This policy explains how teams and organizations should be registered for Global Robotics and Science Foundation programs. Its goal is to keep team records accurate, make event registration fair, and place teams in the correct organization. Accurate registration also helps preserve team history, support event capacity planning, and ensure all teams have fair access to participation opportunities. It is written for coaches, organization administrators, and District Administrators.
Definitions of the terms used here are maintained in the central glossary.
For the registration process itself, see the Registering a New Team and Renewing a Team articles.
What Is an Organization?
An organization is the school, club, group, or program that operates one or more teams under the same leadership and primary location. Examples include schools, school districts, community organizations, non-profit organizations, private robotics clubs, JROTC programs, STEM education providers, and other youth-serving programs. An organization may have one team or multiple teams.
Team Numbers
Each organization is assigned a base team number. Teams within the same organization share that base number and are identified by a letter, such as 1234A, 1234B, and 1234C.
Team numbers belong to the organization and remain with it from season to season. Organizations with more than 22 teams may request an additional base number. For how to renew teams, see Renewing a Team.
Organization Types
During registration, each organization must select the category that best describes how its teams operate.
- School – The teams are operated by a public school, private school, charter school, college, university, or other recognized educational institution.
- Community or Non-Profit – The teams are operated through a community-based or non-profit organization outside of a school setting, such as libraries, community centers, youth programs, and scouting organizations.
- Private / Independent – The teams are operated by parents, mentors, or community volunteers and are not formally affiliated with a school, district, non-profit, or business.
- Paid STEM Enrichment Program – The teams are operated through a for-profit business that provides robotics, STEM, technology, engineering, coding, or other youth-focused programming.
Student Eligibility
Teams must register in the age division that matches the eligibility requirements in the current Game Manual for their program (VEX IQ Robotics Competition Game Manual, VEX V5 Robotics Competition Game Manual). Students who meet the eligibility requirements for a lower age division may participate on a team registered in a higher age division, where the Game Manual allows. Once a team competes in a higher age division during the season, it may not move to a lower age division for that same season.
Age divisions apply per program. A student may participate on teams in different programs, such as a Middle School VEX IQ team and a Middle School VEX V5 Robotics Competition team, at the same time.
Multiple Schools or Locations
Each school or physical location should register as its own organization when teams operate independently. For example, a school district with teams in multiple buildings should register each building separately, so Elementary School A becomes organization 1234, Middle School B becomes 5678, and High School C becomes 9012.
Community programs with multiple locations should also register each location separately when students primarily meet, practice, and operate independently. If you are unsure whether your teams should be listed under one organization or multiple organizations, contact your Program Support Team before registering.
Event Participation Limits
Some events may limit the number of teams from a single organization. These limits help manage event capacity and provide fair access to teams across a region. Team limits, when they apply, are listed on the event's page on events.vex.com. Organizations are expected to register teams accurately and in good faith. Creating multiple organizations, using inaccurate information, or changing team structure to bypass event participation limits is not permitted. For more about registering for events, see the Preparing to Register for an Event article.
Global Robotics may review organization or team registration information at any time, and organizations may be asked to provide documentation to verify their structure, location, affiliation, or team operations. Examples of documentation may include:
- School or organization records
- Proof of affiliation
- Facility or location information
- Program documentation
- Other information needed to verify team structure
If an organization is unable or unwilling to provide requested information, or if registration information is found to be intentionally inaccurate, Global Robotics may take corrective action. Corrective action may include, but is not limited to:
- Team reclassification
- Organization reclassification
- Event registration adjustments
- Event registration restrictions
- Removal from an event
- Loss of eligibility for the season
All decisions are made with the goal of protecting fairness, competitive integrity, and equitable access for teams.
Accurate Registration Information
Organizations must provide complete and accurate information during registration and keep it updated throughout the season, including the organization name, organization type, primary operating location, team contacts, team affiliation, program structure, and age division. Knowingly providing false, misleading, incomplete, or inaccurate information may result in corrective action. In serious cases, a team or organization may lose participation eligibility for the season without refund.
Team Contacts
Each team must have accurate contact information so coaches, administrators, and support staff receive important updates throughout the season. Each role is defined in the central glossary; the following are required unless marked optional:
- Primary Coach
- Financial Contact
- Secondary Coach (optional)
- District Administrator (optional)
Questions
If you are unsure how your team or organization should be registered, contact your Program Support Team before registering or making changes. They can help make sure your teams are set up correctly and in a way that supports fair participation for everyone.