NASA's FIRST Robotics House Teams

Grades

Grades 9-12 (ages 14-18)

Age

14-18 years old

Citizenship

No specific citizenship requirement mentioned; international participation allowed through FIRST structure

Prerequisites

Must join an existing FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team that holds NASA House Team status, or help establish a new team that applies for designation. Teams must be registered with FIRST Inspires and compete in FRC competition.

Steps

1. Locate a NASA House Team in your region using the official list at robotics.nasa.gov/nasa-house-teams
2. Contact the team directly to inquire about joining as a member
3. Attend team meetings and tryouts (timing varies by team)
4. If no NASA House Team exists near you, work with mentors to establish a new FRC team and apply for NASA partnership designation through your local NASA field center
5. New teams register with FIRST Inspires to compete in FRC competitions
6. Establish relationship with local NASA center for House Team designation

Materials Needed

• High school enrollment verification
• Contact information for team leadership
• Interest in robotics, engineering, or STEM
• Time commitment availability (6-month build season plus competitions)
• Team registration with FIRST Inspires (for new teams)

Timeline

FIRST Robotics competition season runs January-April annually. Build season is 6 weeks starting in January. Team recruitment typically occurs in September-October for upcoming season. Joining an existing team is immediate upon acceptance; establishing a new team takes several months of preparation.

Cost

Team membership costs vary by team ($0-$500+ depending on team fundraising). Registration with FIRST costs approximately $5,000 per team. Individual students may need to contribute to team expenses or fundraising. Scholarships and grants available through FIRST Inspires and corporate sponsors.

What Judges Look For

• This is not a judged selection process for individual students—it's a team-level partnership
• For teams seeking NASA House Team designation: established mentorship relationships with NASA engineers, demonstrated STEM engagement, community impact, competitive history, alignment with NASA mission
• For students joining teams: passion for engineering/robotics, commitment to 6-week build season and competition schedule, ability to contribute to team goals (mechanical, electrical, programming, business, or other roles), teamwork and collaboration skills

Scoring

Individual students are not scored; teams are selected for NASA partnership based on sustained relationships with NASA field centers. Students compete through the FRC competition format: team rankings determined by alliance performance in matches (winning alliances earn ranking points), playoff success, and awards (Engineering Inspiration, Team Spirit, Rookie All-Star, Chairman's Award, etc.).

Common Mistakes

• Thinking this is an individual application opportunity—it's not; you must join an existing team
• Assuming proximity to NASA center guarantees team existence—check the official list of 57 teams first
• Underestimating time commitment (build season requires 20-40 hours/week for dedicated members)
• Joining a team without understanding its culture or role you'll play
• Waiting until competition season to get involved instead of joining in off-season (fall)

Acceptance Rate

Not applicable—this is a team partnership, not individual selection. However, 57 teams nationally hold NASA House Team designation out of ~4,500+ total FRC teams globally (approximately 1.3% of teams have NASA partnership).

Applicants

Approximately 93,000 students participated in FIRST Robotics Competition in 2024-2025 season globally

Winners / Selected

57 designated NASA House Teams across 16 NASA field centers. Geographic distribution: California (17 teams), Ohio (8 teams), Louisiana (4 teams), Texas (6 teams), Maryland (5 teams), Mississippi (5 teams), Virginia (4 teams), Alabama (3 teams), Florida (2 teams), New Mexico (2 teams), West Virginia (1 team), Hawaii (0 teams).

• Start early: Join a team in the off-season (August-December) rather than mid-season to maximize your impact and learning
• Specialize in a subteam: Identify whether you're interested in mechanical design, electrical systems, programming, business/outreach, or strategy to maximize your contribution
• Attend every event: Build season requires consistent attendance; teams expect 20-40 hours/week from core members
• Build relationships with mentors: NASA engineers provide direct guidance on engineering problems—ask thoughtful questions and show initiative
• Learn from past designs: Study YouTube videos and resources from your team's previous seasons; review The Blue Alliance competition database
• Participate in outreach: NASA House Teams often emphasize community engagement and STEM promotion—volunteer and lead demos
• Document your work: Take photos, videos, and write detailed technical reports; this strengthens college applications
• Network at competitions: Meet teams from other regions; FIRST emphasizes global community and collaboration
• Get involved in fundraising: Many successful teams rely on fundraising; helping secure resources shows leadership
• Consider leadership roles: Team captain, subteam lead, or business lead positions demonstrate initiative for college apps
• Understand the game deeply: Study the competition rules and strategy; being able to discuss game mechanics shows sophistication
• Build a portfolio: Document your specific contributions, CAD designs, code, business plans, or outreach initiatives

