Step 2: Find Right Project Type

Scientists can apply for HPC resources required for their research activities. The requested resources are managed as a compute time project with a default duration of one year, multi-year projects are also possible.
The following table gives an overview of the different project types, resource allowance and submission process. Depending on the purpose of your project and the resource needs you can identify the most suitable project type and the proceed to the next step in the application process.
Resources per Year | Prerequisites | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Project Type | CPU-Core-hours and/or GPU- or FPGA-hours | Location of applicant (Principal Investigator, PI) | Project duration | Can the project be extended by a follow-up project? | Call for Proposals | |
NHR-large | Projects with large resource requirements | |||||
> 30 Mio. CPU-Core-h | > 100,000 GPU-h or FPGA-h | Germany | one year or multi-year | ✓ | 4x per year | |
NHR-normal | Medium size resource requirements (e.g. large scale GPU accelerated application) | |||||
> 4 Mio. and <= 30 Mio. CPU-Core-h | <= 100,000 GPU-h or FPGA-h | Germany | one year or multi-year | ✓ | continuous submission | |
NHR-starter | Intended for applicants that are new to high performance computing | |||||
depending on needs | Germany | one year | ✕, usually followed up by a NHR-normal/large project | continuous submission | ||
small | Projects with small resource requirements (e.g. small research projects, FPGA or GPU accelerated application, courses, thesis, project groups) | |||||
<= 4 Mio. CPU-Core-h | <= 10,000 GPU-h or FPGA-h | UPB, NRW (only locations without local/Tier-3 resources) | one year | ✓ | continuous submission | |
fpga | Project with a special emphasis on FPGA acceleration of HPC codes (e.g. in scope of AMD/Xilinx HACC program)* | |||||
<= 4 Mio. CPU-Core-h | <= 10,000 FPGA-h | worldwide | one year | ✓ | continuous submission | |
test | Porting applications, scalability analysis | |||||
depending on purpose, by default 100,000 CPU-h | depending on purpose, by default 1,000 GPU-h | Germany | one month | ✓ | continuous submission |
(*) Scientists of research and teaching institutions worldwide can be granted access to FPGA systems in the context of a research collaboration with PC2.
worldwide = research and teaching institutions worldwide
Germany = universities in Germany (including universities of applied science)
NRW = research institutions located in North Rhine-Westphalia (State NRW)
UPB = Paderborn University
If you have identified the most suitable project type you can proceed to the next step in the application process.
Follow Next Steps in Application Process

You can follow the next steps or go to the main system access page.
Step 1: Check the prerequisites if you meet the criteria for applying for resources
- Formal regulations
- List of FAQs
Step 2: Check your resource needs to find the right project type
- Types of projects
- Yearly resource budgets
- Project prerequisites
Step 3: Apply for resources
- Submission process
- Guides to apply
- Templates for detailed description
- Examples for hypothetical projects
Step 4: The project proposal is reviewed
- Technical and scientific review process
Step 5: After positive review, the project starts
- Typical duration to project start
- First steps for existing projects