Information days

Webinar on ERC Work Programme 2026 - Part 1

10 July 2025

15.00 - 16.00 CEST

Online

ERCEA

Over €2.7 billion in ERC funding will be available in 2026. In our recent webinar for researchers new to ERC grants, Angela Liberatore and Alban Kellerbauer from the ERC Executive Agency presented the latest updates on funding opportunities, budget allocations, the application calendar, and eligibility conditions. The session was moderated by Martin Penny, Head of Communications at the ERC Executive Agency, and included a live Q&A.

Watch the webinar

Name

Webinar on ERC Work Programme 2026

This webinar introducing the ERC Work Programme 2026 covers key updates, upcoming grant calls, evaluation criteria, and practical guidance for applicants.

Duration

01:17:32

Webinar WP2026 Part 1 - Clustered answers

Find here the responses to questions raised during the webinar, grouped by topic.

Eligibility Rules for Work Programme 2026

1. Host Institution (HI)

The HI must support the proposal via a binding Host Institution Support Letter, confirming the PI’s independence if selected.

The PI does not need to be employed by the HI at application stage but must be engaged for the grant duration.

Eligible HIs: any public/private legal entity (universities, research institutes, companies) in EU Member States, Associated Countries, or an international European research organisation (e.g. CERN, EMBL) or any other entity created under EU law. In a Synergy Grant, one Host Institution, except the Corresponding Host Institution, may be an international organisation or a legal entity established outside the European Union or an Associated Country. International organisations with headquarters in an EU Member State or an Associated Country shall be deemed to be established in that Member State or Associated Country.

2. Project Participation

For StG, CoG, and AdG, the HI is usually the sole legal entity.

Team members may be hosted elsewhere (even outside the EU) if scientifically justified.

Other legal entities established outside the EU or an Associated Country may be funded if their role is essential and they are not under EU sanctions.

3. Resubmission Restrictions

Only one application to a main ERC grant (StG, CoG, AdG, SyG) is allowed per call year. If multiple applications are submitted, only the first eligible one will be evaluated.

Resubmission rules apply based on previous evaluation outcomes. For example:

Step 1 B (2025 call) → ineligible for 2026 calls.

Step 2 B (2025 call) → eligible for 2026 calls.

Inadmissible, ineligible, or withdrawn proposals do not count toward resubmission restrictions.

For a detailed explanation of the resubmission rules, please see Section 1.4.3 of the ERC WP 2026 and Table 6 included therein.

4. Medical Degrees

A medical degree alone is not equivalent to a PhD.

Applicants must provide:

Medical degree certificate.

Either a PhD certificate or proof of an appointment that requires doctoral equivalency (e.g. postdoc).

Research experience documentation (e.g. publications).

Eligibility reference date = either medical degree + 2 years or PhD defence date, whichever is the earliest degree that makes the applicant eligible.

Extensions to Eligibility Window

Applicants can request extensions if properly documented and started before the call deadline. Valid reasons include:

Maternity leave: 18 months per child (or actual documented time if longer).

Paternity/parental leave: actual time taken, full or part-time, including adoption.

Long-term illness: leave taken/ reduced working capacity due to an illness lasting over 90 days, affecting the PI or close family member.

Other reasons: military service, clinical training (max 4 years), reduced amount of working time (including leave taken) due to PI’s disability, inability to work for a minimum of 90 days due to major disaster, inability to work due to asylum-seeking or due to violence (including gender-based violence), etc. (see Table 4, Section 1.4.2.2 of the ERC WP 2026 for details).

COVID-19 disruptions are not valid reasons for extensions unless related to one of the circumstances mentioned in the Work Programme and properly documented (e.g. long-term illness). Any other COVID-19 disruption may be described in the CV (Part B1) to explain particular career paths.

Supporting documents must:

Be signed by the employer or relevant authority.

Clearly state dates, duration, reason, and part-time/full-time nature if applicable.

For illness or disability: include medical documents or statement from the employer, regarding health-related leaves, confirming the long-term nature of the condition as well as the time taken off work, or the percentage of impact a given condition has had in the applicant’s working time.

All requests are reviewed individually by the Admissibility and Eligibility Review Committee, which may request further documentation.

6. PhD Defence Date

The reference date is the date of successful defence.
If the certificate lacks this date, provide:

Written confirmation from the awarding institution mentioning clearly the date of the defence. Applicants may find in the Information for Applicants (page 61) a template that they can request the awarding institution to fill in.

In case the defence was not successful, a document clearly confirming that the defence was not successful and the date on which corrections were approved.

If no defence occurred, a letter confirming this and stating the PhD approval date.

7. Career Stage and Early Applications

Success rates are similar across the eligibility window, but early applicants who reapply often have higher chances of success.

Panels consider the time that has passed since the PhD/ the PI’s career stage when assessing CVs.

