Registration FAQs

The 2026 SAE Registration process will change this fall! We are excited to be rolling out a new system that has long been in development. We have rolled around the idea of a registration LOTTERY for quite some time, and we are finally ready to share this new process with you! We have taken the time to research what approach we believe would best serve our most important stakeholders - you, our University Program participants. We have listened to your feedback and taken all of the lessons we have learned to apply them to this new system.

What Is Changing?

• The registration will take place within your Series webpage, NOT SAE.org

  • Instead of rushing to register for a spot, and wondering which will crash out first, your team captain or the website, you will have an open time frame to enter the registration lottery! Everybody will have an equal chance to be drawn, no matter when you sign up in the 2 week window!

• There is no maximum amount of teams that can enter the lottery, only a maximum amount that can be drawn based on the Competition and Venue capacity.

• The teams that are not drawn will be placed on a waitlist, in an order decided by the lottery.

What Is Staying The Same?

• You will still have to be properly AFFILIATED on both SAE.org as well as the Series webpage. Note: if you are not affiliated on your series webpage, you will be asked to “Add An Affiliation” and follow the prompts.

  • Formula - http://fsaeonline.com

  • Baja - http://bajasae.net

  • Aero Design - http://saeaerodesign.com

• You will still have 2 business days to pay after you receive your invoice. If you require a Payment Extension, please reach out to us by clicking here!

How do I get setup for Registration ?

New this year, the person entering your team to the Lottery will need to have an existing account on the corresponding competition website and be affiliated to the correct team. To make an account, please navigate to your competition page and “Create an Account”. If you are a new Team Captain or a Faculty Advisor, you will be prompted for a code. Please contact us here under “Registration & Invoices” to receive a code. If you are a Team Member, you will need approval from your Team Captain or Faculty Advisor’s account to join the team.

How do I sign up for the Lottery of my desired competition?

Navigate to the webpage for your competition (see below) and click the “Sign up for Lottery” button for your desired competition.

• Formula - Formula SAE

• Baja - Baja SAE

• Aero Design - SAE Aero Design

When does the Lottery open?

Can I enter the Lottery for more than one competition?

Yes, you are welcome to enter the lottery for as many desired competitions as you would like.

How will I know if my team was selected from the Lottery?

If your team is selected, the team member who entered the lottery will receive an email confirming your status.

If we’re selected, how do I pay?

Within 24 hours, you will see a "Pay Now With Credit Card" button appear on your team profile page. Use this form to make a credit card payment within 2 business days of your invoice generating. If your university requires payment by check, PO, or another form of payment, contact us here to prove that you have initiated the payment process within 2 business days of your invoice generating.

When can I start affiliating team members?

You can start affiliating team members at any time to your team's registration on your competition website. Remember, we send regular important news updates so the sooner team members are affiliated, the sooner they begin receiving information. Team members can only be affiliated to one team so if your university is fielding two vehicles be sure to affiliate yourself to the team you will be competing with onsite at competition. Affiliating allows members access to personalized confirmation letters and participation certificates. Remember, you will have to Affiliate on www.sae.org as well as your competition website. See here for further instructions.

Do we still have to be SAE Student Members?

Yes, that requirement has not changed, to ensure you are a current student member, navigate to www.sae.org and login to check your membership status. If you do not have an active student membership, please follow the instructions at the bottom of the page here. All team members are required to have a current membership by the time the Fast Track Roster is due.

What if my team has to withdraw or cancel?

Please be advised that NO REFUNDS will be given if your team withdraws from a competition. We do ask that teams withdrawing provide us with notice at least five weeks in advance, or sooner. Your team will have two options, you can reach out to us directly or you can click the “Request Withdraw” button on your Competition Dashboard.

We were waitlisted, what are our chances of competing?

Unfortunately, we cannot see into the future. We feel confident that quite a few waitlisted teams will be competing, but we just can’t tell. No number of phone calls or emails to us will increase your chances. Here is what will work in your favor:

• Teams that do not pay in the 2 business day window will be removed from the competition, opening a spot for a waitlist team to accept.

• Teams that do not submit all required documents within the submission period will be removed from the competition, opening a spot for a waitlist team to accept. THIS INCLUDES WAITLISTED TEAMS. So, in theory, you could move quite a few spots if waitlisted teams ahead of you don’t submit the required documents.

How does this process work?

As registered teams notify SAE of their withdrawal from the competition, we will contact the waitlisted teams in the sequential order assigned and give them the option to advance. WE WILL CONTACT THE PERSON WHO REGISTERED YOUR TEAM VIA EMAIL. Teams have 24 hours to accept the spot. Once a team passes on the opportunity or does not respond before 24 hours have elapsed, they will be removed from the list. Once a team accepts the opportunity they will be moved to the Teams List. Teams will have 2 business days to initiate payment.                                

How can we tell where we are on the waitlist?

The best way to watch the progress is to check the Teams List page regularly. As teams move off the waitlist (either by accepting a spot, not responding within 24 hours, or by declining a spot), teams will disappear ahead of you. This is good for you. The top team is the next in line to be offered a spot. Also, remember that no number of phone calls or emails to us will increase your chances. You will have 24 hours to accept or reject the position and an additional 2 business days hours to complete registration payment. 

How close to competition can we be offered a spot?

Four weeks out from the competition, we will close the Registered Teams list. No more waitlist teams will be offered spots even if teams withdrawal. Waitlist teams will be notified by email that the Teams List has closed.

Do I still have to submit reports?

Yes! All teams, registered or waitlisted, will be required to meet all report deadlines for document submissions at the time they are due. Failure to meet any required deadline within the late period window will result in removal from the waitlist.

So what can we do to increase our chances?

There are two things you can do to check all of the boxes. The first is making sure you respond within 24 hours if an offer is made to your team. We will pass over your team and offer it to the next team in line if you do not reply to our offer within 24 hours. Also, REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR DOCUMENTS. This is critical.

What if we don’t plan on competing?

Sometimes it’s just not feasible for a team to build without knowing they’re going to compete. Should your team decide to withdraw OR to be taken off the waitlist for any competition, please reach out to us as soon as possible. You can request a withdrawal by clicking the “Request Withdraw” button, or by submitting a ticket here. The teams below you on the waitlist will appreciate it.

Should we even build something?

Please be advised that if your team chooses to build, you accept full responsibility that you are building at your own risk. There is no assurance your team will be pulled from the waitlist onto the “Teams List” list to compete.

Can I transfer my payment from another competition?

If you add your team to any of the SAE waitlists and register for any of the other events, registration fees WILL NOT be transferable. We will also not transfer teams or registration fees between competitions. If your team has the option to become active on the registered team list for a separate competition, you will be required to pay a second registration fee and vice versa.

What is our team number?

Teams registered on the waitlist will be sequentially assigned a team number starting with the next number after the last team on the “Registered Teams” list. That number will then be the vehicle number if the team advances to the “Registered Teams” list. Teams are to use this number with all required submissions. If you do not know this number, visit your competition Registered Teams page and find your team on the list.

Reminder that we have two demonstrations happening on Wednesday September 24^th 2:00-3:00pm Eastern and Thursday September 25^th 11:00am-12:00pm Eastern! If you have questions that this page did not answer, please submit them in a survey here for us to review before our demo!