Over 6,000 middle and high school students in the US participated in F=MA Exam. With the popularity of this exam, many students are looking for ways to excel in this exam. 

This blog will break down the secret recipes to be successful in the F=MA exam, including a deeper understanding of the event, who should participate, and how you can best prepare for this exam! 

What Is the F=MA Exam?

The F=MA exam, organized by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT), is a screening test for the US Physics Olympiad (USAPhO) and International Physics Olympiad (IPhO). 

F=MA is a prestigious physics competition that has earned a reputation for being quite challenging.

The exam covers a wide range of physics topics you’ve studied in your classes, like kinematics, mechanics, electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and modern physics. The questions require you to apply your knowledge creatively to solve complex and multi-step problems.

If you are one of the 400 top scorers in the F=MA, you'll move on to the USAPhO exam. Then, only 20 top scorers based on the USAPhO and F=ma will be selected to join the US Physics Team. 

Qualified students will attend a ten-day training camp at the University of Maryland and at the end of the camp, 5 students will be selected to take part in the International Physics Olympiad (IPhO), competing against the best physics students from around the world. The 2026 edition (56th IPhO) was held July 4–12 in Bucaramanga, Colombia.

Who Should Participate, and Why?

The F=ma competition exam is ideal for anyone interested in STEM, especially if you like physics. It's a great way to improve and test your physics knowledge and problem-solving skills. 

If you're in middle school or just starting high school and interested in physics, start preparing for F=ma early. If you are in high school, preparing for F=ma can also boost your AP physics exam scores. 

Eligibility for F=ma Test

This test is open to all middle school and high school students who are U.S. citizens, permanent residents (Green card holders), or currently attending a U.S. school. Students must also be physically located within the United States to take the F=ma exam. Students must not exceed age 20 by June 30 of the competition year.

Benefits of Joining F=ma Competition

There are several benefits to taking this test:

1. Taking part in the F=ma exam can lead to many chances to do physics research.
While getting ready for the exam, you learn a lot of useful skills and knowledge. This is helpful if you want to do research or study more in physics.

If you’re interested in a research project in physics, consider getting personalized guidance and expertise with 1-1 mentorship from top PhDs at Indigo Research.

2. Doing well in the exam shows you have a good understanding of basic physics, which makes you a better choice for research internships and programs. 

3. Also, being involved in the F=ma exam helps you meet people who work in physics, like professionals and teachers. These connections can be very important for your future research projects.

4. Participating also looks impressive on college applications and can open doors to exclusive opportunities.

5. And of course, if you score well enough, you could earn a spot at the U.S. Physics Olympiad or even the International Physics Olympiad.

Overview of F=MA Exam Format and Question Types

Format of the Exam

The F=MA exam consists of 25 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 75 minutes. One version of the exam is administered on a single date. Prior to 2025, two versions (F=ma A and F=ma B) were offered on separate dates; this dual-format was discontinued. Students may only take the exam once per year.

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The exam focuses on classical mechanics, including:

• Kinematics
  The study of how objects move without considering the forces that cause the motion. Questions may cover displacement, velocity, acceleration, and graphs of motion.
  
  
• Dynamics
  The study of how forces affect the motion of objects. This includes Newton's three laws of motion, friction, and centripetal force.
  
  
• Energy and momentum
  Questions on the conservation of energy and momentum, as well as the relationships between them.
  
  
• Oscillations and gravitation
  Topics such as harmonic motion, pendulums, and Kepler's laws.
  
  
• Fluids
  Questions involving Archimedes' principle, Bernoulli's principle, and Pascal's law.
  
  
• Data analysis
  Basic questions on interpreting and analyzing data from experiments.

F=ma Scoring System

To prepare for a wide range of topics, focus on understanding concepts and their applications, not just memorizing formulas. The F=MA exam rewards problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and logical reasoning. 

Correct answers are worth 1 point, while incorrect answers or blanks receive 0 points. There is no penalty for guessing, so try to eliminate incorrect options and make an educated guess. Based on the 2026 F=ma results published by AAPT, 6,682 exams were scored. The median score was 8, and the minimum score required to qualify for USAPhO was 16 points. A total of 440 students met that threshold.

