Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
If you need assistance after reading these questions and answers, visit the Getting Started page or Contact Us.
General FAQ
Extended Reality (XR) is a term for all kinds of immersive technology that blend the real and digital worlds. It includes:
- Virtual Reality (VR): You put on a headset and are transported to a completely different world. Everything you see and hear is computer-generated, but it feels like you’re really there.
- Augmented Reality (AR): You still see the real world, but digital images, animations, or other information are layered on top of it—like Pokémon GO or phone camera filters.
- Mixed Reality (MR): The real and digital worlds interact. Digital objects don’t just sit on top of reality—they can respond to and move around physical things, making them feel more real.
- Curio simplifies all of this by simply including everything into one simple app that you can download on any Meta Quest headset. (And yes, it’s fine to just call everything ‘VR’ instead of ‘XR’, as ‘XR’ is more of an industry term.)
Curio is a free app that can be downloaded on any Meta Quest headset. The app brings subjects like science, math, history, and career skills to life, and is built for middle school, high school, and college students. We work with teachers, professors, and students to create this content,so everything is built for education from the ground up. Researchers also use Curio to study how immersive learning can improve education.
Put on your Meta Quest headset and go to the ‘Store.’ This is the Meta Quest store, just like the app store on your cell phone. Search ‘Curio XR’ to find and download the app. This app is 100% free for everyone thanks to grants, community partnerships, and schools that work with us to develop content.
We make it easy by breaking it down into three parts: hardware, software, and training.
- Hardware: Check out our Hardware Needed page for details about the Meta Quest VR headsets that we support, where to find the best price, and more.
- Software: Simply download the free Curio app directly from your Meta Quest headset. You’ll instantly have access to a library of educational content across many subjects.
- Training & Support: Curio is built to be simple—you navigate with just your hands, no game controllers needed. When you first step into a Curio room, a short two-minute video will guide you through the basics. For everything else, our partners created the Virtual Reality Implementation Guide (VRIG)—a step-by-step resource covering it all, from unboxing your devices to recording VR videos and sharing them online, and everything in between.
Yes! Whether it’s applying for hardware, software, implementation, or research grants, we can assist. Simply Contact Us.
Yes, it does, and yes, we maintain a repository of studies on VR in education.
Learn with Curio FAQ
When you first log in, you’ll see a one-minute intro video covering the basics. You can also explore the Curio Orientation Learning Experience for more. You can also watch the Curio 5 minute video on our website.
No. You can log in as a “Guest” without providing an email address. However, we recommend using an email so your content is saved for future use.
All students and educators see the same content, but school accounts enable Room saving and shared access.
Yes. Upload PDFs and other file types via the Web Dashboard, or request to add 3D models.
We focus on middle school (age 13+), high school, and college students.
Yes. It’s available to anyone on the Meta Quest Store.
Yes, it does, and yes, we maintain a repository of studies on VR in education.
Meta Quest headsets include built-in accessibility features such as Mono Audio for users with hearing in one ear and adjustable font sizes in system menus. Within Curio, users can enable subtitles, name tags, and speaker icons to support better comprehension and inclusivity. Curio also uses hand tracking for easier navigation without controllers, which can be helpful for users with mobility limitations.
Almost all of the Curio content can be downloaded in advance, so the headsets do not require internet access during use. This is ideal for classrooms or environments with limited connectivity. Just connect to Wi-Fi initially to download the experiences you want — after that, everything runs smoothly offline.
Rooms allow you to organize content by educator, class, subject, or any other method. They are infinitely large, so you never need to erase anything, and you can keep adding content. While there’s no hard cap on participants, we recommend fewer than 10 people per Room for the best experience.
Schools and colleges choose Curio as a single home for their VR content. We preserve and maintain the work of faculty and students long after a semester or project ends, curate content with subject matter experts, and focus on strong pedagogy.
We offer free accounts for all interested schools. Students and educators can log in, save content to Rooms, and access other Rooms in their school. School Admins can also upload PDFs, 3D models, and other resources.
Absolutely. We collaborate with teachers, professors, administrators, support staff, clubs, subject matter experts, instructional designers, researchers, grant writers, VR consultants, and more.
Just subscribe to our email newsletter! Every month we send out a list of what’s new in the Curio app
No. We work with schools from brand-new VR adopters to advanced XR labs.
While we focus on software, we have strong partnerships and can provide advice on labs, devices, and insurance, plus connect you with successful schools.
Curio takes user data seriously. We collect anonymized usage data solely to improve the Curio XR experience and never share personal information with third parties. An email address is considered directory information (per U.S. Department of Education and Wisconsin rulings) and is not classified as Personally Identifiable Information (PII). We do not use email addresses for marketing; they are used only to access the application and ensure the correct content is delivered to each student. For more details, please refer to our Privacy Policy.
Build with Curio FAQ
Builders can be classes, clubs, or individuals creating educational VR experiences. We handle the foundation so you can focus on content.
We offer documentation and migration help.
Algebra I, Social Studies, and more ideas for Chemistry and Anatomy have been requested.
Yes. We collaborate with instructional designers across multiple disciplines and find their expertise invaluable in identifying the best areas to apply VR. Their insights help ensure our experiences are instructionally sound, engaging, and aligned with learning goals.
Yes. We create custom VR solutions and subsidize up to 80% of development costs through our grants and funding partnerships. Once the project is complete, we continue to maintain and update it—ensuring it remains functional, relevant, and impactful for years to come.
Yes, we connect subject matter experts with VR builders and we have done this at multiple schools and even on different campuses.
No problem! We can connect you with an experienced SME to help guide your project. Just email us at help@curioxr.org, and we’ll match you with someone who fits your needs.
Research with Curio FAQ
We partner with research teams to measure VR’s impact, offering anonymized data, study structure support, and co-publishing opportunities.
Yes. We bring technical expertise and implementation support to grant proposals.
Only anonymized data is collected. We comply with FERPA and never use emails for marketing. See privacy policy here.
Yes. The Curio XR platform tracks hundreds of different in-app metrics, and—subject to privacy and compliance guidelines—we can provide researchers with the specific data they need. Our team works closely with research partners to deliver meaningful, well-structured datasets while ensuring all information is handled in accordance with strict data protection standards.