Opportunity status:
Open
Funders:
Funding type:
Grant
Publication date:
5 December 2025
Opening date:
16 December 2025 9:00am UK time
Closing date:
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 .
This funding opportunity is open to organisations with standard/non-standard eligibility, and organisations who are based overseas. .
UKRI has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on the new UKRI Funding Service.
For full details, visit .
You may submit up to two applications to the small award round (across both funding opportunities), only one of which can be as the project lead (previously known as principal investigator) subject to the 2026 eligibility for project leads.
You must adhere to the full-time equivalent limits set out in the ‘what we are looking for’ section.
Who is eligible to apply
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:
and
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.
Scope
Areas of research
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.
This includes:
* 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.
Technology development
We will consider funding astronomy and space science applications within TRL1 to 4 or their equivalent (). 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 .
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 in the first instance, as separate funding may be available.
Duration
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.
Funding available
We will fund 80% of the full economic cost (FEC)
What we will fund
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 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:
* * * *
High Performance Computing (HPC) costs
Applicants should demonstrate that they have considered the use of national facilities (for example, DiRAC – ) 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.
Applicants 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 .
What we will not fund
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. 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: .
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 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 applicants 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.
To apply
Select ‘Start application’ near the beginning of this Funding finder page.
1. Confirm you are the project lead.
2. Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email
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.
3. 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.
4. Allow enough time to check your application in ‘read-only’ view before sending to your research office.
5. Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing.
6. 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
* tables
* 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:
* * *
References
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 .
Deadline
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.
Personal data
Processing personal data
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 .
Sensitive information
If you or a core team member need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email
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)
* declaration of interest
* 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 .
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.
Publication of outcomes
STFC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at
If your application is successful, we will publish some personal information on the.
Summary
Word limit: 550
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:
* opinion-formers
* policymakers
* the public
* the wider research community
Guidance for writing a summary
Clearly describe your proposed work in terms of:
* context
* the challenge the project addresses
* aims and objectives
* potential applications and benefits
Core team
List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:
* project lead (PL)
* project co-lead (UK) (PcL)
* specialist
* grant manager
* 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.