National Robotics Challenge (NRC)
An open-platform robotics competition, founded in 1986, open to students from 6th grade through graduate school who design and build robots from self-sourced materials across a dozen competition categories at an annual championship.
No specific kit to buy.
Entry fees that are low and no mandatory kit to buy.
The National Robotics Challenge contests are open to students in 6th grade through graduate school.
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Aerial Drone Competition (RECF/Robolink)
A national robotics competition recommended for grades 5-12 in which teams of 3-5 students pilot and program drones through teamwork, autonomous flight, piloting skill, and documentation challenges at events run by the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation.
National Robotics League (NRL)
A combat-robotics competition in which high school students design, build, and battle their own robotic creations, developing manufacturing and technical problem-solving skills through regional events and a national championship.
Robofest
An annual robotics festival hosted by Lawrence Technological University with a Senior Division for grades 9-12, featuring autonomous-robot game challenges, BottleSumo, vision-based tasks, and a robotics-themed exhibition and arts competition.
RoboRAVE International
An international robotics competition, founded in New Mexico in 2001, in which teams of 2-4 students of any age build and program autonomous robots on any hardware platform to compete in events like line following, sumo, and firefighting at regional Opens worldwide and a World Championship.
World Robot Olympiad (WRO)
An international robotics competition for students ages 8-19, held annually since 2004 in over 95 countries, with categories spanning RoboMission, RoboSports, Future Innovators, and Future Engineers challenges.
BEST Robotics, Inc.
A free, six-week fall robotics competition for middle and high school teams who design, build, and program a robot for team-vs-team matches while also being judged on an engineering notebook, marketing presentation, and team exhibit.