Researcher
Start with ACCESS Explore for eligible US research, AIRR Gateway for UK AI testing, or EuroHPC AI for Science for eligible European research. Check each route's organisation and country rules.
Democratising compute
Free and funded compute
Find a practical route to compute through research allocations, startup credits or free notebooks. Start with your situation, then check eligibility and the official next step.
Student or individual
Try interactive code in Colab's free notebooks. Eligible US graduate students can also lead an ACCESS Explore project; undergraduates need an eligible lead.
Startup
Compare UK AIRR, European AI Factories and cloud-credit programmes. Region, company stage, workload and billing conditions determine which fits.
Upcoming application window
Upcoming window: GCS next large-scale application window Checked 13 November 2026.
Researchers at German universities and publicly funded German research institutions. Prepare for the official window from 11 January to 15 February 2027, closing at 17:00 CET; the allocation period is May 2027 to April 2028.
This forthcoming large-scale window is separate from rolling regular or preparation routes. Awards depend on scientific and technical review. Official source and next step
Upcoming window: ACCESS Maximize: next request window Checked 13 November 2026.
Researchers preparing a large resource request. Prepare for the 15 December 2026 to 31 January 2027 submission window; awards are scheduled to start on 1 April 2027.
The 13 November check predates this window. Smaller ACCESS project types have separate application routes. Official source and next step
Compare the programme directory
52 programme records, with open routes first, unverified records clearly marked, and closed calls below. Status checks are separate from older programme detail dates. Open status needs another check after 30 days; a forthcoming window is not automatically declared open when its start date arrives.
Credits and allocations are not cash or guaranteed hardware. Some routes require billing accounts or a paid plan; some allocations charge for resources. Check covered services, expiry, charges and eligibility before committing.
Need help choosing? Use the funded-access chooser, finance and access guide or services and support.
Region is the programme's recorded region, not a decision about your eligibility. Audience filters cover the source-checked starting routes, not every possible eligible programme. Clear that filter to explore the full directory. Read each programme's eligibility and current terms.
Showing 2 of 52 programmes.
Compare recorded eligibility and resources below. Open a programme record for its full evidence, application steps and limits, then confirm current conditions with the official programme.
Open at latest check
Application status is dated below. Open applications do not guarantee an award, your eligibility or available hardware.
Free tier
| Programme and recorded region | Who can apply | Recorded resources | Evidence and next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hugging Face ZeroGPU Global Open at latest check | Anyone can use existing ZeroGPU Spaces; free accounts with a verified email at least 30 days old can host up to two. | Shared GPU time for compatible Spaces, subject to usage quotas and queues. This is not dedicated or unlimited compute. | Read eligibility, application steps and limits Check the official programme Hugging Face ZeroGPU demos: Existing ZeroGPU Spaces are free to use. Eligible free personal accounts can also host their own Spaces; follow the setup guide. Source Status checked 13 November 2026: open at latest check. Programme details checked 13 November 2026. The application-status and programme-detail checks have separate dates. |
| Google Colab free tier Global Open at latest check | Anyone with a Google account. | A hosted notebook environment with some GPU and TPU access at no charge, though availability varies and is not guaranteed. | Read eligibility, application steps and limits Check the official programme Google Colab free notebooks: Open a Colab notebook and use the free runtime for interactive programming. Source Status checked 13 November 2026: open at latest check. Programme details checked 3 October 2026. The application-status and programme-detail checks have separate dates. |
Full recorded evidence and application steps for free tier
Hugging Face ZeroGPU
Read the programme evidence and access steps
Who can apply: Anyone can use existing ZeroGPU Spaces; free accounts with a verified email at least 30 days old can host up to two.
What you get: Shared GPU time for compatible Spaces, subject to usage quotas and queues. This is not dedicated or unlimited compute.
How to apply: Select ZeroGPU hardware in your Space settings and decorate GPU functions with the spaces module's GPU decorator.
Open at latest check: Hugging Face ZeroGPU demos Checked 13 November 2026.
People trying public AI demos or hosting compatible Gradio Spaces. Existing ZeroGPU Spaces are free to use. Eligible free personal accounts can also host their own Spaces; follow the setup guide.
Free hosting requires a verified email and an account older than 30 days in good standing. Usage is shared and quota-limited; this is not a dedicated GPU or general training cluster. Official source and next step
No future deadline recorded
- The documentation permits free use of existing ZeroGPU Spaces and free personal hosting for eligible accounts; Gradio compatibility and shared-use limits apply. Source
Checked 13 November 2026. Terms change, so read the programme page before you apply.
Check current status and next steps
Run this programme? .
Google Colab free tier
Read the programme evidence and access steps
Who can apply: Anyone with a Google account.
What you get: A hosted notebook environment with some GPU and TPU access at no charge, though availability varies and is not guaranteed.
How to apply: Sign in with a Google account and open a notebook; no application is needed.
Open at latest check: Google Colab free notebooks Checked 13 November 2026.
Students and individuals learning or testing code interactively in a notebook. Open a Colab notebook and use the free runtime for interactive programming.
GPU and TPU availability and usage limits vary. Resources are not guaranteed; free runtimes are unsuitable for dependable production hosting. Official source and next step
No future deadline recorded
- The FAQ says free notebooks can run for at most 12 hours and that free GPU access is heavily restricted. Source
- Idle runtimes are terminated, and usage limits are described as not guaranteed and subject to change. Source
Checked 3 October 2026. Terms change, so read the programme page before you apply.
Check current status and next steps
Run this programme? .