International Digital Technical Standards Grant Scheme 2026-29: Improving Proficiency, Capacity and Participation
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) invites applications for funding to strengthen the UK’s role in digital technical standards, which are essential to the economy and society and developed through global multistakeholder collaboration in organisations such as the European Telecommunication Standardization Institution (ETSI), Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU). The goal is to support innovative initiatives that embed standards teaching in higher education, inspire career interest, enhance academic–industry collaboration and strengthen the UK talent pipeline for participation in international standards development.
- Opening date:
- Closing date: (Midday)
Contents
Summary
Applications are invited under one of four main categories: A, B, C or D. We will also consider innovative proposals under Category E where they offer longer-term, integrated approaches that support the programme’s strategic objectives.
Category A: Awareness, inspiration and introductory learning
This category supports activities that raise awareness of digital technical standards and encourage students, early-career professionals, educators and SMEs to get involved. Funding can be used for talks, lectures, panel sessions or seminars led by experienced standards practitioners who are active in international standards development organisations.
Activities should help participants understand how standards are developed, how standards organisations work, what effective participation looks like, and how research or innovation can be translated into standards contributions.
Eligible costs may include speaker fees, travel and subsistence, venue hire and basic event costs.
Expected outcomes include greater awareness, improved understanding of standards processes and increased motivation to participate. Evidence of delivery may include attendance numbers, participant feedback and any plans to support future engagement.
Category B: Hands-on participation and skills development
This category supports internships, placements or short-term opportunities that help participants gain practical experience in digital technical standards work. It is aimed at people with no previous experience in international standards development, including students, early-career professionals and employees exploring standards-related roles.
Placements should provide structured exposure to standards development organisation processes, working groups, contribution preparation, negotiation, and the technical, organisational and cultural aspects of participation.
Eligible costs may include stipends or salary contributions, accommodation where needed, and travel and subsistence for relevant international standards meetings.
Proposals that show potential to develop into longer-term placements, partnerships or contributions to standards organisations will be prioritised. Evidence of delivery may include a short participant testimonial, supported by an independent standards representative.
Category C: Education and curriculum development
This category supports the development and integration of digital technical standards content into vocational, undergraduate, postgraduate or doctoral education. The aim is to make standards literacy a regular part of relevant education and training rather than a one-off activity.
Teaching materials may cover the purpose, governance and lifecycle of digital technical standards; how to participate in standards development organisations; and the importance of credible, ethical and collaborative contributions.
Eligible costs may include one-off curriculum development, teaching material creation and content assurance. Applicants should demonstrate how teaching will continue beyond the initial funded activity.
Expected outcomes include improved standards literacy and greater recognition of standards participation as a professional activity. Evidence may include student feedback or course evaluation.
Category D: Mentoring and exposure to standards environments
This category supports structured mentoring and first-hand exposure to live standards development activity. It is aimed at groups such as SME employees and digital technology researchers who would benefit from attending standards meetings or observing and contributing to technical working groups. Activities should include mentoring before, during and after participation, helping participants understand standards processes, governance, stakeholder dynamics, contribution routes and expectations.
Eligible costs may include travel and subsistence for
participants, with priority potentially given to meetings hosted in Europe. Cost of membership to international standards organisations may be considered, if necessary to facilitate participation.
Expected outcomes include deeper understanding of standards practice and increased confidence to engage in future standards activity. Evidence may include short reflective statements or group feedback.
Category E: Strategic and integrated innovation
This category supports broader, innovative proposals that build long-term capability in digital technical standards. Proposals may combine elements from the other categories or test new approaches to professionalisation, coordination and skills development.
Examples could include recognition or certification models, contribution tracking, coordinated academic–industry–policy participation models, or the design and testing of a digital technical standards competency framework.
Successful proposals should offer scalable and reusable models that can support long-term system change and strengthen the UK’s capacity to participate effectively in international digital technical standards development.
Eligibility
Applications may be submitted by individuals, academic institutions or companies, provided they meet the requirements below.
1. Eligible applicants
Individuals
Individual applicants must be an academic, student or researcher at a UK university. They must also be eligible to work in the UK. This means they must either have UK national or settled status, or hold one of the following visas:
Graduate visa
India Young Professionals Scheme visa
Global Talent visa
Senior or Specialist Worker visa
Graduate Trainee visa
Skilled Worker visa
Individual applicants may be asked to provide confirmation from their academic institution on headed paper.
Academic institutions
Academic institutions must be headquartered in the UK and must award degree-level qualifications at level 6 or above, subject to relevant recognition and regulation requirements.
Companies
Companies, and its employees – must have relevant business operations legally registered in the UK.
2. Standards experience requirement
Where relevant to the proposed activity, the applicant, academic partner, host company, expert speaker, mentor, placement supervisor or sponsor must be able to demonstrate experience in digital technical standards development.
This experience should include active participation in technical working groups within one or more of the following standards development organisations:
ETSI
3GPP
IETF
W3C
ITU-R
ITU-T
IEEE
ISO/IEC JTC
Where a named expert, mentor, speaker or supervisor is included in the application, applicants may be asked to provide a CV showing relevant participation within the last five years. This may be checked against standards development organisation records. Submitting a CV confirms that the named person has agreed to take part and is available to support the proposed activity.
