International Research Funding Circular – 27th March 2026

Please see the latest European and International research funding information, event and opportunity updates.

News

1. NEW:  LLM Use Rapidly Expands in Horizon Europe Proposals but No Evidence its Use Impacts Evaluation Outcomes: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC146131

Events

 

**New training offer for Newcastle University staff** This practical one-day training course will provide a comprehensive insight into writing and submitting competitive pillar 2 proposals under the 2026-2027 calls of Horizon Europe. You will learn the main features of winning Horizon Europe proposals and get equipped with the right tools to develop your proposal with confidence. The combination of practical presentations and hands-on exercises will introduce the key aspects you need to know, from identifying the right call for your project idea to developing each section of a Horizon Europe proposal. The course is aimed at staff members that are either looking to apply or to reapply for funding for large collaborative consortium EU projects. Delivered by the Research Funding Development team. View a breakdown of the full agenda and register for your place via the LMS system (limited spaces).

 

3. REMINDER: SAgE Horizon Europe Symposium 2026, Tuesday 28th April 2026, 09:45-14:45, Stephenson Building, room STB.1.010

Interested in European funding for R&I? Join us at this inaugural Horizon Europe Symposium where we will unravel the collaborative funding opportunities on offer for large multi-country consortia. The day will cover the journey from identifying and navigating suitable calls, advice on working with and engaging partners—including hearing from those experienced with EU projects—to support internally and using the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. While themed on SAgE disciplines, the event is open to all from across Newcastle University with much of the knowledge transferrable.

You are invited to attend as much of the day as you can—full agenda available on the registration form. Please sign up by 21^st April to ensure sufficient catering.

 

4. REMINDER: MCSA Doctoral Networks Open forum: 1-2pm on 21 April 2026, Location: Henry-Daysh Building, HDB.6.16 PGR Training Space, Level 6

An open Newcastle forum to gather colleagues with an interest in MSCA Doctoral Networks to discuss prior experiences, questions, and hear the insights from speakers experienced with the scheme. Please register your attendance.

Note that this is the first of two forum events—the second on 25 June 2026 (13:00-14:30) will be a practical proposal workshop for those applying. So please hold the date.

5. NEW: ERC Advanced Grant Online Workshop: https://www.ukro.ac.uk/events/erc-advanced-grant-online-workshop/

6. Essentials of Exploitation in Horizon Europe: From Proposal to Implementation: https://europamediatrainings.com/publications/video/352/essentials-of-exploitation-in-horizon-europe-from-proposal-to-implementation-september-2025

Throughout March, watch the free on‑demand Europa Media Training webinar to learn how a well‑defined exploitation strategy can strengthen the credibility of your Horizon Europe proposals.

7. MSCA Staff Exchanges 2026 call Q&A session (recording): https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/event/qa-session-msca-staff-exchanges-call-2026

The European Research Executive Agency (REA) organised an online Q&A session on the MSCA Staff exchanges call 2026 where you can watch the recorded session. Meanwhile, the RADIANCE Staff Exchanges 2026 Handbook and Submission Guide have been published to provide advice on the various aspects of the proposal development, and the submission process.

 

European related funding

 

8. NEW: The French Foundation for Epilepsy Research (FFRE) will award €170,000 for epilepsy research through its 2026 call:https://www.fondation-epilepsie.fr/les-appels-a-projets-2026-sont-lances-170-000-e-de-financements/

9. NEW: Opportunities for Researchers from the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in Horizon Europe: https://horizoneuropencpportal.eu/sites/default/files/2026-01/ssh-opportunities_2026-27_final.pdf

10. CEFIC-LRI Research Calls Open to Applications: https://cefic-lri.org/request-for-proposals/

The Cefic Long-range Research Initiative (CEFIC-LRI) funds research to address the health and environmental impact of chemicals, based on the need of the chemical industry to understand the long-term effects of its products and processes. It has launched two new requests for research on Safe and Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) Innovation and water-soluble polymer bioavailability. Applicants should provide an indication of additional partners and funding opportunities that can be appropriately leveraged as part of their proposal. Partners can include, but are not limited to industry, government/regulatory organisations, research institutes, etc. Deadline: 31 May 2026

