Apply for FCT Advanced Computing Projects in Portugal

Portugal’s Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Agency for Research and Innovation (AI2) are accepting applications for the 7th Advanced Computing Projects Call. This opportunity provides computing resources rather than a cash grant. Applications for Batch A under the A0 Experimental and A1 Development access categories close at 5:00 p.m. on 17 November 2026. The programme gives research and innovation teams access to advanced computing platforms. Applications undergo technical validation before resources are allocated, subject to the rules and available capacity set out in the official call documents. The resources described include Deucalion for HPC and AI, Cirrus+ Stratus for HPC and cloud computing, and MareNostrum 5. A0 – Experimental Access is recommended for teams seeking to test and explore HPC, AI, cloud, or visualisation resources, particularly those without previous experience using RNCA platforms. Its recommended duration is 6 months, with limits of 50,000 CPU core-hours and 250 GPU-hours. A1 – Development Access is intended for technical development, including software performance tests, code optimisation, scalability tests, benchmarking, and refactoring. Its recommended duration is 3 to 12 months, with limits of 100,000 CPU core-hours and 1,000 GPU-hours. Applicants should confirm these limits against the official call notice before submitting. The supplied text lists a broad range of potential applicants, individually or jointly: research and development institutions, collaborative laboratories, technology interface centres, science and technology infrastructures, research networks and consortia, relevant nonprofit institutions, and digital innovation hubs. Businesses carrying out qualifying research, development, or innovation projects may also apply. Individuals working in Portugal who wish to develop advanced computing projects in any scientific field are included. Where a business is a beneficiary, its project must concern pre-competitive research and innovation whose resulting goods or services have not yet been assigned commercial value. The call also places an aggregate limit on the share of computing resources allocated to this type of business application. Applicants should check its precise application in the official notice. The supplied text states that a principal investigator may appear only once in that role for each access category during the call, subject to the detailed rules and resource availability. Advanced computing resources can help teams test methods, run demanding analyses, and improve research software without acquiring their own large computing infrastructure. The two access categories allow applicants to choose between initial experimentation and more developed technical work. The direct application URL is not included in the supplied text. Use the “Start application” button on the official competition page. Applications receive a technical validation covering the suitability of the proposed work, the reasonableness of the requested resources, and the plan for using them. The result is “accepted” or “not accepted,” without a final numerical score. Accepted applications are handled by batch and order of receipt until the relevant resource quota is exhausted, according to the supplied description. Is this a cash grant? No financial award is stated in the supplied text. The support is an allocation of computing resources. When does Batch A close?

17 November 2026 at 5: 00 p.m. The supplied text does not specify a time zone.

What is the difference between A0 and A1? A0 supports experimental use, normally over 6 months. A1 supports technical development over a recommended 3 to 12 months. Can businesses apply? Yes, under the specific pre-competitive research and innovation conditions in the call. Can individuals apply? Yes. The supplied text includes individuals working in Portugal who intend to develop an advanced computing project. How are proposals assessed? They undergo technical validation and receive an accepted or not accepted result. When can MareNostrum 5 projects begin? Projects requesting MareNostrum 5 resources may begin only in January 2027. The A0 and A1 categories offer access to national advanced computing resources for eligible research and innovation projects. Applicants should check the official regulations and call notice, choose the category that fits their work, and submit an English-language application through myFCT before the relevant batch deadline. For questions, email [contact details removed] with “FCT/CPCA/2026/01” in the subject line. For more information, visit Foundation for Science and Technology.