Step 1. National Registration

Register at FIRST to receive a 5 digit team number and order materials. Register or log-in in the upper right hand corner. If you've previously registered teams, they will be listed in the dashboard.

FIRST Inspires

Step 2. Illinois Registration

Please note: This registration form is only for Challenge teams (4th-8th grade). If you are the coach of an Explore team (K-9), please click here for  Explore Registration .


Illinois registration allows teams to participate in events in Illinois. In order to participate in a Qualifier, a team must be registered in Illinois by October 13th, 2023.

  • Teams must choose their top 5 preferred events to attend (all 5 must be viable options); 1 is the most preferred, 2 is the second most preferred, and so on. Teams are not guaranteed their first selection.
  • Registration and qualifier selection is not "first come, first served." All registrations are looked at with equal weight when submitted by the registration deadline.
  • Teams should only register once.

Automated confirmation emails are sent for each registration form submitted. Do not delete the confirmation email. If you want to edit your form before the registration period ends on October 13th, you can do so by clicking on the "Edit Response" button located in the confirmation email. If you do not receive a confirmation email in your inbox, make sure to check spam and junk folders.

Illinois Registration Form

Step 3. Illinois Payment

Teams are required to pay for Illinois event participation. Payment links can be found at the end of the registration form or at the following page

Qualifier Event Fee: $175

Qualifier Payment Page