The State Research Agency opens the 2026 call for scientific projects

The State Research Agency (AEI) has opened the 2026 call for grants for Knowledge Generation Projects and actions for the training of predoctoral research personnel, endowed with 724 million euros. The resolution, signed by the president of the organization, Juan Cruz Cigudosa García, is published as an extract in the Official State Gazette (BOE) no. 244, of October 2, 2026, with the official reference BOE-B-2026-31900. The application period runs from November 3 to 24, 2026.

The extract is disseminated under articles 17.3.b and 20.8.a of the General Subsidies Law 38/2003, of November 17, and refers to the full text deposited in the National Subsidies Database, with identifier BDNS 918664. The regulatory bases are Order CNU/671/2026, of June 29, which approves the bases for various programs and subprograms of the State Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation 2024-2027 managed by the AEI.

Funding and project modalities

The maximum total amount is 724,000,000.00 euros, charged to budget application 28.303.463B.750 of the General State Budgets for the 2027 fiscal year and onwards, or the equivalents that replace it, depending on budget availability.

The objective is to finance oriented and non-oriented research projects aimed at promoting the generation and advancement of scientific knowledge and seeking solutions to societal challenges. Two modalities are considered:

• Non-Oriented Research Projects, without prior thematic orientation, to advance knowledge regardless of the time horizon and field of application.
• Oriented Research Projects, linked to the thematic priorities of the major challenges of the State Plan for Scientific, Technical and Innovation Research 2024-2027.

Additionally, actions for the training of predoctoral research personnel may be funded through the completion of a doctoral thesis associated with the funded projects.

Who can apply for the grants

Beneficiary entities may be, in accordance with article 7 of the call:

• Public research organizations.
• Public and private universities.
• Public and private non-profit health entities and institutions and accredited health research institutes.
• Technological centers and technological innovation support centers.
• Other public and private non-profit R&D&i centers.
• The R&D centers under the fourteenth additional provision of Law 14/2011, of June 1, on Science, Technology and Innovation.
• Public R&D&i agricultural or food research centers dependent on the autonomous communities, integrated into the INIA (CSIC)-CCAA system, and other analogous bodies.

Deadlines, submission and evaluation

The application period will begin on November 3 and end on November 24, 2026, at 2:00 PM (Spanish peninsular time). Completion and electronic submission must be carried out exclusively through the electronic means enabled on the website of the State Research Agency, according to the procedure in article 17 of the call.

Applications will be evaluated based on three criteria: the quality and feasibility of the proposal; the quality and track record of the project members; and the expected scientific, economic, and social impact of the results. The description of criteria, sub-criteria, ratings, and thresholds is listed in Annex I of the call.

The call comes at a time of sustained pressure on the competitive funding of Spanish science and directly affects universities, hospitals, technological centers, and public research organizations, which have barely three weeks to prepare and register their proposals. The volume of 724 million euros makes this program the main funding route for non-directed and oriented research of the public system, and the incorporation of new predoctoral researchers into R&D&i groups also depends on it.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 244, of October 2, 2026, Sec. V-B. Other official announcements, page 51885 (official reference: BOE-B-2026-31900).