8. Transitional Arrangements

Applicants hosted by Host Institutions established in countries u negotiating their association to Horizon Europe (e.g. Morocco, Egypt, Switzerland) may be treated as eligible, depending on the status of these negotiations at the moment of their application. Eligibility to apply for an ERC grant does not guarantee that these applicants will be able to sign the ERC grant, if selected for funding. See the Funding & Tenders portal for updates.

9. Time and Place Commitment

Applicants must meet the minimum time commitments required for their grant (e.g. for CoG 40% time on the grant and 50% time spent in the EU/Associated Country. If the proposal is transferred to a different Host institution, arrangements should be discussed in advance.

10. Career Paths

Any researcher meeting the eligibility criteria may apply, regardless of current employer or academic path.

Unconventional career paths should be clearly explained in the CV section.

11. Double Funding

Projects or parts of projects cannot be funded by more than one source.

Reusing parts of a previously submitted proposal is not prohibited, but applicants must demonstrate originality and scientific ambition.

Proposal

ERC Application Overview (2026)

ERC grants support pioneering, high-impact research in any field, evaluated solely on scientific excellence. The Principal Investigator (PI) must demonstrate both a strong scientific track record and leadership potential. Proposals should advance the frontiers of knowledge through ambitious and original research ideas.

PI, Host Institution, and Team

The PI does not need to be employed by the Host Institution (HI) at submission but must be engaged by it for the entire grant duration. The HI must be based in an EU Member State, an Associated Country, an International European Interest Organisation (e.g. CERN, EMBL), or an entity established under EU law. In a Synergy Grant, one Host Institution, except the Corresponding Host Institution, may be an international organisation or a legal entity established outside the European Union or an Associated Country. International organisations with headquarters in an EU Member State or an Associated Country shall be deemed to be established in that Member State or Associated Country. Universities, research centres, and private organisations are eligible.

The PI must lead the project and their team, demonstrating independence and the ability to carry out ground-breaking research. While collaborators are welcome—especially to cover gaps in expertise—the proposal must clearly justify their roles and alignment with project objectives. The PI remains the intellectual and operational leader of the project.

For Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grants, the HI is typically the sole legal entity. However, additional team members may be hosted by other institutions, including those outside the EU/Associated Countries, if this adds scientific value. Partner institutions claiming costs must be listed in the submission system (no supporting documents are required at submission except the HI’s commitment letter).

Applicants must describe the team’s composition and key roles in Part A, Section 3 (Resources). More information is available in the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement (MGA).

Scientific Proposal Structure (2026)

From 2026, the scientific proposal is structured into:

Part I (max. 5 pages)
Presents the overall research idea, including:

Current state of the art

Scientific questions and objectives

Overall approach and strategy

Feasibility details are excluded from Part I and evaluated only at Step 2.

Part II (max. 7 pages for StG/CoG/AdG; 10 pages for SyG)
Covers:

Research methodology

Work plan

Risk assessment and mitigation

Budget and resources justification

Additional background not included in Part I

Part II should not duplicate Part I and will be evaluated only at Step 2.

The full application includes:

Part B1: Part I of the scientific proposal, CV, and Track Record

Part B2: Part II and the Funding ID table

Evaluation Process

Step 1: Evaluation focuses on the overall idea (Part I only)

Step 2: Full evaluation including implementation (Part II, budget, and all documents)

Scientific feasibility is assessed only in Step 2. Thus, methodological detail, timescales, and risk management are to be included in Part II only.

Budget and Resources

Requested resources must be detailed in:

Part A (Section 3 - Resources)

Part II (as needed to justify methodology and work plan)

The final decision on budget rests with the evaluation panel during grant preparation.

Track Record & CV

In Part B1, applicants may list up to 10 significant research outputs (e.g., publications, patents, datasets), each with a brief explanation of relevance and the PI’s contribution. There is no required format; peer reviewers consider field, career stage, and personal circumstances. Publication count is not a selection criterion.

Proposal Formatting

A4 paper size

Standard font (e.g., Times New Roman or Arial), min. 11 pt

Single line spacing

Margins: at least 2 cm (sides) and 1.5 cm (bottom)

Strict page limits: 5 (Part I), 7 or 10 (Part II), 4 (CV + Track Record)

Only the content within these limits is evaluated.

Use of AI and External Assistance

Applicants may use AI tools or editing support (e.g., for language), but full authorship responsibility lies with the applicant, who must adhere to scientific integrity standards.

Funding ID

Applicants must disclose:

Current research grants and their subjects

Overlapping proposals

How potential double funding or workload conflicts would be handled

Double funding is not permitted. Applicants may be asked to choose between overlapping awards.

Interdisciplinarity and Novelty

ERC supports interdisciplinary and boundary-pushing research, including projects using unconventional methods. Proposals must be clearly original and not mere continuations of existing collaborations or database projects.

References

Applicants may include references where appropriate (not counted in page limits). It is at the PI’s discretion how and where to cite them, keeping in mind that only Part B1 is available at Step 1.

