For Non-European Researchers

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Researchers from anywhere in the world can apply for ERC grants provided the research they undertake will be carried out in an EU Member State (EU) or Associated Country (AC).

ERC grants are becoming more and more internationally recognised as awards for scientific excellence.

Research projects funded by the ERC can last up to five years and can cover frontier research in any scientific domain, including social sciences, humanities and interdisciplinary studies. The grants may help both emerging research leaders ('ERC Starting Grants' and 'ERC Consoldiator Grants') and already well-established and recognised scientists ('ERC Advanced Grants').

If you are moving to Europe (EU Member State or Associated Country), some extra funds may be added to your grant, totalling up to €2 Mio for a Starting Grant (instead of €1.5 Mio for those already established in Europe), €2.75 Mio for a Consolidator Grant (instead of €2 Mio) and €3.5 Mio for an Advanced Grant (instead of €2.5 Mio).

Applications can be submitted when an ERC call for proposals is opened. For successful applicants an agreement is then signed between the ERC and the institution that will host your research project ("Host Institution") in an EU Member State or an Associated Country.

In case you need to find a Host Institution in Europe for your future ERC project, please click here

The selection of proposals is done by highly recognised international peer review panels.

Both the application, granting and reporting processes are very straightforward and user-friendly. Furthermore, you have the possibility to change host institution in Europe in the course of your project if useful, as ERC grants are "portable":  the money follows the researcher and is not linked to the initial host institution.

Time to spend on the project

Researchers applying for ERC-funding must be strongly committed to the project and spend a significant amount of time on it. However, it is not obligatory to spend 100% of your time in Europe whilst carrying out the ERC-funded research.

For Starting and Consolidator Grants, the Principal Investigator should devote at least 50% of her/his total working time to the ERC-funded project, while spending at least 50% of her/his total working time at a host institution in Europe.

For Advanced Grants, the Principal Investigator should devote at least 30% of her/his working time to the ERC project and spend at least 50% of her/his total working time at a host institution in EU Member State or Associated Country.

Participation of team members and Publication of vacancies

ERC grants support projects carried out by an individual researcher ('Principal Investigator') and his or her team. The constitution of the research teams is flexible and team members can be of any nationality, European or non European, depending on the nature of a project.

Vacancies for team members of an ERC project can be published by the Principal Investigator on the Euraxess-Jobs portal.

Testimonials

Some testimonials from ERC-grantees of non-European nationality are featured in our brochure: ERC grants for top researchers from all over the world