Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)
Advanced Computing Projects – 6th Edition (A0/A1, Lot C)
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.
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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.
Details
| Funder | Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) |
| Deadline | 15 September 2026 |
| 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 |
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.
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.
Summary generated by AI based on published grant information. Always verify details on the funder's website.
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