Additional Notes on Synergy Grants

Synergy Grant proposals must address research questions whose scope and complexity require a combination of complementary expertise. The group must collectively demonstrate the necessary skills, disciplines, and infrastructure to address the research challenge.

Evaluation Process

1. General Principles

ERC proposals are evaluated solely on the basis of scientific excellence, considering both:

the Principal Investigator’s (PI's) intellectual capacity and creativity;

the proposed research project’s originality, ambition, and potential impact.

There is no requirement for the project to be a continuation of previous work. However, the PI must demonstrate the capacity to lead the proposed research. Evaluation is always conducted in context, taking into account:

the PI’s field and career stage;

any unconventional career paths;

personal circumstances, if described in the CV.

2. Evaluation Steps

Step 1: Panel review by generalists
Panel members evaluate Part B1 (CV, Track Record, and Part I of the Scientific Proposal). The focus is on the vision, ambition, and potential impact of the project.

Step 2: Panel and external review
If successful in Step 1, the proposal proceeds to Step 2, where both panel members and remote experts (with specialised expertise) evaluate:

Part I and II of the Scientific Proposal;

CV and Track Record;

Resources (including budget and team composition);

Time commitment of the PI.

Step 2 emphasizes methodology, feasibility, and justification of resources, in addition to continued assessment of scientific excellence.

3. Proposal Structure

Part I (Scientific Proposal): Describes the idea, objectives, and potential contribution to knowledge. It should outline the state of the art and the novelty of the approach.

Part II (Scientific Proposal): Focuses on methodology, work plan, risk management, and resource justification. It must complement, not repeat, Part I.

Resources: Must be consistent across:

the budget table in Part A, Section 3;

the “Resources” textbox in Section C of Part A;

the methodology section in Part II.

4. Budget and Additional Funding

Applicants may request up to:

€1 million in additional funding;

€2 million if relocating from to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere to take up an ERC grant.

Justifications may include (but are not limited to):

start-up costs,

major equipment,

access to large facilities,

fieldwork, etc.

The evaluation panel may recommend full, partial, or no approval of these additional funds. Budget cuts do not imply rejection of the proposal.

5. Panel Selection and Multidisciplinarity

Applicants must choose:

a primary evaluation panel (based on the main discipline);

up to four ERC keywords describing the scientific focus (Annex 4.1 of “Information for Applicants”);

optionally, a secondary panel, if the project is interdisciplinary.

If needed, and with agreement of both panel chairs, the proposal may be reviewed by members of more than one panel or include input from remote referees.

The ERC encourages interdisciplinary and pioneering research, including proposals introducing unconventional or high-risk approaches.

6. Evaluation of the PI

The PI is assessed in the context of their:

career stage,

research field,

personal path, including breaks or non-linear trajectories.

Unconventional or non-academic career paths are welcome and should be briefly explained in Part B1.

The PI’s team and collaborators must be described and justified in:

Section C. Resources (Part A);

and/or Part II of the Scientific Proposal.

Information should include:

size and nature of the team,

roles of key members,

affiliations (especially if hosted by other institutions),

scientific added value of external collaborators,

personnel cost estimates based on time commitment.

Collaborators not paid by the project may also be included if their contributions are justified.

The PI must obtain written consent from all team members and researchers mentioned in the proposal regarding their participation and the proposal’s content.

7. Evaluation Outcomes

Panel decisions are based on:

individual reviewer comments (which may differ in opinion),

panel discussion and final scoring,

a consensual or majority-based panel comment, approved by the panel chair.

This final comment reflects the panel’s overall assessment, not merely the aggregation of individual reviews.

8. Host Institution and Implementation

The host institution must be based in an EU Member State or Associated Country and must commit to engaging the PI for the project’s duration. It may also be an international European research organisation (e.g. CERN, EMBL) or any other entity created under EU law. In a Synergy Grant, one Host Institution, except the Corresponding Host Institution, may be an international organisation or a legal entity established outside the European Union or an Associated Country. International organisations with headquarters in an EU Member State or an Associated Country shall be deemed to be established in that Member State or Associated Country.

The PI must spend:

at least 50% of their working time in an EU Member State or Associated Country;

a significant part of their time on the ERC project (i.e. 50% for StG, 40% for COG or 30% for AdG).

Fieldwork or activities outside the EU/AC are allowed only if necessary for achieving the project’s scientific objectives.

Principal Investigator (PI) Profile and Requirements

1. Profiles

The ERC grant schemes are open to researchers of any age and nationality who plan to conduct research at host institutions in EU Member States or Associated Countries.

PIs must dedicate a minimum percentage of their time to the project:

50% for Starting Grant (StG),

40% for Consolidator Grant (CoG),

30% for Advanced Grant (AdG).

In all cases, at least 50% of the PI’s total working time must be spent in an EU Member State or Associated Country. PIs may choose to commit more time (up to 100%) if appropriate.

