Key Takeaways

• The FIRST Robotics Competition is open to students ages 14 to 18 in grades 9 to 12, and its 2027 game, BIOCORE presented by Haas, launches on January 9, 2027.
• The VEX V5 Robotics Competition is open to middle school and high school students, and teams reach the 2027 VEX Robotics World Championship in Las Vegas through events.vex.com.
• RoboCupJunior is open to participants up to age 19, and the 2027 RoboCup, including RoboCupJunior, takes place in Nuremberg, Germany, in June 2027.
• The Botball Educational Robotics Program requires an adult team leader and gives teams a seven-week build period before regional tournaments.
• BEST Robotics is open to students in grades 6 to 12, is free to enter, and gives teams a six-week build period each fall.
• Applications for 2027 summer robotics programs open between November 2026 and January 2027, with Northeastern University and Tufts University both opening applications on December 14, 2026.

Top 9 Robotics High School Programs

Elite Programs

1. FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC)

The FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) is an international competition that motivates high school students to become scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians (STEM). FRC is open to students ages 14 to 18 in grades 9 to 12, and many teams include 10 to 20 students. Adult mentors lead each team as the students design, program, and build industrial-size robots that compete in themed challenges. Each season features a different game, challenging students to leverage engineering, collaboration, and strategic thinking. The 2027 game, BIOCORE presented by Haas, launches on January 9, 2027.

FRC provides students with practical exposure to cutting-edge technology, such as CAD software and manufacturing equipment. It also teaches them how to collaborate and solve problems. The events finish with high-spirited matches resembling professional sports tournaments. Besides robotics, FRC is about leadership, community, and innovation.

2. VEX Robotics Competition 

The VEX Robotics Competition encourages students to learn about engineering and STEM with hands-on robotic challenges. The VEX V5 Robotics Competition (V5RC) is open to middle school and high school students, and VEX describes it as the largest and fastest growing middle school and high school robotics program globally. Teams design, build, and program robots to compete in a new game each season, and the 2026-27 V5RC game is Override.

Teams register and find events on events.vex.com, which VEX lists as the only pathway to the 2027 VEX Robotics World Championship. The 2027 VEX Robotics World Championship takes place in Las Vegas in April 2027.

Research-Focused Programs

3. Northeastern Young Scholars Program (YSP)

The Northeastern University Young Scholars Program (YSP) is a free summer research program for high school students who want to study STEM subjects. YSP is a research experience in Northeastern University labs rather than a robotics-only camp, and students work with faculty and graduate mentors. The 2027 program runs from June 22 to July 31, 2027, Monday through Thursday.

Only current juniors who are Massachusetts permanent residents and U.S. citizens or permanent residents can apply, so the program is not open to students who live outside Massachusetts. Applications are open from December 14, 2026, to March 1, 2027, at 5:00 p.m.

Competitions

4. RoboCup

RoboCup, known as the World Cup of robot football, is an annual international robotics competition that began in 1997 with autonomous robots playing soccer. High school students take part through RoboCupJunior, which is open to participants up to age 19 and has three leagues, Soccer, Rescue, and OnStage. Soccer and Rescue teams have up to four members, and OnStage teams have up to five.

The 2027 RoboCup, including RoboCupJunior, takes place in Nuremberg, Germany, in June 2027, and the official RoboCupJunior pages list the dates as June 15 to 21 and as June 17 to 21. RoboCup’s ambitious long-term goal is to create a team of humanoid robots capable of defeating the human soccer world champions by 2050.

5. Botball Educational Robotics Program

The Botball Educational Robotics Program, run by KIPR, is a team-based program for middle and high school students. Teams design, build, and program autonomous robots to complete tasks in a game, and students write the robot programs in the C programming language. Each team needs an adult team leader.

The program starts with workshops where team leaders receive training and game information. Teams then get a seven-week build period before they compete in regional tournaments. The whole process helps students develop creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking.

6. BEST Robotics

BEST Robotics (Boosting Engineering, Science, and Technology) is a robotics competition for students in grades 6 to 12. During a six-week build period, students are asked to design, build, and program a robot to perform a task. Each team has a tight deadline and minimal resources, which resembles real engineering problems.

The program focuses on creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration. Students also learn technical writing, marketing, and presentation. Participation is free, teams register through the BEST Robotics registry, and each season runs in the fall, with local hub competitions followed by regional championships.

University-Led Summer Camps

7. University of Wisconsin-Madison Engineering Summer Program

The University of Wisconsin-Madison Engineering Summer Program (ESP) is a free, three-week residential program for rising juniors and seniors. Participants live on campus and take courses in math, chemistry, physics, and engineering design. The 2026 program ran from July 11 to 31, 2026, and applications for the 2027 program open in January 2027.

Applicants must be current sophomores or juniors and U.S. citizens or permanent residents. The program also asks for a 3.0 unweighted GPA and one year each of algebra and geometry.

8. Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University Robotics & Autonomous Systems Camp

The Robotics & Autonomous Systems Camp at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is a weeklong overnight camp at the Daytona Beach campus for high school students ages 15 to 18. Students work with Embry-Riddle faculty and collegiate robotics competition teams to design, build, program, and test autonomous robots, and the curriculum introduces mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. Registration for Summer 2027 programs opens on November 30, 2026, and the 2027 dates and tuition are not yet published.

9. Tufts Engineering Design Lab

The Tufts Engineering Design Lab (EDL) is a two-week summer program for high school students interested in engineering, robotics, and computation. Participants solve actual problems in the Nolop Makerspace using advanced equipment like laser cutters, 3D printers, and the Raspberry Pi-based GoPiGo3 robotic system. The 2027 sessions run from July 11 to 23 and from July 25 to August 6, 2027, and applications open on December 14, 2026.

Tufts University lists the 2027 program fee as $4,425 for commuter students and $5,950 for residential students, with a $550 non-refundable deposit. The 2026 program was open to students entering grades 10 to 12 and recent high school graduates.

Besides real-world design exercises, students meet with academic and industry guest speakers to learn about research and development problems.

Robotics Season Calendar

The dates below come from the official pages of each program. Competition teams start work in the fall and winter, and applications for summer programs open between November and January. Programs without published 2027 dates are listed with the status shown on their official pages.

What You Need to Join Each Robotics Competition

Each robotics competition sets its own age range and team rules. The table below shows who can join and what a team needs, according to the official pages.

Students can start with the competitions that match their grade and age, and then check whether a teacher or an adult mentor is needed to register a team.

Advance Your Passion for Robotics with Indigo Research

The robotics high school programs outlined in this article are great places for high-school students to learn, experiment, and excel. By taking part in these programs, you can acquire hands-on experience, collaborate with peers, and get ready for the tech world in the future. 

Indigo Research offers high school students the opportunity to conduct in-depth research under the guidance of experienced mentors. We offer a variety of STEM disciplines where you can complete individualized research projects to expand your knowledge and creativity. Especially for high school students, Indigo Research has prepared The Indigo Research Intensive Seasonal (IRIS) program, which includes courses in Genetics, AI, Comp Science, Engineering, and more.