Astronomy solar and planetary small awards 2026

Astronomy solar and planetary small awards 2026 is sponsored by Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). Astronomy solar and planetary small awards 2026. Funding opportunity from Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).

Apply via the UKRI portal.

Astronomy solar and planetary small awards 2026 – UKRI Funding opportunity: Astronomy solar and planetary small awards 2026 Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) 16 December 2025 9:00am UK time 10 March 2026 4:00pm UK time Apply for funding to support theory, including modelling, simulation and related software development, observation, experiment and new technology research, relevant to all aspects of solar system science You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding.

This funding covers up to three years of research activity starting from 1 October 2027. For astronomy observation and theory, see the related astronomy observation and theory opportunity . This funding opportunity is open to organisations with standard/non-standard eligibility, and organisations who are based overseas.

Check if your organisation is eligible . For full details, visit Eligibility as an individual . You must adhere to the full-time equivalent limits set out in the ‘what we are looking for’ section.

You are eligible to apply as a project lead to the Small Award scheme in 2026 if you satisfy the general UKRI eligibility criteria for research organisation and as an individual. Applicants who are not eligible to apply as a project lead are outlined in the section below. Project co-lead (previously co-investigator) eligibility is open to all UK applicants, providing the project lead is eligible to apply.

Applications to the Small Award scheme are welcome from both single research organisations or multiple research organisation consortiums.

Who is not eligible to apply You are not eligible to apply as a project lead if: you are a project lead of a currently funded small award and the funding would overlap you applied as a project lead in the 2025 small awards round and your application was unsuccessful If you are unsure of your eligibility to apply as a project lead please contact the STFC Astronomy Awards team before starting your application: chloe. woodcock@stfc. ukri.

org and kim. burchell@stfc. ukri.

org Equality, diversity and inclusion We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers. We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances.

This includes: support for people with caring responsibilities alternative working patterns UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process. This funding opportunity covers applications for solar system and planetary studies.

We welcome applications for funding to support theory, including modelling, simulation and related software development, observation, experiment and new technology research, relevant to all aspects of the solar system.

solar physics and heliospheric physics space-based terrestrial magnetospheric science and fundamental space plasma physics (excluding the impact on the Earth’s neutral atmosphere) planetary science, including the surfaces and interiors, atmospheres, ionospheres, and magnetospheres of the solar system bodies other than the Earth studies of other solar system bodies including comets, asteroids, meteorites, and so on laboratory studies of solar system material such as meteorites, returned samples, solar system analogues, other laboratory physics relevant to the area of the funding opportunity and related software development blue skies technology or instrumentation development applicable to the areas listed (technology readiness levels (TRL) 1 to 4) If your application is in one of the following research areas, we strongly advise you contact the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Astronomy Awards team to check the remit ahead of submitting.

We will consider funding astronomy and space science applications within TRL1 to 4 or their equivalent ( Eligibility of technology readiness levels (TRL) ). Applications which plan to exceed TRL 4 in the timeline of the award will be considered out of remit. Modest upgrades to existing equipment, related to the delivery of science within the course of the project requested, may be considered.

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) will consider space mission-related applications at TRL 5 and above. Telescope and instrument operations costs, where not directly linked to specific science outcomes within the grant period, are not within the remit. Gravitational wave research Small awards will consider funding support for some aspects of gravitational wave research .

Space weather and the impact of the Sun on terrestrial systems We will support non-Earth-orientated solar-terrestrial physics research, for example, fundamental space plasma physics not related to the Earth. We will also fund the primary exploitation of space-based facilities (spacecraft and instruments) for solar terrestrial physics.

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is responsible for funding solar terrestrial physics where the primary goal is to understand the Earth’s environment from the deep interior to the upper atmosphere (including, mesosphere, thermosphere and ionosphere).

Mars exploration and sample return Studies related to the UKSA’s programme of aurora science (Mars exploration and sample return) should be addressed to the UKSA at spaceexploration@ukspaceagency. gov.uk in the first instance, as separate funding may be available. The duration of this award is a maximum of three years of research activity starting from 1 October 2027.

Projects must start on 1 October 2027.

We will fund 80% of the full economic cost (FEC) Applications to the Small Award scheme must contain a single project (requests for multi-project small awards will be rejected) which must follow the following resource guidance: three years maximum, all awards must start on 1 October 2027 maximum of one full time equivalent (FTE) of research and innovation associate (RIA) (previously known as postdoctoral research assistant (PDRA)) effort.

The panel recognises that technical or lab-based projects may require fractions of the time of specialist RIAs, but this should not exceed the overall envelope of one FTE of RIA effort per application maximum 0. 20 FTE of combined applicant time for a single application. The project lead (PL) is expected to request a minimum of 0.

