WPI offers several scholarships specifically for students who have participated in high school robotics organizations. Receiving one of these scholarships does not require a student to pursue robotics as their field of study once they’ve enrolled at WPI.
With over 50 STEM-focused programs and majors, WPI provides countless opportunities for students to pursue their interests, discover new passions, develop leadership skills, and build lifelong friendships—both inside and outside the classroom.
Read on to learn more about our robotics scholarships for high school students. If you have additional questions, please contact admissions@wpi.edu for more information.
Applications Open on December 15!
The WPI Robotics Scholarship Applications will be available December 15, 2025.
Scroll down to learn more about available scholarships and prepare yourself for the application process.
FIRST Robotics Scholarships
WPI is a longtime supporter of the FIRST robotics programs and offers scholarships for FIRST alumni. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a global, nonprofit organization that engages students in STEM through friendly team competition. They are guided by core values of discovery, innovation, impact, inclusion, teamwork, and (of course) fun!
WPI Design Innovation Scholarship
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What is it: A full-tuition, four-year undergraduate scholarship (valued at approximately $220,000) to a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), or FIRST Global Challenge (FGC) team student participant. In addition to the full-tuition scholarship, WPI offers three $40,000 scholarships ($10,000 per year for four years of undergraduate study) to applicants to the Design Innovation Scholarship who are not selected for the full-tuition award, but whose applications merit receiving an award.
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Who is eligible: Each team participating in one of the programs may nominate one of its student members. The nominee must be in their final year of high school and be an active member of their FIRST (FRC, FTC, FGC) team in the 2025-2026 season. Nominees must have applied for first-year admission to WPI for Fall 2026 and should demonstrate enthusiasm for engineering, science, and innovation.
Please note: if multiple submissions are received from a single team, they will not be considered. Please work with your team and your mentor to determine your team’s nominee. For teams with two students interested in applying for the scholarship, we recommend that one student apply for WPI FIRST Design Innovation Scholarship, and one student apply for WPI FIRST Community Scholarship.
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How to Apply: All scholarship applicants must first submit a complete admissions application to WPI no later than February 1st (Regular Decision deadline). Details on how to apply to WPI can be found here.
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Scholarship submissions can be made here. The submission will consist of an application form, a signed nomination form to be completed by the adult team leader (mentor, coach, teacher, etc), and a video presentation.
The video submission should focus on one or more of the design innovations of your team’s robot. The presentation should also touch on one of three topics: how your team builds spirit, how your team demonstrates sportsmanship, or the importance of teamwork in robot development. The most competitive applications make use of imagery (photos, videos, slides) and narration or spoken responses to the prompt. Videos must be 5 minutes or less in length.
- When to Apply: The scholarship application will open on December 15, 2025, and will close on February 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. Mentors will have an additional week, until March 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST to submit their nomination. Initial offers will be sent out at the end of March. Final scholarship notifications will be sent out on April 15th.
WPI FIRST Community Scholarship
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What is it: A full-tuition, four-year undergraduate scholarship (valued at approximately $220,000) to a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC), FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), or FIRST Global Challenge (FGC) team student participant.
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Who is eligible: Each team participating in one of the programs may nominate one of its student members. The nominee must be in their final year of high school and be an active member of their FIRST (FRC, FTC, FGC) team in the 2025-2026 season. Nominees must have applied for first-year admission to WPI for Fall 2026 and should demonstrate enthusiasm for engineering, science, and innovation.
Please note, if multiple submissions are received from a single team, they will not be considered. Please work with your team and your mentor to determine your team’s nominee. For teams with two students interested in applying for the scholarship, we recommend that one student apply for the WPI FIRST Design Innovation Scholarship, and one student apply for the WPI FIRST Community Scholarship.
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How to Apply: All scholarship applicants must first submit a complete admissions application to WPI no later than February 1st (Regular Decision deadline). Details on how to apply to WPI can be found here.
Scholarship submissions can be made here. The submission will consist of an application form, a signed nomination form to be completed by the adult team leader (mentor, coach, teacher, etc), and a video presentation.
The video submission should focus on how you have exemplified WPI’s values of Respect, Community, Inclusion, Innovation, and Achievement in the FIRST Community or in your life. Please be sure to touch on all five values in your submission. The most competitive applications make use of imagery (photos, videos, slides) and narration or spoken responses to the prompt. Videos must be 5 minutes or less in length.
- When to Apply: The scholarship application will open on December 15, 2025, and will close on February 23, 2026. Mentors will have an additional week, until March 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST to submit their nomination. Initial offers will be sent out at the end of March. Final scholarship notifications will be sent out on April 15th.
FIRST Digital Animation Award - New for 2026
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What it is: WPI is proud to sponsor the 2026 FIRST Digital Animation Award, a celebration of creativity, innovation, and the intersection of STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. This year’s challenge invites students to bring big ideas to life through animation that explores how technology shapes our world and our future.
The 2026 theme, “The Artifact That Changed Everything,” asks teams to choose one invention or material and imagine how future generations might see it as the defining artifact of our era. Whether it’s the legacy of our cities, the evolution of energy, or the next frontier beyond Earth — your animation tells the story.
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Who is eligible: All FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) and FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams are invited to participate. Each program will have one official winner, recognized by FIRST with a trophy and plaque.