To encourage applications from researchers based in non-associated third countries, the ERC has doubled the maximum additional funding available to Starting, Consolidator, and Advanced Grant applicants who relocate to an EU or Associated Country to take up the project.

All ERC projects are expected to be led by a single Principal Investigator, who defines and drives the research agenda. Collaborators may be included, for example to cover expertise gaps, but the project must clearly reflect the PI’s own scientific vision. The evaluation panel will assess whether the research idea and intellectual leadership lie with the PI.

2. Grant Schemes

Starting Grant (StG) – 2026 Call

PhD Defence Date: Between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2023 (i.e., 2–7 years before 1 January 2026).

Supports excellent researchers who are starting or have recently started an independent research team or programme.

Applicants should have already shown evidence of potential for research independence, e.g., by having produced at least one significant publication as main author or without participation of their PhD supervisor.

Consolidator Grant (CoG) – 2026 Call

PhD Defence Date: Between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2018 (i.e., 7–12 years before 1 January 2026).

Aimed at researchers who are consolidating their own independent research team or programme.

Applicants should have already shown evidence of research independence.

Advanced Grant (AdG)

No PhD-based eligibility window.

Intended for established research leaders who are active scientists with a significant record of major scientific achievements.

Note: These are indicative profiles. Applicants must demonstrate their track record and degree of independence in their CV and Track Record. The ERC Work Programme descriptions serve as benchmarks and do not constitute formal eligibility criteria.

3. Evaluation of Track Record

The format and type of publication or research output may vary depending on the field. Applicants are encouraged to select outputs most relevant to their discipline.

Evaluation panels assess the PI’s track record in relation to:

the research field,

career stage,

and personal circumstances (e.g., career breaks or non-academic paths).

For Starting Grant applicants, evidence of potential for independence is expected. The final evaluation of the PI's profile remains at the discretion of the panel, which considers the career context rather than applying uniform standards.

CV

1. General Principles

The ERC offers several grant schemes tailored to researchers at different career stages:

Starting Grants (StG) support early-career researchers establishing independence, starting or having recently started their own independent research team or programme.

Consolidator Grants (CoG) support researchers consolidating their own independent team or programme. A team does not need to be in place at the time of application.

Advanced Grants (AdG) support established research leaders. There are no formal requirements regarding titles or degrees.

Scientific excellence is the sole evaluation criterion. Applications are not assessed on quantitative indicators such as journal metrics.

Applicants must demonstrate their capacity to carry out the proposed research. The CV and Track Record section (Part B1) should include up to 10 research outputs that best reflect the applicant’s contribution to knowledge. These can include, but are not limited to:

Peer-reviewed publications or preprints

Datasets, software, patents, and licenses

Books or book chapters, conference proceedings

Start-ups, standards, or other relevant contributions

Applicants may also briefly explain:

The significance of each output

Their role in producing it

How it relates to the proposed project

The selection and presentation of outputs is entirely at the applicant’s discretion.

2. Evaluation Approach

The ERC does not evaluate:

Number of publications

Journal impact factors

Mobility or international experience

Instead, qualitative assessment of scientific content prevails.

The ERC Scientific Council has endorsed the DORA Declaration and signed the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment. Reviewers are instructed to focus on substance, not quantity, and to assess outputs in relation to:

Field-specific norms

Career stage

Personal circumstances (e.g. career breaks)

Unconventional career paths, if applicable (explained in Part B1)

3. Key Clarifications

The publication record is not an eligibility criterion.

The ERC Work Programme benchmarks are guidance, not thresholds.

From the 2024 Work Programme, the CV and Track Record sections were combined and simplified.

Applicants may include any combination of outputs, not limited to monographs or journal articles.

A brief explanation may be provided for each output (significance, role, and relevance).

Applicants should strategically assess which and how many outputs to include. There is no obligation to list 10 if fewer are sufficient to demonstrate excellence and capacity.

4. Other Considerations

Peer reviewers assess whether the track record fits the field and career stage. Previous grants or awards do not automatically confer an advantage.

There is no fixed weight between project and PI evaluation. The panels will primarily evaluate the ground-breaking nature and ambition of the research project. At the same time, the panels will evaluate the intellectual capacity and creativity of the Principal Investigator(s), with a focus on the extent to which the Principal Investigator(s) has the required scientific expertise and capacity to successfully execute the project.

The project need not be a direct continuation of previous work, but the applicant must show capacity to lead it.

5. Specific Notes on the CV & Funding ID

In Part B1, the CV and Track Record section allows the inclusion of up to 10 outputs and brief factual explanations of their relevance.

In Part B2, the Funding ID must list:

Ongoing grants (including e.g. MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships)

Pending applications related to the proposal

The funding ID is not used in evaluation but ensures proper management during grant preparation if selected.

Recommendation/support letters are not considered during the evaluation and not provided to the reviewers.

