ACU's comprehensive framework for research incentives, seed funding, doctoral fellowships, publication rewards, and faculty research support — empowering discovery across all faculties.
Applicable to all researchers, UG/PG students, doctoral candidates, faculty, and visiting scholars. Covers ethics, funding, incentives, IP, plagiarism, and career advancement. Notification effective 04.10.2025.
ACU allocates significant institutional funding to empower faculty-led and student-led research initiatives across all constituent institutions.
Up to ₹1,00,00,000 (₹1 Crore) earmarked annually for faculty research seed grants across all ACU constituent institutions.
₹15 Lakhs allocated annually to each constituent institution for research seed grants to eligible faculty members.
Maximum ₹5,00,000 per project. Duration up to 2 years with a possible 6-month extension on justified request.
Up to 2 years with a 6-month extension. Final report due within 3 months of completion.
Final report within 3 months of completion, minimum 2 publications in indexed journals, and 1 conference presentation required.
Applications via Dean Research through Faculty Dean. Evaluated by Research Committee headed by the Vice Chancellor.
Dedicated seed funding for UG/PG students pursuing innovative research under faculty supervision.
Up to ₹10,00,000 (₹10 Lakhs) allocated annually for student-led seed research projects.
Maximum ₹25,000 per project. Duration 6 months to 1 year. Eligible for UG/PG students working under a faculty Principal Investigator.
ACU provides tiered financial support to doctoral scholars based on their qualifications, with a maximum of 25 fellowships awarded per year through competitive entrance test and interview.
For doctoral scholars admitted through ACUET. Full-time ACU scholarship for max 3 years.
For candidates with GATE, GPAT, UGC-CSIR-NET, SLET, ICMR-JRF, DBT-JRF, DST-INSPIRE, or any other UGC-recognized eligibility test with a valid certificate. Max 3 years.
Post-Doctoral Fellowship for advanced research after Ph.D completion at ACU.
Maximum 25 fellowships awarded per year across all faculties. Selection through competitive Entrance Test + Interview conducted by the Research Committee. Merit ranking: 70% entrance test score + 30% interview performance.
ACU rewards faculty and researchers with financial incentives for quality publications in indexed journals, book authorship, and patent achievements.
| Category | Incentive (₹) |
|---|---|
| Q1 Journal (Scopus/WoS/PubMed) | 25,000 |
| Q2 Journal | 20,000 |
| Q3 Journal | 12,500 |
| Q4 Journal | 5,000 |
| Indexed (no quartile) | 3,000 |
| International Book (Scopus — Elsevier/Springer/Wiley/T&F) | 10,000 |
| International Book Chapter (same publishers) | 5,000 |
| National Book (ISBN/ISSN) | 5,000 |
| National Book Chapter | 2,500 |
| Commercialized Patent | 25,000 |
| Granted Patent | 10,000 |
Single author receives the full incentive amount; for multiple authors, the amount is split equally among ACU-affiliated authors.
Only publications with ACU affiliation are eligible. Claims must be submitted in January for the prior calendar year.
Applicants must submit photocopies of publications, acceptance letters, patent certificates, and proof of ACU affiliation with their claim.
ACU supports faculty participation in national and international conferences with registration fee coverage, travel reimbursement, and daily allowance.
| Destination | Asst Prof | Assoc Prof | Professor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Americas, Europe, Australia, Middle East | $80 | $100 | $125 |
| Asia, Africa, SAARC | $60 | $85 | $100 |
Beyond seed funding and incentives, ACU provides a suite of support mechanisms to nurture faculty research growth and international collaboration.
50% reimbursement of membership fees for one professional society per year to encourage active participation in disciplinary communities.
Maximum ₹5,000 reimbursement for Faculty Development Programmes of minimum 5-day duration, once per academic year.
Maximum 1 semester of sabbatical leave with full salary for faculty pursuing advanced research, collaboration, or writing at external institutions.
Annual "Excellence in Research Award" recognizing outstanding research contributions by faculty across all constituent institutions.
Economy airfare and daily allowance for faculty visits to partner institutions for collaborative research and academic exchange.
Free hospitality including accommodation and meals for visiting foreign professors and students collaborating with ACU faculty on research projects.
All Research Promotion documents, IPR policy, R&I Council Constitution, and the Financial Support application form — consolidated in one place.
Original policy document (PDF)
Updated 2025 policy document (PDF)
Intellectual Property Rights policy (PDF)
Research & Innovation Council members and charter (PDF)
Conference / Fellowship / Membership fee application form (PDF)
Notification & application form for seed grants
Apply for seed grants, fellowships, and research incentives to fuel your academic journey at Adichunchanagiri University.