WPI will also provide sponsorships to the winning teams that meet submission requirements:- FRC Winner: $6,300 team sponsorship covering 2026–2027 registration fees
- FTC Winner: $2,000 team sponsorship, including $325 for registration, $500 for field materials, and $1,175 for robot materials
Plus, any student who submits a Digital Animation Award entry as part of a FIRST team is eligible for a $1,000 scholarship to attend WPI.
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How to apply: Check out the full competition details, judging criteria, and submission requirements here: Judging and Submission Requirements
Thinking about applying to WPI? Learn more about what it’s like to be part of our innovation-driven community: Apply to WPI
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When to apply: The scholarship form is now available!
Contact: first_daa@wpi.edu
VEX and RECF Drone Program Scholarships
WPI offers scholarships for VEX V5 Robotics Competition (V5RC) and REC Foundation Drone Program alumni. Robotics Education & Competition Foundation (RECF) brings together student scientists and engineers and prepares them to be future innovators.
Each year, WPI awards a grand prize scholarship of $80,000 ($20,000 per year, for four years) and two runner-up scholarships of $40,000 ($10,000 per year, for four years).
Application Process
- All scholarship applicants must first submit a complete admissions application to WPI no later than February 1st (Regular Decision deadline). Details on how to apply to WPI can be found here.
- The VEX Scholarship application will open on December 15, 2025, and will close on February 23, 2026. Mentors will have an additional week, until march 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST to submit their nomination.
- Scholarship submissions can be made here. The submission will consist of an application form, a signed nomination form to be completed by the adult team leader (mentor, coach, teacher, etc), and a video presentation.
- The video submission should focus on your contribution to your team’s robot design or drone game strategy and coding, as well as touch on one of the following three topics: how your team builds spirit, how your team demonstrates sportsmanship, or the importance of teamwork in robot development or in the drone competition environment. The most competitive applications make use of imagery (photos, videos, slides) and narration or spoken responses to the prompt. Videos must be 5 minutes or less in length.
VEX Scholarship Eligibility
Each base team number participating in one of the challenges may nominate one of its student members (i.e. Teams 190A and 190B may only nominate one student to represent both 190 teams). The nominee must be in their final year of high school and be an active member of either their VEX team or REC Foundation Drone team in the 2025-2026 season. Nominees must have applied for first-year admission to WPI for Fall 2026 and should demonstrate enthusiasm for engineering, science, and innovation.
Please note: if multiple submissions are received from a single team, they will not be considered. Please work with your team and your mentor to determine your team’s nominee.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the deadline to apply?
The scholarship application will close on Monday, February 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST. The mentor nomination form will close on Monday, March 2, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
When will I find out about the scholarship?
Initial offers will be made in late March. Final scholarship notifications will be send out on April 15.
Will I be able to submit my application late?
No, the application form closes at 11:59 PM EST on the application deadline.
Can I apply to more than one scholarship?
Yes, you can submit an application to more than one robotics scholarship. These submissions should be specific to each application prompt.
Are mentor nominations due at the application deadline?
No, mentors have an additional week to submit their nominations. If a mentor nomination is not received, the application will not be considered.
Are the scholarships guaranteed for all four years?
Yes, the scholarships are guaranteed for four years.
Will the full-tuition scholarships change with changes in tuition cost?
Yes, full-tuition scholarships will increase with tuition increases.
Eligibility Information
Can multiple members of my team apply?
Only one team member may apply to each scholarship. For example, for FIRST teams, one team member may apply to the Design Innovation Scholarship and one team member may apply to the Community Scholarship.
How can our team decide who to nominate for the scholarships?
We advise teams to work together and consult their mentor on who to nominate for the scholarships. Some larger teams, who may have multiple students applying to WPI, have previously used methods such as voting to decide.
What if two members of my team apply to the scholarship?
If more than one application is received from a single team, neither application will be considered. This is why mentor verification of the nomination is required.
I graduate in December, so I can’t compete in this year’s season. Can I still apply?
Yes, if you have participated in the last full season in which you could participate, you may apply.
Can I apply even if I took a gap year after high school?
Yes, if you have participated in the last full season in which you could participate, you may apply.
I am a peer mentor for my team this year, but not an active member. Can I still apply?
No, you must be an active member of your team to apply.
Can I apply in my junior year?
No, you must be in your final year of high school and have already applied for admission to WPI.
I am a FIRST Lego League participant, can I apply?
No, only members of FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, or FIRST Global teams may apply to the FIRST Scholarships.
Can I apply to the scholarship before I have my admissions decision?
Yes, for example, applicants to WPI’s Regular Decision round will not have their decisions before the scholarship application deadline.
Can I apply to the scholarship even if I have been denied admission?
No, students who have been denied admission, will not be considered.
Can I apply if I have been added to WPI’s waitlist or will be reevaluated in another admission round?
Yes, students who have been added to WPI’s waitlist or are still waiting on a decision may apply, as they may be offered admission at a later date.
Application Details
Do I have to discuss this year’s season in my video essay?
No, you may discuss any recent season, but we do recommend focusing on one specific innovation from a single year for the FIRST Design Innovation and VEX Scholarships.
What will I need for the application?
Submissions consist of completed application form, a video essay, and a mentor nomination.
What is the scholarship committee looking for?
The most important piece of advice we can give is that you answer all parts of the prompt. We also recommend that you use both visuals and spoken responses to the prompt.