11. UK-Germany Collaborative Innovation for Quantum Technologies 2026: https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/2392/overview/b8b93732-6326-4aed-9af3-334e4cc5ecc0

Proposals must plausibly demonstrate co-innovation, a high potential for commercialisation, a credible global market exploitation plan and focus on addressing a technological challenge. To lead a collaborative project your organisation must be a UK registered business of any size, while academic institutions may collaborate and receive funding. You must work with at least one German registered business applying for German Federal Ministry of Technology, Research and Space (BMFTR) funding, which must be a separate legal entity from UK partners. Your project must have a grant funding request of between £750,000 and £1 million allocated to UK organisations, and last between 18 and 24 months. Deadline: 15 April 2026.

 

12. REMINDER: North Sea University Partnership (NSUP) Research Seed Fund 2026: https://nsup.webspace.durham.ac.uk/nsup-funding-calls/nsup-research-seed-fund-2026-now-open-for-applications/

Successful projects are expected to lead to outcomes such as third-party funding applications, larger-scale interdisciplinary collaborations, and significant joint publications. In its first year, the call will prioritise proposals addressing the NSUP key priority area: North Sea priorities: energy, the green transition, marine/maritime research, and resilience/security. We encourage interdisciplinary perspectives across science, humanities and social sciences related to these North Sea priorities. The selection panel will aim to achieve a balanced portfolio across these priority areas. Projects may request up to £25,000 for activities lasting 12–24 months, with each project researcher funded by their respective institution. Participation of each applicant will be funded and supported by their home institution. Proposals must include researchers from at least one Norwegian NSUP institution [University of Bergen, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and University of Oslo], while proposals including more than two NSUP partners are strongly encouraged. Deadline: 20 May 2026

 

13. Horizon Europe – FINAL Work Programmes 2026-27 published

The European Commission has published the final versions of the 2026-27 call topics for all the clusters and missions and a number of the other main funding instruments (to download work programmes see here: https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/horizon-europe-work-programmes_en ). For convenience, we have put together summary tables of all call topic titles in the  linked Excel spreadsheet​ ​which has been updated to reflect the final work programmes – please use these to browse any topics that are of interest to you and that you may be able to contribute to (if you have looked at earlier versions, please check in case of changes). Once you have identified a topic(s) of interest, please search their call reference within the relevant full Work Programme PDF for full details. Many of the 2026 call topics have deadlines in March-April with some later around September — while we advise you to already start taking action for the 2027 calls. [For reference, you can find historic and future draft work programmes at: https://sciencebusiness.net/horizon-papers] They include:

• Cluster 1 – Health: FINAL
• Cluster 2 – Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society: FINAL
• Cluster 3 – Civil security for society:  FINAL
• Cluster 4 – Digital, industry, space: FINAL
• Cluster 5 – Climate, energy and mobility: FINAL
• Cluster 6 – Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment: FINAL
• Missions: FINAL
• New European Bauhaus Facility: FINAL
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions: FINAL
• European Research Council: 2026 (2027 is expected around May 2026)
• European Innovation Council: FINAL
• European Innovation Ecosystems: FINAL
• WIDERA (Widening, European Research Area): FINAL
• Research infrastructures: FINAL
• Horizontal activities: FINAL

For reference: General Introduction and General Annexes

**Please do reach out to the Research Funding Development team for support: jarlath.mckenna@newcastle.ac.uk or sarah.urquhart@newcastle.ac.uk**

 

14. Opportunities for Researchers from the Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in Horizon Europe: https://horizoneuropencpportal.eu/repository/fe369bb2-b2b1-47ff-81ec-590b17d5b021

To assist SSH researchers in identifying funding opportunities, the European Commission (EC) has established a search engine within its online Funding & Tender Opportunities Portal. Certain topics with substantial SSH aspects have been “flagged” by the EC as SSH-relevant, and the search engine offers the option to quickly search for the specific priority ‘Social sciences and humanities’. It also allows for keyword and full-text search.

15. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/postdoctoral-fellowships

The MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships 2026 call will open in April. Postdoctoral Fellowships (PF) target researchers holding a PhD with up to eight years of research experience who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers. PFs help researchers gain experience in other countries, disciplines and non-academic sectors. There are two types of PF. The European PF allows you to move within Europe or come to Europe. The fellowship is no longer than two years. With the Global PF, you move from Europe to anywhere in the world. The fellowship lasts up to two years for the outgoing phase, followed by a mandatory one-year return phase in Europe. PFs may also include short-term secondments anywhere in the world and could also include an optional 6-month placement in a non-academic organisation at the end of the standard fellowship. If you are interested in hosting (as named supervisor) a MSCA Postdoctoral Fellow currently based overseas we encourage you to reach out to them and get in touch with sarah.urquhart@newcastle.ac.uk who will outline Newcastle University support. Next annual deadline is 9 September 2026.

16. Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Doctoral Networks 2026: https://marie-sklodowska-curie-actions.ec.europa.eu/actions/doctoral-networks

MSCA Doctoral Networks fund doctoral programmes, consisting of a European consortium recruiting up to 15 PhD studentships, designed to respond to identified needs in various research and innovation areas. MSCA Doctoral Networks design doctoral programmes to develop entrepreneurial, innovative doctoral candidates. The aim is to equip these candidates with the right combination of research-related and transferable competencies, enhancing their career perspectives both within and outside academia. The funded Doctoral Networks will hold open recruitment procedures throughout the course of the maximum 48-month project and the recruited candidates must meet specific eligibility criteria outlined in the MSCA Work Programme. Please reach out to jarlath.mckenna@newcastle.ac.uk if interested with the next annual deadline 24 November 2026.

17. ERC Plus Grants: https://thesciencetalk.com/news/erc-plus-grants-2026-everything-scientists-need-to-know/

ERC Plus Grants are a new funding instrument aimed at empowering outstanding principal investigators to pursue high-risk, high-reward research. These grants focus on the breakthrough-oriented projects that challenge conventional paradigms and open new directions in science and innovation.

The key features of the ERC Plus Grants are:

• Funding: Up to €7 million (lump sum)
• Duration: 4-7 years
• Number of Grants: ~30 per year
• Open to all disciplines, with no quotas
• No pro-rata allocation
• No additional funding
• Opening Date: Tentatively end of June 2026, Deadline: 2nd September 2026 (to be confirmed)

Watch the webinar for more details: Webinar on the new ERC Plus Grants

18.  European Innovation Council calls 2026

EIC Pathfinder: Deadline: EIC Pathfinder- 12 May 2026; EIC Challenges- 28 October 2026

Through both open and challenge calls: For multi-disciplinary research teams to undertake visionary research with the potential to lead to technology breakthroughs (grants up to €4 million). Challenges cover:

• A new generation of advanced materials to deliver miniaturised integrated energy harvesting devices;
• Translating ageing research into tangible biopharmaceutical solutions for healthy ageing; and
• Deep Reasoning, Abstraction & Planning towards trustworthy Cognitive AI Systems.

EIC Transition: Deadline: 19 September 2026

To turn research results into innovation opportunities, following up on results generated by EIC Pathfinder, European Research Council Proof of Concept, Horizon Europe Pillar 2 (societal challenges) collaborative projects and Research Infrastructures projects (grants up to €2.5 million).