Panels

Certain panels, such as PE6, PE8, LS7, LS8, and several SH panels, regularly receive considerable numbers of proposals. The budget allocation to each panel is proportional on the total budget requested by all submitted proposals, and as a result the success rates are the same across all panels. Applicants should select the panel that best matches their proposed research, and if applicable, indicate a secondary panel with a justification. A list of the ERC evaluation panels and the keywords for each panel is given in the Information for Applicants.

Interviews: Each panel conducts a maximum of 44 interviews at Step 2 of the evaluation. The format, typically lasting around 30 minutes, is decided by the panel and may include a presentation and Q&A session. Specific instructions are provided to applicants proceeding to Step 2 together with interview details.
You can also obtain full information on the interview process through a new ERC Class video, available from the ERC YouTube channel, together with other videos covering all aspects of the ERC application and evaluation process.

Panel members: Panel members are top scientists and scholars coming from all over the world; they help ERC select the best project proposals. There is no formal application process for becoming a panel member, as the ERC Scientific Council members personally identify and invite panel members based on their international standing in research and innovation.  
The Panels may be assisted by independent external experts working remotely, which are recommended by the panel members collectively.  
When submitting a proposal, applicants for ERC Starting, Consolidator, or Advanced Grant can specify up to three persons they wish to exclude from evaluating their proposal, whereas the Corresponding Principal Investigator in a Synergy Grant proposal can, on behalf of the Group, specify up to four persons they wish to exclude from evaluating their proposal.

Additional funding

1. Purpose and Amount 

Applicants may request additional funding of:

Up to €1 million, or

Up to €2 million for researchers relocating to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere to take up an ERC grant.

This funding is meant to cover further eligible costs necessary to carry out the proposed work, such as (but not limited to): start-up costs, major equipment, access to large facilities, major experimental or field work costs, other significant project-related costs (e.g. infrastructure running costs if directly linked to the project)

2. Conditions and Justification 

Requests for additional funding must be:

Duly justified in the proposal narrative

Included in the appropriate budget category(ies) in the financial table

Explained in Section C – Resources

These requests must comply with Horizon Europe’s eligibility rules (see the Model Grant Agreement for reference).

Additional funding can be requested regardless of the applicant’s location, but the higher ceiling (€2M) applies only to applicants relocating to the EU/Associated Countries from elsewhere to take up an ERC grant.

Field work or research activities conducted outside the EU/Associated Countries are not excluded, provided they are justified and scientifically necessary.

3. Evaluation Process 

Excellence remains the sole evaluation criterion — the quality of the proposed research and the Principal Investigator (PI) is what matters most.

Evaluation panels will assess whether:

The additional funding is necessary and justified in the context of the project

The requested costs are reasonable and aligned with the proposal’s scope

Panels may approve or reject the request for additional funding independently of the proposal itself:

A rejected funding request does not result in rejection of the proposal

It would only lead to a reduction in the awarded budget

The panel has the final say on the acceptance of the budget breakdown.

Success rate: The success rates for Starting Grants (StG) and Consolidator Grants (CoG) typically range from 11% to 15%, depending on the allocated budget and number of submissions. The Scientific Council aims for similar success rates across StG, CoG, and Advanced Grants (AdG).
Newcomers usually have a lower success rate compared to resubmitted proposals. Applicants resubmitting proposals have on average a success rate that is 1.5 times higher than the one of first submissions. Principal Investigators (PIs) are not required to have held a StG to apply for CoG or AdG.
The success rate for Synergy Grants (SyG) typically ranges from 7 to 10%, depending on the number of submissions and the allocated budget. There are no significant differences in the success rates of proposals depending on the number of PIs. However, proposals with one PI in a Host institution from outside the EU (not from an EU Member State or Associated Country) consistently achieve a slightly higher success rates than those without outside-EU PIs.

Ethics: In the document "How to Complete Your Ethics Self-Assessment," you will find detailed information about the elements required at the submission stage. Specifically, Section 2, dealing with Humans, and Section 4, focusing on Personal Data, include the Ethics Issues Checklist for each category (sections 2.3 and 4.3). These sections clearly specify the information that needs to be included in your proposal. Generally, official authorisations or approvals can be acquired after the project begins but must always be secured before initiating the relevant research activities. These documents should be submitted to ERCEA only if requested.
You can also find more guidance on how to consider research ethics issues at the proposal stage in a specific ERC class, available on the ERC YouTube channel.

