Opportunity status:
Upcoming
Funders:
Funding type:
Grant
Publication date:
7 April 2026
Opening date:
11 May 2026 9:00am UK time
Closing date:
9 July 2026 4:00pm UK time
Apply for funding to receive support for particle physics experiment research. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for STFC funding and a member of the UK particle physics community.
This opportunity is an extension to the Particle Physics Experiment Consolidated Grants 2024 and will provide funding for 24 months.
The grant period will be 1 October 2027 to 30 September 2029.
STFC will fund 80% of the FEC.
This is a pre-announcement and the information may change. The funding opportunity will open on 11 May 2026. More information will be available on this page then.
Proposals for research must fall within the particle physics experiment remit.
This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Before applying for funding.
Equality, diversity and inclusion
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
for UKRI applicants and grant holders during the application and assessment process.
Demand management
Demand management is not being applied to this funding opportunity.
Scope
The particle physics experiment consolidated grants round takes place every four years to support particle physics experiment research. However, in 2024 the particle physics experiment consolidated grants could exceptionally only be awarded for two years. The 2026 particle physics experiment consolidated grants round will award funding for the remaining two years, from 1 October 2027 to 30 September 2029.
You are asked to submit realistic bids, for example, based on your current award, outlining how this award will contribute to achieving the objectives of the original bid submitted for in the 2024 round.
This grant round will consider consolidated grant requests in the particle physics experiment subject area. Where more than one department, or group at a university is involved in the same subject area, a single consolidated grant proposal should be submitted.
Groups from different institutions working collaboratively in the same well-defined research area may apply for a consolidated research grant as a consortium.
Duration
The duration of the award is two years.
Grants must start on 1 October 2027
Funding available
We will confirm the available budget once the opportunity opens.
We will fund 80% of the FEC.
Supporting skills and talent
We encourage you to follow the principles of the and the .
Trusted Research and Innovation (TR&I)
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is committed in ensuring that effective international collaboration in research and innovation takes place with integrity and within strong ethical frameworks. 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 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.
, 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. We will publish full details on how to apply when the funding opportunity opens.
Assessment process
We will assess your application using the following process.
Panel
The Particle Physics Grants Panel (Experiment) will collectively review all the proposals against the criteria, rank them and make recommendations. The peer review meeting is scheduled for September 2026.
STFC will make the final funding decision
For more information on how we prioritise applications for funding please visit .
Timescale
We aim to complete the assessment process within 6 months of receiving your application.
Feedback
We will give feedback from the panel with the outcome of your application.
Principles of assessment
We support the and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.
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 to safeguard.
For more detail .
We reserve the right to modify the assessment process as needed.
Get help with your application
If you have a question and the answers aren’t provided on this page
The helpdesk is committed to helping users of the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Funding Service as effectively and as quickly as possible. In order to manage cases at peak volume times, the helpdesk will triage and prioritise those queries with an imminent opportunity deadline or a technical issue.
Enquiries raised where information is available on the Funding finder opportunity page and should be understood early in the application process (for example, regarding eligibility, content or remit of a funding opportunity) will not constitute a priority case and will be addressed as soon as possible.
Contact details
For help and advice on costings and writing your application please contact your research office in the first instance, allowing sufficient time for your organisation’s submission process.
For questions related to this specific funding opportunity please contact
Any queries regarding the system or the submission of applications through the Funding Service should be directed to the helpdesk.