EIC Accelerator: Deadline: Rolling until November 2026

Through both open and challenge calls:  For start-ups and SMEs to develop and scale up innovations with the potential to create new markets or disrupt existing ones (UK applicants eligible for grants only, worth up to €2.5 million). Challenges cover:

• Advanced Materials for Renewable Energy and Energy Storage Systems;
• Alternative Concepts and Key Enabling Technologies for Fusion Power Plants;
• Biotech for Regenerating Agricultural Soils;
• Boosting the European Critical Raw Materials value chain; and
• Deep Tech for Climate Adaptation.

Applicants must first submit a short proposal, which will be reviewed and if successful applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal.

 

General international

19. Gates Foundation Grand Challenges — Six RFPs Open to Applications: https://gcgh.grandchallenges.org/
The Gates Foundation has launched six new Grand Challenges Requests for Proposals (RFPs) covering nutrition, diagnostic innovation and AI to accelerate charitable giving. Funding is open to academic institutions, government agencies, non-profits, international organisations and for‑profit companies worldwide.

The six RFPs are:

• Addressing Physiological Barriers to Micronutrient Absorption from Fortified Foods Understanding and overcoming biological barriers (infection, inflammation, microbiome) that limit the impact of food fortification. Funding: Up to $250,000 for 18 months. Webinar: 2 April 2026, 08:30–09:30 PT.
• Breakthrough Innovations to Reduce the Cost of Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) Treatment Innovations to cut SAM treatment costs per child by 20–30% or more. Funding: Up to $1.5 million for 36 months. Webinar: 2 April 2026, 07:00–08:00 PT.
• Cost Disrupting Innovations to Reduce the Cost of Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) Innovations that reduce RUTF production costs by at least 30% in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, Funding: Up to $1.5 million for 36 months, Webinar: 30 March 2026, 07:00–08:00 PT.
• Innovations in Cost Disruptive Tools for Diagnosis and Screening Transformative, low-cost diagnostic tools for LMICs—e.g., new sensing modalities, software-defined diagnostics, AI-enabled approaches, Funding: Up to $1 million for 24–36 months, Webinar: 30 March 2026, 08:30–09:30 PT.
• Novel Interventions Targeting Placental and Gut Inflammation to Improve Fetal Growth Innovations that identify or validate interventions addressing inflammatory/oxidative stress pathways affecting placental function and fetal growth, Funding: Up to $1 million for 30 months, 23 March 2026, 08:30–09:30 PT.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) to Accelerate Charitable Giving  AI-driven tools to help donors “give more and give sooner,” using responsible and ethical AI, Funding: Up to $150,000 for 12 months., Webinar: 23 March 2026, 07:00–08:00 PT. Note: For the AI to Accelerate Charitable Giving RFP, academic institutions cannot apply as lead applicants but may join consortia.
  Deadline: 26^th April

 

20. Schmit Science AI Funding Opportunities: https://www.schmidtsciences.org/opportunities/

Schmidt Sciences offers a range of targeted funding opportunities designed to accelerate bold, unconventional scientific and technological research. A number of funding opportunities are currently open:

• 2026 AI Interpretability– A major research call supporting new methods to detect and mitigate deceptive behaviours in large AI models. Projects should advance interpretability techniques, develop steering methods to improve truthfulness, and demonstrate generalisable real‑world impact. Funding ranges from $300k–$1M. Deadline: 26 May 2026
• 2026 Science of Trustworthy AI-A large‑scale funding programme supporting technical research into AI safety, including interpretability, robustness, alignment, and risk prediction. Awards range from $1M to over $5M, with both focused and multi‑institution project tracks available. Deadline: 17 May 2026
• 2026 AI at Work – Expressions of Interest- Supports research into how AI systems can be deployed safely and productively in workplace environments, exploring human–AI interaction, governance, and organisational implications. Deadline: April 11 2026
• 2026 AI for Actionable Matter Modelling– Funds the development of AI approaches that model, predict, and manipulate material behaviour, especially where traditional modelling is insufficient Deadline: April 30 2026
• 2026 Unconventional Compute RFP– Supports research into radically new computing paradigms—such as neuromorphic, biological, or other non‑traditional architectures—that may surpass current computational models. Deadline: April 30 2026
• Research Frontiers Network (IIT Delhi): Net‑Zero India- An international research network opportunity focusing on accelerating progress toward net‑zero emissions in India, open to global collaboration. Deadline: March 30 2026

