Funding opportunity

Funding opportunity: Canada-G7-Nordic call for proposals on quantum technologies

Opportunity status:: Open
Funders:: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
Funding type:: Grant
Total fund:: £3,000,000
Maximum award:: £500,000
Publication date:: 27 July 2026
Opening date:: 27 July 2026 2:00pm UK time
Closing date:: 24 September 2026 1:00am UK time

Apply for funding to establish world-leading research partnerships with collaborators in Canada, the US, Germany, Japan, and the Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Norway).

Proposals must include researchers from both the UK and Canada and may also involve researchers from other eligible countries participating in this funding opportunity.

UK applicants must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for EPSRC funding.

Applicants may request up to:

£400,000 (80% full economic costing (FEC)) UK project component
maximum three years duration

Who can apply

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding is available for UK based researchers partnering with Canadian and other international partners delivering projects supported through this funding opportunity.

This opportunity is led by Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). The Canadian principal applicant will submit a single collaborative proposal on behalf of the Canadian and international research teams.

UK based researchers eligible to receive UKRI funding can be included on these applications as international collaborators and can apply for up to £500,000 FEC for the UK component of the application.

Eligibility criteria for UK based researchers

Standard UKRI eligibility rules apply.

Before submitting an application, ensure your organisation is eligible to receive UKRI funding, check the Eligibility of your organisation.

UKRI has introduced new role types for funding opportunities run through UKRI Funding Service. You should review these to understand which roles you can apply under.

For full details, see Eligibility as an individual.

International collaborators

The UKRI-RCN Money Follows Cooperation Agreement or the UKRI-IIASA agreement do not apply to this funding opportunity. As such you cannot include an IIASA or a Norway-based Project Co-Lead (international) as part of the UK component of the application.

All international collaborators who are not eligible to receive funding through this opportunity (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) may be included as project partners if applicable.

Resubmissions

We will not accept uninvited resubmissions of projects that have been submitted to UKRI or any other funder.

Find out more about EPSRC’s resubmissions policy.

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:

career breaks
support for people with caring responsibilities
flexible working
alternative working patterns

UKRI can offer disability and accessibility support for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.

Further information

For further information on the scope of the opportunity, eligibility requirements, participating countries, and application process, visit Canada–G7–Nordic call for proposals on quantum technologies.

What we're looking for

Aim

This funding opportunity seeks to support international collaborative research in quantum science and technologies, bringing together researchers from the UK, Canada, G7 nations and Nordic countries to develop world-leading partnerships and advance quantum innovation.

The programme aims to strengthen international cooperation and accelerate the development of quantum technologies that can drive economic growth, enhance security, and deliver societal benefits. Building research cooperation across the G7 and Nordic countries by supporting bilateral and multilateral collaborations in quantum science and technologies.

Scope

Proposals must focus on advancing one or more key areas:

quantum algorithms and encryption (including post‑quantum cryptography)
quantum communications
quantum computing
quantum materials
quantum sensing

Proposals may integrate these thematic areas with broader topics in the natural sciences and engineering. Projects that do not address at least one of these areas are out of scope. The funding opportunity supports non-confidential, unclassified, university-based research, including work with potential dual-use applications, and encourages exploration of how quantum technologies can enhance privacy and security.

Projects may also combine quantum technologies with broader areas of natural sciences and engineering, particularly where quantum approaches can:

enhance privacy and cybersecurity
improve national resilience and security
enable new scientific discoveries and industrial applications
support technologies with potential dual-use applications

Duration

The duration of this award is up to 36 months.

Projects must start by 31 March 2027.

Funding available

The FEC of your project can be up to £500,000.

EPSRC will fund 80% of the FEC.

What we will fund

We aim to fund six to seven collaborations through this activity for projects of three years’ duration.

We expect this funding opportunity will support multilateral or bilateral collaborative research projects on quantum science and technologies. Your proposal must involve researchers from both Canada and UK as minimum but can also include researchers from US, Japan, Germany, Nordic countries included within the funding opportunity’s scope.

What we will not fund

We will not fund:

equipment above £25,000 per item
doctoral studentships

Supporting skills and talent

We encourage you to follow the principles of the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers and the Technician Commitment.

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.

How to apply

To apply

Canadian principal applicants must submit a complete application through NSERC’s online system. EPSRC does not require UK based researchers to submit a copy of this proposal in parallel.

All documents in the application should follow NSERC’s online presentation and attachment standards. NSERC will screen all applications to ensure they are complete and adhere to the program requirements and objectives. If the application does not meet all program requirements, it will be rejected.

Each Canadian research team can submit only one application to this funding opportunity. Canadian researchers may participate as an applicant on only one application, but they may be a co-applicant or collaborator on multiple applications.

Canadian principal applicants can start the application as follows:

Log in to NSERC’s online system and choose Create a new Form 101
Select ‘Research partnerships programs’, then ‘Alliance Grants’
For the Proposal type field, select ‘Full proposal’
For the Type of call field, select ’International-Collaboration-G7-Nordic-Quantum’ from the drop-down menu
Follow the instructions for completing a grant application specific to this funding opportunity for proposals

By submitting the application, Canada based researchers agree to the terms and conditions of applying for applicants (PDF, 244KB). UK based international collaborator(s) will agree to the UKRI terms and conditions of FEC grants. If the application involves partner organisations, they agree to the terms and conditions of applying for partner organisations (PDF, 56KB).

For submissions under this funding opportunity, you agree that information in your application will be shared between NSERC and the participating international funding agencies for purposes consistent with the program objectives.