Budget and granting: The Scientific Council decided to apply the lump sum model to Proof of Concept and Advanced Grant calls as part of a wider plan to simplified funding of research projects throughout the EU research programmes. All the other ERC schemes are managed under the actual costs model. 
 In ERC grants the HI has the legal obligation to host and engage the PI for the whole duration of the action. Such engagement is enforced via an employment contract or similar acts through which both the HI and the PI have the legal certainty that mutual rights and obligations will be fulfilled, e.g., the  fulfilment of the obligations on time commitment to implement the action and to spend the minimum time in the EU or an associated country.   
 Additional beneficiaries can be included in the proposal or can be added at any later stage (i.e., grant preparation or project implementation), provided it is justified. 
Entities based in non-EU countries that are not associated to the Horizon Europe programme can be eligible for ERC funding as additional beneficiaries, if they host team members who bring scientific added value to the project, or provided that their participation is deemed essential for carrying out the action. It is important to note that entities subject to EU restrictive measures under Article 29 of the Treaty on the European Union (TEU) and Article 215 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU (TFEU) and entities covered by Commission Guidelines No 2013/C 205/0510 are NOT eligible to participate in any capacity (including as beneficiaries, affiliated entities, associated partners, third parties giving in-kind contributions, subcontractors or recipients of financial support to third parties, if any). 
 The maximum budgets for the various ERC funding schemes are defined in the ERC Work Programmes. For instance, for an ERC Starting Grant the funding ceiling is €1.5 million, including overheads. Overheads are a flat rate of 25% of the total eligible direct costs (excluding subcontracting and internal invoiced goods and services).  
Additional funding of up to €1 million can be requested to cover further eligible costs (e.g. start-up costs, major equipment, access to large facilities, major experimental and field work costs) when these are necessary to carry out the proposed work. The requests for additional funding must be duly justified in the proposal. However, applicants for ERC Starting, Consolidator, or Advanced Grants who are re-locating to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere to take up their ERC grant can apply for up to a maximum of €2 million of additional funding. 
 If the project duration is shorter than the typical duration of five years, the budget is adjusted on a pro rata basis (i.e., proportionally reduced according to the shorter project duration). Indeed, for proposals in which the duration of the project is 4 years, the funding ceiling for Starting Grants will be €1.2 million instead of €1.5 million. Additional funding is not subject to pro-rata reduction for projects of shorter duration. Once the grant agreement signed, the consumption of the budget has no annual ceiling. 
The estimated budget must be established based on the best estimates of all eligible costs that will be incurred to implement the project activities, taking into account the HI's accounting practices and policy. It is evaluated by the independent external experts during the evaluation, notably to ensure that the estimated costs are not excessive. No document supporting these estimates are to be provided (e.g. quotes for purchase or subcontracting costs). However, in case of financial audits or technical reviews, supporting documents may be requested to confirm the compliance with the public procurement procedures. 
 The detailed budget table with description of resources (Section 3-Budget) is part of the administrative form (Part A). The ‘total eligible costs’ in the budget table are calculated automatically based on the figures inserted in the individual columns. This information will be provided to the independent external experts and there is no need to include description of resources in Part B2 (except for SyG actions, where the description of resources is an integral section of Part B2 which is evaluated only if the proposal passes to step 2 and 3). 
 All costs must meet the general eligibility conditions of “Article 6 – Eligible and Ineligible Costs and Contributions” of the Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement. In particular, they must be connected to the action as described in Annex I and necessary for the implementation of the action. These costs must be reasonable, justified and comply with the principle of sound financial management, especially regarding economy and efficiency. 
 Costs for employees (or equivalent), including for the PI, are eligible as personnel costs if they fulfil the general eligibility conditions and are related to personnel working for the beneficiary under an employment contract (or equivalent appointing act) and assigned to the action. They must be limited to salaries, social security contributions, taxes and other costs linked to the remuneration, if they arise from national law or the employment contract (or equivalent appointing act).   
The salaries of researchers should be paid in accordance with the HI's remuneration policy i.e. within the normal pay scales which take into account age, experience etc. However, it is possible that additional payments are made if this is in line with the HI's practice and the requirements for supplementary payments or project-based remuneration. In particular, they should not exceed the remuneration costs paid by the beneficiary for work in similar projects funded by national schemes (‘national projects reference’); they should be defined based on objective criteria allowing to determine the amount to which the person is entitled; and they should reflect the usual practice of the beneficiary to pay consistently bonuses or supplementary payments for work in projects funded by national schemes. 
Costs related substitutes hired by the HI to carry out any of the PI’s duties that are not linked to the ERC grant, such as teaching, are ineligible. 
Costs related to travel, fieldwork, experimental work, or for a scientific advisory group can be eligible provided they fulfil the eligibility criteria, which amongst other, should be directly linked to the research performed and necessary for the implementation of the action. These eligibility conditions apply equally to the PI and the members of the research team. These elements must be clearly described in the proposal and will be assessed by the panel on the basis of the proposed activities. 
Team building activities for entertainment and hospitality purposes will generally be deemed ineligible. 
Normally the costs of administrative personnel are not eligible as a direct cost, unless they are performing support tasks that are necessary for the implementation of the project, and are in line with the usual practice of the beneficiary to charge such administrative costs as direct costs (i.e., there is no central administrative service or practice to consider them as an overhead costs). This must be clearly described in the description of the action. Furthermore, beneficiary must be able to demonstrate and document the actual time dedicated by administrative staff on the project. 
To be eligible, costs for financial support to third parties, where part of the budget can be used by the beneficiaries to publish calls for recipients downstream in cascade mode, must be foreseen in the related Work Programme, which is currently not the case for ERC. 
Principal Investigators are expected to be able to start their ERC project within 6 months from the receipt of the invitation letter from the ERC, or where applicable, after obtaining the ethics clearance, whichever occurs later. Exceptionally, a start date beyond this six-month timeframe may be permitted if duly justified (e.g. in case of pre-existing ongoing grants, change of Host Institution during the grant preparation, PI’s maternity/parental leave), provided that the scientific relevance of the action is not affected by the delayed start date. 
The maximum grant amount established after the evaluation, which is indicated in the invitation letter to grant preparation sent to all applicants selected for funding, cannot be increased, notably in case of portability (even before the signature of the Grant Agreement). However, it is possible to reallocate funds between different budget categories if needed. 
Concerning the access rights, the ERC follows the rules laid down in Article 16 and in Annex 5  of the general Horizon Europe Model Grant Agreement (MGA) ( e.g. obligation to give access rights to all beneficiaries/participants to background needed for implementing the action, right of the granting authority to use non-sensitive information relating to the action for the purposes described in the MGA etc.). 
As some results may have industrial or commercial relevance, beneficiaries together with the Principal Investigator must examine the need to protect these results adequately for an appropriate period and with appropriate territorial coverage (e.g. patent, copyright) and use their best efforts to exploit the results or have them exploited by another entity (e.g. licensing, start-ups, partnerships, further research, or policy development). Finally, results generated by ERC projects can be transferred or licensed to third parties, but beneficiaries must ensure that the new owner assumes the same IPR obligations (especially regarding access rights, protection, dissemination, and exploitation). If any result is intended to be transferred or exclusively licensed to a recipient established in non-EU country not associated with Horizon Europe programme, the Agency must be notified in advance and has the right to object to this transfer/licence up to 4 years after the end of the action, if it is considered not in line with EU interests.