 

21. NEW:  NIH funding opportunities for which foreign organizations and/or foreign components of U.S. organizations may apply:

• • Data Coordinating Center for Multi-Site Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials (Collaborative U24 Clinical Trial Required) (PAR-27-013)
    Application due date: Multiple dates, see announcement.
  • Single-Site Investigator-Initiated Clinical Trials (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Required) (PAR-27-011)
    Application due date: Multiple dates, see announcement.

22. Panmure House Prize 2026: https://www.panmurehouse.org/programmes/panmure-house-prize/

Open to academics from any discipline, offering $75,000 USD to support bold, high-impact research on the long‑term funding of innovation, in the spirit of Adam Smith and centred on forging practical and original solutions to global challenges—whether through finance, policy, technology, or social and economic change. Researchers exploring long-term funding models for innovation, interdisciplinary scholars and early and mid-career researchers (3–15 years post-PhD) are particularly encouraged to apply. Applications are now being accepted, with deadline 28 April 2026.

23. UKRI Metascience research grants: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/metascience-research-grants-round-2/

Apply for funding to undertake cutting-edge Metascience research into more effective ways of conducting and supporting research and development (R&D), including the impact of artificial intelligence (AI), how to optimise research institutions and the challenges of measuring research excellence. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible, however, collaborations with international researchers are strongly encouraged (and funded as international co-leads). The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be up to £250,000, or £350,000 with an international partner. Deadline 23 April 2026.

24. Heinrich Wieland Prize for Frontier Research in the Life Sciences: https://boehringer-ingelheim-stiftung.de/en/scientific-awards/heinrich-wieland-prize.html

The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation awards the annual Heinrich Wieland Prize (Heinrich-Wieland-Preis) to outstanding scientists whose pioneering research has pushed the boundaries of knowledge in biochemistry, biology, chemistry and physiology. The focus is on discoveries that deepen the understanding of life on earth and pave the way for new medical breakthroughs. This includes research contributions from basic research in chemistry, biochemistry and the physiology of biologically active molecules and systems, as well as their clinical importance. The prize consists of a monetary award of €250,000. Deadline 01 June 2026.

 

25. Evidence for AI in Health – New Joint Initiative by Wellcome, Gates Foundation and Novo Nordisk Foundation: https://www.povertyactionlab.org/initiative/evidence-ai-health-evah-rfp

The programme aims to generate robust, locally led evidence on the use of AI‑enabled clinical decision support tools (CDSTs) in primary and community health care settings across Sub‑Saharan Africa (SSA), South Asia and Southeast Asia. Projects involving strong collaborations between technologists, researchers, implementers and local health authorities are encouraged. Two funding pathways are available. Pathway A supports early‑deployment evaluations with awards of up to USD $1 million for 3-12 months. Pathway B funds large‑scale impact evaluations with awards of up to USD $3 million over 12-24 months. At least 80% of all funding must be allocated to entities based in eligible low‑ and middle‑income countries across SSA, South Asia or Southeast Asia. Proposals must be led by institutions based in eligible low- and middle-income countries within SSA, South Asia and Southeast Asia. Deadline: 1 April 2026.

