# Advanced Computing Projects – 6th Edition (A0/A1, Lot C)

**Funder:** Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)
**Deadline:** 15 September 2026 (Round E closes 15/09/2026 at 17h. Multiple rounds: C (closed 15/03/2026), D (15/03–15/05/2026), E (15/05–15/09/2026). Today (2026-05-24) falls within Round E.)
**Duration:** 3–12 months (A1); 6 months (A0)
**Consortium:** No
**Application:** Single stage per round; Fast Track (technical/administrative validation only, for projects with prior scientific evaluation in last 3 years) and Integral Track (includes external scientific evaluation panels) — 5 rounds total.
**Frequency:** Annual
**Eligible countries:** PT
**Official call:** https://www.fct.pt/en/concursos/concurso-de-projetos-de-computacao-avancada-6-ed-a0-a1-lote-c-
**Last verified:** 3 July 2026

## Eligibility & scope

Allocates national HPC, AI, and Scientific Cloud Computing resources (Deucalion, Cirrus+Stratus, MareNostrum 5). A0 = Experimental Access (6 months, max 50,000 CPU core.hours / 500 GPU.hours); A1 = Development Access (3–12 months, max 100,000 CPU core.hours / 5,000 GPU.hours). Eligible: Portuguese R&D institutions, collaborative labs, tech-interface centres, companies (pre-competitive R&D only, ≤50% of total quota), and individuals active in Portugal. Applications must be submitted in English via myFCT platform.

## Summary

The Advanced Computing Projects programme (6th Edition) allocates national high-performance computing, AI, and scientific cloud resources in Portugal for research and pre-competitive development. Researchers at Portuguese R&D institutions, collaborative labs, and tech-interface centres can apply for Experimental Access (A0: 6 months) or Development Access (A1: 3-12 months) to conduct computational research on shared infrastructure (Deucalion, Cirrus+Stratus, MareNostrum 5). Companies may participate in pre-competitive R&D projects but are capped at 50% of the total resource quota.

## Who should apply

- Researchers at Portuguese academic R&D institutions, collaborative labs, or tech-interface centres
- Projects requiring high-performance computing, AI, or scientific cloud resources
- Teams pursuing computational science, AI model development, or data-intensive research
- Companies engaged in pre-competitive R&D (capped at 50% of resource quota)
- Applicants able to submit proposals in English via the myFCT platform

## Key dates

- Round E closes 15 September 2026 at 17:00 (currently open)
- Single-stage application per round; Fast Track (technical validation only, for prior scientific evaluation within 3 years) and Integral Track (includes external scientific review)
- Project duration: 6 months (A0 Experimental Access) or 3-12 months (A1 Development Access)

## Tips for applicants

- If your project received scientific evaluation within the last 3 years, use Fast Track to skip external review and accelerate approval.
- Plan resource requirements carefully: A0 is capped at 50,000 CPU core.hours or 500 GPU.hours; A1 allows up to 100,000 CPU core.hours or 5,000 GPU.hours, overestimation risks rejection.
- Write your proposal in English; the myFCT platform requires structured English-language submission, not Portuguese translations.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between A0 and A1 access in the Advanced Computing Projects call?

A0 Experimental Access runs for 6 months with a cap of 50,000 CPU core.hours or 500 GPU.hours; A1 Development Access runs 3-12 months with a cap of 100,000 CPU core.hours or 5,000 GPU.hours.

### Who is eligible to apply for Advanced Computing Projects?

Researchers at Portuguese R&D institutions, collaborative labs, tech-interface centres, and companies conducting pre-competitive R&D (capped at 50% of total resource quota) are eligible.

### What is the Fast Track application route?

Fast Track is for projects that have already undergone scientific evaluation within the last 3 years; it bypasses external peer review and undergoes technical and administrative validation only, speeding up approval.

### When does Round E close for the 6th Edition Advanced Computing Projects?

Round E closes on 15 September 2026 at 17:00; applications are currently accepted under Round E.

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Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/fct-funda-o-para-a-ci-ncia-e-a-tecnologia-advanced-computing-projects-6th-edition-a0-a1-lot--2026-09) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying.

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