AWS Cloud Credits for Research

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Announcing AWS Cloud Credits for Research

The University of Washington’s eScience Institute and UW IT Research Computing are partnering with Amazon Web Services to offer cloud computing credits to UW researchers – faculty, postdocs, or research staff. These credits are for use in research projects. Support for teaching using the AWS cloud will fall under a separate (to be announced) program. Graduate and undergraduate students are also encouraged to reach out to the UW Research Computing Club for access to cloud computing resources for their own work.

This AWS Research Credits Program seeks proposals for research projects (any discipline) that are new to the AWS cloud platform. The project must have necessary cloud-capable / cloud-inclined personnel in place so as to begin work once computing credits are awarded.

Interested in using AWS credits for your research?

Award Information

Awarded credits must be used by October 31, 2025. Each research project can request up to $10,000 in credits. The credits can be used for any AWS service including services available through the AWS Marketplace. Selected projects will also have access to technical support from Amazon, the eScience Institute and UW IT for help working effectively in the cloud.

The award decisions will be based on both the scientific merit and suitability for cloud computing. We may be able to accept projects that fall under the purview of HIPAA so please indicate your status in this regard on your application.


Who Can Apply?

Principal Investigators (PIs) and co-PIs should be faculty, postdocs, or research staff members at the University of Washington (including the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses). An individual may participate as PI/co-PI on only one proposal. Co-investigators, consultants and other personnel are not limited by this restriction. PIs/co-PIs on previous awards (prior solicitations) are eligible to apply again.


How to Apply

Proposals are being accepted on a rolling basis and evaluated quarterly. Deadline for the first award period is EOD on November 22, 2024.

The proposal should contain:

  • Project description (up to 2 pages) with a minimum of 10 point font;
    • Proposals should include specific aims, background, significance and innovation, and methods.
    • Proposals should include a description of how the computing credits will be used, and documentation that any other resources needed for this project are in place (for example, grant award notification, personnel who would undertake the work, or course approval documentation). 
  • Project development timeline (up to 1 page) that shows the milestones for the project;
  • Expected usage of the AWS resources (up to 1 page) – please use the AWS pricing calculator for this step; 
  • References (no page limit).

Review Criteria

Proposals will be reviewed based on their suitability for cloud computing resources, as well as for the significance and innovation of the proposed research, the likelihood of success, impact to the research field, and potential for continuation.


Still have questions?

For general questions, please contact Executive Director Sarah Stone at sstone3@uw.edu.

For questions specifically about Amazon Web Services, please contact Rob Fatland at rob5@uw.edu.