Fundamental research and scientific discovery
Research/Grants

Fundamental
Research Grants

Overview

Fundamental Research Grants

The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) provides grants for Fundamental Research Proposals. Fundamental research focuses on advancing knowledge and improving understanding of fundamental scientific principles; it is not directed toward immediate practical solutions or commercial objectives.

All submitted proposals should aim to generate solutions and outcomes that advance a scientific field, promote innovative approaches or methodologies, and support the development of new technologies.

KFAS 2026 Second Call for Research Proposals for Applied, Fundamental, Policy and Young Researcher Proposals

The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences invites competitive research proposals to be submitted starting on the:

15 of September to 15 of November 2026, by midnight Kuwait time.

The call can be accessed and downloaded from the link below:

Please note that only applications that are submitted through the KFAS Research Grants Management System are accepted, as manual submission of proposals is not accepted. Any application missing major requirements by the closing date of the cycle will be marked as incomplete and declined.

It is recommended that researchers submit their application early on the call announcement to ensure that there is adequate time to complete the submission, should any documentation be missing.

Focus Areas and Domains:

All submitted proposals should aim to generate solutions and outcomes that advance a scientific field, promote innovative approaches or methodologies, and support the development of new technologies.

In addition to the research domains specified below, KFAS invites competitive proposals on general topics related to science, technology, and innovation (STI); however, priority will be given to the listed domains:

Health

STEAM Education

Energy

Environment

Food & Water Security

Future Economies

Funded Project Examples on KFAS Research Portal:

The KFAS Research Portal is a research information management system that connects researchers and collaborators, showcasing the expertise and ongoing projects of those working in partnership with KFAS across various scholarly fields.

KFAS Research Portal Link

Visit the 'Projects and Impact' section of the KFAS Research Portal to discover a range of successful KFAS-funded projects, both ongoing and completed, from Applied, Fundamental, Policy, and Young Researcher grants.

Application Related Documents:

All details, conditions and information on the scope of funding and proposal requirements can be found in the following attachments:

In addition to submitting the proposal, the applicant must upload through the Grant Management System (GMS) a letter of intent from their institution confirming approval to submit the proposal to KFAS.

sample of letter of intent

Failure to comply may result in noncompliance consequences for both the applicant and their institution, including declining proposal funding, as well as negatively impacting any future funding requests.

General Eligibility for Proposal Submissions:

Researchers and scientists from the following sectors are eligible to apply:
  • Research & Higher Education sector
  • Public/Governmental sector
  • Not-for-Profit Companies and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
Researchers and scientists from international academic and research institutes may apply for research grants only through a Kuwaiti institution, and the project must demonstrate substantial collaboration with a Kuwait-based research team.
Applicants must clearly outline all co-funding schemes in the application's budget proposal and include it in the letter of intent. Proposals that do not provide clear evidence of co-funding and the required letter of intent will be considered incomplete.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to review all criteria and ensure eligibility, prior to proposal submission.

Grant Application Portal:

All applications must be submitted online through the KFAS Research Grants Management System.

If you are new to the portal, start with the following clip for instructions on applying. Click below for the KFAS Research Grants Management System tutorial.

Contact Us:

If you have any inquiries, please email us at: research@kfas.org.kw

Telephone: (+965) 22278125 or 22278126

KFAS decisions regarding research grants are final, and not subject to appeal.