Synergy

1. Team Composition and Roles

Synergy Grant teams consist of 2 to 4 Principal Investigators (PIs) with competitive track records.

Team members can be from the same or different host institutions.

There is no restriction on the broader composition of the research team or the number of team members.

The proposal must clearly demonstrate the scientific added value of the team and show that its composition is well-suited to achieving the project’s objectives.

Each PI must dedicate at least 30% of their working time to the Synergy Grant project.

2. Evaluation Process

Step 1: Proposals are assessed by a single panel made up of panel chairs and vice-chairs.

Steps 2 and 3: The number and composition of panels are adapted based on the proposals retained and the assignments made by the panel chairs.

Evaluation focuses on:

The independence of each PI.

The suitability of the team for the proposed research.

The scientific ambition and coherence of the project.

Not on publication records alone.

3. CV and Track Record

There is no “typical” profile for Synergy Grant applicants.

As outlined in the Information for Applicants, the CV and Track Record should include:

Personal details and education.

Key qualifications and current/previous positions.

A list of up to 10 research outputs that best reflect the applicant's contribution to advancing knowledge in their field.

Emphasis on recent achievements, which may include:

Publications, preprints, books/book chapters.

Data sets, software, patents, licenses, standards.

Conference proceedings or start-up businesses.

Applicants may optionally add a factual explanation for each output, describing:

Its significance.

Their role in producing it.

How it demonstrates their capacity to carry out the proposed project.

The type of output may vary by field, and peer reviewers will assess its relevance based on the applicant’s research area, career stage, and personal context.

4. Clarifications on Track Record Evaluation

Publication record is not an eligibility criterion.

The examples and benchmarks in the ERC Work Programme serve only as guidance to help applicants assess their track record and research independence.

Final assessment of each PI’s track record is left to the evaluation panels, which will consider the applicant’s career path and personal circumstances.

