Answers that match the live Dashboard
Registration, eLearning, teams, equipment, submission, privacy and awards—using the same rules as the 2026 Challenge.
Registration and payment
Who can participate?
Australian school and homeschool students from Kindergarten to Year 12 may participate. Robotics Category C is recommended for Upper Primary–Year 12, but capable younger students may enter.
How much does registration cost?
2026 School Group registration is AUD $20 per student. A school starts with at least two students and may later add one or more places. Individual registration is AUD $30. GST is included in both 2026 prices. Guided STEM eLearning is included.
Can a school register before student names are final?
Yes. A coordinator may purchase paid student places first and add students later through the RCC Dashboard or CSV upload. Participation certificates are issued only after a named student is allocated to a paid place.
When does registration close?
Robotics registration and submission close at 11:59 pm Australia/Sydney on 25 September 2026. Coding registration and submission close at 11:59 pm Australia/Sydney on 20 October 2026. Registering on the deadline does not extend submission time.
Which email should a school use for a student?
For a school/group registration, a parent or guardian email is recommended. If it is unavailable or the school manages communications centrally, an authorised teacher or school coordinator may use an official school address. Individual registration requires a personal parent/guardian contact.
Where are certificates, medals, trophies and prizes delivered?
All physical awards, including awards for individual registrations, are delivered only to the official school address recorded in RCC. Alternative or home delivery is not available through registration. For exceptional circumstances, including homeschooling, email [email protected] before registering.
Accounts and eLearning
How does the STEM Challenge work?
Learning access is included for every registered participant. Students work diligently through their year-level Mathematics, Coding Challenge preparation courses, Logic Mission Challenge and typing subjects for English and coding syntax. No separate project submission is required. Course progress and results are recorded and scored automatically, and RCC announces the STEM Challenge results.
How do students get login details?
Accounts are created after the student is added to the RCC roster. Exact credentials and reset controls are provided to the authorised teacher, parent or guardian through the Dashboard and registration communications. RCC does not publish a shared password on public pages.
Teams and equipment
How large can a team be?
Eligible teams contain 2–5 students from the same school. Coding A/B/C and Robotics C allow individual or team entries. Robotics A is individual-only and Robotics B is team-only; this participant unit is the only difference between Robotics A and B.
Can any robot be used?
Robotics Categories A and B require the Official AI Mission Robot Kit. Category C is Open Robotics and permits a school-approved platform. It is recommended for Upper Primary–Year 12, while capable younger students may also enter.
Submission and deadlines
How is a project submitted?
Upload directly through the RCC Dashboard. Participants do not supply YouTube, Google Drive, GitHub or Scratch sharing links. Coding A submits one video only; Coding B/C submit video + SB3. Robotics A/B submit a combined video + SB3 + custom Pose model URL; Robotics C submits a combined video plus direct SB3 or one ZIP containing the editable non-SB3 project.
What are the video limits?
Coding videos are a maximum of 5 minutes. Robotics uses one combined presentation video of no more than 6 minutes, containing the team/participant introduction, project introduction, robot operation and code explanation.
What happens to a submitted video?
Judging upload, RCC processing to the official YouTube channel as Unlisted, and display in the public RCC participant gallery are mandatory parts of final submission. The authorised submitter must have the necessary school or parent/guardian media permission.
Can a finalised entry be changed?
Team members and drafts can change before finalisation. A finalised entry is locked. Later corrections require administrator approval and an audit record. Late submission is considered only for health or exceptional circumstances.
Awards and support
Who receives a certificate?
Every named student allocated to a paid 2026 place receives a participation certificate. Medals and trophies are for award recipients. Project awards require a finalised eligible submission.
When are Robotics finalists and awards announced?
Robotics finalists are announced on 2 October 2026. Awards and prize dispatch are scheduled for 9 November 2026.
What is the official UNSW relationship?
Hosted by UNSW School of Built Environment.
How can I get help?
Email [email protected].
Email [email protected] with the registered account email, school and participant name where relevant.
Supported by the UNSW Built Environment Women in Construction Project and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office for Women. eLearning is delivered through MRT Robotics.
