# Advanced Computing Projects – 6th Edition, A0 (Experimental Access), Lot C **Funder:** Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) **Duration:** Up to 6 months **Consortium:** No **Application:** Single stage: technical and administrative validation only (accepted/not accepted); first-come, first-served until quota exhausted **Frequency:** Continuous **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 Provides experimental access (A0) to HPC, AI, Cloud and visualisation resources (max 50,000 CPU core.hours, 500 GPU.hours, 3–6 months) for teams with no prior RNCA experience. Eligible: R&D institutions, collaborative labs, tech-interface centres, S&T infrastructures, non-profit organisations, Digital Innovation Hubs, companies (pre-competitive R&D only, ≤50% of total quota), and individuals active in Portugal. Applications submitted in English via myFCT. ## Summary Advanced Computing Projects, 6th Edition, A0 offers experimental access to high-performance computing, AI, cloud, and visualisation resources for up to 6 months to Portuguese research teams, companies, and institutions with no prior RNCA experience. The call provides allocations up to 50,000 CPU core-hours and 500 GPU-hours, evaluated on a rolling, first-come-first-served basis. Round E runs from 15 May to 15 September 2026, with a single-stage validation process that accepts or rejects applications without competitive scoring. ## Who should apply - R&D institutions, collaborative labs, and tech-interface centres based in Portugal - Teams with no prior RNCA resource allocation experience - Companies pursuing pre-competitive R&D (≤50% of total quota) - Individual researchers and non-profit organisations active in Portugal - Projects requiring short-term experimental access to HPC, AI, or cloud infrastructure ## Key dates - Round E open 15 May 2026 (17:00) to 15 September 2026 (17:00 CEST), first-come, first-served until quota exhausted - Single-stage technical and administrative validation (no competitive scoring) - Up to 6 months project duration ## Tips for applicants - Apply early: quota-exhaustion can close the round before the deadline, don't wait until late August. - Technical validation is binary (accepted/not accepted), ensure resource requests are realistic and clearly justified for your team's computational need. - The 50,000 CPU core-hours and 500 GPU-hours caps are per application, right-size your request to the experiment scope. ## Frequently asked questions ### How much computing resource do I get with Advanced Computing Projects A0? Up to 50,000 CPU core-hours, 500 GPU-hours, and cloud/visualisation access for 3-6 months. Actual allocation depends on your validated request. ### Who is eligible for Advanced Computing Projects A0 experimental access? R&D institutions, collaborative labs, tech-interface centres, non-profit organisations, Digital Innovation Hubs, companies (pre-competitive R&D only, ≤50% of quota), and individuals active in Portugal. ### What happens if I've used RNCA resources before? This call is for teams with no prior RNCA experience; previous recipients are not eligible. ### Is Advanced Computing Projects A0 competitive or first-come-first-served? First-come, first-served: applications are validated (not scored) and accepted until the quota for the round is exhausted. ### What is the deadline for Advanced Computing Projects A0 Round E? 15 September 2026 at 17:00 CEST, but the round may close early if the quota is exhausted. --- Source: [The Great Grantsby](https://grantsby.eu/grants/fct-funda-o-para-a-ci-ncia-e-a-tecnologia-advanced-computing-projects-6th-edition-a0-experim-2026) — EU grant monitoring for academic researchers. Always verify details on the funder's website before applying. **See which EU calls match your profile.** [Preview your matches in 30 seconds, no signup](https://grantsby.eu/demo?ref=llm_grant_md).