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The State Research Agency (AEI) has published the call for proposals for the “ATRAE Program” for 2026. These grants are intended to encourage the recruitment of established research talent with recognized international prestige who have recently spent a significant portion of their professional careers abroad, thereby promoting progress toward a Spanish System of Science, Technology, and Innovation (SECTI) that is more competitive both nationally and internationally.
The goal, therefore, is to promote the exchange of knowledge and outstanding researchers by integrating them into SECTI on a permanent basis, supporting their career development, and encouraging the formation and consolidation of world-class research teams.
In order to encourage the participation of scientific personnel from research institutions located in the United States of America—one of the world’s leading powers in the field of research—the maximum grant amount for which this group is eligible has been increased.
The eligible activities included in the initiatives, which must be carried out, are:
- Costs associated with carrying out an in-house R&D&I project led by the project’s implementing partner.
- Hiring costs for the project’s principal investigator: from the start date of the project’s implementation period until the date prior to the permanent position being filled. Type of contract: distinguished researcher contract.
In addition, the adaptation of spaces, laboratory renovations, and similar projects necessary for the launch or consolidation of the principal investigator’s (PI) line of research will be eligible for funding, although this is not mandatory.
Beneficiary entities will be required to create a permanent position in the IP’s field of expertise and fill that position before the end of the project’s implementation period.
The call for proposals has a maximum total budget of 40 million euros. Funded projects may receive up to 1,000,000 €. This amount may be increased to €1,200,000.00 if the principal investigators proposed by the beneficiary organizations have been affiliated with research institutions located in the United States of America.
It is considered that an established researcher of international renown, to individuals who meet criteria such as being among the top 10% of researchers in their field of specialization globally, serving as the principal investigator on an active European Research Council (ERC) project, hold the highest rank in their academic or research career in their country of origin, or have served as principal investigator (PI) on a significant number of research projects funded through competitive calls for proposals—whether national (in any country) or international—and have made highly relevant and impactful contributions to their field of specialization throughout their career.
Requirements
The funded projects will be led by an individual who will serve as the Principal Investigator (PI) and must meet the following requirements:
- Hold a doctoral degree. The date on which the doctoral degree was awarded must be prior to January 1, 2019. The date of the doctoral degree shall be understood to be the date of the defense and approval of the doctoral dissertation. For those who hold more than one doctoral degree, this requirement refers to the first doctoral degree obtained.
- Have been professionally affiliated with foreign research organizations for at least 5 years during the period from January 1, 2020, to the start date of the application submission period.
- Applicants must not be members of any of the university faculty civil service bodies at public universities, nor be career civil servant researchers employed by public research organizations of the General State Administration, nor be employed by a Spanish public university as a tenured professor with a Ph.D. or a permanent faculty member (or under equivalent positions at regional agencies). This requirement must be met throughout the entire application process, from the time the application is submitted until a decision is made.
- Not having failed a selection process or having been nominated in a competitive examination for admission to or promotion within any of the corps, ranks, or positions listed in the preceding section. This requirement must be met throughout the entire process, from the time the application is submitted until a decision is reached.
How to apply
Required documentation:
- Scientific and Technical Report on the Project. The maximum length shall be 12 pages, with the content described in Annex IV of this resolution. The application system will not accept reports exceeding this length. It is recommended to use the template available on the agency’s website when completing the report. The scientific and technical report must be submitted in English. It is recommended that the scientific-technical report be formatted using Times New Roman, Calibri, or Arial font with a minimum size of 11 points; side margins of 2.5 cm; top and bottom margins of 1.5 cm; and single spacing.
- Abbreviated curriculum vitae (CVA) of the proposed principal investigator, to be submitted using the standard form available on the agency’s website, or one automatically generated by the “Standardized Curriculum Vitae” application available on the website of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), using the option to generate an abbreviated curriculum vitae.
The application period begins on April 23 and ends on June 4, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.