The largest groups of candidates come from South Korea, China, Poland, the United States and Japan.
The pre-selection panel, composed of Polish violinists Agata Szymczewska and Bartłomiej Nizioł, chose the candidates based on video submissions.
The next stage, consisting of live auditions, will begin in mid-April.
The final list of competitors is due to be announced on June 1.
First held in 1935 in Warsaw, the Wieniawski Competition is the world’s oldest violin competition, according to its organisers.
After a 17-year break during and after World War II, the event was moved to Poznań, where it has been held since 1952, usually every five years.
The 17th edition of the competition is scheduled to open on October 8.
Past winners include David and Igor Oistrakh, Ida Haendel, Ginette Neveu, Veriko Tchumburidze and Hina Maeda.
Henryk Wieniawski, the Polish virtuoso after whom the competition is named, was a child prodigy who entered the Paris Conservatory at age 8.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest violinists of the 19th century after Niccolò Paganini. He died in 1880 at the age of 45.
(mk/gs)