Registration Fees
A universal standard designed to be clear, consistent, and accessible
Fee at a Glance
One transparent standard for every participant, everywhere
STANDARD REGISTRATION FEE
US$30
Per student, per Academic Marathon subject. The same US$30 standard applies to individual and school-coordinated registrations.
Automatic Fee Waiver Policy
Our registration system automatically calculates an equitable fee using a structured combination of the participant's country tier and school tuition tier. The resulting payable fee may be:
US$30 · US$25 · US$20 · US$15 · US$10 · US$5 · US$0
No separate discretionary review is required. The same calculation standard is applied consistently, and the resulting fee does not affect participation, scoring, awards, or recognition.
What's Included
- The complete ten-hour Academic Marathon experience
- Original test content and embedded learning resources
- Post-competition analytics
- Certificates for award recipients
- Score transcripts for all participants
Not included: Preparatory materials are offered separately through the LearningFirst platform and are not included in the Academic Marathon registration fee.
Why We Charge a Registration Fee
The fee is about value and commitment — not just administration
Registration purchases access to a carefully designed educational experience: the complete ten-hour marathon course, original test content, new learning resources embedded within the stages, the testing platform, assessment, and performance results. The fee recognizes the real value of the content and learning journey—not only the administrative cost of running an event.
Registration also represents a commitment: to reserve a place responsibly, prepare seriously, respect the time set aside for the marathon, and complete the challenge with purpose.
Our experience with free registration revealed a consistent human tendency: when no commitment is required, registrations are more likely to be made casually and the experience is less likely to be treated with the seriousness it deserves. This pattern appeared in insufficient preparation, unread event emails and instructions, last-minute requests for information already provided, and failure to attend. The result was reduced educational value for participants, avoidable support demands, and unused places that consumed limited operational resources.
A meaningful fee encourages each student and family to make a considered decision before registering—and then to prepare, stay informed, attend, and approach the experience with purpose. Responsible registration protects both the participant's opportunity to learn and the quality of the event for everyone.
Access should never depend solely on a family's ability to pay. That is why the same commitment principle is paired with our automatic, needs-sensitive fee policy, which can reduce the payable fee from US$30 down to US$0—in US$5 steps: US$30, US$25, US$20, US$15, US$10, US$5, or US$0.
Payment Methods
Secure payment options for individuals and schools
Individual Registration
For students registering on their own. Both credit / debit card and Alipay are accepted. After you register, simply follow the payment instructions in your confirmation email to pay directly.
School / Bulk Registration
For schools and organizations registering multiple students or teams. Card payment is supported, and bank transfer is also available for bulk payments. Transfer details are provided after registration.
Refund Policy
Clear timelines so you can plan with confidence
- Full refund — available up to 30 days before the competition date.
- Partial refund (50%) — available up to 14 days before the competition date.
- No refund — within 14 days of the competition date.
For special circumstances, please contact registration support. Refund requests are reviewed individually and processed to the original payment method where possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers about fees, waivers, and payment
The standard registration fee is US$30. During registration, the system automatically calculates any fee adjustment using the participant's country tier and school tuition tier. The resulting payable fee may be any of US$30, US$25, US$20, US$15, US$10, US$5, or US$0. The adjusted fee does not affect the competition experience or recognition.
Individual participants can pay by credit / debit card or Alipay. After registering, simply follow the payment instructions in your confirmation email to pay directly. Schools and organizations registering multiple teams (bulk registration) can also pay by card, and bank transfer is additionally supported for bulk payments.
Full refunds are available up to 30 days before the competition. Partial refunds (50%) are available up to 14 days before. No refunds are issued within 14 days of the competition. Contact registration support for special circumstances.
Yes. Our automatic, needs-sensitive fee policy reduces the payable fee based on country and school tuition tiers — no separate application is required. The adjusted fee can be as low as US$0 and never affects participation, scoring, awards, or recognition.
Preparatory materials are offered separately through the LearningFirst platform and are not included in the Academic Marathon registration fee. Everything else listed under "What's Included" above is covered by your registration.