FIRST Robotics Competition

Organization: FIRST

Quick Answer

FIRST Robotics Competition is a competition run by FIRST for high school students in grades 9–12. It takes place in person. No fixed deadline is listed — check the official site for current dates. See the key facts table below for cost, eligibility, and application details, and always confirm specifics on the official program site.

Program Overview

The flagship high-school robotics league: student teams design, build, and program 120-pound robots in a six-week season, then compete at district, regional, and world-championship events.

## Overview The **FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)** is the flagship high-school program of FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Working with adult mentors, teams of high-school students design, build, program, and drive industrial-scale robots (~120 lb) to play a new game revealed each January at Kickoff. ## How It Works - **Build season (Jan-Feb):** teams have roughly six weeks to design and build a robot for the season's game - **Competition season (Mar-Apr):** teams compete at district or regional events in alliances of three robots - **FIRST Championship (Apr):** top qualifying teams advance to the world championship - Awards recognize engineering, strategy, outreach, and team culture — including the prestigious FIRST Impact Award and Dean's List ## Why It Matters - Hands-on engineering, CAD, programming, electronics, fabrication, and project management under real deadlines - Business, fundraising, and outreach roles make the team a full student-run organization - FIRST-affiliated college scholarships exceed $80M annually, and FRC alumni are heavily recruited into STEM programs ## Getting Involved - Join an existing team at your school or community, or start a new one (fall registration through the FIRST dashboard) - Typical commitment is 10-20+ hours/week during build and competition season - No prior experience required — rookies learn from mentors and veteran teammates

Program Details

Key facts about FIRST Robotics Competition
OrganizerFIRST
CategorySTEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)
FormatIn-Person
LocationVarious locations
CostNot listed
EligibilityGrades 9–12
Application deadlineRolling / not listed
Time commitment~15 hours/week
CountryUSA
Listing last updatedJuly 27, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for FIRST Robotics Competition?

FIRST Robotics Competition is open to high school students in grades 9–12. Some programs have additional requirements (GPA, coursework, essays, or recommendations) — the full criteria are on the official site.

Is FIRST Robotics Competition online or in person?

FIRST Robotics Competition is an in-person program. Expect a time commitment of roughly 15 hours per week.

How do I apply to FIRST Robotics Competition?

Apply directly through FIRST's official website. ExtracurricularHub links to the official application — we list and verify programs but don't process applications.

Compare This Program

Related Searches

Similar Programs You May Like

Explore these related extracurricular opportunities:

Related Guides from Our Blog

Learn More

Visit the official program website: FIRST