10 FTE to lead and manage the project. Please note the 0. 20 FTE cap includes applicants contributing at zero salary.

You are not permitted to include additional applicants over the 0. 20 FTE cap even if they are working at zero cost you may only request a maximum of 0. 20 FTE (costed or un-costed) in total across applications within the round the PL would be expected to request a minimum of 0.

10 FTE for their scientific contribution, oversight of the project, and management or supervision of any personnel involved. Any additional applicant FTE should be identifiable against specific tasks extending throughout the duration for which the FTE support is requested.

The panel must be able to understand from the application why an FTE request is necessary and appropriate for the project’s success there may also occasionally be projects which involve only applicant time or applicant plus technician time there is no limit on technician FTE, but this must be project specific and justified within the resources and costs section Researcher co-leads are permitted on awards but must be counted within the FTE limits above (either within RIA limit or the applicant FTE limit).

Please read the eligibility of a researcher co-leads guidance before applying for this role type. We permit applications from applicants who have been successful in securing funding from other sources. However, it is your responsibility to demonstrate to the panel that the programme to be carried out in the Small Award is clearly distinct from the remit of their existing support.

Please ensure you provide this justification within the current support section.

You can also request and make the case for the following project specific costs: directly allocated other costs High Performance Computing (HPC) costs You should demonstrate that you have considered the use of national facilities (for example, DiRAC – DiRAC High Performance Computing Facility – Supporting the STFC theory community ) before applying for HPC costs.

If DiRAC or other resources are not suitable for their project needs they should explain why within the resources and costs section. You should note that DiRAC does not typically support: code development requiring single/multiprocessors small scale tests runs requiring single/multiprocessors data visualisation (In most cases DiRAC cannot support this but please contact the DiRAC team to confirm ahead of submitting).

Please be advised that we do not provide suggested guideline costs, you should justify what is required for the success of the project. Applicants who use the previous guideline cost formula as justification for roles or travel should note that this will negatively affect their application. It is expected that computer officer and administrative support is provided by the research organisation from indirect costs.

Where this support is requested it must be fully justified and be providing project-specific support. You must clearly explain and justify why such support is not provided from indirect costs. The lack of a compelling justification will have a negative impact on the assessment of the application.

The research organisation is expected to provide standard laptop or desktops from Indirect costs. Laptops may only be costed to the application where a higher specification of laptop is required for the completion of specific grant-related activities such as data modelling, enhanced graphics and so on. You should include a statement in the resources and costs section to explain why a non-standard laptop is required.

Applications may include costs for reasonable adjustments. Where an application includes costs for reasonable adjustment, UKRI will ensure they are eligible, and these should be accepted without comment. See further information on disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants during the application and assessment process .

Studentships are not permitted on small awards. Supporting skills and talent UKRI supports over 25,000 FTE of Research and Innovation (R&I) staff directly on grants, many more if indirect costs, facility charges and strategic funding streams are included. Those skilled people and teams design our studies, deliver the R&I work and disseminate the outputs.

They are the R&I system; and mission critical to delivering the outcomes we invest in. Our expectations for people and teams are collated on the supporting skills and talent section of the good research resource hub . In this funding opportunity, we are piloting a new approach to embedding consideration of people and teams in our assessment.

Some of the assessment criteria in the Capability to Deliver section of this funding opportunity have been updated to reflect this. You can find the background to the pilot on our website: people and teams assessment pilot . Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) UKRI is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) is a UKRI work programme designed to help protect all those working in our thriving and collaborative international sector by enabling partnerships to be as open as possible, and as secure as necessary. Our TR&I Principles set out UKRI’s expectations of organisations funded by UKRI in relation to due diligence for international collaboration.

As such, applicants for UKRI funding may be asked to demonstrate how their proposed projects will comply with our approach and expectation towards TR&I, identifying potential risks and the relevant controls you will put in place to help proportionately reduce these risks. See further guidance and information about TR&I , including where you can find additional support.

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service so please ensure that your organisation is registered. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system. The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI. Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page: Confirm you are the project lead. Please allow at least 10 working days for your organisation to be added to the Funding Service.

We strongly suggest that if you are asking UKRI to add your organisation to the Funding Service to enable you to apply to this opportunity, you also create an organisation Administration Account. This will be needed to allow the acceptance and management of any grant that might be offered to you. Answer questions directly in the text boxes.

You can save your answers and come back to complete them or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. If we need you to upload a document, follow the upload instructions in the Funding Service. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the How to apply section on this Funding finder page.

Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.

Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI. Where indicated, you can also demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

When including images, you must: provide a descriptive caption or legend for each image immediately underneath it in the text box (this must be outside the image and counts towards your word limit) insert each new image on a new line use files smaller than 5MB and in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format Images should only be used to convey important visual information that cannot easily be put into words.

The following are not permitted, and your application may be rejected if you include: sentences or paragraphs of text excessive quantities of images A few words are permitted where the image would lack clarity without the contextual words, such as a diagram, where text labels are required for an axis or graph column.

For more guidance on the Funding Service, see: how applicants use the Funding Service how research offices use the Funding Service how reviewers use the Funding Service References should be included within the word count of the appropriate question section. You should use your discretion when including references and prioritise those most pertinent to the application. Hyperlinks can be used in reference information.

When including references, you should consider how your references will be viewed and used by the assessors, ensuring that: references are easily identifiable by the assessors references are formatted as appropriate to your research persistent identifiers are used where possible General use of hyperlinks Applications should be self-contained. You should only use hyperlinks to link directly to reference information.

You must not include links to web resources to extend your application. Assessors are not required to access links to conduct assessment or recommend a funding decision. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) Use of generative AI tools to prepare funding applications is permitted, however, caution should be applied.

For more information see our policy on the use of generative AI in application and assessment . Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) must receive your application by 10 March 2026 at 4:00pm UK time. You will not be able to apply after this time.

Make sure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines. Following the submission of your application to the funding opportunity, your application cannot be changed, and applications will not be returned for amendment. If your application does not follow the guidance, it may be rejected.

STFC, as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your Funding Service account and the registration of your funding applications. We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice .

If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email chloe. woodcock@stfc. ukri.

org Include in the subject line: [the funding opportunity title; sensitive information; your Funding Service application number].

Typical examples of confidential information include: individual is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave) additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the ‘Applicant and team capability’ section conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection the application is an invited resubmission For information about how UKRI handles personal data, read UKRI’s privacy notice .

Institutional Matched Funding There is no requirement for matched funding from the institutions hosting the project lead, project co-leads or other staff employed on the application, beyond the standard 20% FEC. Expert reviewers and panels assessing UKRI funding applications must not consider levels of institutional matched funding as a factor on which to base recommendations.

Direct and in-kind contributions from third party project partners are encouraged. This policy does not remove the need for support from host organisations who must provide the necessary research environment and infrastructure for award-specific activities funded by UKRI. For example, research facilities, training and development of staff.

STFC , as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at Board and panel outcomes If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research . In plain English, provide a summary we can use to identify the most suitable experts to assess your application.

We usually make this summary publicly available on external-facing websites, therefore do not include any confidential or sensitive information.

Make it suitable for a variety of readers, for example: the wider research community Guidance for writing a summary Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of: the challenge the project addresses potential applications and benefits List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following: project co-lead (UK) (PcL) professional enabling staff research and innovation associate Only list one individual as project lead.

UKRI has introduced a new addition to the ‘Specialist’ role type. Public contributors such as people with lived experience can now be added to an application. Find out more about UKRI’s core team roles in funding applications .

Create a document that includes your responses to all criteria. The document should not be more than four sides of A4, single spaced in 11-point Arial (or equivalent sans serif font) with margins of at least 2cm. Three pages should be used to address your vision and approach with an additional one page for appropriate references.

The page limit is not transferable, if your vision and approach exceeds three pages or if your application is not in the required font type or size it will be rejected. You may include images, graphs, tables. For the file name, use the unique Funding Service number the system gives you when you create an application, followed by the words ‘Vision and Approach’.

Save this document as a single PDF file, no bigger than 8MB. Unless specifically requested, please do not include any sensitive personal data within the attachment. If the attachment does not meet these requirements, the application will be rejected.

The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply. What are you hoping to achieve with and how will you deliver your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response For the Vision, explain how your proposed work: is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s) has the potential to advance current understanding, generates new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area is timely given current trends, context and needs impacts world-leading research, society, the economy or the environment For the Approach, explain how you have designed your work so that it: is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any scientific risks to delivery and how they will be managed (project level risks should be addressed in the risk management section) uses a clear and transparent methodology if applicable, summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place, and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work References should be included within this section.

Applicant and team capability to deliver Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have, and will further develop: the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver the work and your approach to develop others for a range of R&I careers contributed to developing institutional capability, a positive research environment and wider community You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.

Further details are provided in the Funding Service. The word limit for this section is 1,650 words: 1,150 words to be used for Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) modules (including references) and, if necessary, a further 500 words for Additions.

Use the R4RI format to showcase the range of relevant skills you and, if relevant, your team (project and project co-leads, researchers, technicians, specialists, partners and so on) have and how this will help deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.

You should outline the roles of all team members, including the contributions of facility staff and pooled staff resource. Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed. Use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI .

