Introduction

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The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) invites scientists to participate in the Semester 2026A Call for Proposals for the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), High Sensitivity Array (HSA), and Global mm VLBI Array (GMVA).

The submission deadline for Semester 2026A proposals is Wednesday, 30 July 2025, at 17:00 EDT (21:00 UTC).

NRAO time allocation policy changes include constraints on opportunities for PIs from non-US institutions (see What's New in 26a).

For the VLA, the A and D-configurations will be available. It is anticipated there will be around 3,600 hours on the VLA, 2,100 hours on the GBT, and 650 hours on the VLBA available for science observing. Opportunities for Joint proposals will be available for ALMA, JWST, HST, Swift, Chandra, XMM-Newton, NICER, and IXPE. Joint Proposals with ALMA or JWST need to be submitted to the facility requesting the larger amount of observing time.

The array configurations available for joint ALMA/VLA will be: ALMA C-1 to C-8 and VLA A, D, and C-configurations.

The NRAO 2026A Call for Proposals is for observations with the VLA, GBT, and VLBA/HSA/GMVA.  

A detailed timeline for the 26A Proposal Call is available here and summarized in the table below:

 
Date Action
25 June 2025 NRAO Call for Proposals
30 July 2025 NRAO Proposal Deadline @ 17:00 EDT
28 August 2025 Individual Science Reviews Completed
12 September 2025 Science Review Panel (SRP)  Meetings Completed
14-15 October 2025 Telescope time allocation committee (TAC) meeting
12 November 2025 Disposition Letters Sent

Connect with NRAO

The NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory and NSF Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Founded in 1956, the NSF NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NSF NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NSF NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NSF NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (U.S. NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."

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