26. Huo Family Foundation Effects of the Usage of Digital Technology on Brain Development, Social Behaviours and Mental Health in Children and Young People: https://huofamilyfoundation.org/our-grants/funding-opportunities/

HFF is establishing a research portfolio on the Effects of the Usage of Digital Technology on Brain Development, Social Behaviours and Mental Health in Children and Young People. This is its second annual call with a total budget of up to £6M/~$8.1M. Applications are welcome for Huo early-career fellowships and junior faculty research grants. Multi-disciplinary applications and research that seeks to understand mechanisms, causal pathways, and directions of effect are strongly encouraged. A key aim of this call is to help train and support the next generation of exceptional scientists working in this area. Deadline: 1 May 2026

 

27. Wellcome Opens 2026 Climate Impacts Awards to Advance Evidence on Health Effects of Climate Change: https://wellcome.org/research-funding/schemes/climate-impacts-awards-unlocking-urgent-climate-action-making-health-2

For the 2026 call, Wellcome will fund research that develops robust evidence on the health effects of climate change while engaging key stakeholders to amplify impactful narratives and accelerate climate action. A central priority is addressing the unequal distribution of climate-related health burdens: vulnerable populations in both low- and middle-income countries and high-income countries often face heightened exposure and complex intersecting vulnerabilities. Grants of up to £2.5 million for up to three years are available to support a wide range of eligible costs. Deadline: 8 April 2026

 

28. UK-Japan joint funding schemes: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-japan-science-and-innovation-funding-opportunities/uk-japan-science-and-innovation-funding-opportunities

These opportunities provide a platform for collaboration and innovation between the UK and Japan, contributing to advancements in various fields of research. Researchers interested in these programs should check the respective websites for more details and application procedures.

29.  LEO Foundation Opens 2026 Grants Programme for Dermatological Research Projects: https://leo-foundation.org/en/grants-and-awards/research-grants/

The LEO Foundation is one of Denmark’s largest commercial foundations. It provides Research Grants to support high-quality dermatology research projects worldwide. Applications are invited for research projects that improve the understanding of skin biology as well as the underlying medicinal, biological, chemical, or pharmacological mechanisms of dermatological diseases (excluding skin cancer) and their symptoms. The foundation also supports projects that address clinical issues among people who are at risk of developing, or have developed, a skin disease, including how it impacts their quality of life and the societal costs involved. Typically, research grants are between DKK 2-4 million for a period of one to three years. Funding may be used to cover salary, running costs/operating expenses, equipment, publication costs, travel and conference expenses, tuition fees for PhD students, and overheads up to 5%.

Applications to the 2026 programme must be submitted by one of the following three call deadlines:  • Call 3: 25 August 2026 (16:00 CET).

30.  Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) Funding Opportunities https://www.acu.ac.uk/funding-opportunities/funding-opportunities-calendar/

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) is currently offering a range of grants, fellowships, and scholarships for university staff and students. These opportunities provide valuable support for research, professional development, and academic collaboration across the Commonwealth. View the ACU Funding Calendar (opportunities also listed below) to see upcoming deadlines throughout the year and plan your applications in advance. Please note that the ACU grants offer is under review and may be subject to change.

• Supporting Research Community Training Grants Funding staff at ACU member universities to organise and deliver training for their early career researchers. Opens 4 February 2026. Deadline 8 April 2026.
• Gender Grants Funding projects that promote gender equity and equality on university campuses. Opens 5 March 2026. Deadline 6 May 2026.
• Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships for 2026/27 (application cycle 2) Fully-funded scholarships to study in low and middle-income Commonwealth countries. Opens 9 April 2026. Deadline 3 June 2026.
• ACU Fellowships Funding collaborative research and the exchange of knowledge, skills and ideas between ACU members. Opens 28 April 2026. Deadline 25 June 2026.

Project Initiation Form (PIF): https://www.cognitoforms.com/NewcastleUniversity1/NewcastleUniversityNuTHProjectInitiationFormV2

If you’re in the process of developing a research proposal please ensure you submit a PIF as soon as possible. The PIF is not just a mechanism to initiate a costing, it enables the research support team to identify and engage on your behalf the varying types of research and business support beneficial to your bid. Please note you don’t need to define all resources required before engaging with the team. To maximise the support available to you, PIF submission is advised at your earliest convenience.