FIRST® Tech Challenge

Grades

Grades 7-12 (middle school through high school)

Age

Ages 12-18

Citizenship

Domestic and international students welcome (program operates in 81+ countries)

Prerequisites

No prior robotics or engineering experience required; open to all students interested in STEM

Steps

1. Find or start a team in your local area (school-based or community organization)
2. Team registers with FIRST through regional/state coordinator
3. Team builds robot according to season challenge specifications (released September each year)
4. Teams compete at local/regional competitions throughout season (November-March typically)
5. Top teams advance to state and potentially world championships (April)

Materials Needed

• Team roster with student members and mentors/coaches
• Robot kit (FIRST-approved hardware and software platforms)
• Engineering notebook documenting design process
• Team registration with regional FIRST organization

Timeline

Seasons run September through April; teams prepare over 6-month window; major deadlines vary by region

Cost

Varies by region and team; typically $3,000-$8,000+ per team annually for registration, kit components, travel, and competition fees; many teams seek sponsorship and fundraising support

What Judges Look For

• Robot performance and engineering design quality
• Code functionality and programming innovation
• Team collaboration and communication skills
• Engineering notebook completeness and documentation
• Community outreach and STEM education efforts
• Awards: Inspire Award (overall excellence), Think Award (engineering analysis), Design Award (CAD/mechanical design), Build Award (construction quality), Control Award (software/electronics), Teamwork Award, Gracious Professionalism
• Innovation and problem-solving approach
• Mentorship quality and student leadership development

Scoring

Teams compete for ranking points during matches; awards are judged separately by volunteer experts; advancement based on match performance and regional qualification

Common Mistakes

• Starting preparation too late in season (teams should have clear strategy by October)
• Poor documentation in engineering notebook (judges need to see design process)
• Neglecting software/programming in favor of hardware only
• Weak team communication and mentorship dynamics
• Insufficient attention to reliability and testing before competitions
• Missing community outreach component
• Poor time management across 6-month season

Acceptance Rate

Not applicable—all interested students can join a team; no selective 'acceptance' process. Instead, teams compete against each other; regional competitions typically have 30-150 teams depending on location

Applicants

2024-2025 season: 109,000+ students globally participating

Winners / Selected

Varies by region; typically 1 team qualifies to state championship per region; ~50-100 teams advance to world championships from 10,000+ competing

• Start forming/joining a team early (summer is ideal for preparation planning)
• Develop strong mentorship relationships—quality mentors make substantial difference
• Focus on reliability over flashiness; a consistent, predictable robot beats a complex, buggy one
• Invest time in engineering notebook from day one—judges heavily weight this
• Divide labor between mechanical, electrical, and software teams; specialization improves quality
• Test relentlessly; competition day failures often stem from untested edge cases
• Engage in community outreach early; demonstrates commitment to STEM education
• Study past winning teams' strategies and designs through official resources
• Attend practice competitions/scrimmages before major events
• Build a culture of 'Gracious Professionalism'—FIRST values cooperation and respect
• Secure sponsorships and funding early to ensure resources for full season
• Video document your build process for presentations and college applications

How to Prepare

• Find or start a team at your school or local community program (FIRST website has team finder)
• Learn Java or Kotlin programming if unfamiliar (FTC uses these languages)
• Study CAD software (many teams use Fusion 360, FreeCAD, or SolidWorks)
• Familiarize yourself with robot chassis platforms (REV Robotics, Tetrix most common)
• Watch previous season game videos and rule documentation
• Practice mechanical design principles and electronics wiring
• Join team early in off-season (May-August) to build foundational skills
• Attend summer robotics workshops or camps if available
• Review FIRST training modules and documentation
• Connect with mentors who have FTC experience

Resources

• FIRST official website (firstinspires.org) - game rules, resources, team finder
• r/FTC subreddit - active community sharing strategies and troubleshooting
• YouTube channels: FIRST official, team build vlogs, technical tutorials
• REV Robotics documentation and training materials
• Team GitHub repositories with open-source code examples
• FTC Discord communities for real-time peer support
• Local robotics camps and workshops
• Mentorship from experienced team alumni
• Technical documentation from kit manufacturers

Time Needed

Initial learning: 4-8 weeks to basic competency; full season preparation: 6 months (September-April), typically 10-20 hours per week during season; advanced proficiency: 2+ seasons

Successful FTC teams typically have: 2-4 experienced mentors with engineering/software backgrounds; diverse team of 12-15 students with mixed skill levels; dedicated leads for mechanical design, programming, and strategy; access to workshop space and tools; strong communication and documentation practices; history of iterative design and testing; commitment to teamwork and mentorship of newer students. Top teams often have students pursuing STEM majors in college; many winners become mentors themselves in future seasons

FIRST Tech Challenge participation is highly valued by college admissions: demonstrates STEM commitment, hands-on engineering experience, and real-world problem-solving; shows teamwork, leadership, and resilience through competition; many prestigious universities (MIT, Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, etc.) actively recruit FIRST alumni; bolsters engineering and CS applications; demonstrates depth beyond classroom; mentorship and community outreach aspects highlight character and initiative. Multiple-year participation with leadership roles (team captain, lead programmer, mechanical lead) significantly strengthens STEM college applications. World championship participation is particularly prestigious. Former FIRST participants often report better college STEM coursework performance and higher likelihood of pursuing engineering/tech careers

• Congressional App Challenge — Tier 3, competition
• ARML (American Regions Mathematics League) — Tier 3, competition
• AMC (American Mathematics Competitions) — Tier 3, competition
• National Science Bowl — Tier 3, competition
• Science Olympiad — Tier 3, competition