GTCR MENA Grant 2026

The GTCR-MENA Grant 2026 (Grants for Transformative and Collaborative Research in the Middle East and North Africa) is a research funding programme run by UNESCO-TWAS with support from the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. It provides fully funded support for PhD-level researchers from selected MENA countries to carry out transformative projects in collaboration with German research institutions. The programme funds research equipment, consumables, MSc support, conference participation, mobility and open-access publications, and typically supports projects for 24 months. Applicants must establish a collaboration with a German partner and provide a Letter of Collaboration.

Research equipment and consumables, support for MSc involvement, conference funding, mobility to Germany, and open-access publication support

Applicants must be nationals of eligible MENA countries (Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, Yemen), hold a PhD degree, be affiliated with an academic or research institution in an eligible country, be within the stated age limits (≤40 years for men; ≤46 years for women with allowances), submit a strong research proposal in an eligible field, and have or establish collaboration with a German research institution (with a Letter of Collaboration).

Submit an online application through the TWAS application portal and provide required documents including PhD proof, institutional affiliation and a Letter of Collaboration from a German partner.