Preparing for the F=MA Exam: Resources You Need

To prepare for this exam, you’ll need to gather some essential resources. The F=ma exam covers a wide range of topics, so make sure you have materials that provide an overview of high school physics as well as practice problems and mock exams.

Fundamental Resources

Having a good understanding of the fundamental mechanics concepts is essential if you are joining the F=ma competition. Below are the resources you can use to enhance your knowledge:

​1. A 25-minute Guide to Score 25 on the F=ma
This video provides a quick and basic review of the concepts needed for the F=ma test.

2. Physics Fundamentals Videos
A good collection of videos that cover the most important fundamentals of physics.

3. Open Yale Course: Fundamental of Physics
This is a great course to introduce the principles and methods of physics for students who have good preparation in physics and mathematics. In this course, you will learn about Newtonian mechanics, special relativity, gravitation, thermodynamics, and waves.

4. Physics Library by Khan Academy
These videos teach the AP Physics 1 material and provide a solid foundation in the fundamentals of physics.

5. MIT Physics I: Classical Mechanics
The series of lectures by Walter Lewin are some of the most interesting videos on mechanics and are fun to watch.

6. MIT OCW: Classical Mechanics
This course introduces the topic of classical mechanics. It is modified from the materials presented in the fall 2016 course taught at MIT.

Mock Exams

The best way to prepare for the F=MA Exam is by immersing and familiarizing yourself with the format of the exams.

1. You can check out the previous F=MA exams here. Past exams with solutions are listed under the "Past Exams" section of that page. Take them under actual testing conditions to simulate the experience. Time yourself and don’t look at the solutions until you’ve finished. Review which areas you struggled in and focus your studying there.

2. For additional challenge, you can also try past IPhO problems from the official archive here.

3. Another resource that you can watch is the explained video by Sujay Kazi, who provided solutions to the contest problems in 2015. 

Registering for the F=MA Exam and Competition Timeline

2026/2027 F=ma Exam Schedule

The 2026 exam was held on February 12, 2026. Registration for the 2026 cycle closed on January 21, 2026.

For the 2027 cycle, registration typically opens in October and closes in late January. Check here for official dates as they are announced.

Exam Place

Starting in 2026, the F=ma exam is administered fully online via the Educational Vistas (EdVistas) platform. Students still require a registered proctor to oversee the exam — this is typically a teacher or school representative. For-profit test prep centers and for-profit educational services are not permitted to proctor the exam.

Homeschooled students should contact a nearby school, community college, or university to arrange proctoring. For full proctoring requirements, see here.

Registration and Fee

To register, teachers or school representatives go to this website and complete registration online. Students then register individually on the EdVistas platform using instructions emailed to the proctor.

Current fees (2026): School Registration Fee is $75 ($37.50 for AAPT Members) per school, plus $15.50 per student.

Exam Day

On exam day, arrive early to prepare for the administration. During the competition, students are only allowed to bring these materials:

• Writing utensils (Note: colored pens/pencils are allowed)
• Rulers
• Erasers
• A handheld calculator may be used. Its memory must be cleared of data and programs. You may use only the basic functions found on a simple scientific calculator.
• Only scratch paper provided by the proctors may be used in both the F=ma and USAPhO Exams. The proctors will collect it immediately after the exam, along with the exam pages. 

You will not allowed to bring:

• Any phones or computing devices
• Smartwatches
• Graph paper
• Compasses
• Protractors

Check out the current AAPT rules at this website for the full list of permitted and prohibited materials. Since the exam moved online in 2026, confirm with your proctor whether physical scratch paper or a calculator is permitted under the current EdVistas format.

Waiting for Results

Results are released 6-8 weeks after the exam. Check the website or look for an email announcing the results. The top-scoring students (around the top 3%) are invited to the USAPhO training camp to prepare for the International Physics Olympiad. If invited, be ready to commit to an intensive week of studying and training.

Advancing and Awards

At each stage of the F=ma exam, USAPhO, and IPhO, gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded to the highest-performing students.

Conclusion

The skills and knowledge you'll gain just by preparing will benefit you for years to come, regardless of the outcome. When exam day arrives, walk in there with your head held high knowing you put in the effort. 

And who knows, you might just find yourself competing on the global stage at the International Physics Olympiad. Either way, you should be proud of yourself for having the motivation and courage to take on this challenge. Now go out there and show them what you've got!