Severo Ochoa Centres of Excellence and María de Maeztu Units of Excellence (Centros de Excelencia Severo Ochoa y Unidades María de Maeztu)
Supports elite Spanish centres and units through long-term accreditation-linked scientific investment.
⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.
The Centros de Excelencia Severo Ochoa and Unidades María de Maeztu 2026 call, published in the Boletín Oficial del Estado on 9 April 2026, is Spain's premier institutional excellence accreditation programme administered by the Agencia Estatal de Investigación under the Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación 2024-2027. The programme simultaneously confers accreditation and provides direct funding to support the four-year strategic plans of the country's highest-performing research centres and units. The 2026 cycle carries an €80 million budget.
Two tracks are available. The Centros track targets research centres with distinct legal personality, significant administrative autonomy, and a substantial researcher headcount, awarding the Severo Ochoa accreditation. The Unidades track serves research units within larger institutions, awarding the María de Maeztu accreditation. Both accreditations remain valid for up to six years, while the funded strategic plan covers four years. Eligible applicants are public research centres and non-profit private research institutions whose scientific leadership is internationally recognised and who can demonstrably advance the knowledge frontier and attract talent. For-profit entities are not eligible. The submission window ran from 27 May to 24 June 2026 at 14:00 peninsular Spanish time, following an extension from the original 17 June closing date. Grants under this call are classified as subvenciones awarded through concurrencia competitiva.
To compete effectively, applicant centres must document their international scientific impact during the reference evaluation period and present a rigorous, evidence-backed four-year strategic plan. Associated funding is also available for predoctoral researcher training tied to the accreditation. The instructing unit is the Subdirección de Procedimientos de Concesión at AEI, and evaluation follows internationally benchmarked scientific criteria.
Funds the four-year strategic plans of leading Spanish public and non-profit research centres and units, conferring Severo Ochoa or María de Maeztu excellence accreditation valid for up to six years.
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