Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)
Advanced Computing Projects – 6th Edition, A0 (Experimental Access), Lot C
Round E open 15/05/2026 (17h) – 15/09/2026 (17h); rounds close early if quota exhausted
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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.
Details
| 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 |
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.
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.
Summary generated by AI based on published grant information. Always verify details on the funder's website.
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