The information provided in the application is collected under the authority of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act. NSERC is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act. The information provided by applicants is stored in a series of NSERC data banks as described in Information about programs and information holdings. Principal applicants must ensure that others listed in the application have agreed to be included.

UKRI 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.

Deadline

Applications must be submitted through NSERC’s online system by 24 September 2026, before 8:00pm (Eastern Time).

Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

Note that institutions may set an earlier internal deadline for you to submit your application in the system so that the research grants office can finalise the submission to NSERC by the official deadline. You should contact your research grants office to confirm the internal deadline for submitting your application.

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. 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.

Publication of outcomes

EPSRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at EPSRC Funding Applications Outcomes.

If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the UKRI Gateway to Research.

UK based core team

UK based researchers can assign the following roles to their team members. The Canadian principal applicant might need to use equivalent roles in the joint application, using NSERC terminology:

project lead (PL)
project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
specialist
professional enabling staff
research and innovation associate
technician
visiting researcher
researcher co-lead (RcL)

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.

How we will assess your application

Assessment process

We will assess your application using the following process.

The Canadian principal applicant will submit a single collaborative proposal on behalf of the Canadian and international research teams. NSERC, as the lead agency, will conduct the merit review of the proposal.

Review process

NSERC will first conduct an administrative assessment to ensure the applications are complete and comply with all requirements. This step includes all participating funders’ eligibility assessments.

Once the administrative assessment is complete, NSERC will proceed with the merit assessment of the applications via an expert panel.

Expert panel review

With input from participating funders, NSERC will invite and convene an expert peer review committee of scientific experts to assist in assessing applications quality and rank applications alongside other applications. After which the panel will make a funding recommendation.

The committee will assess the applications according to the merit evaluation criteria and merit indicators.

NSERC will assess equity, diversity and inclusion considerations in the Canadian training plan through a separate administrative process. NSERC staff will contact the Canadian principal applicant for additional information if required.

Funding decisions

NSERC, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), EPSRC and NordForsk will jointly determine funding recommendation outcomes and fund selected projects to support the activities of eligible researchers in their respective countries.

After these awards are made, National Science Foundation (NSF) will make its funding decisions on the supplementary US components, following its existing processes for international supplements as outlined in NSF 22-108.

Post assessment process information

Projects with UK participants recommended for funding following the peer review process will be invited to submit their application through the Funding Service UK costs associated with these projects will be administered as UKRI awards.

This step is procedural only. Projects recommended for funding will not undergo any further assessment of their scientific or programme merit at this stage. However, standard checks relating to finances, eligibility and compliance with UKRI policies and requirements (for example equality, diversity and inclusion, and trusted research and innovation requirements) will be completed before awards are made.

Details of the submission route and required actions will be provided when the funding decision is communicated.

Timescale

We aim to complete the assessment process within approximately three months of receiving your application.

UK project teams recommended for funding through the international peer review process will be invited to submit a full application via the Funding Service.

Invitations are expected to be issued in January 2027, with successful projects anticipated to start by the end of March 2027.

Principles of assessment

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.

Find out about the UKRI principles of assessment and decision making.

Using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in expert review

Reviewers and panellists are not permitted to use generative AI tools to develop their assessment, including to correct language, spelling, grammar and formatting. Using these tools can potentially compromise the confidentiality of the ideas that applicants have entrusted to UKRI and NSERC to safeguard.

For more detail see UKRI policy on the use of generative AI and NSERC guidance on the use of Artificial Intelligence in the development and review of research grant proposals.

Assessment areas

The assessment areas that we will use are the NSERC Merit evaluation criteria.

For more detail see the assessment questions and criteria under the ‘Review’ heading in the ‘How to apply’ section which can be found on the NSERC funding opportunity page.

Contact details

Get help with your application

If you have any questions about the funding opportunity, remit, or eligibility criteria for UK-based applicants, and the answers aren’t provided on this page contact us at:

Email: quantumtechnologies@epsrc.ukri.org

Additional info

Background

Recognising the importance of international collaboration in promoting scientific discoveries, NSERC and EPSRC are partnering with G7 and Nordic countries funding agencies to launch a funding opportunity for research proposals on quantum science. The funding opportunity builds on complementary interests and research expertise in the UK and Canada and will advance missions identified in each country’s National Quantum Strategies.

The UK government’s National Quantum Strategy sets out a ten-year vision to establish the UK as a global leader in quantum research and technology. This is backed by a £2.5 billion commitment to research, innovation and skills, alongside additional targeted investment. This builds on the strong foundations of the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme and a vibrant national ecosystem. The strategy is further supported by a set of Quantum Missions, which focus effort and investment on ambitious, outcome-driven goals designed to catalyse collaboration and accelerate real-world impact.

With G7 and Nordic countries similarly advancing national quantum priorities, there is a clear opportunity to reduce duplication of effort and build a more coordinated, complementary international quantum research and development ecosystem. By aligning strengths, sharing expertise, and promoting researcher mobility and exchange, international collaboration can maximise the collective impact of investments and accelerate progress.

This joint funding opportunity therefore invites applications for synergistic, high-quality collaborative projects involving partners across G7 and Nordic countries, supporting the development of an internationally connected and mutually reinforcing quantum research and innovation landscape.

Webinar for applicants

NSERC will hold a webinar on 19 August 2026 at 11am ET (Canada time) 4:00pm UK BST (UK time). This will provide more information about the funding opportunity and a chance to ask questions.