NMOS 2026: Results, Awards, Format & Sample Questions
Last reviewed: 19 August 2026 · By PSLE Hero Editorial Team
A practical, fact-checked NMOS 2026 guide for Singapore parents: results release status, award categories, competition format, official past papers, and where to practise next.
NMOS 2026 at a glance
Sources: official 2026 rules, official FAQ, official awards page and official book sales page.
NMOS 2026 date and format
The 2026 NMOS competition was held on 14 July 2026. Participating primary schools conducted the written paper in a designated 1 hour 30 minute timeslot between 2:00pm and 4:30pm in accordance with NUS High regulations.
The paper comprised 35 questions with a maximum time of 90 minutes. All questions were in English and calculators were strictly prohibited. The official mark allocation was:
- Questions 1 to 10: 1 mark each (10 marks total)
- Questions 11 to 20: 2 marks each (20 marks total)
- Questions 21 to 30: 3 marks each (30 marks total)
- Questions 31 to 35: 4 marks each (20 marks total)
- Total Paper Score: 80 marks
NMOS is open exclusively to Primary 5 students enrolled in Singapore primary schools. Individual parent or student registration is not permitted — all participants must be registered via their respective schools.
NMOS 2026 results: release process, awards and checking
When are NMOS 2026 results released?
According to the official NMOS organiser FAQ, results are released within 10 working days after the competition date. For the 14 July 2026 sitting, the organiser's result processing was completed by late July / early August 2026 and communicated directly to the respective primary schools.
How do parents check NMOS 2026 results?
Results are distributed directly to each participating primary school's Mathematics department. Parents should check with their child's teacher-in-charge or school Mathematics HOD. Note: NUS High School explicitly states that telephone enquiries regarding individual results will not be entertained.
Are NMOS results published online?
No. NUS High School does not provide a public individual score search, online portal, or public master results list. Each school receives its own student results roster and physical award certificates directly from the organiser.
What awards and certificates are given?
The official awards policy provides recognition at multiple levels:
- Individual Certificates: Every participant receives a certificate indicating their achievement level — Gold, Silver, Bronze, Honourable Mention, or Participation.
- Top-Performing Girl Certificate: Awarded to the highest-scoring girl from each participating school, provided she achieves at least a Silver award.
- School Team Trophy: Awarded to the Top 20 school teams based on the combined aggregate score of the top 4 scorers from each school.
Are there official score cut-offs or award percentages?
NUS High School does not publicly publish official cut-off scores or fixed percentage quotas for Gold, Silver, or Bronze awards on its official pages. Any exact score cut-offs (such as "Gold requires X marks") found on third-party forums are unofficial historical estimates and vary year by year depending on the cohort's score distribution.
Official NMOS past papers & solution books
Parents often search for official NMOS past papers. NUS High School publishes official past-year question and solution compilations that can be purchased directly:
- Available Books: NMOΣ Five-Year Series (covering 2016–2019, 2021) as well as individual yearly editions with complete step-by-step solutions for 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
- Walk-in Purchase: NUS Co-op @ Central Forum, 12 Kent Ridge Crescent, Central Library Building CLB-01-02, Singapore 119275 (while stocks last).
- Online Store: Available via the NUS Co-op online bookstore.
Source: NUS High NMOS official Book Sales page.
NMOS practice sample questions (PSLE Hero)
The following are original NMOS-style practice examples created by PSLE Hero for educational training. They are not official 2026 competition questions, past-paper reproductions, or an official answer key.
1. Working backwards · Moderate
Question: After a sequence of transfers, Alan, Ben and Carl each have 24 marbles. Carl gave one-quarter of his marbles to Alan, Ben gave one-third of his marbles to Carl, and Alan first gave half of his marbles to Ben. How many marbles did Alan have at the start?
Answer: 32 marbles. Reverse the transactions from the final equal amounts and check that the total remains 72 throughout.
2. Assumption method · Moderate
Question: A 30-question quiz awards 5 marks for a correct answer, deducts 3 for an incorrect answer and deducts 1 for an unanswered question. Jerry attempted 28 questions and scored 90 marks. How many were correct?
Answer: 22 correct. The two unanswered questions cost 2 marks; compare the adjusted score with the all-correct score, where each correct-to-incorrect change reduces the score by 8.
3. Constraint checking · Moderate
Question: In the sum ABA + BAB = CDDC, different letters represent different non-zero digits. What are C and D?
Answer: C = 1 and D = 2. The units column forces A + B to be 11, producing a carry that makes the tens and hundreds digits 2.
How to prepare for NMOS
- Confirm school selection: Check with your primary school's Math department early in Term 1 regarding how participants are selected and registered.
- Practise without calculators: All 35 questions must be solved by mental arithmetic and written working within 90 minutes.
- Master core heuristics: Working backwards, multi-variable assumption, systematic listing (grid paths), constraint analysis, and spatial geometry rearrangements.
- Use official solution books: Practise using the official NMOΣ Five-Year Series and yearly solution books from NUS Co-op to calibrate difficulty.
- Maintain PSLE syllabus balance: Olympiad problem solving trains mathematical grit, but do not sacrifice standard P5/P6 MOE curriculum mastery.
NMOS 2026 FAQ
Is NMOS for Primary 5 or Primary 6?
NMOS is strictly for Primary 5 students enrolled in Singapore primary schools. Primary 6 students typically participate in competitions such as SMOPS (APMOPS) or RIPMWC instead.
Can a student register without the school?
No. Registration is solely through participating primary schools. Individual parent or private candidate registration is not permitted under NUS High rules.
Where can I get official NMOS past papers?
Official NMOΣ solution books (covering 2016–2019, 2021–2024 papers with full solutions) can be purchased at NUS Co-op @ Central Forum (CLB-01-02, NUS) or online at nuscoop.sg.
What score is needed for NMOS Gold, Silver, or Bronze?
NUS High School does not publish official score cut-offs or fixed award percentages. Awards are calibrated based on the overall cohort performance each year.
Does an NMOS award guarantee DSA admission?
No. The official FAQ notes that outstanding performance will be recognised, but it does not guarantee a DSA place. Each secondary school assesses DSA applicants under its own talent criteria and portfolio review.
Are the sample questions on this page official?
No. The sample questions on PSLE Hero are original educational practice problems designed to teach NMOS-relevant heuristics. For official questions, refer to the NUS Co-op solution books.