30 sessions and 4 tournaments a year. Beginners start with the VEX IQ intro workshop.
How to start
Start with a placement assessment. We use it to set the level and class, then confirm the year plan with the family. For schedules, tuition, and bundle offers, request the 2026-27 program guide through the form below.
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Contact a course advisorFrequently Asked Questions
VEX IQ or VEX V5 for an Irvine middle schooler?
The choice follows grade level. The VEX IQ Robotics Competition serves elementary and middle school students in separate divisions, while VEX V5 serves middle and high school. Our VEX IQ competition team is for grades 6 to 8, building the foundation in middle school before any move to V5.
Can an Irvine beginner join the competition team?
We do not recommend it. The team trains in small in-person groups in Irvine, running 30 sessions and 4 tournaments a year, and assumes a student can already build and program independently. Students without that background should take the VEX IQ intro workshop first.
What is the 2026-27 season game?
The VEX IQ game this season is Level Up, played on a 6-by-8-foot field. Two teams form an alliance for the 60-second Teamwork Challenge, and the robot may carry only one bean bag at a time into scoring zones at different heights. There is also a Robot Skills Challenge in driver and autonomous formats.
Does the engineering notebook matter?
It decides the top award. At each event the Excellence Award is judged on the engineering notebook and the judges' interview, not on match scores alone. Students are required to record design reasoning, test data, and revisions, which is also how the course trains problem finding and problem solving.
How does an Irvine team advance to higher-level events?
Through placements and awards at each event. The Excellence Award and the tournament champion alliance generally earn advancement to state or regional championships and to the world championship. Teams must register on the official platform and pay the annual team fee before entering any event, and venues and dates follow the official calendar.
What does robotics actually build?
VEX robotics combines electronics, mechanics, and programming. Students think while they build and debug, and the course targets problem finding and solving, teamwork, leadership, and creativity. These are also the qualities judges probe during the interviews held at every competition.
