Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
The Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing is a research venue at the University of California, Berkeley, where theoretical computer scientists and researchers from related fields spend a semester or a summer working on a shared topic. It is not a grant-making body. For a sponsored-programs office, the practical questions are about visiting-researcher arrangements, not about an award to budget. All facts below are as described on the Institute’s official pages on 2026-11-08; programs and calls change between cycles, so confirm the current cycle on those pages.
What the Simons Institute is and who runs it
The Institute describes itself as the world’s leading venue for collaborative research in theoretical computer science. It was established on July 1, 2012, with a grant from the Simons Foundation, and is housed in Calvin Lab on the UC Berkeley campus. Its stated “TOC+X” approach applies computational thinking to fields such as physics, biology, economics and the social sciences. The Institute names three governance and leadership bodies: Scientific Leadership, a Scientific Advisory Board and a Governance Board. The Advisory Board reviews program proposals twice a year.
The Institute reports that it hosted 3,432 long-term visitors in its first decade, from 37 countries. For readers new to the field, what is computer science gives the wider context.
What it offers: programs and opportunities
- Semester-long research programs, usually two running concurrently, each with 50 or more long-term participants and weeklong workshops.
- Summer clusters, held since 2018.
- Research Pods, multi-year efforts launched in 2020-21; a third pod, on resilience, was added in 2024.
- Public lectures, the Polynomial Times, and an AI+TCS Working Group.
- Opportunities: Postdoctoral Research Fellowships, Law and Society Fellowships, a Science Communicator in Residence, and Circles and Breakthroughs / Goldwasser Exploratory Workshops (offered through calls for proposals).
Does it fund or require anything?
The Institute hosts programs and fellowships; it does not run a project-grant competition. The official pages describe programs, calls for organizers, visitor applications and fellowships. The long-term visitor application page states no benefits or support, so this page makes no claim about stipends, housing or travel. If a researcher plans a visit of more than 30 days, the home institution should treat it as a leave or visiting-appointment question and ask the host directly what, if anything, is provided.
Eligibility and routes in
| Route | Who it is for (as described) | What the application requires |
|---|---|---|
| Propose a research program | Addressed to the worldwide theoretical computer science and related communities; no other eligibility limits are stated. Programs need 4-6 leading scientists as organizers, most committed to all or most of the semester on site. | Any reasonable format. A semester-long proposal includes a 3-4 page description, short descriptions of 2-3 workshops, an organizer list, likely senior attendees and potential fellows. An optional 1-2 page pre-proposal checks topic fit. Submit one PDF by email to Institute leadership. |
| Long-term visitor | Active researchers in the field who are beyond the postdoctoral years. Long-term means longer than 30 days; full-semester visits are preferred. | One PDF with a cover letter (interest and proposed visit dates) and a CV with full publication list, plus an online form (contact, institution, position, program). Applications are per program, each with its own deadline. |
| Postdoctoral, Law and Society, Science Communicator, Circles and Breakthroughs | Listed by the Institute as separate opportunities with their own pages and calls. | Follow the call for each opportunity on the official site. |
One point shapes the odds: the Institute states that most long-term visitors are chosen through recommendations from program organizers, and that it also invites additional qualified participants through the open application. A direct application is therefore one route among several, not the main one.
Application steps
- Decide the route: organizing a program, visiting for an existing program, or one of the fellowships.
- For an organizer proposal, assemble 4-6 organizers, the program description and workshop outlines; consider the optional pre-proposal first.
- For a visit, prepare the cover letter with proposed dates and the CV with a full publication list, and apply to the specific program.
- Submit through the route the official page names (email PDF for proposals; online form plus PDF for visitors).
Typical timeline phases
The Institute’s pages do not state notification timing or panel criteria, and the deadline and target semester on the proposal page change between cycles, so no calendar dates are given here. In general terms: proposals are submitted for a future semester or summer; the Scientific Advisory Board reviews program proposals twice a year; visitor applications carry per-program deadlines; the program itself runs a semester or summer, with a reunion workshop about a year later for semester programs.
Common mistakes
- Treating it as a funder. There is no award to include in a budget; ask what the visit involves before planning around support.
- Applying without a program. Visitor applications are per program, each with a deadline.
- Applying too early in a career. The long-term visitor route is for researchers beyond the postdoctoral years; postdoctoral researchers should look at the fellowship calls.
- Relying on a stale deadline. The proposal page’s cycle changes; use the current page.
- Sending a proposal without organizer commitment. Organizers are expected to be on site for most or all of the semester.
Related programs and pages
| Related resource | How it relates |
|---|---|
| Simons Foundation research funding programs | The Foundation made the grant that established the Institute in 2012. |
| NSF CISE Core Programs | CASRAI guide to a separate US federal funding route for computer and information science research. |
| arXiv computer science | CASRAI guide to the arXiv computer science preprint listings. |
FAQ
What is the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing?
A research venue at UC Berkeley, established July 1, 2012 with a Simons Foundation grant, hosting semester-long programs, summer clusters, research pods and fellowships in theoretical computer science.
Does the Simons Institute award research grants?
The official pages describe programs, visitor applications and fellowships, not a project-grant competition.
Who can apply to be a long-term visitor?
Active researchers in the field who are beyond the postdoctoral years, for stays longer than 30 days, applying to a specific program.
Can anyone propose a program?
The call is addressed to the worldwide theoretical computer science and related communities, with 4-6 leading scientists as organizers.
Sources
- Simons Institute, About: simons.berkeley.edu/about (read 2026-11-08)
- Simons Institute, Call for Research Program Proposals: simons.berkeley.edu/participate/how-to-submit-proposal (read 2026-11-08)
- Simons Institute, Long-Term Visitor Application: simons.berkeley.edu/apply/ltv (read 2026-11-08)