You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills each team member will bring: contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships, highlighting how team members on this application will be developed for a range of R&I careers.

contributions to the wider research and innovation community, including building capability within your organisation. contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 500 words.

You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences, or outputs, but you can use it to describe any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them). Complete this as a narrative. Do not format it like a CV.

References may be included within this section. The roles in funding applications policy has descriptions of the different project roles. Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI) What are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work?

If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why. What the assessors are looking for in your response Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated: the relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations how you will manage these considerations You may demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant. Further details are provided in the Funding Service.

Please refer to the UKRI position statement on funding ethical research and Responsible innovation for more information around our expectations on ethical and responsible research and innovation. Resources and cost justification What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Justify the application’s more costly resources, in particular: significant travel for field work or collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences) any equipment that will cost more than £25,000 any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities all facilities and infrastructure costs all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’ You can request costs associated with reasonable adjustments where they increase as a direct result of working on the project.

For further information see Disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders . Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources.

Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work: are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes maximise potential outcomes and impacts Classification of application How would you classify your research application?

Please add one of the following classifications that are the closest match to your application for peer review purposes: What risks are involved in the programme of work and how will these be mitigated?

What the assessors are looking for in your response: Demonstrate that you have: access to appropriate services, facilities, infrastructure or equipment to deliver the proposed work identify any risks related to the programme of work and provided a risk mitigation (risks could relate to access to expertise, data, instruments, facilities, training, recruitment, loss of staff members and so on).

You should indicate how likely it is that the risk will occur (high, medium or low) and the impact it would have on the application before and after mitigation Please provide details of support sought or received from any other source for this or other research in the same field. It is your responsibility to demonstrate to the panel that the programme to be carried out in the Small Award is clearly distinct from existing support.

If you are seeking or have received support for this or other research, please provide the following information: awarding organisation’s reference decision made (yes or no) amount sought or awarded (£) justification as to how the funding is clearly distinct from what is being requested in the Small Award Add details about any project partners’ contributions.

If there are no project partners, you can indicate this on the Funding Service. A project partner is a collaborating organisation who will have an integral role in the proposed research. This may include direct contributions for example cash, donated equipment and resources, or staff seconded to the project, or indirect and in-kind contributions for example use of project partner’s equipment, datasets, or facilities.

Project partners may be in industry, academia, third sector or government organisations in the UK or overseas, including partners based in the EU.

Add the following project partner details: the organisation name and address (searchable via a drop-down list or enter the organisation’s details manually, as applicable) the project partner contact name and email address the type of contribution (direct or indirect) and its monetary value If a detail is entered incorrectly and you have saved the entry, remove the specific project partner record and re-add it with the correct information.

For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made. Project partners: letters (or emails) of support Upload a single PDF containing the letters or emails of support from each partner you named in the project partners section. These should be uploaded in English or Welsh only.

What the assessors are looking for in your response Enter the words ‘attachment supplied’ in the text box, or if you do not have any project partners enter ‘N/A’.

Each letter or email you provide should: confirm the partner’s commitment to the project clearly explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the work to them describe any additional value that they bring to the project have a page limit of 1 side A4 per partner The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply.

If you do not have any project partners, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service. Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the project partners’ section. For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Data management and sharing How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed research? What the assessors are looking for in your response Provide a data management plan that clearly details how you will comply with UKRI’s published data sharing policy , which includes detailed guidance notes.

Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I) Does your proposed work relate to UKRI’s Trusted Research and Innovation principles?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Demonstrate how your proposed work relates to UKRI’s Trusted Research and Innovation principles including: list any dual-use (both military and non-military) applications to your research if this project is relevant to one or more of the 17 areas of the UK National Security and Investment (NSI) Act , please list the area(s) please read the academic export control guidance and confirm if an export control licence is required for this project and the status of any application(s) if your project involves any items or substances on the UK strategic export control list, please provide a list We may ask you to provide additional TR&I information later, in line with UKRI TR&I principles and funding terms and conditions (RGC 2.

6. 2, 2. 7.

1 and 2. 7. 2).

International collaboration Does the proposed work involve any international collaboration or engagement?

What the assessors are looking for in your response Provide details about your expected international collaboration or engagement, including: a list of the countries your international project co-leads, project partners, visiting researchers, or other collaborators are based in details of any subcontractors or service providers If your proposed work does not involve international collaboration or engagement, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

How we will assess your application We will assess your application using the following process.

At the point of application submission, each will be checked based on the following criteria: all applicants and named staff must be eligible under the funding opportunity requirements the application must meet the remit of the funding opportunity Applications which do not meet these criteria will be rejected with feedback on why it could not proceed. We will