3. UK-based activity requirement
Activities must primarily be UK-based. The exception is approved attendance at international standards development organisation meetings, where this is relevant to the proposal, particularly under Category B or Category D. Priority may be given to international meetings hosted in Europe.
4. Target participants
Applicants must clearly describe who the activity is for and how those participants will be reached. Eligible target groups may include, depending on the category:
Students in digital, technology and engineering subjects
Doctoral researchers
Early-career professionals
Educators in relevant fields
UK-based SMEs
Digital technology and other subject-related researchers
Employees exploring standards-related roles
For internships, placements or group participation activities, applicants do not need to have all individuals confirmed at the point of application. However, successful grant awards may be conditional on participant details being confirmed before the project commences.
5. Rules on applications
Applicants may submit one application only per call. Applications must be submitted under one category only: A, B, C, D or E.
An application may include more than one activity, provided all activities fit within the chosen category. Proposals that combine several categories, or do not clearly fit within Categories A to D, should be submitted under Category E.
Individual organisations and consortiums may collaborate as delivery partners. However, where a consortium is applying, the lead organisation must submit the application and will be responsible for managing the grant and project delivery.
6. Grant recipient responsibilities
The applicant will be the grant recipient if the application is successful. The grant recipient is responsible for:
Managing the funded activity
Ensuring funds are spent only on eligible and approved costs
Keeping appropriate records
Providing evidence of delivery and impact
Submitting required reports
Complying with due diligence and fraud prevention checks
7. Eligible costs
Costs must be relevant, reasonable and proportionate to the proposed activity. Applicants may use HMRC-approved, employer or university travel and subsistence policies as guidance.
Eligible costs vary by category but may include, where appropriate:
Speaker fees
Venue hire and basic event costs
Travel and subsistence
Stipends or salary contributions
Accommodation where required
Curriculum development costs
Teaching material creation and assurance
Costs linked to mentoring or attendance at relevant standards meetings
Applicants must explain why each cost is needed and how it supports delivery of the proposed activity.
8. Funding limits
Applications must request funding within the scheme limits. The award range is £2,500 to £40,000 per application. The total available fund is £250,000 per year for three years.
Future funding rounds may be launched, subject to demand, funding uptake and available budget.
Objectives
The goal for the 2026-29 grant scheme is to deliver on the UK Digital Standards Strategy to mobilise talent and build capacity to:
· Sustain the UK’s leadership and influence in international digital technical standards by strengthening targeted, credible, and strategically sequenced contributions in priority standards development organisations.
· Reconfigure and reconnect the UK digital technical standards ecosystem—spanning research, innovation, industry and policy—into an integrated and sustainable system that supports coordinated standards engagement and long‑term impact.Establish the skills, professionalism and participation mechanisms required for sustained digital technical standards effectiveness, underpinned by a coherent UK skills and talent pipeline that develops, recognises and renews standards competence over time.
Dates
Call opens: 13 July 2026
Call closes: 7 September 2026
Award confirmed: 30 October 2026
Project must commence no later than 1 January 2027 and conclude no later than 31 March 2029.
How to apply
Call opens: 13 July 2026
Call closes: 7 September 2026
Award confirmed: 30 October 2026
Project must commence no later than 1 January 2027 and conclude no later than 31 March 2029.
How to apply
Eligible applicants should apply through the Find a Grant platform by selecting “Start New Application”.
Applicants may start an application, save it and return to submit it later through their Find and Apply for a Grant account.
Where organisations or individuals are working together, the lead applicant must submit the application through the online portal.
Clarification questions should be sent to:digital.standards@dsit.gov.uk
Awarding process
The scheme aims to fund a broad mix of activity across the different categories.
The strongest compliant application in each category will be considered for selection. Remaining compliant applications will then be ranked by overall strength, and awards will be made in rank order until available funding is exhausted.
If a successful applicant declines a grant offer, the funding may be offered to the next highest-ranked compliant application.
Supporting information
All applicants must provide information to support compliance, due diligence and fraud prevention checks. The information required will depend on the type of applicant, but may include:
Applicant type: individual, academic institution or company
Organisation legal name, where applicable
Organisation type
Registered address
Charity Commission number, where applicable
Companies House number, where applicable
Amount of funding requested
Where the funding will be spent
Evidence of UK registration or eligibility
For individual applicants, confirmation from their academic institution where required
Applications must pass due diligence checks before they can be considered for funding.
Requirements for a compliant application
To be considered, applications must:
Be submitted by an eligible applicant
Commit to due diligence and fraud prevention checks
Select the correct funding category
Request funding within the scheme limits
Relate to digital technical standards development in one or more eligible standards organisations
Provide a realistic delivery plan
Explain the target audience and how participants will be engaged
Show that the proposed activity is UK-based, except for approved international standards meeting attendance
Include a practical plan to assess delivery and impact
Commit to submitting interim and final reports showing how the funding was used and what was achieved
Failure to meet any compulsory requirement is likely to result in rejection.