Deadline: August 7, 2026
Applications are open for the Google Academic Research Awards 2026. Google holds global open calls for proposals that support groundbreaking foundational and applied research in computing and technology. This funding cycle, Google is interested in topics focused on quantum computing. This call for proposals is open to professors (assistant, associate, etc.) at degree-granting institutions who are advising students and conducting research in the field of technology and computing.
The 2026 cycle centers on two major research directions. The first is Early Fault-Tolerant Quantum Algorithms & Applications, which focuses on building useful algorithms for early fault-tolerant quantum systems and exploring practical applications that may work with relatively few logical qubits.
The second is Quantum Computing Security, which covers the protection of quantum systems, vulnerabilities at the classical-to-quantum interface, and broader cybersecurity concerns around quantum infrastructure. Google is looking for research that can help make quantum computing safer, more dependable, and more usable in real-world environments.
Awards
- Awards will be up to $100k, but they may consider larger amounts for exceptional proposals that demonstrate a clear and compelling rationale for the increased funding. Funds will be disbursed as unrestricted gifts to the university or degree-granting research institution and are not intended for overhead or indirect costs.
Eligibility
- Open to professors (assistant, associate, etc.) at a university or degree-granting research institution.
- Applicants may only serve as Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI on one proposal per round. There can be a maximum of 2 PIs per proposal.
- Proposals must be related to computing or technology.
Review Criteria
- Faculty merit: Faculty is accomplished in research, community engagement, and open source contributions, with potential to contribute to responsible innovation.
- Research merit: Faculty’s proposed research is aligned with Google Research interests, innovative, and likely to have a significant impact on the field.
- Proposal quality: The research proposal is clear, focused, and well-organized, and it demonstrates the team’s ability to successfully execute the research and achieve a significant impact.
- AI ethics principles: The research proposal strongly aligns with Google’s AI Principles.
Application
Submit by August 7, 2026 at 11:59:59pm AoE (UTC-12). Notification of decisions will be announced by October 30, 2026.
For more information, visit Google Academic Research Awards.