International aspect of the grants: ERC grants are open to researchers of any nationality currently working anywhere in the world. The application must be submitted with a host institution (any type of legal entity) in one of the EU Member States or one of the countries associated to Horizon Europe Pillar I. A list of the associated countries is available on the Funding and Tenders portal.   The HI may also be an International European Interest Organisation (e.g. CERN, EMBL), or an entity established under EU law. In a Synergy Grant, one Host Institution, except the Corresponding Host Institution, may be an international organisation or a legal entity established outside the European Union or an Associated Country. International organisations with headquarters in an EU Member State or an Associated Country shall be deemed to be established in that Member State or Associated Country.
Given the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the involvement of Belarus, there is currently no appropriate context allowing the implementation of the actions foreseen in this Work Programme with legal entities established in Russia, Belarus, or in non-government-controlled territories of Ukraine. Therefore, even where such entities are not subject to EU restrictive measures, they are not eligible to participate in any capacity. 
Researchers funded with an ERC grant are required to spend at least 50% of their time working in the EU/associated country. The research project should be implemented in the EU or Associated countries. However, field work or other research activities, which is necessary to achieve the scientific objectives of the project can be carried out outside the EU/associated countries. In such cases, the time spent on the grant carrying our such field work is considered as time spent in the EU/associated country.  
The maximum funding amounts for each grant type are set out in the ERC work programme. Additional funding of up to €1 million can be requested to cover further eligible costs (e.g. start-up costs, major equipment, access to large facilities, major experimental and field work costs) when these are necessary to carry out the proposed work. The requests for additional funding must be duly justified in the proposal. However, applicants for ERC Starting, Consolidator, or Advanced Grants who are re-locating to the EU or an Associated Country from elsewhere to take up their ERC grant can apply for up to a maximum of €2 million of additional funding. 
The Executive Agency for the ERC (ERCEA) regularly organises information sessions for potential applicants, this include information sessions run in association with the Euraxess Worldwide for researchers currently working outside of Europe.  
The National Contact Point network can provide advice and guidance to potential applicants on all aspects of the evaluation process, including practical information on finding suitable host institutions.

Information about the grants/Communication: The ERC classes are a set of video tutorials, presented by staff from the ERCEA Scientific Management Department. The videos provide practical information and guidance on the process of making an ERC application and the evaluation process. We have just published a new set of 6 classes which take into account the recent changes that were made to the application and evaluation procedures. You can access them on the ERC YouTube channel.   
You can also access the video of the 10 July webinar on the work programme from the YouTube channel. There will be another webinar on 11 September on the ERC 2026 work programme; more information on this will be published on our website later in the summer. This webinar will also be broadcasted live on the YouTube channel. 
ERC proposals are not formally required to include a plan for the exploitation and dissemination (including communication activities) of the results in the sense of the Horizon Europe Regulation. However, an ERC proposal may include public engagement activities and/or other communication activities related to the project proposed, and indeed such activities may be a part of the research methodology envisaged. 
Following the deadline for each call, the relevant guide for reviewers is published on Funding and Tenders portal. You can find information on all ERC funded projects on the CORDIS website Projects & results | CORDIS | European Commission.

ERC Plus Grants

The aim of the planned ERC Plus grants is to increase the attractiveness of Europe as a place for excellent scientists and scholars to conduct their research. As is the case for all other ERC grants, these grants will be open to researchers of all nationalities and evaluated on the sole criterion of excellence. All further details concerning ERC Plus grants will be given in a forthcoming amendment to the ERC Work Programme.

Advance Notice of Future Changes to the Eligibility Requirements for Starting and Consolidator Grants:  Please note that the following information is provided based on what the ERC Scientific Council has planned for 2027. It will only become legally binding once the ERC Work Programme 2027 has been adopted, likely in July 2026. The precise cut-off dates for the different grant types, as well as resubmission restrictions, will be indicated in the work programme.
The Scientific Council has previously announced the intention to widen the eligibility period for both its Starting and Consolidator Grant schemes. From 2027 on, researchers will be eligible to apply for a Starting Grant immediately after successfully defending their PhD, and at any time within the following ten-year period. Consolidator Grant applicants will be eligible to apply between five and fifteen years after defending their PhD. All current policies for the extension of the eligibility periods will remain in force.
While the eligibility periods for the Starting and Consolidator Grants are set to change in 2027, there are currently no plans to change the call dates and deadlines. It is likely that the increase in the eligibility windows for the Starting and Consolidator Grants will lead to a higher number of applications (and a reduced success rate) in the short term. However, we expect this to stabilise in the long run. We do not expect a significant change in the budget for these grants during the current framework programme for research Horizon Europe 2021–2027.
Given the overlap between the two eligibility windows, some applicants will have the choice to apply to either scheme. In recognition of the diversity of contemporary research career paths and to allow maximum flexibility, it is left to the applicant to decide on the scheme most fitting to their research goals. The ERC will not issue recommendations or define specific requirements (such as holding a tenured position, or leading own research group, for example) or criteria (beyond the official eligibility and evaluation criteria) to channel applications towards a particular scheme. Given the high number of applications, there are currently no plans to ease the existing resubmission restrictions for Starting and Consolidator Grants.
As is the case currently, a researcher will be able to apply for one main research grant in any work programme year, even if they meet the eligibility requirements for several of them. If the planned changes for 2027 are confirmed, applicants would be able to apply for a Consolidator Grant in the 2026 call and for a Starting Grant in the 2027 call, assuming they meet the respective eligibility conditions and are not subject to resubmission restrictions. However, from 2027 onwards, applicants may only be awarded one Starting Grant and one Consolidator Grant each over the course of their career. 
In evaluating a proposal, panel members are instructed to assess the applicant and their track record, taking into account their seniority and career stage in terms of what can be reasonably achieved at this particular stage in their career. Thus, each researcher is assessed on their own merit within their career stage.