years before university; in any university or school, in any country. 
  2. You can enter the competition on your own, or in a group of maximum 3 students.
  3. The video can contain animation, voiceover speech, text, sound
    effects, or music, however, you do not necessarily have to appear
    on it. Please ensure you have full copyright to the submitted
    material. This includes audio and visuals.
  4. You can use your phone to record, or any other recording device.
    You can use any software to edit your video (see our Resources page. 
  5. Submission of an entry will mean acceptance of the competition rules and the Terms and Conditions as outlined here.

The winners of the 2024 Mathstory competition have been announced and the winning videos can be seen at the Winner’s gallery. Congratulations!

Promotional video

You can use this video to promote the competition with your students at your university

The competition closes in:

Days
Hours
Minutes
The 2025 competition is now closed. Results will be announced on December 8th, 2025.

The 2024 competition is now closed

You can participate on your own or team up with 1 or 2 other students (groups of max 3 students). If you are thinking on forming a group, try to find someone that complements your skills or knowledge. 

To participate, all students must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree at an institution of Higher Education, or be in their last two years of upper secondary school (before university) by the competition’s closing date. 

Video submissions must NOT include any endorsement of product services, political endorsements, or any obscene, violent, racist, homophobic, transphobic or defamatory content. Submissions must not include individuals who have not given their consent to appear.

There will be one:

  • 1st prize of AUD$500
  • 2nd prize of AUD$300, and
  • 3rd prize of AUD$200

The winners will be announced on Sunday December 8th, 2025, and notified by email as well as published on our website. All winning videos will be showcased in our website and social networking sites once the competition is over.

The judges will look for a creative, engaging and inspiring video.

 

They will judge on:

Creativity/Originality of the story

  • Is the entry the students’ own work, in the students’ own words? Is it original? The video may include personal experiences and thoughtful observations that enhance the originality. Does the video raise the viewers’ emotions in an effective way?
  • How well was the story told? Is there a recognisable beginning, middle and end that are connected cohesively? Were there any storytelling techniques used in an effective way? For example, was the story told using an archetype such as the “hero’s journey”, or any other technique such as a cliffhanger, a surprising moment, etc.?
  • Does the video clearly and effectively explain the mathematical concept to a general audience? The video may include a novel way to see the mathematical concept, or one that shows its utility in novel or unexpected ways.

Message Content

  • Does the video address the theme of “How can Mathematics be used in our society? How can we make Mathematics more relevant to our lives? How can Mathematics helps us solve the most significant problems of our time?”
  • Is the story told in a persuasive way and does it reflect why the chosen topic is important to be communicated? Is it compelling? Does it show how Mathematics is relevant?
  • Is the video presented in such a way that the main message is effectively communicated? Is the video engaging?

Technical Organization

  • How well is the video produced in regards to continuity, timing, camera operation, sound quality, editing and adherence to time limit of 3 – 4 minutes?

 

The decisions of the judges will be final. The organizers and judges reserve the right to remove entries from the competition that they feel may breach any of the competition rules, the Terms and Conditions or may bring the competition into disrepute. Such entries will be disqualified.