Digital quantum simulations of scattering in quantum field theories using W states(opens in a new tab)
Farrel, R., Illa, M., Preskill, M., Zemlevskiy, N. | arXiv:2505.03111 (2025)
IBM Quantum Credits
IBM Quantum Credits awards qualified academic researchers with project-based access to quantum hardware and software for novel, utility-scale research — removing barriers to scientific progress.
Turn research into breakthroughs with IBM Quantum credits
30K+
Quantum compute hours granted to date
5.8K+
Citations in published research papers
Since 2016, IBM has invited top researchers from across the quantum community to apply for free access to IBM quantum computers. This access empowers the quantum community’s top researchers to pursue high-impact projects without worrying about barriers of cost and other constraints.
Have questions about the Credits program and eligibility requirements?
Program benefits
Additional time
Credits offers project-based hardware time beyond the free IBM Quantum Open Plan.
QPU access
Access select quantum processors reserved for approved research projects.
Research visibility
Credits offers assistance and guidance with professional research publications.
Community connections
Receive technical support and guidance from our team of quantum experts.
Is the Credits program right for your project?
IBM Quantum Credits supports qualified researchers pursuing impactful, utility-scale quantum research. Applications are evaluated based on the proposed project, its readiness, and the need for additional quantum compute resources.
Your project focuses on utility-scale research
Your research should explore novel scientific questions using quantum computers at utility scale. Researchers across disciplines—including physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering, materials, and more—are welcome to apply.
Your project would benefit from additional quantum computer
Credits are intended for research that requires access beyond what is available through the IBM Quantum Open Plan. Applicants should be able to clearly demonstrate how additional access will advance their proposed work.
If you are a student looking to get started with quantum computing, view the available access plans and learning materials(opens in a new tab).
Your project is ready to use quantum hardware
Applicants should have a clear research plan and be prepared to make meaningful progress with the requested quantum compute resources.
Your project is affiliated with a research institution
Projects must be associated with an eligible research institution, and applications must be submitted by a faculty member or research lead at that institution.t
Not ready to apply yet?
If you do not yet meet the requirements above, you can begin exploring your project on IBM Quantum Platform through the IBM Quantum Open Plan.
Are you a professor seeking quantum computer access for your students? Explore Classroom Accounts.
How to apply
Review eligibility requirements
Ensure that you and your project meet all eligibility requirements. For more information and resources, view the FAQ.
Prepare your application
Applications must include thorough descriptions of the work being done and how additional access will benefit your team. Ensure that your project’s application is submitted by a tenure-track or permanent research staff member at a research institute.
Successful proposals typically:
- Focus on utility-scale problems (greater than ~30 qubits)
- Aim for high impact, cutting-edge outcomes
- Would benefit significantly from hardware access
- Demonstrate scalable quantum methods and innovation
- Show clear progress within 3-10 hours of QPU time
Research powered by Credits
Papers recently published by teams that received IBM Quantum Credits to support their research.
Learning Mixed Quantum States in Large-Scale Experiments(opens in a new tab)
Cirac, J., Ljubotina, M., Piroli, L., Serbyn, M. et al. | pub (2025)
Utility-scale Experimental Quantum Computation with Hardware Efficient Ansätze and Calibrated Hamiltonian(opens in a new tab)
Ashan, M. | ACM Transactions on Quantum Computing, Vol. 7, Issue 4 (2026)
Observation of Robust and Coherent Non-Abelian Hadron Dynamics on Noisy Quantum Processors(opens in a new tab)
Ali, O., Earnest-Noble, N., Ilčić, F., et al. | arXiv:2602.18080 (2026)
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
IBM Quantum Credits are intended for researchers pursuing novel, utility-scale quantum research that requires quantum compute access beyond the IBM Quantum Open Plan. Strong applications clearly describe the scientific question, explain why quantum hardware is necessary, and demonstrate a realistic plan for using the requested compute resources.
If you’re just beginning your quantum computing journey or exploring early ideas, we recommend starting with the Open Plan and learning resources on IBM Quantum Platform(opens in a new tab) before applying.
Approved credits are valid for a defined period that will be communicated as part of your award. We encourage researchers to submit projects that can make meaningful progress within the proposed project timeline.
If additional access is needed after your credits expire, researchers may submit a new application for consideration. Any request for additional access is subject to the program's standard review process and will be evaluated based on scientific merit, project readiness, and alignment with the goals of the Credits program.
Before applying, you should estimate the total quantum compute time your project is expected to consume, expressed in hours. For projects that use IBM Quantum primitives, the IBM Quantum Platform provides an estimation service that can help you estimate job runtime. For more information, read the documentation(opens in a new tab).
Applications are reviewed by the IBM Quantum team on a rolling basis. Review times vary depending on application volume and the complexity of the proposal, and applicants will be notified once a decision has been made.
Providing a clear research plan and complete application helps speed the review process.
No. IBM Quantum Credits is designed to support open science and discovery.
Researchers retain ownership of their experimental results and are free to publish their findings. Please refer to the program terms and conditions for complete details regarding intellectual property and program participation.
We encourage researchers whose work is supported by IBM Quantum Credits to acknowledge the program in the resulting publications.
Recommended citation language and acknowledgment guidelines will be provided to approved participants.
- Create an account(opens in a new tab)
If you’re just getting started with quantum computing, IBM provides a wide range of free resources to help you learn.
Explore documentation, tutorials, learning paths, and sample applications on IBM Quantum Platform, and use Open Plan access to begin developing and running quantum workloads before you apply for Credits.
Students can begin using IBM quantum computers through the Open Plan, which provides free access to IBM Quantum Platform and its extensive learning resources.
Instructions on how to add your project team members to your instance will be available in the onboarding documentation.
- Explore plans
IBM offers several ways to access quantum computers depending on your goals.
- IBM Quantum Open PlanFree access for learning, experimentation, and early exploration.
- IBM Quantum CreditsFor qualified academic researchers pursuing utility-scale research.
- Premium and Flex PlansFor organizations requiring dedicated resources, advanced capabilities, and commercial support.
Whether you’re learning, conducting research, or building production-ready quantum workflows, there’s an access option designed for your stage of development.
