PSL Global Seed Fund 2026 for International Research Projects

Université PSL invites applications to its PSL Global Seed Fund Fall 2026 call, a research grant for faculty members, researchers and equivalent staff at PSL component schools and associated members who are developing international projects. Applications are due by December 8, 2026, at 12 pm Paris time. Applicants can also browse grants and funding opportunities and explore other opportunities for youth.

About the PSL Global Seed Fund research grant

The fund supports projects at an early stage. Applicants can use it to initiate a new international collaboration or prepare an application, with an identified partner, for a larger and more structured funding scheme. The call is open to all disciplines, themes and international partnerships. Proposals involving early-career researchers or doctoral candidates, as well as collaborations between multiple PSL institutions, are particularly encouraged.

The total budget envelope for this call is €150,000, and the maximum grant per project is €12,000. Grant spending is eligible from April 1, 2027, through March 31, 2028. Eligible activities include exploratory or consolidation missions with an international partner; conferences, research seminars, workshops and artistic events; research stays for doctoral candidates or postdoctoral researchers; knowledge transfer or expertise-sharing activities to strengthen scientific skills; and hosting an intern in a PSL laboratory.

PSL shares the call with strategic partners and may communicate relevant projects to them to help maximize funding opportunities. The partners named in the call are Rice University, the University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, Université de Montréal, Polytechnique Montréal, University College London, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, New York University, the University of Austin, Australian National University, NTU Singapore and NUS – National University of Singapore. Projects involving these partners may receive co-funding under contractual or case-specific arrangements.

Proposals are assessed for scientific quality and alignment with training objectives, ambition and expected short-term outcomes, and the added value of the project as a seed initiative. Applicants should clearly explain the project’s impact, such as preparing European or international funding applications or creating an innovative, structured collaboration, in the application’s “Impact” section. Reviewers also consider the involvement of multiple PSL schools where relevant and the value of the international partnership, including its scientific or technical complementarity or access to the field. Additional points of attention include early-career researcher involvement, interdisciplinarity, co-funding from PSL institutions, an international partner or an external source, and the project’s carbon footprint.

Who Should Apply

This call is intended for faculty members, researchers and equivalent staff from PSL component schools and associated members. It is suited to project leaders seeking to start or consolidate an international collaboration in any discipline, especially where seed funding can help prepare a larger funding application. Doctoral candidates and early-career researchers are encouraged to be involved, but the call does not restrict proposals to a particular research field.

Key Highlights

• Total call budget: €150,000.
• Maximum grant: €12,000 per project.
• Open to all disciplines, themes and international partners.
• Eligible spending period: April 1, 2027–March 31, 2028.
• Results are expected in January 2027.
• Application deadline: December 8, 2026, at 12 pm Paris time.