Botball® Team Scholarship Application

FOR US TEAMS ONLY.

The Botball® Scholarship Policy applies to teams requesting funding directly through Botball®. Teams receiving funding through other companies or organizations need not participate in this process.

Policy Statement

Botball® is a program of the KISS Institute for Practical Robotics(KIPR), and KIPR actively recruits corporate sponsors in an effort to keep registration fees down and to provide financial assistance to potential Botball® teams. Scholarships are limited and depend on available sponsors. We do not guarantee that we will be able to offer scholarships in all regions where Botball® tournaments are held, nor do we guarantee that teams receiving scholarships in previous seasons will receive funds again or in the same amount.

In an effort to include as many schools as possible, it is our policy to give scholarships in small amounts to several schools rather then large amounts to few schools. In addition, new teams will typically receive priority.

We expect that teams will develop their own strategies for funding Botball and will apply for Botball® scholarships for no more then three consecutive years.

All scholarship awards are given in the form of a fee waiver.

Criteria for Awards

Scholarships will be awarded with priority given to new teams. Awards will be based on competitive evaluation of applications using the following criteria

  • Previous requests for scholarships, and obligations met
  • School/teacher’s educational goals
  • Plans for using the robot kit after the tournament
  • Number of students participating
  • Demonstrated effort to raise funds

Scholarship Recipient Requirements

  • Recipients are expected to use funds to jump-start their program and develop separate funding sources for future years.
  • Because the scholarship process includes financial obligation, a scholarship agreement form must be signed and returned by an ADULT in order to be official. If the agreement is not received in our office by the deadline, the scholarship cannot be provided.
  • Teams (a teacher and a minimum of two students) must attend and check in at the tournament even if they are not prepared to enter a robot in the competition. If your team will not be entering a robot in the competition, you will be required to notify KISS Institute 5 days prior to your regional tournament. If a scholarship team does not attend the tournament, the team will be responsible for payment of the entire registration fee. Furthermore, the team will not be eligible for funds in future years.
  • Teams are required to pay the balance due on their registration fee at least one week prior to the regional workshop.
  • Teams that are given a scholarship must also maintain an active social media presence throughout the Botball season. A minimum of one post a week on the team Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or whatever social platform the team uses is required. More social media presence however, is acceptable and encouraged!

Scholarship Review Dates

If you miss the initial review date you can still submit an application! Applications received after this initial review date will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and funding will be awarded based on remaining availability. A response can be expected anytime up to 15 days after the date of submission. As long as funding permits, scholarships may be granted all the way up until regional workshops. We cannot guarantee that funds will be available for each consecutive regional tournament, so you are encouraged to establish your own sources of funding and apply for scholarship early. KISS Institute Scholarships are designed for teams who have tried to raise their own funds but fall short of the full registration fee.

Application

You will receive an automatically generated email within 24 hours confirming that your scholarship application was submitted. If you do not get an email confirmation then your application was not received. Please contact us at scholarships@kipr.org or call us directly at (405) 579-4609.

Apply Today for a KIPR Scholarship for the 2025 Season