How to Prepare

• Learn CAD software (Fusion 360, SolidWorks, or Inventor are industry standard)
• Study basic programming (Java is FRC standard; Python or C++ also useful)
• Understand mechanical engineering basics: motors, gearboxes, pneumatics, structure
• Learn electronics and electrical systems: PLC basics, wiring, sensors
• Study past FRC games on YouTube to understand competition format
• Join or start a team immediately (don't wait for spring)
• Volunteer at local robotics events or competitions to observe teams
• Read technical documentation and team guides from successful programs
• Practice machine shop skills if possible (machining, welding, 3D printing)
• Develop problem-solving mindset through physics, engineering, or maker programs

Resources

• FIRST Inspires official website: firstinspires.org (rules, resources, team finder)
• The Blue Alliance (thebluealliance.com): comprehensive FRC statistics, team data, competition results
• YouTube channels: Andymark Robotics, VEXRobotics tutorials, team channels from Team 254, Team 1690, Team 3476
• NASA robotics page: robotics.nasa.gov (information on House Teams)
• Chief Delphi forums: community discussions, technical advice, strategy debate
• FRC subreddit communities for peer discussion and advice
• Autodesk Fusion 360 free tier for CAD learning
• WPILib documentation for FRC programming
• Local makerspaces and STEM centers for hands-on learning
• Engineering textbooks: Statics, Dynamics, Controls Theory basics
• Khan Academy for refreshing math/physics fundamentals

Time Needed

Preparation timeline: 3-6 months before competition season (August-December) to develop foundational skills. Minimum 20-40 hours/week during 6-week build season (January-February). Competitions run February-April. Year-round commitment for advanced members: 10-20 hours/week for ongoing design work, training, and outreach.

Successful FIRST Robotics participants and team members typically: (1) Attend high-performing schools with strong STEM programs or highly motivated robotics teams, (2) Have prior robotics or engineering experience (FTC, VEX, or independent projects), (3) Demonstrate consistent commitment over multiple years (freshmen-senior), (4) Hold leadership positions (team captain, subteam lead, strategy lead), (5) Achieve regional/state/national competition success, (6) Contribute to outreach and community engagement, (7) Show strong technical skills in at least one discipline (CAD design, programming, machining, electrical), (8) Participate in multiple competitions per season, (9) Have mentorship relationships with engineers or professionals, (10) Balance robotics with academics and other extracurriculars. Examples from NASA House Teams include elite programs like Team 254 (Cheesy Poofs—Ames), Team 118 (Robonauts—Johnson Space Center), Team 120 (Cleveland's Team—Glenn Research Center) with decades of success and national recognition.

FIRST Robotics participation, particularly with prestigious NASA House Teams, is highly valued in college admissions: (1) Top-tier STEM universities (MIT, Caltech, Carnegie Mellon, Stanford, Georgia Tech) actively recruit FIRST alumni and recognize team participation as evidence of serious engineering commitment, (2) Demonstrates sustained passion for STEM (typically multi-year commitment), (3) Shows collaborative and real-world engineering experience beyond classroom, (4) NASA partnership adds prestige and signals mentorship from professional engineers, (5) Team leadership roles (captain, subteam lead) strengthen applications significantly, (6) Competition success and awards demonstrate achievement, (7) FIRST alumni are disproportionately represented at elite engineering schools, (8) College admissions officers recognize FIRST as 'gold standard' for high school robotics, (9) Some universities offer FIRST-specific scholarships, (10) Employment recruitment: Major tech/aerospace companies (Google, SpaceX, Tesla, JPL, NASA) specifically target FIRST alumni for internships and entry-level roles. Note: Participation matters more than placement—admissions officers value commitment and learning over winning, but national recognition significantly strengthens applications.

• 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